The planche, the planche!

So last night was, sadly, the final episode of So You Think You Can Dance, season three. I have to tell you that this might be my new favorite reality competition, and as a die-hard Idol fan that is not easy to admit. SYTYCD gives me the warm fuzzies, a feeling that Idol has not been able to give me since the days of George Huff. I thought a lot about this last night. I don't feel bad changing my allegiency to another Nigel Lythgoe production. Idol really has some problems to fix.

So Cat Deeley has a beautiful face, a crazy-catchy accent, and then wears heinous clothing. But she is eminently more likeable than Ryan Seacrest, and nowhere near as snarky. The hug she gave Sabra at the end was emotional and real, and even if she was wearing an ostrich-slash-grocery bag last night, she was super-cute overall.

Sara was totally robbed. Besides Neil, a final four dancer, Sara was in three of the season's favorite dances: the disco one with Neil, West Coast Swing with Pasha, and a Wade routine with Jesus. I said over a month ago that Sara was my favorite. I hope that last night was validation to her and her fans that she is an incredibly versatile dancer! I wish her well. It was so much fun to see her dance and dance and dance AGAIN last night.

Neil, too, really shined last night. Doing the "table dance" with Sabra (and omg that planche, I can't even stand it!) and the disco with Sara, his charisma was off the charts. I really changed my mind on that guy.

Unlike on American Idol's season finale, SYTYCD brought back people with TALENT from the audition rounds, and lo and behold, didn't make fun of them! Idol brings back Special Olympics contestants and puts them on display for 60 million people to laugh at while flashing giant pictures of marsupials on the stage. SYTYCD brings back an exceptionally talented clogger and pop-and-locker and gives them each their own 15 minutes of real fame. Idol went too far this year, I think, bringing back the Big Bird Lady, the Bush Baby and his fat friend, making them wear the same Harry high-pants outfits they wore during audtions where they were laughed at. I'm not saying the judges on SYTYCD don't laugh at people (Derek "Turbulance! Land the Plane!" anyone? Or Sexx?) but they don't use their show or their finale to humiliate people.

On AI, it is a well-known and much-mocked fact that Paula and Randy generally say nothing as far as critiquing goes (it's either pitchy, not my thing, wonderful, etc.), and Simon just either says he loves you or he hates you in a condescending manner. The judges on SYTYCD actually judge and offer criticism without being rude, talk about technique and moves and offer concrete suggestions on how to become better dancers. With the exception early-on of the love/hate relationship some of the judges had with Cedric (and overall, I think they really liked him and wished him well), I never saw them being unnecessarily mean. On Idol, if an R&B singer sucked during country week, he heard about how much he sucked. On SYTYCD, not every dancer is cut out for every kind of dance. The dancer would be told what worked and what didn't, but never were they not-so-subtly told to pack his or her bags.

My last favorite thing about SYTYCD is the music. The music is all over the place and is fresh, fun, and really good! I love how they tell you the song and the artist on the screen. I've downloaded countless songs from this season, everything from that Fosse/"Amazing Grace" number, to OneRepublic/Timberland's "Apologize" to Citizen Cope's "Let the Drummer Kick." Idol dregs up the Bee Gees. SYTYCD has dancers moving to 50 Cent's latest single and has singers come on the show and actually sing instead of lip sync.

SYTYCD is a much better show than AI, in my humble opinion. It makes me feel GOOD when I watch it. It opens my eyes to the magic and passion and emotion that good dancing showcases. And unlike on AI where the top 24 contains some real duds, the top 20 on SYTYCD was a really impressive group of kids, each likeable and down to earth for the most part.

The one downside last night -- wasn't Ryan Cabrera kind of hot at one point in time? Last night Chris said he looked like Jack White from the White Stripes. I disgreed.

Jack White is WAY hotter.

SYTYC get tix to see SYTYCD?

Well, kind of. I tried to get tickets for a bunch of us to go see the SYTYCD tour when it comes to Boston this September, but seriously could not get a single pair of tickets about 6 minutes after tickets went on sale! What the eff? Dudes, I know Pasha is hot, and Kameron too, and okay, Neil too, but for reals? Sold out?

But that's okay. We are troopers and we are going to Manch-Vegas the following week to see them there, holla!

Here are some thoughts on the final four contestants. And by some thoughts, I mean "my" thoughts.

Neil: I have completely changed my tune on this guy. H-O-T-T. And a pretty good dancer. That plange or whatever the hell it was called last week with Sabra during the jazz routine? I literally Woooeeddd in my living room. I felt like Mary Murphy, and that's just CRAZY!

Sabra: Since everyone I know loves her, how can she lose? However, I'm not getting my hopes up. I think Lacey's fanbase of "Black Parade of Teenagers with Bad Weaves" is too big to be denied. But Sabra to me is the whole package. She does everything so well! And she's cute and modest to boot! And she isn't an ass dancer!

Lacey: This girl should invest in a better weave-maker and stop with the ass dancing. Are you serious, "Oh I think I put my butt near the camera? Oops!" Your ass is everywhere. Except around a pole, where it should be!

Danny: A vacant stare with legs.

Don't forget to watch tonight at 8 on Fox! And vote vote vote!

Can I vote for Wade to come to my house and teach me to dance?

Holiest of matrimonies.

Yesterday we went to one of my best friend's weddings. It was a great time, and they are just so cute together, so it was one of those weddings that seemed quite perfect and lovely in its purpose. One downside: it was 90 degrees in the old (read: not equipped with air conditioners) church, and the ceremony was just about two hours long. Woo boy, was that long! And hot! I thought Chris was going to fall down from the heat in the church and I was going to have to call on the Jeez to resuscitate him, 'cause Lord knows I don't know CPR and probably couldn't even lift him up if he did fall down. But overall it was beautiful and fun -- Chris even had to DANCE in FRONT OF PEOPLE for MONEY! -- and here are some pictures!

Here we are, pre-church.

At the reception.
Janice, holla.

WHS represent.

Go white boy, go white boy, go!

Cheers to the happy, happy couple.