My people! I have missed y'all. To think, I wasn't even around for megan's most excellent best of the best SYTYCD list. I know most here don't groove on AI Audition Rounds, but I am an AI/SYTYCD completist and I must, must watch. Anywho, thoughts on the first audition show of the Paula-less AI are here if anyone's interested. Short version: Paula? Still gone. Posh? Still looks like a crazy toothpick. Simon? Still needs to give up the tight, white t-shirt. Randy? Still useless. Judge #4? Still so much hate. Ryan Seacrest? Still the best thing about the whole show. AI Early round auditions? Still painful and overly packed with bad and/or clearly joke auditions. Eh, I'll still watch them all. And how many times did I use still in this one post? AI audition rounds make you stupid. Live and learn.

"Pants on the ground, pants on the ground, look like a fool with your pants on the ground!" and with that AI has me back! (I usually skip the auditions l - and sometimes the first 10 weeks - but tuned in tonight anyway.)

I saw that this morning on CNN, amusing. I can only imagine what they went through for that one clip.

Well, I am watching AI early round auditions so you don't have to. General Larry Platt was at least an original. I think my favorite part of last night's Atlanta auditions was how Mary J simply could not keep it together on the really bad auditions. That one poor bumpkin with the Inside Edition lifetime re-enactment? She just laughed in that fool's face the whole time he was caterwauling his way through some Garth Brooks. And then she did it several more times after that. So wrong and yet so right. I would totally do the same thing were someone ever misguided enough to let me onto the judges panel. I loved Mary J!

No PR talk? I know last season was bad, but I didn't think it was that bad! Well, I watched. I enjoyed, sort of. There are some designers whom I even kind of like. And I agreed with two of the top three and with the eventual winner and with all three B3 denizens (although there could've easily been others - not a lot of downright fugly but a whole lot of blah on that stage) And I was thrilled to have Nina and Michael back. Long may they reign. And the guest judge was way better than she had any right to be. Heck, I even watched and somewhat enjoyed Models of the Runway. So looks like I'm in again.

I loved the guy from Alabama - "I'm thirsty". I can see him getting annoying, but he cracked me up with his "I don't care for Miss America"

And I agreed with two of the top three and with the eventual winner and with all three B3 denizens (although there could've easily been others - not a lot of downright fugly but a whole lot of blah on that stage)

I was confused as to how the judges loved Ping's stuff, but whatev. I liked both of other top three, but I thought that the dress with the cool zipper was going to win (although the top was a touch uneven).

I knew who was going to lose, she'd gotten too much screen time. But, they said the magic words "poor construction" and she's OUT.

I really liked the winning dress. The skirt totally made it (it flowed so nicely), so I was glad he was able to finish it.

In SYTYCD: UK clips, check out the hip-hop routine a bit down the page here: [link] . Not too bad, and definitely better than anything NappyTab have put out in years.

Tim Gunn Q&A

PR: I am happy with this group. The ages seem way more varied and it looks like there are people with actual life experience that I might find interesting.

And I pretty much agree with how judging played out, although

I was confused as to how the judges loved Ping's stuff, but whatev.

I totally agree with this. I'm glad she didn't get bottom three for being out of the box though.

See, as soon as I saw Ping's outfit, I guessed that the judges were going to dig it. The first challenge is really all about making a statement and standing out, and love it or hate it, Ping's outfit was unique and told you something about her design aesthetic. I didn't particularly care for the look, but I appreciated it.

I loved, loved both the winning look and the little plaid punk rock look with the red zipper. I'd have been happy with a win for either of those two. That poor, misguided Mexican boy is going to work my every last nerve if he keeps sending quinceañera chic down the runway week after week. That brown pleather dress was not of the lord. He is currently on the list.