Dancing with the Stars

Julianne Hough is trading in dancing shoes for cowboy boots.

After four seasons and two mirror-ball trophies, Julianne is stepping away from Dancing with the Stars, at least for a little while. She made the announcement to Ryan Seacrest on Thursday, while they were discussing her and partner Cody Linley’s elimination on Tuesday night’s episode of DWTS.

Look out Naomi Malone, Dancing with the Stars alums Melanie Brown and Kelly Monaco heading to the Vegas stage.

Monaco, who won season one before being dethroned in a rematch with John O’Hurley and Brown, who was runner up to Helio Castroneves, are set to star in Peepshow, a topless, burlesque-style revue that is expected to open in March at the Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino.

Supposedly Brown and Monaco will keep their goodies covered but the showgirls surrounding them will be topless. Brown will be “scantily clad, but in a classy way,” she says.

Before a single dancer hit the floor last night, the Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin, sounding incredible, sang her classic “Chain of Fools.” If ABC is going to make us sit through an hour of filler before announcing which three couples have made it to the finals, THIS is the kind of entertainment we wish we had all the time.

Following Aretha was the emerging princess of pop, Leona Lewis. She is stunning in every imaginable way: her face, her voice, her body, her hair. We love Leona!

If Star Magazine is to be believed, Cody Linley has turned into a raging hormone monster on the set of Dancing with the Stars, hitting on everything that moves and creating incredible amounts of tension and discomfort on the set for Lacey Schwimmer and Kym Johnson.

Well, we’re calling bull*%^t!

Our inside sources tell us that they story is COMPLETELY FALSE.

Billionaire entrepreneur, Dallas Mavericks basketball team owner and season five Dancing with the Stars contestant, Mark Cuban, has been charged with insider trading by the Securities and Exchange Commission.

What’s up, Gordon Gecko?

He allegedly sold shares of an Internet company days before an announcement that the company would seek financing in 2004, according to the Wall Street Journal. That sale saved him over $750,000 in losses.

With only one week until the semi-finals, last night’s show started with the final four in foul form.

The couple invited back for this week’s encore was Warren, or, as Bruno calls him, Mr. Big Fun, and Kym to perform their 007 Tango.

Back in the red room, Julianne Hough, recovered from her appendectomy, thanked Edyta for stepping in. “You’ve done an incredible job and I really mean that,” she said, with an underlying air that perhaps the two had some previous tension between them. “We’re all one big family here,” Samantha Harris gushed while Julianne made a face. What’s up with that Lady Bird?

Dancing with the Stars champ, race car driver and suspected tax evader Helio Castroneves will face tax evasion charges in Miami, Florida’s federal court on March 2nd, 2009.

Last month, Helio pled not guilty to allegations he failed to pay taxes on his $5 million income. Castroneves’ sister and lawyer will also face charges at the trial.

Helio currently remains free on $10 million bail so he's still able to race around a track, winning more money he’ll try to hide in off shore accounts.

Cody and Edyta, who’s still filling in for Julianne who hasn’t fully recovered from her appendectomy, performed an affably charming Foxtrot for their first dance. It wasn’t fireworks and lightning but it had a charm, grace and ease, which Cody’s mad frenetic energy (which we dig) usually lacks. Len was “pleasantly surprised. You had an elegance and I thought you did a top notch job.” “I never thought I would see it!

Last night Len kicked off the show by saying “I know that last night, the election, was exciting but for us, Monday night was absolutely fantastic.” Really, Len? Really? You’re comparing a historic victory and the election of the first African-American or bi-racial President of the United States to a bunch of D-List celebrities prancing around in Bedazzled spandex and satin outfits? Oooookay.