I Know My Kid’s a Star Recap - Episode 7 - Host-ility
On this episode, the mothers’ claws come out…
…and the kids are right there to show just how impressionable they are!
The episode begins with Danny busting in the house at 6 a.m. yelling for everyone to wake up. His cock-a-doodle-doing makes him something like a plucked rooster — featherless but red all over. No one’s happy about this, which is best illustrated in Pam’s general appearance.
And really, having everyone get up and immediately appear on camera may be the least humane move this show has ever pulled.
Danny tells them they have an hour to get prepared to convene on his turf. The endlessly savvy Helene realizes that this must mean…
Her correspondingly savvy daughter realizes that this must mean…
…it’s time to turn on.
It turns out that Helene is correct.
First the parents are interviewed. Danny acts like the spark in this psychological powder keg, asking which mother deserves to be voted off. Shannon pipes up by naming Helene, since she lives with her mother.
“Spoken by a true beauty-pageant queen, there,” counters Helene. Shannon shoots back, “I can’t help that!” as though being a pageant queen is hardwired into her DNA. IT’S NOT A CHOICE! Danny asks which kid will end up in rehab first. Shannon and Gigi both agree that it’s Mary Jo. “On her way!” says Gigi, as though the pressure she puts on Alai isn’t enough to drive a fish to drink. At one point, Gigi tosses in, “Pam’s also been married to a man who dresses like a woman,” much to Shannon’s delight.
Pam basically confirms this in a solo interview, explaining that the marriage was short and she doesn’t really talk about her husbands. I wish she would more often: this only makes her whole situation more fascinating. Although, equally awesome is another thing she says during a solo interview: “Gigi is just an evil bitch.” Heh. That’s a season-wide summary of one person’s character arc if ever there were.
Also fascinating: Shannon doesn’t know what a casting couch is. Being in Hollywood must be like being on another planet. She doesn’t understand these creatures and their strange ways! Soon the parents are dismissed and they get about 15 minutes to prep their kids for their interview.
As the moms look on…
…the kids answer Danny’s questions, and they’re just as cutthroat as their parents.
Between kids shouting over each other, Danny wonders who’s the biggest brat. Mary Jo pipes up and says it’s Alai. She adds that Alai shouldn’t be there because, “she’s not that talented.” These kids are just endlessly adorable. Speaking of, Cheyenne does a hyper impersonation of…her mom? One of the moms?
All of the moms? Rocky? And then she launches into an impromptu sales pitch when Danny asks who should be the next kid star (cutting off McKenzie, btw)…
“Um, I think that I’m really the next child star ’cause I just live to perform. Like, singing, see I’ll just sing right on the spot. (Sings a few lines from Heart’s ‘Alone.’) See I’m always ready to perform. I’m always on! On! On!” I would love to know exactly what she’s on so I can get some for myself.
Alai asks if she can deliver a monologue she and her mom wrote.
It’s this and it’s weird. The whole time she’s saying it, I can only imagine that bug character they had to voice in the voice-over challenge. Suddenly, I’m sooo in the mood for a picnic!
After Alai’s monologue, the interview challenge is over. At home, more casting couch discussion ensues. Helene points out how common it is to some mild protesting by Shannon. Helene sums up the mindset thusly: “They don’t know what the casting couch is, but you know what? They know how to marry men for money and they know how to have men pay for their fake boobs. So you know what? Pah to that!”
Hmmm. I’m still on the fence as to whether or not “Pah to that!” is a worthy successor to Rocky’s, “So bam!” And speaking of Rocky, I so wish that she were around for the casting couch conversation. No matter where she falls on the matter, you know what she’d have to say about it would be uniquely…her. But I suppose you could say that for any issue.
Then we see Gigi and Shannon talking outside about today’s challenge.
Gigi imitates Cheyenne’s singing, amusingly but not accurately. She also tells Alai of her plans for Pam, since she feels that Mary Jo unfairly attacked Alai during the radio interview.
“I’m gonna rip into her and her daughter so bad she’ll wish that she was never here. And if Helene wants to get into it, I got some stuff to say to her, too. So…” Pass that dish, mom. We’re having resentment family-style tonight!
Meanwhile, Helene and Pam talk because they have some sort of makeshift alliance or something.
“I just hope the end of this doesn’t get really vicious,” says Helene. Uh, too late. Too late by, like, a whole challenge. To wit, Gigi soon comes in and asks to speak with Pam. Pam wonders if this will yield screaming and explains to Gigi, “I’m not gonna give you your drama moment.” If this were a Secret Santa, her words might hold some weight, because you know that no matter what, Gigi’s gonna take her drama moment. And so she does.
She feels as though Pam set Mary Jo up to throw Alai under the bus. Mary Jo has the wherewithal to initiate her own under-the-bus-throwing, thank you very much! Their shouting escalates to the point of hilarity: Gigi tells Pam, “Take your ass back to Celebration, Fla.!” With a name like Celebration, who wouldn’t want to return? The conversation ends with Pam leaving the room and Gigi vowing to kick her ass. You knkow she wouldn’t do it, but hey, it’s the thought that counts.
Danny comes over with a new challenge: the kids will try out for a hosting gig.
Preparation ensues. Alai throws too many words into her reading. Business as usual.
Then, auditions take place.
McKenzie is up first…
She’s pretty big and over-the-top, but it kinda words given the set-up. Marki likes it. When she’s done, McKenzie says, “I don’t know why, but I remind myself of Dr. Phil.” It’s probably the alopecia.
Alai stops after every line, like she’s reading a telegraph. This is how Gigi advised her to do it, so she owns up to it being her fault. That’s more than I’d ever expect from Gigi. Kudos!
Cheyenne is oddly subdued to the point of erasing her identity, according to Marki. It’s like she’s taking whatever McKenzie is hiding under her lettuce.
Mary Jo is bubbly and natural. She’s so great that Marki doesn’t have a single note for her. Imagine rendering Marki speechless! Imagine!
And then: more smack-talking with Gigi.
“If Pam tries to verbally whatever, I will rip her. I will shred her.” Hold on there, Freddy Krueger. What if Pam tries to verbally juggle poodles. That’d be worth not shredding her just to see it play out, right?
While Gigi’s talking, Pam’s listening.
And then, after Alai catches her, the jig is up.
Gigi’s response to the news?
“Tell Robin to come around from the corner and face Batman.” Funny that she calls herself “Batman” but acts like Catwoman. Reow! But also, how awesome would it be to see Gigi dressed up like Batman during the elimination round?
No such luck, though. Marki’s more critical than usual in the parents-only portion: McKenzie got lost, Cheyenne was too fake (she gave too much and too little, respectively, in this week’s challenges), Alai was too monologuey and Mary Jo was too awesome. Marki asks how things are in the house and she might as well be asking if anyone’s ever danced with the devil in the pale moon light.
Pam explains that Gigi accused her of setting up Mary Jo to go after Alai. That’s a chain of communication that spans generations. Gigi flips out…
The highlight? “Where’s the ponytail you wear? It’s probably up Helene’s butt.” Shoving a ponytail up someone’s butt sounds like a logistical nightmare, to say the least.
Anyway, Gigi’s outburst pretty much proves Danny’s suspicions: Gigi, simply, is not ready for Hollywood and she is sent home.
On the way out, Gigi tells Alai to have more confidence, which is a hard thing to just will, especially when you’re being commanded to do so. HOWEVER, it is impressive that Gigi shows affection to both Mary Jo…
…and her daughter.
I really thought that Gigi was going to come down hard on Alai for being eliminated. The shot above is about the most reassuring one that’s ever run on this blog.
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May 10th, 2008 at 10:18 pm
I don’t know who you are, but I’ve been digging through this blog and cracking up the whole time, so thank you for that.
May 10th, 2008 at 6:46 am
Gina, I think Gigi was making tie-dyed t-shirts for everyone. If I recall correctly, McKenzie posted about her making one for her.
May 9th, 2008 at 11:44 pm
GIGI IF U WOULD HAVE WATCHED THE RADIO EPISODE U WOULD HAVE SEEN THAT PAM DIDNT PUT ANYONE UP 2 ANYTHING!!!!!!!
May 9th, 2008 at 10:23 pm
man gigi is so harsh i know why they GOT ELIMNATED because gigi was so hard on her daughter that her daughter was so scared of messing up she did all the time so next time alai needs to fire her mom or she’ll sufer
May 9th, 2008 at 8:46 pm
u can meet me on bebo
May 9th, 2008 at 8:45 pm
i think we can hook up in ur very cute From DeVonn williams 12 years old
May 9th, 2008 at 8:40 pm
I’m fascinated by the whole show - contestants, parents, Marki and Danny! Much as I love this show and have many a thing on which to comment, the thing that I am most curious about is…WHAT WAS GIGI BOLING IN THE POT ON THE STOVE WHILE VOWING TO TAKE VENGENCE ON THE COMPETITORS ALL THE WHILE TALKING TO AND WITH HER POOR DAUGHTER? Was it some sort of voodoo curse? Was she boiling a pice of Pam’s clothing (namely, the shirt she claims Pam gave her) and, if so, what does boiling a shirt do?
If ANYONE can shed some light on this for me I will be forever grateful.
Thank you.
May 9th, 2008 at 5:23 pm
The finale episode was so difficult for me to watch that I had to turn it off for a little bit and then come back. Finally, Helene really showed her true colors! Ever since her over confident little girl started losing challenges etc…Helene began this whole PITIFUL “poor us” victim mode! What an unfortunate lesson to teach your child! Of course the whole competition was great and fairer than fair while Cheyenne was winning! This is the most obvious case of being a sore loser if ever I’ve seen one! Helene, in my opinion was verbally and emotionally abusing her daughter, and then all the while giving her false hope. Instead of telling her daughter that she had a good chance of winning because of how well she did, she always had to resort to telling her kid that she would win because of how poorly or inexperienced the other kids were! If she has any kind of experience in this biz, it certainly doesn’t show and this is definately why Cheyenne hasn’t had a succussful carreer thus far! I also felt sorry for Mary Jo….she was so beautiful, savvy and really just smart all the way around. Unfortunately, with “Mary Kay of the 80’s” as her mom, she’s being held back, WAY back! Her mom’s outfit for the last episode was simply atrocious!!! Her mom was trying to make her as out of date at she was!! Hopefully Mary Jo will get some professionals working behind her, if she’s going to have a chance of any REAL success! Not only does “Mommy Mary Kay” clearly not have a clue as to what’s in style, she’s intereferring with her darling daughtet who truly does have some CURRENT style! Mary Jo, fire you mom (!!) and in the meantime, don’t listen to any of her suggestions! Follow your own insticts because you clearly are on the right track and your “mommie dearest” is living in a whole other generation…just look at her! One last tip, from a mom currently IN the business, LOSE THE PEARLS!! Finally, Makenzie’s mom had everything completely right! Maybe Mary Jo could get some tips from a loving mom who’s living in the “now” times! I bet she’d charge less than all the money “Miss Mary Kay” has spent on poor little Mary Jo. I actually think Mary Jo could have won if she had a mom living in the times! Best of luck to all the girls, you all have great potential (but Cheyenne, you really need to get over yourself a little bit). I was rooting for you at first, until your mom turned you into a “KidZilla”!
May 9th, 2008 at 9:00 am
Congrats McKenzie and Shannon! What a pleasure it was to see you both grow and prosper from this experience. When McKenzie hit the crescendo part of “Alone” I got chills up my spine. She was awesome! Did I hear “Mr. Danny” call her “Baby Girl”? I’m pretty sure I did and it was just so touching. I thought it was so funny when he said you could even use the lemon rinds to soften your elbows! He’s a smart man - with a big heart.
To Cheyanne: You were great too. Since you’re already established, you should be going full speed ahead.
To Alai: Stay sweet! To Gigi: Stay cool! You’re doing the right thing with the management decisions you’ve told us about. You love each other to bits and it shows.
To Mary Jo: It’s tough being 12. I remember it well. I think Marki was right - you have a quirky side that will serve you well. Be yourself! Pam, you’re a fast learner, but I think you needed a little more time to sort things out and figure how to best present Mary Jo. You’ll get it and that is the most important thing.
To Gian: I think you have a lot of potential for the stage. You can already dance and you’re half-way there with the acting. If you sing too, well, there you go! If your mom focuses on the good parenting, all you need is some professional coaching.
To all the other kids, thanks for making a great show! To Rocky and Haley, I love the pets!
May 9th, 2008 at 8:45 am
Way to go, McKensie! I knew you could win! I wish I hadn’t missed the finale, though…but I’ll catch it again at noon. Congratulations!!
May 9th, 2008 at 6:59 am
Look, Mary Jo did not have what it took to be the star, you haters need to suck it up, wipe your tears and move on. Mackenzie and her mother were a great team . I directed my comment to Pam , Not to Mary Jo, It really don’t matter how it was taken. Don’t Hate, Congradulate. You haters are areal TRIP! The best team won. SIMPLE AS THAT!
May 9th, 2008 at 3:29 am
***I posted this under the Interview Shannon gave as well but I thought I’d post here too***
Dear Shannon and McKenzie,
I started watching this show probably a quarter of the way through and I remember thinking that McKenzie was (sorry to say) an overactor. But I watched you both handle the pressure of the drama in the house, other negativity, and the fact that McKenzie had no professional training with dignity and grace. You two hold a special place in my heart…I lived in Baton Rouge for while and used to teach 3rd grade. I now live Seattle and am raising a beautiful 16 month old daughter.
As a mother, I watched you, Shannon, with pride. You did not engage in negativity in front of your daughter and you did not allow her to be negative to anyone else ESPECIALLY herself! Way to go. McKenzie, good luck to you. You are definitely a star and wherever your path takes you, please continue to shine as brightly as you do now! Remember to be yourself and to listen to your mama…as you know, she is a GREAT mom!
Best Wishes to Both of You,
Victoria
May 9th, 2008 at 2:45 am
this show was great sometimes i couldnt believe the way some of the moms where talking to their kids and where so nonsupportive of them on national tv but i guess thats why its called reality. i hope he does it for a season two,cause i would love for my daughter to enter this contest and be on the show. How do you go about getting on one of these shows anyway? well anyway i know my childs a definate STAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! LOL! respond soon thanks
May 9th, 2008 at 1:54 am
This post is to Brenda, DanKlien, Jennifer, Gorden and whoever else that thinks that everyone or anyone who has put up a nasty post is Gigi. Let me ^#* ure you that Missy/Serena/Stownsend are NOT Gigi. And for the record, neither am I.
To Jcarol 5/8/08-1:14am
You stated that you were going to report post to the authorities for IP addresses. Go right ahead. H@ll, they would have to investigate this entire blog. They can even start with ME.
I thought this board was originally started to discuss the show, its contents and the people on it, but somehow, somewhere along the way it turned mean, vicious and malicious. Everybody started attacking first the contestants then they started turning on each other. And all because some didn’t like the way someone parented or managed their child or someone didn’t like the same contestant they did. And if it is supposed to be a freedom of speech board, why do some think it’s okay to post if you’re friends of MaryJo/Pam and McKenzie/Shannon, but not if you’re fans of Alai/Gigi or Rocky/Haley? What sense does that make. This wasn’t supposed to be a “I HATE” board anymore than it was supposed to be an “I LOVE” board. I think we’ve gotten way off track here people. We complain about the way people acted and spoke on the show and we turned this board into something just as bad if not far worse (and yes, I said “we”, I’ve posted here too). Why can’t we just congradulate McKenzie on her win and wish all the other kids well in their lives and careers?
Let me be the first to take the high road (from any negative things I’ve said in the past) and Congradulate McKenzie and Shannon for accomplishing everything they set out to do and to wish ALL of the kids AND their parents the best of luck and I hope all the kids become stars.
The Black Sheep
May 9th, 2008 at 1:24 am
Missy,
YES, I THINK YOU ARE GIGI!! You are so obvious and your remarks are stupid! If you had first hand knowledge of anything and you were not Gigi you would have never posted all the crapthat you have. You are a liar and NO ONE believes you! Your credibility went out the window a long time ago. Gigi take your trash andleave focus on your daughter not Pam
May 9th, 2008 at 1:01 am
Good luck tothe girls!
Missy, I don’t believe you I mean Gigi PLEASE give it up and move on!
Bring it…Mary Jo is doing very well by her youtube so I think her karma is pretty good!
I think all the girls were great! Mary jo is andwill always bemy favorite and I think she will be a star in Hollywood.
To the haters…get some help…to Gigi you lost move on and quit trying to hurt a child!
May 9th, 2008 at 12:28 am
GOOD LUCK ALL. I BID YOU A HUMBLE GOOD BYE.
WELCOME TO HOLLYWOOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
May 9th, 2008 at 12:10 am
Heyyyyyyyyy!! its me!!!!!!! i know you are all waiting for the clue,,,right? ok here it is.
Here in Hollywood,,, we have to watch what we say,,,but at the same rate, say what we mean.
you think about it,,,and tell me , who I’am.
remember,,I said , I WOULD ONLY GIVE CLUES.
Also,,,,,IAM NOT GIGI. ALAI IS A VERY TALENTED YOUNG LADY, HER MOTHER WAS GOING THROUGH ” LIFE”, DURING THE TAPINGS, AND SHE ABSOLUTLY LOST IT, WHEN THE ONE AND ONLY FRIEND SHE THOUGHT SHE HAD,,TURNED ON HER.
WE OVERSTOOD, GIGI, AND WE RECORNIZED THE REAL ISSUES,,AND WE REVIEWED THE TAPES.
OK,,YOU WANT TO KNOW WHO IAM AND WHY I HAVE BEEN SO “NASTY”?
HOLLYWOOD RECONIZES, TALENT, NO DOUBT,,BUT GUESS WHAT ELSE WE RECONIZE?
CUT -THROATS. THIS HAS NEVER, AND WILL NEVER, BE TOLERATED, IF WE HAVE FIRST HAND KNOWLEDGE OF IT. SO,,,CLUE #2…DO YOU STILL THINK IAM GIGI?
May 8th, 2008 at 11:44 pm
WELL HELLO YOU TWO, YOU KNEW (SMILE). OF COURSE YOU COULDNT TALK ABOUT IT BECAUSE YOU ARE UNDER CONTRACT. SHANNON, YOU GO -GIRL. WE KNEW OUR BABY GIRL WOULD WIN. SWEETY LET ME TELL YOU HOW THERE IS SO MUCH POPCORN ON MY FLOOR, BECAUSE TIRANEY AND I FLIPPED THE BOWL OVER. WE WERE SCREAMING SO LOUD,,THAT OUR DOGS BARKED AS IF WE WERE IN TROUBLE.
OMG….WE KNEW IT..THANK YOU JESUS CHRIST.
YOU ARE SUCH A GRACEFULL WOMAN, ITS UNSPEACKABLE. I CANT FIND THE WORDS TONIGHT.
4 OF MY CO-WORKERS CALLED ME AT EXCACTLY,11:01PM HERE WHERE WE LIVE, I HAD TO PUT THEM ON HOLD. WE WILL HAVE SUCH A WONDERFUL LUNCH TOMORROW. THE ”A-TEAM ON MY JOB, WERE VOTING FOR CHEYENNE,,AND OUR TEAM IS THE B-TEAM,,AND OF COURSE WE KNEW THE WINNER. THEY HAVE TO PAY FOR OUR LUNCH. MY DAUGHTER IS SO EXCITED. MY HUSBAND JUST TOLD HER,,OK,,BUT YOU HAVE SCHOOL TOMMORROW.
IAM SO WORKED UP,,THAT I HAVE TO STOP TYPING,,AND GO TO SLEEP. BUT YOU CAN BET YOUR BOTTOM DOLLAR, I WILL ALWAYS KEEP IN TOUCH.
I PRAY THAT ITS REALLY YOU ON HERE. TELL MCKENZIE, WE KNEW SHE WAS A STAR.
WHEN SHE CRIED, IN THE DRAMA PART OF IT..WE REALLY CRIED WITH HER.
*********MCKENZIE IS PENNSAUKEN, NEWJERSEYS’ STAR*********** way to go,,way to go.
May 8th, 2008 at 11:40 pm
Ok, Missy you said you had something to tell us?
May 8th, 2008 at 11:32 pm
Congratulations Shannon and MacKenzie…….boy you sure nailed all the challenges tonight like a pro! I was so proud of ya’ll! Please, please let us know how we can keep up with MacKenzies career so that we can follow her success. I had no idea that she could sing so well! WOW!!!! She comes across so comfortable on stage…..what a natural!
congratulations again!
May 8th, 2008 at 11:25 pm
CONGRATS MACKENZIE I KNEW IT, I AM SO PROUD OF YOU, SHANNON YOU SHOULD WRITE A BOOK ABOUT THIS EXPERIENCE. YOU ARE A GREAT MOM. GO MACKENZIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I’M GONNA NICKNAME MACKENZIE AMERICA’S LITTLE STAR!
May 8th, 2008 at 11:19 pm
MACKENZIE HAS WON!!!!!!!!!!!!!
May 8th, 2008 at 11:17 pm
Mary Jo has already been eliminated, So I guess she’s not going to be the winner. Sorry Pam, Karma is a B.I.T.C.H.
May 8th, 2008 at 11:08 pm
this is the best show i ever saw and i wish i could be the next kid star!!!
May 8th, 2008 at 11:05 pm
well dang…when does it air on the west coast? I was about to congratulate the winner!
Actually the final two were awesome and both will be rising stars in their own right…….
Congratulations though to both girls on a job well done.!
May 8th, 2008 at 11:00 pm
GOOD. I am pleased with the outcome. (I don’t want to spoil it for the West Coast)
May 8th, 2008 at 10:48 pm
The blog seems to have a glitch.
May 8th, 2008 at 10:18 pm
Yes! Best of luck to all the girls! We’ll be watching and we’re all proud. Even the “haters.”
May 8th, 2008 at 10:15 pm
I don;t see why adult want ot comeo n her and pick on the kids.