DWTS Season 18: The Switch Up

Okay, I'm officially confused. When they announced the partner switch on GMA this morning, there was very little explanation. In the official ABC press release, we got this:

When I read the statement, it sounded like it was a permanent switch at some point in the season. Then a very reliable source, The Hollywood Reporter, came up with this:

So ABC offers up no time frame while THR offers up one week. Which one is it? Well, I went straight to the source to ask the question.

ABC spokesperson Kristen Anders replied, "There is no official quote other than what's on the press release (which is up on abcmedianet.com). We haven't released any other details, it will be announced in show. Thanks!"

So the answer is that there is no official answer…yet. It's going to be up to Tom Bergeron and Erin Andrews to give us the inside scoop at some point in the season.

What do you think of The Switch Up? Let me know in the comments below.

Photo credit: DWTS/ABC/Instagram

DWTS Season 18: 3 Things You Need to Know

Well, yesterday was pretty epic…I am currently on set in San Francisco when the news started to trickle in to me. I would work, run off set and post a tweet. My Twitter feed exploded and there is no way I can respond to everyone the way I normally do. Here are 3 things to know.

1. Why didn't you confirm everyone?: I want to deliver good, truthful scoop to you. If I can't confirm a name from the sources I speak with, I won't mention it. It's my reputation on the line as an entertainment reporter, so giving you the truth is more important to me than giving you the whole list with errors on it.

UPDATE: I confirmed Derek IN, Sasha and Tristan OUT, Henry and Witney as PRO, Lindsay and Jenna in TROUPE. New confirmation…Tyne is OUT. 

2. What about Chelsie or…?: I know many of you adore Chelsie Hightower, but the writing has been on the wall for a few seasons regarding her future on the show. ABC signaled a change and I think they have moved on from her at this point. Sadly, I think Louis van Amstel is in that category, too. Read my post on DWTS contracts. The UPDATE in the article gives more information on ABC's policy.

3. Why is Maks back?: Like him or loathe him, Maks is newsworthy. With Derek apparently opting out this season, ABC needs a star. I love Val, but he's not as charismatic as his controversial brother. They needed Maks back and I imagine that situation also brought a very generous contract with it. UPDATE: Derek is IN…this will be a great season. A rivalry on the dance floor is back!

This season is bringing about some big changes with Erin Andrews replacing Brooke Burke-Charvet and Harold Wheeler out and Ray Chew in. Let's roll with the changes before watching the first episode. After the season begins, then everything is fair game! See you all on AfterBuzz TV on March 18.

Erin Andrews on DWTS: My Thoughts

When The Big Lead report leaked out yesterday that Erin Andrews was going to replace Brooke Burke-Charvet as Tom Bergeron's co-host on DWTS, Twitter went nuts. Based on the responses I received, it was about 75% against Erin and only about 25% for Erin. That's not a good place to start. However, I am going to give her a chance, here's why:

1. Behind the Scenes: Even though Tom is more than capable of running the show himself, ABC clearly wants to showcase the behind-the-scenes interviews and he can't be everywhere. That's where Erin will come into play.

2. Interviews: I know that I made a remark more than once last season on AfterBuzz TV about Brooke's interviewing skills. Sometimes, I cringed. Erin is an excellent sports journalist who will bring her reporter skills to the table. I'm looking forward to some solid questions this season instead of "How do you feel?"

3. Personality: Look, I get it. Erin is a guy's girl. She works in a tough industry for females and she has a harder edge to her. However, she will bring some sass and snap to the table. Erin doesn't have a soft and fuzzy warmth, but I think she will have us all talking on Tuesdays about what happened the night before.

So, let's give her a chance. We haven't seen what she is capable of yet, but I welcome the change and the season debut of DWTS.

What do you think about Erin Andrews new gig? Let me know in the comments below. 

AfterBuzz TV SYTYCD: Sharna Burgess

This was such a fun show. I cannot tell you how much I love Sharna Burgess as a guest. She is honest, funny and forthcoming with her insight. I always appreciate it because I know we are getting the truth when she talks about a controversial issue. The best part of Sharna though....she's nice.  I just like the gal. So, you will see her again when DWTS starts up again in the fall. Thanks, Sharna!

In watching the show back today, there were two things I noticed:
1. Judges: With all of the excitement around Paula Abdul judging, we barely mentioned her. In fact, Erin Andrews received more mentions than Paula. While the honor of having Paula on the panel is a big deal, I am not sure her judging comments resonated that much with us.  What do you think?

See our pre-show Vine video >>

2. Comfort Fedoke: Yes, she was the one who was eliminated and was brought back to the show. We were thinking hard on the fly and couldn't come up with a name, but we knew it had happened before. The real question is: Why don't they bring back contestants anymore?

I'm bummed the show will be pre-empted by the MLB All-Star game. We want All-Stars, but the ones who dance, not hit a ball. I will miss you guys next week, but we will return on July 24 with Mollee Gray and Kent Boyd. They have exciting news to discuss with their Teen Beach Movie coming out on the Disney Channel. You can also stay up-to-date on our future guests by clicking here.

To see the Sean Cheesman side-by-side comparison of his jazz routine from SYTYCD Canada with the U.S version, click here.

I would love to hear your comments on the show, so hit me up in the comments section below: