Cat Deeley
Cat Deeley is hoping that TV viewers can’t get enough of "So You Think You Can Dance." No sooner after the show’s fifth season ended on August 6 (when Jeanine Mason was crowned the winner), the show begins its sixth season a little over a month later. The first episode of Season 6 airs September 9 at 8 p.m. Eastern/Pacific Time.
Calling from her home base of London, "So You Think You Can Dance" host Deeley recently chatted with reporters by a telephone conference call to dish some inside info on the series. During the interview, she opened up about what she thinks about being compared to "American Idol" host Ryan Seacrest; how guest appearances from Ellen DeGeneres and Katie Holmes had an effect on "So You Thing You Can Dance"; and what’s she heard about rumors that Paula Abdul might be on the show.
Since the show just wrapped recently and we’re starting up a new season pretty quickly, is there any concern that there might be an over-saturation or are you just meeting the audience demand?
We are definitely meeting audience demand and it is great. It’s great that Fox has shown this level in confidence in promoting the show again and doing the next season straight off the bat. I love the fact that Fox has so much confidence in the show and that the audience is so passionate about it.
But if I’m being very, very honest, I am approaching it with a little trepidation. You just don’t know if it’s all a bit too much too soon. But I have to say after going out on the road and meeting the new kids that we have coming through, the new contestants, I have to say that the standard of dancing is higher than ever, and … better than ever before, too. We’re looking for stars, we’re looking for people that the American public can identify with and really connect with, and I think we found them. I think it’s going to be a great season.
Cat Deeley in "So You Think You Can Dance"
Why do you think the show has grown in popularity?
I don’t know … I think there’s definitely a case of everybody knows the format now and everybody knows how the show works and they feel very comfortable with the format and they know exactly what’s going to happen every week. And then you just throw in the new characters with the different personalities and different strengths and weaknesses, and I think that’s what people find intriguing. But I think they also like that sense of familiarity, so I think that has just kind of kicked in now.
And I think also we’re comfortable with the format. We know what works. We know how to get the best out of the dancers, and also to get the best in their personalities. So I think it’s just kind of an amalgamation of all those things that have kind of reached this point, and I think the audience has just connected with us.
Paula Abdul recently confirmed that she’s been in touch with "So You Can Think You Can Dance" executive producer/judge Nigel Lythgoe about maybe having a guest-judging role this season this show. Have you heard anything else about that and what your feelings are on maybe having Paula on the show?
I have to say I don’t know any more about it. I know that both Paula and Nigel are very good friends, and I know that prior to even Paula leaving "Idol" I know that they talked about it a little bit, because obviously she’s a world renowned choreographer and dancer. This is a talent that’s not really exposed on "American Idol" and I think would actually fit very well on "So You Think You Can Dance."
I don’t know quite what capacity she’s going to be involved in, but I have to say I would love to see her on the panel. We had Ellen [DeGeneres] on last season, which worked beautifully. She was like a super fan, and it’s just somebody who brings something else to the panel; they become almost like a catalyst for new ideas and new ways of thinking to spark from. So I think that I would love to see her on. She’s always been a great lady whenever I’ve met her, and she really cares about the kids and her background is absolutely flawless, so I think she would be an incredible asset to the show.
"So You Think You Can Dance" stars celebrate the show's 100th episode. Pictured from left to right: choreographer Mia Michaels, co-creator/executive producer/judge Nigel Lythgoe, judge Mary Murphy and host Cat Deeley
How did the recent auditions go? Was there any particular person that caught your attention good or bad?
I remember the auditions being absolutely fantastic. And to be honest, all the cities that we went to were brilliant. There isn’t one particular person that stands out for doing bad, actually, because what happens is as soon as we’ve done all the cities we then bring the kids back to Vegas. And we just had a Vegas week, so to me they’re all the same. Do you know what I mean? I can remember back to the auditions because those were the step before, so we’ve already done Vegas.
But what I can say is we’ve had some amazing, amazing people come to Vegas, and I think they’re going to be very, very hard pushed to find their top 10 guys and top 10 girls this year. I think a lot of it is going to be down to personality, actually. We’re looking for people with that star quality, with stories, with a sense of humor, somebody with a bit of sparkle, that certain kind of je ne sais quoi that you can’t find in just anyone — that’s what we’re looking for. And I think undoubtedly Atlanta had some of those people.
Were there any unexpected surprises that happened during any of the auditions that kind of took you aback?
Listen, there are always surprises. The one guy kind of collapsed from an asthma attack, and we had to kind of lay him out on the floor and call the paramedics and do all that kind of stuff. And then there are also people who you wouldn’t necessarily think are going to do to the most amazing auditions and then they do.
There was a guy named Teddy ... and he did the most incredible, incredible audition. He kind of came in with funny pants and a bow tie on and everybody was a bit like, "Oh, this is very strange." And then he started dancing and it was absolutely beautiful, as you’ll see from the auditions shows.
And then there are people, who are, by nature, krumpers or whatever, and then we threw into Michael’s contemporary cast there during Vegas week and they coped impeccably. So you know there are lots of surprises. You just have to watch the show. The surprises will unravel right before your eyes.
Cat Deeley in "So You Think You Can Dance"
Last season, we saw the addition of some new dance styles with Bollywood and ballet. Are there any new dance styles that you would like to see on the show? And what are some other things that we can look forward to to take the show to the next level in terms of dancing?
We have the most incredible krumper, like incredible, which would be amazing for us. And also we’ve had lots of tappers audition this year, so I think we might even see like a full Broadway number with a group of tappers, which would be insane; that would be absolutely brilliant. But I think we’re going to continue to push the button on everything from kind of the dance styles to the costumes to the hair to the make-up. You know ["So You Think You Can Dance" choreographers] Wade [Robson], Mia [Michaels], and Tyce [Diorio] always push the envelope as far as they can, so that will continue to happen.
And I also think that from Katie Holmes appearing on the show and also from Ellen [DeGeneres] joining the judging panel I think that’s also something we’re going to play with too. I think any time where we add on people who are incredibly passionate about dance and love the show I think we can only benefit from it. So I think there are going to be lots of surprises this season.
We’ve heard rumors that there are more and more professionals turning out to audition for the show. Can you say anything about that? Are we going to see a much higher quality of dancer this season?
I think there will always be a higher quality, and I don’t necessarily think that’s because of more professionals turning out. I think that now people understand what the show is, and also the show has an immense credibility within the dance world, so professional dancers take it seriously too. They feel passionate about it, and they know that the show very much has its own … and is definitely respected within the entertainment industry and also within the dance community, so we’re seeing more and more talented people come forward, which I think can only be a good thing.
Cat Deeley in "So You Think You Can Dance"
There have been a lot of comparisons between you and Leah Miller, the host of the Canadian version of "So You Think You Can Dance." Does it ever grow tiresome being compared to her or other hosts out there?
To be honest, I never have really been compared to other hosts out there … I think the closest person that you could compare me to is Ryan Seacrest, and he’s a guy so there’s not really that much comparison there. I think the only comparison that can really be made is we both do reality shows and both do live shows and they’re incredibly popular and they get huge ratings, and I think that’s why people compare. But I don’t think I really get compared to anybody else.
I certainly don’t try and emulate anybody else, because I think then you’re on a slippery sled to nowhere. I just kind of do my own thing, and I feel really lucky that Fox has just turned around and let me do it. They never comment on my clothes or my hair or my make up or my accent or anything like that. They just say, "Yeah. Fine. Get on and do it. Do it exactly like you’re doing it." So while they’re not complaining I’m not going to change anything.
Just a quick follow-up to what you were just saying. What do you think makes you like Ryan Seacrest?
Just exactly what I said; we host similar shows, reality shows where somebody goes home every week and it’s a talent competition. The talent competition he does is about singing and my talent competition is about dance, but very similar shows. That’s all.
What is the number one thing that makes you excited to come back to it so quickly after the last season ended?
I really love the show. I think pretty much the show proves that the American dream is alive and kicking. And as long as you have talent and as long as you’re prepared to work hard and as long as you’re prepared to give it 110 percent commitment we certainly take the dancers that come from obscurity and put them on a world stage where people like Mariah Carey ring you up and say, "Yes, I’d like to take them on tour," or "I’d like to put this person in a movie," or "This person is going to … [be in] ‘Fame,’" or whatever.
And that’s what I like about the show: It proves that you can come from any background, any race, religion, color, creed. It doesn’t matter. As long as you have talent and you’re prepared to work had you can be anything you want to be, and that’s what I like about the show.
"So You Think You Can Dance" Season 5 winner Jeanine Mason and host Cat Deeley
Do you keep in touch with any of your past contestants?
Yes, most of them … It’s very much a family atmosphere. They quite often come down to the studios, they come to the dressing rooms, they all hang out. Yes, it’s very, very much home. We all kind of see each other over time.
Evan Kasprzak and Ryan Kasprzak are two brothers who auditioned for Season 5. Evan went on to become a Season 5 finalist, and Ryan auditioned for Season 6. How did Ryan do in his Season 6 audition?
I don’t think I can actually reveal the full facts yet, but you’ll have to watch the show to find out. He did very, very well though. His audition just blew everybody away, and so when you have that moment when they have to dance for their lives, he did the audition again and it literally makes the hairs on your arms stand on end and you get chills. He was amazing during Vegas week, but you’re going to have to watch to find out.
How do you feel about show being in the fall? Do you think that we’re going to enjoy it as much as we’ve enjoyed watching the show in the summer?
You know what? Fingers crossed. I love the fact that people are still passionate about the show and the fact that the audience is still completely invested in it and that Fox has this huge amount of confidence. But I have to say I’m approaching it with slight trepidation; you just never, ever know. We’re going for a new demographic and it’s much more competitive in the fall and all that kind of stuff. But it has done so well so far, so we can only kind of go into it doing everything that we do and bring back the same show that people know and love, but bigger and better. And that’s what we intend to do.
Cat Deeley in "So You Think You Can Dance"
What’s the one consistent thing about the contestants that you’ve noticed over the seasons?
I think the one absolutely consistent thing is the sense of camaraderie between them all, and it doesn’t matter what year you’re talking about or what particular area of the competition, be it the auditions or when it gets down to the final three or whatever. There is a sense of camaraderie that happens between dancers that’s almost unexplainable.
Before I started the show, I thought it would be hugely competitive and I thought there would be lots of arguments and fights and everything else. There really isn’t, and I think it’s because dancers are normally the team players. They’re normally the back-up guys. Do you know what I mean? They’re very rarely the person that’s in the spotlight, so very much they act as a team. That, to me, is what runs through the show every single season.
Since you’re compared to Ryan Seacrest would you be willing to have a dance-off against him?
Only if we could then have a sing-off as well. Maybe a dance-off followed by a sing-off and then we’d say, "Geez, that’s a terrible thought." People would bleed from their eyes if I started to dance; it would be dreadful.
You could distract him with your wardrobe, though. You dress better than he does.
Well, there are a lot more choices for girls than there are for guys, I think. I think guys have it so hard. I think it can be quite boring for guys, whereas girls are like, "Woo-hoo, OK, let’s wear this trouser suit and then let’s wear vintage and then let’s wear High Street!" It’s much more fun being a girl I think.
Cat Deeley in "So You Think You Can Dance"
What was your reaction when you found out you didn’t get an Emmy nomination for outstanding reality-show host? Did you think you deserve to be nominated?
To be honest, I hadn’t even thought about it. I really hadn’t. I don’t think I’ve been around long enough in America to really justify it and to be part of people’s consciousness … To be perfectly honest I think it’s going to take a couple more years before I even get a nod. Do you know what I mean?
You know what, I’m more than happy doing my thing, and I love the show and hopefully that’s what comes across. I don’t necessarily think I need awards to do that … I think you can see how much I love the show and how much I enjoy my job, and that’s more than enough for me.
Do you have a favorite nominee in that Emmy category this year?
I do love Seacrest; I think he does a great job, and I don’t know a man who works harder. He’s indestructible, that man. He’s literally like a machine. He gets up first thing in the morning, does the gym, does the radio show, does E!, and yet he does it so impeccably, beautifully well. I think he’s a bit of a genius.
Jeanine Mason and Philip Chbeeb in "So You Think You Can Dance"
Are we going to see anyone from Season 5 again, like Katee Shean’s roommate Natalie Reid or Philip Chbeeb’s girlfriend?
Well there are lots of people that you’re going to see, definitely … I mean, there are so many familiar faces, because obviously it’s a different thing to say in comparison to "Idol" or something like that where you can either sing or you can’t. Do you know what I mean? With dancing, if you go away and you’ve really practiced for a year and you’ve practiced at what was your area of weakness that made you fall down before you can improve, and so therefore you can make it on to the show. So that’s the really interesting thing about the show, I think, is that people can go away and work really hard and improve and fight and be there.
And there are quite a few people, I have to say, whom you will have seen before. There are people like Natalie, and there are also kind of people that were too young before that tried out that we said please come back, and now they’re at the right age. There are going to be lots of familiar faces; people that you really care about and you want to do well.
And have they picked who is going to be in the top 20 yet or you just finished Las Vegas week?
Not yet. We’ve just done Vegas, so I think we’ve come down to about 38 or something like that, and then they pick the top 10 guys and top 10 girls.
Cat Deeley in "So You Think You Can Dance"
Do you offer any style advice to any of the contestants?
No, I really don’t … I just kind of do my thing and then I get on with it, because I’m in styling myself. So it’s enough for me to just kind of be me and concentrate on what I’m doing and then let the dancers do their thing.
Will you continue to style yourself next season and how much work goes into that?
Yes. You know what? It’s actually not that much work. If I see something I love, be it vintage or high street or designer, I’ll buy it. So I just do that whenever. Like I don’t put aside a day or anything like that; if I just see something I like I instantly buy it. So I definitely have some things already organized.
And then, to be perfectly honest, it’s very much down to how I feel on the day. Sometimes, just like any other woman, sometimes you can rock a little black leather mini dress and then other days you want a really comfortable wrap around … that covers up everything and just takes care of itself.
So I very much kind of wake up on the day and I say, "OK, how am I feeling today?" And some days it’s all about a backless, slashed to the thigh, diamante extravaganza and some days it’s about a very classis Yves Saint Laurent smoking suit, and it just depends on the day. But literally I wake up that morning and say, "OK, what am I going to take in?" And that’s it — nothing more complicated than that.
Comments