With the ying there is the yang. Samantha Harris is that yang. Post your thoughts and "The hell kind of question is that? remarks in here.

Oh, I cannot tell you how nice it will be to have a Samantha-centric thread to post about her many, many 'oopsie!'s and blunders. I usually go in hoping for her to straighten up and be awesome, but then my hopes are usually dashed after about ten minutes. We'll see tonight if she can pull off an entire interview with a star without sounding like she just made the question up in her head that very second.

I just want to know when wardrobe will give her a dress big enough so her boobs aren't about to fall out. She's an FCC fine waiting to happen.

As annoying and essentially incompetent as she is (and she is), I have to say the extra baby weight is really flattering on her. She looks good, too bad about the weird hair most of the time.

*small voice*

I like Samantha Harris. I don't think I could stand Tom without her.

Plus, I really liked her dance during the season two finale. She actually did really good.

Oh man.... there are so many other female hosts out there that could do a much better job than her. Samantha and Tom are an awkward match. Tom can be funny. Samantha....not so much.

"If they can move it move it, you have to prove it prove it!"

Oh my god. That hurt me. That physically hurt me. I was just embarrassed for her.

Was the Lisa Rinna appearance supposed to be a surprise? Tom just said they had a former contestant coming to dance on the results show and then Samantha named Lisa as the performer at the end of last night's show. I am wondering if she messed up yet again. She needs to be off my screen now!

I like her too Carmella. She used to bug because she really is a dipshit, but she seems nice enough and is clearly having a good time so she has grown on me.

What is up with her hair? Was happy for her to learn she is expecting.

I like her, in that she's just so fun to laugh at - er, I mean with. Laugh with.

P.S. Carmella, we have the same name! I'm Carmella too! Hee!

That's really weird; my real name is Glory.

Oh, wait, no it's not.

Haha... :) .

I like her, too. Her stylist is amazing, but she must've changed hairdressers this season, because it's been very strange indeed.

She is entertaining - like this past Monday, when she said to Karina after she and Billy Ray got their scores, "That's a mighty big pout for a little girl" and came off waaaay more condescending than she could have intended. Was I wrong to have had a brief flare of hope that Karina might've attacked her or something?

Laila is totally going to punch her before the season is out. Or someone ( anyone please). She is really annoying and condescending towards the cast members. So how did it feel when you sucked so badly? So how did it feel when they gave you the lowest score ever? So how does it feel to be D-listed to point where you have to do this show?

She had to announce the pregnancy because of that unfortunate purple satin number she wore a few weeks ago. You know the one that you could probably only wear if you were Nicole Ritchie. Shiny satin+ early pregnancy pooch = not a good look. She probably had 1000 e-mails telling her to suck in the gut. She comes back on air and says in not so many words - I can't all right - shut the hell up .

Actually dumbass, that's not how it works. For a minute I totally thought I'd misheard her announcing Laila and Maks' score then figured I must have missed the judges holding up their paddles. I give her too much credit sometimes.

Come on ABC, with her announced pregnancy I'd be so easy to fire her incompetent ass!

More Samantha-love.

Actually dumbass, that's not how it works. For a minute I totally thought I'd misheard her announcing Laila and Maks' score then figured I must have missed the judges holding up their paddles. I give her too much credit sometimes.

I was really confused when she announced their score. I thought I was going crazy because I didn't remember the judges holding up their paddles even though I watched the entire episode. She needs to recuse herself from the show. She is a train wreck waiting to happen.

I guess I gave her too much credit, because when she said it, I thought, "She must be meaning to say that last week they got a 28, let's see what it is this week." But no, she just totally goofed up.

The only out I can give her is to note that I couldn't concentrate when I was pregnant, either.

Samantha sucks BIG time!

The did explain a season or two ago about how the judges give their scores to TPTB before they are asked to hold up the paddles.
One time CA said a different number than she actually held up so they had to 'splain what happened.

At the end of interviewing Apolo/Julianne I swear I heard Samantha say Julianna and not Julianne, did I hear her right?

Yes, I knew they did that. But she's still an idgit.

In Samantha's case, they probably tell her the score prior to the reveal to save her the trouble (and embarrassment) of having to add the numbers together in her head when she sees them on the paddles.

Carrie Ann: 9
Len: 9
Bruno: 10

Samantha: That's...33 out of 30 for Laila and Maks!

It's a 90 minute show, not a 900 minute show.

That train has derailed one time too many already.



Holy crap! Samantha must be in her second years of pregnancy!

At least last night and tonight she looked nice. I really liked the white dress with black trim she had on last night and dark red is a good color on her also.

If you had asked me last week, I would have said that Samantha is ok, and that Tom makes her look worse than she actually is. Tom is, after all, perfectly cheesy in the most charming way, and thus perfect for this show. He was overshadowing her by a long shot. And then she screwed up the score announcement this week. And admitted it, though she had an easy out. I wonder, do the contestants know their score when Samantha does, or was she confusing them, too? So yes, Samantha does suck.

I thought that scoring flub was extremely dumb on Samantha's (or whoever was talking into her ear) part. It wasn't just that Carrie Ann held up the wrong paddle, the woman shouted "10". I'm sure if she meant nine, she would've said it.

This show doesn't even need a co-host. Can't they just pull a Dunkleman?

Sam is always flubbing. She is like the most inarticulate host I have ever had the misfortune of hearing. She asks the dumbest questions, she spoils results, just a trainwreck...indeed.

I don't even watch the show anymore...because of her. I watch the clip or the streams from ABC so I edit her out. I just know Laila wants to say...you dumb beech!

Samantha gibberish.

God, that clip makes me laugh so hard. I love the way Tom looked at her like she was an idiot. And I think it's hilarious that she pretended like nothing even happened. I also love the comments where people actually tried to type out what she was saying.

So many ways to laugh at dumb Samantha.

I wish I could set my TV to permanent mute whenever her face appears on my screen. Her backstage questions,,,uughh.

Is it just me or does she seem to be realllllly awkward and slightly offensive when she interviews the constestants...I mean i keep getting the feeling she is try to start a fight or get them to say something offensive about others....and her delivery just makes it all the worse.

I mean Ryan from American Idol can be awkward with his delivery...i mean it is live tv...but I can honestly say Samantha is Always awkward/rude/offensive and I have gotten to the point of fast forwarding through all the interviews just because I cant stand her...

TOM I LOVE!!!!

Does anyone know when her baby is due? Any chance she won't return next season? I would like to see the show transition to just Tom Bergeron hosting alone. They don't really need 2 hosts...and her backstage stuff is dreadful.

GridironGoddess, I did a Google search and found this from People magazine online:



So it appears from this article (and others I found) that she will be back. I know she's horrific, but she's kinda become funny to watch so I don't mind her returning...it's like a game where you take a shot every time she screws up so you're drunk by the end of the evening, LOL.

missmaisydaisy, I know you're so right...but thank heavens for Tivo, so I can fast-forward through her stumbles!

Yes, it seems like someone told her "hey, it's reality tv create some drama" and she's taken it upon herself to try to do that. And, her questions are so darn long the dancers get no time to answer and then she cuts them off. Yes, Samantha, it's you we really want to hear.....uugh.

Annie at ew.com is SO awesome:

My daughter and I despise Samantha Harris! We call her the Marionette.......those stupid swaying arms like she hasn't a single muscle in her body! Now everytime I look at her I get seasick! My daughter is hilarious.......she says I'm going to tie her arms together so they stop swaying and she stops shifting from one hip to the other .......and is anyone bothered my her man voice? Horrible! Everything about her is annoying and she gets to host the Oscars too......very cushy jobs.........She changed her name to Harris when she got into show business. She's from Minnesota and her real name is Samantha Shapiro but she took her mother's maiden name! I love Tom.....he's quick-witted and she's dim-witted! GET RID OF HER ABC!

No more than I was bothered by Laila's 'man voice'. Both took getting used to, but I did.

While I'm not a fan of hers, I wouldn't say everything about her is annoying; she has a great smile, is attractive and does genuinely seem excited for everyone, even if her style isn't everyone's cup of tea. As for her getting cushy jobs, well, if you read her bio, she's put in some impressive work in the field of TV reporting. Her looks helped a ton, I'm sure, but that goes for both men and women in TV/reporting/acting, etc. - that's the nature of that game.

It's not unusual for people to change a last name (or even first) when they get into the entertainment/TV field, especially if the name is a bit ethnic sounding, so I don't see anything wrong with that. That could have been her agent's suggestion to make her more marketable. For example, when Paige Davis (former host of Trading Spaces) got that gig, the producers had her change her name because they thought her first name which is Mindy (which she goes by), sounded too ethnic. Instead, they had her use her middle name of Paige.

Meg Ryan changed her last name (her real last name is "Hyra"; Ryan was a name randomly chosen) to make her sound more 'white bread', All-American when she started acting. Actress Andi McDowell changed her name from Rosalind (her real first name; she goes by the nickname of Rosie) to "Andi" (shortened from her middle name, Anderson) because her agent thought Rosalind or Rosie wasn't 'sexy enough' to stand out in Hollywood and that Andi was more unusual and appealing.

Name changes are done all the time to appeal to the largest possible base, both among actors, TV anchors and others in the entertainment field (former Good Morning America anchor Joan Lunden's agent had her change her last name from "Blunden" to "Lunden" since they thought "Blunden" sounded too much like "Blunder" and that implied mistakes, blunders, etc., not what you want in a trusted TV anchor -- and this happened back when she was a local anchor in Sacramento, CA, not even at the big-time yet). Things like that (and more) are done all the time by actors/entertainers under direction of their management to increase/maintain their viability and marketability. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if Julianne quit wearing her engagement ring (even if the wedding is truly only 'delayed' and not 'off') since an 18-year-old engaged girl isn't as 'hot' and marketable as a single 18 year old is. That's how the business is so I find none of this unusual or worthy of criticism.

What ethnicity does Mindy sound like?

SD Dude, I was told by "people in the know" that the producers felt that Mindy is a name more commonly heard in Jewish households (not saying it's so, but the only Mindy's I've ever known were Jewish, but that could be a coincidence) and that "Paige" sounded more elegant and mainstream and perhaps would have more widespread appeal.

It sounds harsh, but a person's name - in Hollywood, the TV biz, etc. - often does have an effect on their public appeal (not always, but sometimes - that's why you have the Meg Ryans and Joan Lundens of the world who have changed their names). Fortunately I think we see more and more where people no longer change their names (as they once did in the 50's and 60's all the time in Hollywood), but it still happens.

Well, stand me out in left field and call me nuts, but Sam doesn't bother me in the slightest. I think it's rather endearing that she seems to genuinely enjoy the show and the participants. It's like she's a bit of a fan-dork herself. So, she stumbles from time to time and it's quick with the clever quips. On the first point, that's live tv for ya. On the second, not everyone can be the comedian of the group. Let Tom do his thing while Sam is a bit more rote and moves things along.

I also think the expectations for what a person in her situation is going to achieve have to reflect the reality of what is being requested. She's "interviewing" people after they dance not grilling a diplomat on their views of what it would take to achieve peace in the Middle East. Sometimes her questions are lame, but no lamer than every media outlet who has asked Apolo and Julianne the same two questions over and over again - how does this compare to the Olympics and are you two dating? Yawn.

So yeah, Sam, she's fine to me. She doesn't take the spotlight away from the couples, she keeps things moving and she seems to enjoy herself. Good enough for me.

Since we're talking about Samantha Harris, is it wrong that I initially misread this as Eew.com?

I think Samantha is a little misunderstood- most of the time
she is pretty good. She can get a little tongue tied though. Maybe
she was a stutterer as a child?

I just really hate the fact that she asks a question and then cuts them off as if she didn't care what they said. obviously timing is important but she comes across as plain rude to me.

I rack that up more to being on a very tight time schedule with a producer yelling in her ear to wrap it up so they can move on to the scores, the next dancers. She hasn't learned how to ask questions and keep the answers moving in a timely way to work with the producers and that's her fault, IMO. But as for being rude, I say it's not that, it's a timing issue.

I don't find her half as annoying as most of y'all do--I'd much rather watch her do this than listen to her doing the "serious" reporting of E! True Hollywood Stories about serial killers and/or plastic surgery.

Can we turn this in the who should replace Samantha thread? She's annoying but not the good cheesy annoying like Paula Abdul or Ryan Seacrest. I will allow that she's slightly better than the Horrorfest on the Lot.

Ethnic profiling aside, "Samantha Shapiro" sounds awkward. A six syllable name is bit much for a co-hostess. Even sexy Karina only uses five syllables for her full name. And it's certainly not like Samantha's a vampire slayer and has earned the right to take up so much of a person's time with her name. She maybe could have gone with "Sam Shapiro" (which sounds kinda sexy). Samantha Harris sounds rather bland. Then again, maybe it's fitting.

SH comes across (to me) as someone who doesn't read much - her vocabulary is somewhat poor. But, as someone upthread pointed out, she seems to be a nice person (it feels like she is kinder than Tom) - I believe this matters the most.

Ahhh .... I thought this thread would stay dormant for this season ... but it was not to be. Here's a TV Guide article that discusses her return and Drew's appearance as temporary co-host.

Also, from the article -



I love it! Another convert!

Sure, she's pretty, but Samantha's voice just grates. Haven't missed her one bit. I wish she would stay the hell home. I hope TPTB at ABC get a brain and sign Drew to co-host next season.

Samantha is soooo replaceable.

lame attempt at a petition.

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/keep-drew...-with-the-stars

please email ABC, your local affiliates, etc.