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Eug · Feb 9, 2009, 11:04 AM

Seriously, WTF.

"ABC says the new season of "Dancing with the Stars" will feature computer guru Steve Wozniak"

I despise reality TV shows, but I might actually have to watch this.

Laminar · Feb 9, 2009, 11:15 AM

First

Eug · Feb 9, 2009, 11:18 AM

Fist

design219 · Feb 9, 2009, 11:20 AM

Oh good God, this has to be a joke.

Eug · 11:30 AM

Originally Posted by design219

Oh good God, this has to be a joke.

LA Times: Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak to compete on 'Dancing With the Stars'

Put this in the "wait, really?" category: Steve Wozniak, the computer programmer who co-founded Apple, tonight was named a contestant on the upcoming season of "Dancing With the Stars."

His "Dancing With the Stars" competitors include: singers Lil' Kim, Jewel, Belinda Carlisle and Chuck Wicks; actors Denise Richards, David Alan Grier and Gilles Marini; Steve-O from "Jackass," "Access Hollywood" co-anchor Nancy O'Dell; rodeo star Ty Murray; former NFL linebacker Lawrence Taylor; and Olympic gymnast Shawn Johnson.

design219 · Feb 9, 2009, 11:29 AM

We are talking about the same Steve Wozniak, right?

Laminar · Feb 9, 2009, 11:29 AM

Originally Posted by Eug

and Olympic gymnast Shawn Johnson.[/i]

Hahahahaha.

I really hope her partner is like 6'5".

Eug · Feb 9, 2009, 11:30 AM

Originally Posted by design219

We are talking about the same Steve Wozniak, right?

ABC: 13 NEW STARS GET SET TO SHOWCASE THEIR FANCY FOOTWORK AS DANCING WITH THE STARS RETURNS FOR ITS EIGHTH SEASON, MONDAY, MARCH 9 ON ABC

STEVE WOZNIAK -- A Silicon Valley icon and philanthropist for the past three decades, Steve Wozniak, a.k.a. The Woz, helped shape the computer industry with his design of Apple's first line of products, the Apple I and II, and influenced the popular Macintosh. After leaving Apple Computer Inc. in 1985, Wozniak was involved in various business and philanthropic ventures, focusing primarily on computer capabilities in schools and stressing hands-on learning and encouraging creativity for students. In 2000, he was inducted into the Inventors Hall of Fame and was awarded the prestigious Heinz Award for Technology, The Economy and Employment. Wozniak is also a published author with the release of his New York Times Best Selling autobiography, iWoz: From Computer Geek to Cult Icon, in September 2006.

rickey939 · Feb 9, 2009, 01:37 PM

Originally Posted by Laminar

First

...to be booted off, yes.

Dakar V · Feb 9, 2009, 01:44 PM

We'll see if he can work the segway into a routine.

SpaceMonkey · Feb 9, 2009, 01:48 PM

Originally Posted by Dakar V

We'll see if he can work the segway into a routine.

Or a urinal?

Dakar V · Feb 9, 2009, 01:49 PM

touché

Eug · Feb 9, 2009, 02:09 PM

So I guess he didn't wash his hands before grabbing the Segway's handle bars again?

design219 · Feb 9, 2009, 02:12 PM

He never does.

Visnaut · Feb 9, 2009, 11:06 PM

I have to admit, DWTS is a guilty pleasure of mine, and the whole cast this season seems a bit better than the last few. Not as many washed up stars grasping at their last 15 minutes of fame.

At first I thought the casting of Woz had something to do with his relationship with Kathy Griffin, but a little googling put that to rest, they're no more. It's still a little nutty, but oh well, we'll see. People who have been written off early on the show wound up being quite the twinkle-toes.

I'm more surprised to see Steve-O on that list though. Cripes, the guy's either stoned, drunk, or high at any given time, if not a combination of all three, and his public appearances usually result in personal injury or public urination. Can't wait to see that **** to go down on live TV.

design219 · Feb 9, 2009, 11:26 PM

I think the definition of "star" is being stretched here. I think they are going after a demographic... every nerd will watch at least the first episode.

Eug · Feb 10, 2009, 12:22 AM

Originally Posted by Visnaut

People who have been written off early on the show wound up being quite the twinkle-toes.

Call me a skeptic, but somehow I don't think The Woz is gonna be one of them.

SpaceMonkey · Feb 10, 2009, 12:29 AM

Originally Posted by Eug

Call me a skeptic, but somehow I don't think The Woz is gonna be one of them.

You know the silhouetted guy dancing in the iPod commercials? That's Woz.

Eriamjh · Feb 11, 2009, 07:46 AM

I wouldn't watch DWTS if Steve Jobs was dancing with Bill Gates.

Mac User #001 · Feb 11, 2009, 12:26 PM

I'm calling your bluff. You totally would.

Eug · Mar 8, 2009, 09:50 AM

For all of you friendless saddos out there:

Vote for Woz on ABC's 'Dancing with the Stars!' *The OFFICIAL FB Group*

Steve Wozniak hits the dance floor on ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars” with the highly anticipated two-hour season premiere, MONDAY, MARCH 9, 2009 (8:00-10:02 p.m., ET) on ABC.

Viewers may cast their votes for their favorite teams via phone on Monday night during and up to 30 minutes after the “Dancing with the Stars” performance shows. AT&T subscribers may also text message their votes by texting the word “VOTE” and entering the number that corresponds to the team they want to support (standard text message rates apply). Viewers may also vote online at www.abc.com starting from the opening of each episode on the East Coast and until 12:00 Noon, ET the following day.

The Godfather · Mar 9, 2009, 09:20 PM

It's on in a couple of minutes.

The Godfather · Mar 9, 2009, 09:34 PM

Ok. How do I vote for him?

Cold Warrior · Mar 9, 2009, 09:39 PM

http://abc.go.com/primetime/dancingw...n=aboutthevote

design219 · Mar 9, 2009, 09:51 PM

Oh God. I can't believe I watched that.

TETENAL · Mar 9, 2009, 10:02 PM

That might have been the sexiest outfit I have seen Karina in yet. Woz didn't too bad, but 13 points is not much.

It looks like the Bachelorette is going to win this season easily.

Eriamjh · Mar 9, 2009, 10:03 PM

Originally Posted by design219

Oh God. I can't believe I watched that.

I didn't, but the wife says he sucked. He got a 13.

Worst
Score
Ever
(today)

Eug · Mar 10, 2009, 12:19 AM

Wow, that was a complete train wreck... Totally Woz. Still glad I saw that though.

To quote one of the judges: "It was like a teletubby at a gay pride parade."

TETENAL · Mar 12, 2009, 05:50 PM

Eug · Mar 12, 2009, 07:19 PM

Woz.org

At the start I have a pink boa (the 'softer' Woz) and I blow a kiss rather effeminately towards the audience. I keep my smile and eyes on the audience throughout. Early on I sway my hips out as I rotate, for comedy. At 3 points we swing our hips while ducking down together, again for comedy. I make one turn with a cat's paw move and, unknown to you, I yelled "meow" in my loudest voice. It couldn't carry over the orchestra but at least Karina heard it and maybe the nearby judges. Nobody knows that I had planned to shake my butt towards the judges at that turn but didn't do it. Later, after the knee walks, I shimmied and pretended to remove a dress. Well, the producers wouldn't let us cross-dress on this family show.

Karina and I did exactly as we planned, so we came away extremely happy. I hit every beat. I didn't hear any specific comments about not leading with toes or having toes pointing wrong, or a hand upside down, or leaning forward, or having a foot miss even a single beat (it didn't happen). All I heard was some teletubby comment, which might be valid. I would say that there is a big mismatch between the judges' votes and the audience responses. That might be a matter for the producers.

Woz email

I went to the doctor today.

I snagged some of the latex gloves that always hang around hospitals. It's like taking soap home from a hotel. I used to get lots of these gloves and let the kids in my computer classes turn them into great water balloons. So call it a habit to get these when I see them. That sounds better than calling it a sickness like kleptomania.

I also hid an empty water bottle under my arms under my shirt under my sweater at one point. When 2 clinic officials came in Karina pretended to be working on my foot and then she bent it and I squeezed my arms and you heard an incredibly loud crackling sound. We did this on 2 female clinic staff members and they were shocked with mouths open for ages. When we did it on the doctor he didn't fall for it though.

This doctor was very familiar with the DWTS show and knew how to address the camera and speak good sound bytes for possible airing on TV. He explained to me that I had a fracture and that he had only had a ten percent expectation of this. He expected something simpler, like a pulled muscle or tendonitis.

design219 · Mar 12, 2009, 08:49 PM

He looks so much better in those stills than he did in motion.

Eug · Mar 13, 2009, 10:05 AM

c|net (last month): Video of Woz's dance practice

Yes, he really was that bad in the actual show.

TETENAL · Mar 16, 2009, 09:03 PM

Wow, I loved his Quickstep. Karina is a genius to pull this out of Woz. I think it deserved more than 17, but great improvement over last week anyway.

quesera · Mar 16, 2009, 09:07 PM

Does anyone know how tall and how heavy he is?

design219 · Mar 16, 2009, 09:16 PM

I think it's on his trading card.

Eug · Mar 16, 2009, 09:33 PM

I would have given him a 15-16, but it's certainly a big improvement from last time. Kudos, Steve.

Gankdawg · Mar 17, 2009, 01:03 AM

Any idea of what Woz's net worth is these days?

Stogieman · Mar 18, 2009, 12:44 AM

Who cares. At least he can say he's a better dancer than Belinda Carlisle. LOL!

andi*pandi · Mar 18, 2009, 09:15 AM

woz squeaked it out. He did improve, and after watching the other quicksteps I think his was pretty good. His problem is not looking graceful.

I can't believe I watched one of these! At least it was tivo and I fastforwarded past the chitchat.

Eug · Mar 18, 2009, 09:19 AM

Originally Posted by Stogieman

Who cares. At least he can say he's a better dancer than Belinda Carlisle. LOL!

Except that he actually initially scored lower than Ms. Go-Go's, both in the first dance and in the second. He did get the same score at the dance-off but triumphed over her because of the geek vote.

I didn't see it, but apparently he looked stunned that he beat Ms. Go-Go's.

Originally Posted by andi*pandi

I can't believe I watched one of these!

As I mentioned before, including Woz was marketing brilliance.

'Dancing With The Stars' close to knocking 'Idol' from ratings pedestal

Television's dancing stars nipped at the heels of the wannabe singers on No. 1 talent show "American Idol" this week, posing a threat to the jewel in Fox's ratings crown for the first time in six years.

The eighth season premiere of ABC's "Dancing with the Stars" on Monday drew the largest opening audience ever for the four year-old ballroom dance spectacle, scoring 22.8 million viewers and causing industry watchers to wonder whether "Idol's" reign atop U.S. TV ratings charts is now in jeopardy.

Eug · 10:37 PM

Woz injured again - May be out of 'Dancing With The Stars

Might be time to leave anyway though, since he's been badmouthing the show producers, and has since had to recant.

Woz apologizes

We know how easy it is to espouse a lot of ideas and build conspiracy theory. No conspiracy theory can be proven wrong, so there are always plenty of die-hard followers.

Yesterday I wrote my suspicions of the secret Dancing With The Stars audience vote tabulations. I wrote that the producers were liars, simply because I truly believed in that possibility, not because I had a shred of evidence.

I hurt a lot of honest people.

Today, a storm kicked up over my allegations. I started my apologies but it has to go further than that.

The top people of this show, ones responsible for counting audience votes and keeping them honest told me all the specific details of where their numbers came from. More than that, they explained how they can catch onto various forms of manipulation of the system by exactly the methods I had thought out in my head that would work. I was offered an opportunity to see the equipment they use also. You can tell when things are extremely on the level. You can also see why the exact totals cannot be released. That would make it harder to detect fraud. One main way that they detect fraud is when the phone-in votes and text votes and internet votes don't follow each other, percentage-wise. There are other things they look for as well that IT experts would detect as signals of something wrong.

TETENAL · Mar 21, 2009, 04:47 AM

glideslope · Mar 21, 2009, 07:14 AM

I appreciate his contributions in the beginning. But the first night REALLY IRKED ME. After the Woz finished and headed over to the judges, the MC says" "Here comes the guy, if you need to make an appt. at the Genius Bar." I was ready to toss the TV out the window ( ok, maybe not ).

Woz is using Apple's status too attempt to resurrect his own technological death. Did I mention I hate the guy?

andi*pandi · Mar 24, 2009, 06:33 PM

oh woz.

TETENAL · Mar 25, 2009, 06:48 PM

residentEvil · Mar 25, 2009, 07:11 PM

guess he didn't have his V-8!

Kenneth · Mar 27, 2009, 12:29 AM

Looks like Steve-O and Woz are friends now.

Steve-O: Getting Extreme With The Woz.

Eug · Mar 31, 2009, 09:59 PM

Woz has been kicked to the curb.

Originally Posted by Kenneth

Looks like Steve-O and Woz are friends now.

Steve-O: Getting Extreme With The Woz.

"Sent from my iPhone"

Gankdawg · Apr 4, 2009, 12:05 PM

Woz is off DWTS but has landed a new role:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ebQs1AxCkQo

andi*pandi · Apr 4, 2009, 10:10 PM

hee.