MD120 - Leah D’Emilio’s Mahalo Daily: Capoeira Besouro
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 Mahalo VLOGIdol Competition! |
After Mahalo VLOG Idol and The Bachelon, we were left with six finalists in the search for the new host of Mahalo Daily. Today Leah D’Emilio takes a swing at the prize, by having the chance to produce and host her very own Mahalo Daily. Her topic? Capoeira Besouro, or, Brazilian Dance Fighting. Help us make our decision by leaving comments on www.mahalodaily.com.
Story Links:
Mahalo VLOG Idol
Leah D’Emilio
Capoeira Besouro
Brazil
Brazil Vacation
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Tags: brazilian dance fighting, capoeira besouro, leah d'emilio, mahalo, mahalodaily
May 13th, 2008 at 5:53 am
Charming, but doesn’t have enough presence for me. She needs to be more engaging, and make is easier to digest and swallow. I’m sure she can do it.
What I think, anyway…
May 13th, 2008 at 6:09 am
Loved it. Really good.
May 13th, 2008 at 6:13 am
Loved it! professional, slick, and fully engaging. Good choice of topic as well. I would definitely watch if she won.
May 13th, 2008 at 6:15 am
The final six are going to make it hard to decide. I think Leah did an outstanding job. It was an episode worthy of Mahalo.
My biggest fear is that my favorite won’t get picked and I’ll stop watching.
That would not be good for we all know that Jason needs another Tesla! ;)
May 13th, 2008 at 6:18 am
Good job, charming and professional.
May 13th, 2008 at 6:26 am
I think that this was a fantastic episode! If this was the first episode that I had seen as a new visitor, this would make me more inclined to subscribe than some of Veronica’s work.
May 13th, 2008 at 6:41 am
I really enjoyed the episode the way I would enjoy any Mahalo Daily. It wasn’t awkward, was well put together and edited, and I think we’ll have to see the other episodes to really have a good feel, but I think Leah did a great job on the intro and outro, maybe perhaps a tad too much nodding?
Adam
May 13th, 2008 at 7:16 am
Very good, thought Leah did a good job of balancing being the presenter vs. getting out of the way and letting the interviewee’s talk, she also consistently showed interest in what they were saying, didn’t appear to be “searching” for the next question or snappy reply.
I also liked the overall flow of the episode, moved well between the interview and the demo segments, nice tempo.
May 13th, 2008 at 7:20 am
I enjoyed Leah’s episode very much. I thought she showed great interest, and she came across very personable. So far, she’s got my vote. :)
May 13th, 2008 at 7:37 am
Excellent - warm, engaging, intelligent without acting lofty… all of the things that Veronica brought to the table. She’s worthy.
May 13th, 2008 at 7:40 am
She was very professional, maybe too professional for Mahalo Daily. The production and overdub was too slick, more suited for a local news report maybe. For Mahalo Daily I missed the approachability and authenticity.
May 13th, 2008 at 7:52 am
Fantastic Job. Very natural, funny at times. She did justice to her topic!
May 13th, 2008 at 8:24 am
That was great! …in my opinion she was the best finalist, and this episode just prove it!
May 13th, 2008 at 8:57 am
I liked her from the start. Very hot, charming, and personal. This is nothing like Veronica did, which is a good thing. I am not looking for another Veronica host. I want something different, but that makes me want to watch more. Leah continues to do that for me. I’m rooting for her even more now.
May 13th, 2008 at 9:03 am
I thought she was fantastic and i would be more than happy to watch her every day
May 13th, 2008 at 9:04 am
Great episode. I think she did a great job with an interesting topic. She was great getting out there and trying it out. She’s been my favorite since the beginning!
May 13th, 2008 at 9:26 am
Awesome !!!
I’ve got that strange feeling since the very beginning of the vlog idol that Leah would make it to the next host of Mahalo daily. This only confirms my initial thoughts.
Very nice job !
May 13th, 2008 at 9:30 am
I thought it was a super show… I like Leah! She’s charming and I thought she was engaging & professional… even to the point where I didn’t get bored with the episode.
Good job Leah!
May 13th, 2008 at 9:31 am
She did a great job! Leah was professional yet fun. She seemed very comfortable doing this and I really enjoyed watching this episode :-)
May 13th, 2008 at 9:47 am
She is very good! Commands attention, professional, engaging. It felt like I was watching a regular episode. I like her interviewing skills. She really knows when to get out of the way.
May 13th, 2008 at 9:52 am
She’s the one.
Sign her.
May 13th, 2008 at 10:00 am
I miss her glasses but I think she did a really nice job.
My guess is that a lot of these finalists will try to push their “personality”. I think Leah found a really nice balance and let the dancers/fighters shine in the piece.
The people she spoke to were very genuine and comfortable and I’m assuming she had a lot to do with that.
Tim
May 13th, 2008 at 10:23 am
Really good. liked the overall flow of the episode, moved well between the interview and the demo segments
this going to be tough to pick just one
good luck to all
May 13th, 2008 at 10:23 am
Please offer Leah the job. She’s our favorite here. Her episode was utterly wonderful - even better than I was expecting. Easily Veronica’s equal - yet at the same time completely different. I can’t imagine a better choice!
May 13th, 2008 at 10:51 am
I didn’t like it…even if I love Leah! (Just thinking of the performance on the streets).
I think she can do it so much better!
May 13th, 2008 at 10:52 am
Congrats Leah–Really, really nice work. Looks like you’ve been here a long while already. You seemed relaxed, comfortable, and in the groove.
Great writing and pacing. Great story idea.
Definitely my topic pick to date. Missed the glasses tho, too. Perhaps bring ‘em back on occasion?
Sean
May 13th, 2008 at 10:56 am
Great job except when she did the interviews and they talked a little long. Liked everything else though. This one will be hard to beat.
May 13th, 2008 at 11:04 am
Definitely a mahalo-worthy episode. Loved everything about it.
If she gets the job, I won’t get mad at all.
May 13th, 2008 at 11:11 am
Smart, cute, engaging, extremely interesting and informative. I appreciate that she respects my intelligence, but still makes it entertaining. I watched it twice because I missed a couple of the text displays.
The sound for some of the interviewees, especially the female student, seemed a little off — was Leah not holding the mic close enough?
One criticism: Head nodding while interviewing — which Veronica had in spades, too — is distracting.
May 13th, 2008 at 11:30 am
Easily my favorite of the contestants… Although I get the feeling she’s probably not a Mac user. Not that it really matters, but that would have been a fun personality test for them during the judging.
Either way I really think Leah’s the one.
May 13th, 2008 at 11:33 am
I didn’t feel it was much of an interview. I thought it was more of a narrative by the people she was suppose to be interviewing. Plus she kept nodding as the person spoke was that a nod in agreement or merely acknowledging she heard him. She is quite cute but needs work capturing the audience attention, camera awareness (she was standing behind the guy in one segment as he talked to the camera instead of her), and more participation.
May 13th, 2008 at 11:35 am
Leah was awesome. I definitely miss the glasses. That said, she was a knockout on camera (even through Youtube compression). I liked the flow of the episode. She definitely seemed at home on camera. My only minor criticism would be the extensive narration that was present in the beginning, though that might have just been a result of the interviewees.
Loved the intro, and loved the outro. This was definitely a worthy Mahalo Daily episode. It will also be a tough one to beat.
May 13th, 2008 at 11:39 am
Great job! By far the best this is what your looking for :)
May 13th, 2008 at 11:59 am
Wow…. looks like everyone loves Leah! Interesting that a number of folks even noticed that she didn’t wear here glasses. Are the glasses an essential part of Leah’s look!!?! :-)
I’m personally very impressed with Leah because:
a) she really smart and can produce an episode *herself*
b) she speaks clearly and really engages the audience and her subjects (no mispronounced words–I really hate that as you know).
c) she seems like she will do anything for the show (which is also very important for me and the team).
Thanks for all the feedback everyone, and make sure you post comments over at YouTube as well!
best,
Jason McCabe Calacanis
CEO & Founder, Mahalo.com
May 13th, 2008 at 12:00 pm
Didn’t quite recognize her from The Bachelon, she looks really great without those glasses and the goofy hair.
Knowing a bit of what capoeira is, I believe she could have shown a bit more of the fast paced movements and jumps. She gets points (from me) for showing the brazilian flag on the background, and some of the brazilian culture :].
Noticed the mic was a little far from the interviewee at the last part of the episode, and the intro could be more fluid. The outro was very nice !
I believe with a little more practice she could be an excelent host for mahalo. I’d be happy to see her everyday. :]
Though i’m looking forward to seeing the other competitors to decide my preferred !
May 13th, 2008 at 12:04 pm
When someone can take a topic I have no interest in and make it engaging, that is what I consider talent. She’s cute, funny, and well-spoke.
She has excellent diction compared to the other contestants.
May 13th, 2008 at 12:05 pm
Leah,
If I didn’t know otherwise, I’d say you were always the host. You have excellent mic technique, excellent presence, and you seem to “get” Mahalo really well.
WELL done. You’re definitely my pick to win the whole thing.
Good luck!
May 13th, 2008 at 12:08 pm
Leah has been my favorite since I first saw her on the show. She speaks clearly, is beautiful and very talented. This episode is great. She asks good questions, tries it herself and has fun. Some have said that she doesn’t have high energy but not everyone is Veronica. Don’t get me wrong Veronica was great but I think she could have a little less coffee. Leah has great energy and is very informative and fun.
May 13th, 2008 at 12:14 pm
Very professional and engaging. She knows how to move a story along and clearly knowns how to interview people. They story was about the dance/martial arts. She’s showed that.
I liked the energy and the willingness to try it out. That made the story more human. Very nice work indeed. Looks like a winner to me.
May 13th, 2008 at 12:17 pm
Really liked the episode! She did a great job, professional and fun at the same time :)
May 13th, 2008 at 12:23 pm
I couldn’t stop staring at the sunglasses on top of her head.
May 13th, 2008 at 12:29 pm
Terrific. Excellent energy, and a solid episode. It will be hard for anyone to fill Veronica’s shoes, but Leah produced something that I’d continue to subscribe to.
First one out of the gate, and I believe she has set the bar high.
May 13th, 2008 at 12:40 pm
It was great and a lot of fun. With Leah doing the episode, it’s kind of like there was never an interim period. It’s the Mahalo that people have grown to know.
May 13th, 2008 at 12:44 pm
Leah is obviously extremely gorgeous and talented. BY FAR the best choice! She’s got my vote for sure!
May 13th, 2008 at 12:45 pm
It was a good episode, but I’m not sure how good of a subject she chose. This is geek type of podcast I think, and I would have liked to have seen something that reflected that more. I’m not sure if she was assigned or chosen to do this, but all in all it was a very solid episode, will have to wait until all the finalists go.
May 13th, 2008 at 12:46 pm
Hey Everybody!
Thank you for watching my episode on Capoiera Besouro and leaving comments! I love reading what you all have to say! Your feedback is very much appreciated–sounds like some of you miss the glasses :-) Overall, I’m happy to see that many of you liked the episode and I hope I’ll be able to continue on as the new host of Mahalo Daily! Keep watching! Ciao!
–Leah D’Emilio
May 13th, 2008 at 12:47 pm
Of the final six Leah is definitely my favorite. She’s hot, experienced, professional and she’s done a good job loosening up. This was a great piece for her to do.
May 13th, 2008 at 12:51 pm
Not bad - Very good in fact. Leah is beautiful and polished. I’d like to see how she holds up in a Cranky Geeks type of setting.
May 13th, 2008 at 12:55 pm
I’ve liked Leah the best throughout the competition and this episode confirms her superiority in my mind:
she’s very intelligent and has never said anything dumb
she thinks quickly on her feet
she can talk fast without making mistakes (she’s obviously got some good experience at this)
she’s very attractive
she’s lively
she knows when to smile and when not to
I even think it’s cool if she wears glasses
In short, for me she’s the best.
May 13th, 2008 at 1:07 pm
Count the number of GUYS who have posted thus far. She will be big. Seems like I remeber someone named Chris from that other idol show…He didn’t win but went on to becime bigger than anyone else from that season. It would not be smart to let that happen here. She is a keeper. She will be snatched up by others in the podcasting world if you let her slip through your fingers. Want your podcast to shine like a diamond in world of rubies? She’s the one.
May 13th, 2008 at 1:07 pm
Could have been a regular episode of mahalo daily. The episode was interesting and professional. All around it was simply a great job. I have to agree that the bar has been set pretty high.
May 13th, 2008 at 1:12 pm
I think Leah did a fabulous job. I am a real fan of Veronica so I have been concerned about her replacement. Leah proved she is up to Veronica’s standards if she can continue to pull off episodes as good as this one. Her topic was interesting, and her energy and enthusiasm were terrific. If they are all this good, it is going to be a difficult decision for Jason.
May 13th, 2008 at 1:14 pm
Excellent episode.
I would have liked a little more on camera interaction, Leah actually asking the questions rather than the voice overs.
Great entry though. The other women have their work cut out for them.
May 13th, 2008 at 1:26 pm
She has been my favorite since the very beginning, the most professional, and the most interesting.
I’m afraid that I don’t understand some of the panels other picks at all, they, to me, appear to be going for the girls with the largest breasts, or the cutest. (some people probably don’t see that as a problem, maybe I’m just getting old). I was confused about Nadine Heimann, the panel didn’t seem to like her, yet they picked her. Maybe the edited version that I see doesn’t show the whole picture.
May 13th, 2008 at 1:29 pm
i think it was really good and would definitely carry on watching if she won
May 13th, 2008 at 1:45 pm
Brah, What more are you looking for in a hostess? She’s hot, charming, engaging, funny, comfortable in front of the camera….
No doubt she’s got my vote!
Mahalo,
Russell
May 13th, 2008 at 1:48 pm
Great job!
May 13th, 2008 at 1:56 pm
I think Leah is your girl, she is smooth as silk, laid back but gets the job done, the show was great she told the story and didn’t have to sit there and ask questions. She is very attractive which makes the show more enjoyable. I loved it.
Go Leah
May 13th, 2008 at 1:57 pm
Outstanding job. She is one of my favorites to win this competition. She gives out this relaxing, but fun vibe that is just great.
May 13th, 2008 at 2:05 pm
A great voice. Stunning to look at. Intriguing. This, her first effort was interesting, however, her energy level seemed low. Perhaps that will come with time. When she takes “ownership” and loosens up she’ll be a great asset.
I am looking forward to the rest.
May 13th, 2008 at 2:07 pm
I thought it was great. She is very engaging and good looking which doesn’t hurt. Some of the criticisms posted here are more about the editing of the show which I don’t think she had a part in. She was one of my favs early on and more so now.
May 13th, 2008 at 2:12 pm
She was great! She is the front runner in my mind at this time.
May 13th, 2008 at 2:16 pm
I think that might’ve been the most interesting Mahalo Daily I’ve ever seen and I’ve been watching for a few months now. I love Leah… engaging, high energy, and really gets into the heart of the matter. My girlfriend and I are now even considering looking for a Capoeira club in our city. I think the other contestants will have a really tough time beating this one! Keep up the good work!
May 13th, 2008 at 2:19 pm
Dunno why but she’s been my favorite from the start…always seems to draw me right in…fun, cute as hell, good presence, good questions…would absolutely watch her on MDaily…but…let’s see what the others have in store…
May 13th, 2008 at 2:31 pm
Wow! Outstanding effort. Extremely professional job. She caught my attention from the first episode and glad to see her come through in this final phase. I’m hooked.
As Alex eluded to during round 2, editing and retakes play a part in putting together a final product. Would be interesting to know how much was left on the cutting room floor.
To that end, does the average person know what it takes to “produce” an episode? I know I don’t. Did she have to pick the topic? Come up with questions? Figure out who to talk to at the studio? What about editing? Could you enlighten us?
Love how she let the name of the place roll off her tongue. Shmexy!
Keep the glasses off.
May 13th, 2008 at 2:40 pm
I think she did an excellent job. She’s cute and fun. She’s definitely in my top 3.
May 13th, 2008 at 3:09 pm
Leah was perfect, good Job!
May 13th, 2008 at 3:17 pm
Awesome video!
May 13th, 2008 at 3:40 pm
I think she did a great job. Leah was one of my favorites from the start. I’m also eager to see Nadine and Michelle. These girls are my top three right now.
May 13th, 2008 at 3:47 pm
Yup, I like her. Have to be fair and see the others, but I’d be more than willing to hire her from this. I miss the glasses too. Could use a little more kookieness!
May 13th, 2008 at 3:49 pm
Leah was great. Definitely has presence and credibility.
I found myself forgetting to watch her performance and actually focusing on the story, which was very interesting.
Can’t say she’s the best yet; will have to wait to see the rest.
May 13th, 2008 at 4:02 pm
I thought Leah did an excellent job and definitely set the bar very high for the other finalists. I’m glad I’m not in the judges shoes as they are going to have a very difficult decision at their hands.
May 13th, 2008 at 4:17 pm
It was alright (she is a finalist). That said, I was a bit uncomfortable watching it. It seemed like she was nervous or something. I don’t think she’s the one.
May 13th, 2008 at 4:29 pm
I thought Leah did a great job. She was engaging, but didn’t try to steal the show. The interviews were thoughtful and interesting. It reminds me of the Yoga episode Veronica did. The major difference being I think there was a lot more ambiance in this episode.
I really got a good sense for the style and sounds of Capoeira. It really helped draw me in.
My only criticism is that I prefer Leah with glasses on :)
May 13th, 2008 at 5:14 pm
Great job! I love her from day one. She is charming, beautiful and smart. The episode was very interesting and presented very well.
Of course you can always improve, but that is precisely something you get with experience. I bet that with time she would do an even better job. She’s got my vote. Go Leah! Best regards, Javi, from Mexico but in Israel.
May 13th, 2008 at 5:18 pm
She’s a princess… Leah… couldn’t help it :). But really, love her. Great job!
May 13th, 2008 at 5:27 pm
Excellent. Very interesting and informative. She did a great job!
May 13th, 2008 at 5:55 pm
Final race will be tight … I had a good feeling when I saw Leah the first time and she is a finalist so … who knows, she could be a nice replacement to V., different style, probably slightly more “energetic” and less “girl next door” … definately a nice fit for the show … her episode was no less interesting than any other Veronica’s one … lets see how it goes with the other 5 …
May 13th, 2008 at 6:13 pm
I loved it, I would keep watching if she won.
-Oh! Yeah
May 13th, 2008 at 6:21 pm
I think Leah is my favorite of the contestants, but I’ll reserve final judgment to the end. I think she did great: good presence, very attractive, good interviewing skills. I think I like her better than Veronica. I like that she has varied looks with the glasses, hair, and clothing. If she gets a little more comfortable and gets the energy level up just a little, I think she’s the one. Thumbs up!
May 13th, 2008 at 6:27 pm
She was lively and personable. She rolled with it quite nicely, and her interview style is pleasing. She definitely has potential.
May 13th, 2008 at 6:33 pm
Princess Leah…. ha! I like that one!
May 13th, 2008 at 6:38 pm
I thought she was terrific. Really enjoyed her story and might even look for a place like that around here just south of St. Louis MO.
May 13th, 2008 at 6:40 pm
One of the best episodes I have seen. Very well done - and had me watching even though there is ZERO chance of my ever trying it out.
She deserves serious consideration - though my final opinion will wait till the others have had a shot.
May 13th, 2008 at 7:09 pm
Loved it! Captivating, entertaining and informative. I’d love to see this girl win.
May 13th, 2008 at 7:24 pm
I think Leah was fantastic. She has the looks, personality and has a good feel for the job. She is definitly a natural and a professional in front of the camera.
Gabe
May 13th, 2008 at 7:59 pm
Leah did a great job on this episode. Of course, there were a few little hesitations here and there. But I have to say for her first Mahalo Daily, it was excellent. Leah’s very cute, seemed genuinely interested in what the people she was interviewing were saying and wasn’t scared to put herself out there and try out Capoeira herself.
9.5/10 for me. Only took off a half point because of the small hesitations here and there. That’s just rookie jitters, though.
May 13th, 2008 at 8:01 pm
Leah is great. Best of the final group.
May 13th, 2008 at 8:11 pm
I thought she was excellent. She took a topic which I have no knowledge of, and got me to spend several minutes hearing about it, AND actually be entertained.
I like her style and the way she presents herself. She has what “Mike and Mike in the Morning” call Tina Fey hotness, especially with the glasses.
Her attractiveness isn’t the first thing you notice. Her intelligence is obvious, but the longer you see her the more you notice how really good looking she is.
If Leah wins I will definitely keep watching Mahalo Daily. If she doesn’t win I will probably try to find out what her next project will be and follow her rise to the top.
May 13th, 2008 at 8:13 pm
Following up on my previous comment, I miss the glasses, too. Nerdy + sexy = the “it” factor for Mahalo Daily.
May 13th, 2008 at 8:24 pm
I doubt any of the others will come close. She’s been the best in each of the rounds, imho. She’s the most natural of the group by far.
May 13th, 2008 at 8:29 pm
Leah has been my favorite from round one and I’m glad she’s still around. I think that Leah is similar enough to Veronica that her episode feels like Mahalo Daily even though she has her own presence and personality. Fantastic job!
May 13th, 2008 at 8:34 pm
Great job, Leah! I really enjoyed the topic.
May 13th, 2008 at 8:37 pm
Very professional, I would watch the show with her as the host. Looks llike she had been doing this for some time.
May 13th, 2008 at 8:44 pm
LOVED it. She took a topic I really wasn’t all that interested in, interviewing people I didn’t really find all that compelling and…still watched the whole thing until the very end.
I don’t envy you the task of whittling down to one winner when you have several great contestants. I’ll probably wind up wanting you to KEEP MORE THAN ONE of the six. But if I have to vote for only one, Leah wins. I think I like her better without the glasses — she has beautiful eyes. But you really can’t go wrong with or without the glasses.
May 13th, 2008 at 8:44 pm
Great presence. Seems very comfortable on camera. I’d watch her daily. The other contestants have a lot to live up to.
May 13th, 2008 at 9:14 pm
Great episode. It flowed well, Leah was very engaging and I enjoyed it. She feels to me like a very natural fit for the show and a worthy successor for Veronica.
May 13th, 2008 at 10:19 pm
Leah’s my favorite! She’s getting better and better!
May 13th, 2008 at 10:23 pm
Outstanding! She kept me very interested in a subject I don’t have much interest in. She is a natural for Mahalo Daily. There is no substitute for Veronica, but I think Leah can stand on her own.
May 13th, 2008 at 10:25 pm
Really nicely done episode. For some reason, I think that the judges have been strangely harsh towards her. She is a pro with great presence. She seems so comfortable in this role - it isn’t about making her look good, it is about the subject matter. She doesn’t scream out, “Look at me!” rather she just nails it. Perfect fit for Mahalo Daily.
May 13th, 2008 at 10:34 pm
I loved it. Can I have this fight/dance ma’lady?
May 13th, 2008 at 10:38 pm
Very interesting and dare I say sexy? Yes, I dared to say it and now you must live with it. Best of luck Leah, you rule.
May 13th, 2008 at 11:19 pm
Good, but not great, I would give her some guest episodes!
May 13th, 2008 at 11:51 pm
The guys and I at the fire station are really pulling for Leah and this episode just drove home why. She is out going and relaxed with any topic or challange. We like what we see when she’s in front of the camera and we wish her the best of luck..
May 14th, 2008 at 12:00 am
I thoroughly enjoyed Leah’s video today, I think she should definately move on to the next round, she is probably my favorite contestant of the first two rounds and she seemed to really shine on her own episode. Very cool topic.
May 14th, 2008 at 12:02 am
She’s my favorite among all the finalists. I hope she wins!
May 14th, 2008 at 12:04 am
I already twittered JC this morning on this but I just wanted to restate here that I am sincerely impressed with Leah’s combination of relaxed style and authenticity. The boneheads who say things like “good but not great” don’t understand how difficult it is to accomplish what Leah has on camera. As shocking as this may sound in the halls of Geekdom and as great as VB is, Leah may turn out to be better.
May 14th, 2008 at 12:05 am
I think she did an excellent job; however, I really would like to see all of the ladies before I make my decision.
Check out my blog post: http://mahalo.connectedgeek.net/2008/05/12/mahalo-vlogidol-finalists-were-almost-done-but-are-we/
May 14th, 2008 at 12:18 am
She needs to wear her glasses. I think her geekette factor is even higher when she has the glasses. Also I have been cheering for her since day ONE.
May 14th, 2008 at 12:19 am
Good energy, listening skills were good, has a certain presence in front of camera. Good job!
May 14th, 2008 at 12:20 am
Good Job. I would watch her if the presentations stay at this level. Your efforts are not in vain. You have found at least one probable.
May 14th, 2008 at 12:25 am
Leah has vote, I think she’s great; charismatic, relaxed, attractive and well spoken. Her body language is good and her enthusiasm hard to beat. Just my 2-cents.
Cheers!
May 14th, 2008 at 12:35 am
Fantastic!!! You need to hire her as the next host, and no i dont need to see anymore of the contestants! She is the best w/o a doubt!!!!
May 14th, 2008 at 12:41 am
Talented, cute & peppy! She has it all :)
May 14th, 2008 at 12:54 am
Hot and professional. One of the best. Sure you can’t choose two new hosts?
May 14th, 2008 at 1:00 am
Yeah, I miss the glasses too. You should keep them. :)
May 14th, 2008 at 1:02 am
I really like Leah as the host of Mahalo Daily! She’s outgoing, beautiful, has a knack for being on camera, and has a conversational style to her. She talks to the camera like she’s talking to you, which is awesome!
May 14th, 2008 at 1:04 am
Totally forgot I could comment here. I loved Leah and she is going to be EXTREMELY hard to beat. You’ve been my favorite since the beginning and I hope you win! =)
May 14th, 2008 at 1:06 am
So far Leah is my favorite, she has done a great job, seems fairly polished and professional, given time will be very very good.
May 14th, 2008 at 1:15 am
Liked it alot, great topic, shes my favorite of the idols so far.
Just think the host should try less to “sell” me on the ideas, i can make my own mind.
May 14th, 2008 at 1:33 am
She’s was my favorite since the beginning and still…
Go Leah Go!
May 14th, 2008 at 1:40 am
I haven’t chosen a “favorite” yet so I’m still impartial ;)
I definitely enjoyed the episode. There are definitely some video podcasts where the host annoys me but I enjoy the content of the show so I have to keep watching. With this one, it was just a hit with me. She’s definitely easy on the eyes (I prefer her without the glasses, but she looks good either way), she has a nice voice, she seems very down-to-earth, she definitely looked like she had fun being there, and she really got into it.
My only criticism is that some of her audio interstitials (where she wasn’t on screen, I mean) were a little less enthused, but that didn’t happen a whole lot. Definitely would be happy if she ended up winning.
May 14th, 2008 at 1:59 am
Lea has been my favorite from the start., Hopefully she’ll be the new MD host, but even if she doesn’t make it, I’ll be watching whatever she’s in!
May 14th, 2008 at 2:03 am
Has a Rocketboom feel, but more polished.
May 14th, 2008 at 3:01 am
Prettiest eyes on the web.
May 14th, 2008 at 3:36 am
As one of only a handful of women posting comments, I think the judges should definitely pay attention to what I have to say.
Leah should definitely be the new host! She’s been the best from the beginning! All of this “she seems like she’s doing a newscast” bit is total bull. Her good points are overwhelming:
she’s fun
interesting
clearly intelligent
smooth
personable
great energy yet
comes across real and totally natural
Watching her is as comfortable as talking to a great friend, and she obviously knows what she’s doing. There have been comments from the beginning along the lines of “not enough energy”, but I totally disagree. She is upbeat, cheerful, and energetic about her topics and interviews without shoving perky down your throat, like some contenders I could mention.
And on top of all of that, she’s more than hot enough to keep all the male viewers happy, glasses or not (like that should even be an issue guys, come on!) I say choose quality in all areas!
You’ve got my vote Leah!
May 14th, 2008 at 4:52 am
Very boring. I must be the first one that is not her friend that is posting. Because i didnt like her at all. She is nice if you want a bedtime story read to you. Absolutely no energy at all. Made a very interesting art boring and mundane.
May 14th, 2008 at 5:27 am
I like Leah, thought she did a great job!
May 14th, 2008 at 5:32 am
This girl made a cool subject boring. She was slow and the piece dragged on.
May 14th, 2008 at 5:54 am
I really enjoyed this episode. It was upbeat, different, and right to the point. I like that the episode was more about the subject then the interviewer. I think she did a great job.
She is no Veronica Belmont, but then again, there is only one.
May 14th, 2008 at 6:15 am
Leah did a great job of bringing Capoeira to the camera in a fun and outgoing way. Her personality and charm is something that draws you in and makes you want to know more.
Pick the Italian Girl….let’s face it who does it better than a beautiful Italian….nobody.
May 14th, 2008 at 7:54 am
Leah is definitely my favorite. Great smile, personality, funny, engaging, very very professional and very cute. She does give the vibe that wants to have fun at this like all the others.
Like others said, this specific daily did went a bit far on professionalism and not on the traditional Mahalo Daily foolishness. I can see that she changed many things to bring it down a bit for Mahalo… but needs to bring it down further. Still, probably the best Mahalo we will find. We are used to Veronica’s cuteness next door neighbor factor with a great “we are just fooling around and having fun on this show” persona, so it is hard to compare.
Of course, no need to compare. Would we re-subscribe to the feed if Leah was our host? Definitely.
Basically, no training needed… just show her the foolish ways of Mahalo and she will pick up. Would be interesting to see her and Lon do an improv for a few minutes on a funny topic.
Soooo… my vote goes to her for sure.
No need for more testing…. you’ve found the next host!!!! :)
The other contestants will probably select more interesting topics to keep us engaged… even if they (the hosts) are not… but Leah apparently can get us engaged in even the most boring topics.
I do have a bunch of other thoughts on this “competition” but don’t have time to keep writing them down here. I do have a job and a family to feed… but being a Mahalo and Veronica fan for a few minutes every day… I needed to say something.
By the way… great idea involving the crazy viewers on selecting the next host… we will know her by then and continue watching. Otherwise, I can name a few podcasts who lost their main host and were never able to get me back.
Good luck! Looking forward to see Leah daily… with or without the glasses.
May 14th, 2008 at 8:29 am
Leah rocked!
She has a great sparkle and energy in delivery.
She seems vibrant and a good choice for the role after VB.
She was also keen to have a go at something that really did not look easy.
May 14th, 2008 at 8:53 am
Mahalo Daily is awesome! Leah D’Emilio is perfect for this show - she’s the girl next door, love her on camera presence! Leah is personable and I definitley want to see more of her on Mahalo Daily. Leah Rocks!
May 14th, 2008 at 9:19 am
My favorite. Really had a lot of fun with this episode. I’d like to watch her again.
May 14th, 2008 at 9:36 am
Great job Leah! I hope talent wins over the others! Perfect balance of personality, presence and information!!
May 14th, 2008 at 11:02 am
Leah has been my favorite all along. She’s attractive, professional and full of charm. I really like her “girl next door” vibe. I think she has a tiny bit of geek in her. I enjoyed watching her podcast.
Great job Leah!
May 14th, 2008 at 12:35 pm
This is my first time watching Mahalo Daily, so I offer an outsider’s perspective devoid of the Veronica slant. After watching your finalist posts, Leah adds the best balance of perfessionalism and fun. The energy was a really nice balance without getting too spastic and pseduo-perky. Leah offers a lot more depth, you should check out some of her work with Fox Toledo! An excellent choice, Leah would draw outside viewers!
Go Leah!
May 14th, 2008 at 12:45 pm
I twittered to Jason that Leah was by far the best, which she has proved through-out this competition.
Selecting her as the next host of MD would definitely increase the viewer-ship.
My only negative feedback is that she looks far more authentic with glasses and curly hair, some of her credibility was lost by losing the glasses and getting a wavy hairstyle.
I think that if she remains true to herself, she will win this competition and thousands would tune in everyday to watch her. Good luck Leah!
May 14th, 2008 at 12:53 pm
Intelligent and honest! Pick Leah. The cheezy bit wears thin and Leah has great talent to take the show up a level. My vote is for substance over cuteness alone. Oh, and Leah has the cute factor as well. She would offer a great balance as the co-host.
May 14th, 2008 at 1:20 pm
Great job Leah. Very polished, engaging and great on screen presence.
May 14th, 2008 at 1:22 pm
Leah’s hosting and performance was very professional with the ability of having the persons interviewed feeling very relaxed and comfortable. Leah seems to connect extremely well.
Leah has a great appearance and presence. From 1 to 10, we rate Leah an ELEVEN. Leah has our vote.
May 14th, 2008 at 1:27 pm
Leah’s hosting and performance was very professional with ability of having the persons interviewed feeling very relaxed and comfortable. Leah seems to connect extremely well. Leah has a great appearance and presence. From 1 to 10, we rate Leah an ELEVEN. Leah has our vote.
May 14th, 2008 at 1:54 pm
Leah did a good job something that needs to be worked on. The lighting and position of the camera focus too much on Leah. I was too busy looking at her instead of the interviewee. The Subject was good on an intro to that style of fighting. She has been my Fav from the start, i’d tune in just to see her, she is too fine
May 14th, 2008 at 3:02 pm
Excellent episode and very strong candidate. She is great to look at and very professional.
May 14th, 2008 at 3:10 pm
Great episode, I could see myself looking forward to new Leah episodes everyday. Going to be hard for anyone else to top this.
May 14th, 2008 at 3:11 pm
I really love Leah and hope she will win. Not nerves, interesting topic. Good luck, Leah.
May 14th, 2008 at 3:28 pm
Captivating and smart. I’m in <3
May 14th, 2008 at 3:31 pm
nothing against her, but she was just o.k. Nothing special right of the bat. As I read all the posts that she has in her favor, It’s funny how we haven’t even seen anyone else’s episode and they already have her as the winner.
May 14th, 2008 at 4:07 pm
Awesome! Leah was great.
May 14th, 2008 at 4:15 pm
Loved this episode! Professional, good energy. I was easily hanging on Leah’s every word. Not wincing unlike some of the others… And, cool and interesting topic! Leah seemed at ease, despite not knowing anything about the topic. Similar in that way to Veronica (*sniff*). My vote: 9.
May 14th, 2008 at 4:41 pm
Leah is a natural! She is fun, confident, perky and intelligent. All of the qualities you want in a Mahalo Daily host. I can’t wait for her to win this competition so that we can see even more of her work.
Great job!!!
May 14th, 2008 at 4:48 pm
Again, just wanted to thank everyone for leaving comments on my episode! I’m interested in seeing how things compare with the other finalists as each episode is revealed! I’m definitely taking your feedback into consideration for whatever future work I have and I certainly hope it’s with Mahalo Daily! I dig the dedication you all have to take the time and review our work! Grazie!
May 14th, 2008 at 4:57 pm
I thought she was really good, but should try it out more.
She needs to get more involved in what her subject is. I know
that she did a little bit, but she should get into it more.
Overall good job though
May 14th, 2008 at 5:12 pm
Please go with Leah. She is the only one that comes across with intelligence and personality. PLEASE avoid the Mtv VJ types!
May 14th, 2008 at 5:39 pm
good!!!
May 14th, 2008 at 5:53 pm
I thought it was awesome. However, there needed to be more of her asking questions
May 14th, 2008 at 6:20 pm
You can end the search right now! Thought Leah found a great topic, found the right folks to interview (informative yet real people) and I learned a few things. Funny little out-take at the end.
May 14th, 2008 at 6:23 pm
Excellent. I had expected she’d be more nervous or you’d see that it was her first episode ever, but on the contrary: she was confident and did a great job. The topic was interesting and what I noticed was that when she interviewed people she didn’t seem to do it for the camera, but showed genuine interest in the interviewee.
Well done Leah! If this is the quality all the finalists are going to show, it’ll be very very difficult to choose
May 14th, 2008 at 6:25 pm
Leah was awesome! So relaxed and soooo easy on the eyes. Shes a pro and fits right in. Cast my vote for her.
May 14th, 2008 at 6:58 pm
So far Leah has the lead in idol votes in the poll on my site - http://scottgjerdingen.blogspot.com/
May 14th, 2008 at 7:05 pm
Dude give her the job.
Being first out of the gate you got to put her score on a curve.
Fact that most people like the last or second to last no matter how good the first is.
You don’t give out your “10″ right off the bat. She has got class, many different “looks” and is at ease in front of the camera.
May 14th, 2008 at 7:15 pm
The story dragged on and wasn’t punchy enough for me. By the end of the segment I was thinking it would be more interesting to know if Leah herself had a brazilian than all the Brazilian content she was attempting to show us.
BIG THUMBS DOWN - Sorry but this presenter is no Verionica Belmont replacement.
May 14th, 2008 at 7:16 pm
The story dragged on and wasn’t punchy enough for me. By the end of the segment I was thinking it would be more interesting to know if Leah herself had a brazilian than all the Brazilian content she was attempting to show us.
BIG THUMBS DOWN - Sorry but this presenter is no Veronica Belmont replacement.
May 14th, 2008 at 7:22 pm
Great! Leah has an awesome personality that really shines through. Her topic was interesting and I loved how she tried to learn herself. Leah is very natural in front of the camera and very comfortable when interviewing people. The episode was entertaining. Leah has got my vote! I can’t wait to see more from her.
May 14th, 2008 at 7:58 pm
Very well done. Voted!!!
May 14th, 2008 at 8:12 pm
Wow. I liked Leah from the start, but she was even better this time around than in her audition(s). Amazing as it may sound, she looked MORE gorgeous than ever and I was very engaged in the segment from start to finish. She’s professional, poised, charming and has a good speaking voice. And in case I didn’t make it clear already, Leah’s hot hot HOT! Nothing wrong with a beautiful face (and body rrowr). After all, the host has to keep the viewers watching!
To be honest, all six finalists are attractive and charismatic in their own way, so this is going to be a difficult decision no matter how you slice it. I don’t envy the judges. I certainly won’t be disappointed if Leah wins, though.
May 14th, 2008 at 8:14 pm
Wow. I liked Leah from the start, but she was even better this time around than in her audition(s). Amazing as it may sound, she looked MORE gorgeous than ever and I was very engaged in the segment from start to finish. She’s professional, poised, charming and has a good speaking voice. And in case I didn’t make it clear already, Leah’s hot hot HOT! Nothing wrong with a beautiful face (and body rrowr). After all, the host has to keep the viewers watching!
To be honest, all six finalists are attractive and charismatic in their own way, so this is going to be a difficult decision no matter how you slice it. I don’t envy the judges. I certainly won’t be disappointed if Leah wins, though.
May 14th, 2008 at 8:22 pm
Awesome. She will be hard to beat.
May 14th, 2008 at 8:26 pm
Wow, Leah was fantastic. She gets my vote!
May 14th, 2008 at 9:43 pm
I thought that this show was very similar to Veronica’s show about Yoga. It seems like she’s fooling what’s already been done. I would liked to have seen something new not something similar.
May 14th, 2008 at 9:51 pm
Leah made me immediately want to see her on Mahalo. She’s beautiful and has a great engaging screen presence.
She gets my vote.
May 14th, 2008 at 10:17 pm
Loved it. Leah is my choice for host.
May 14th, 2008 at 11:19 pm
Fantastic! She is the one!
May 14th, 2008 at 11:35 pm
Leah did a great job! As engaging as Lady V, charming, and as has been said… quite gorgeous! I’m looking forward to the other finalists. Oh, and more Lon… he’s hilarious!
May 14th, 2008 at 11:57 pm
Leah was great! Easy on the eyes, lovely voice it’s gonna be a tough decision. Jason, I think your gonna have to hire two new host man! It’s okay, you can pass on the Tesla and buy a Prius or something…Kidding of course.
May 15th, 2008 at 12:20 am
Solid show, at least as good as many that Veronica did. Leah was willing to try things out, to listen, and got some good interviews for this interesting subject. She’s not all the way “there” yet, but I think many Mahalo Daily viewers, myself included, would be more than willing to watch her learn on the job as she reaches her level. Bravo.
May 15th, 2008 at 12:23 am
Great! Good energy and awesome personality!!
May 15th, 2008 at 12:52 am
Leah is a complete YES! I think she should be the next Mahalo host because she is interesting, engaging, high energy, very professional, and has wonderful interviewing skills. And hey, she’s cute as a button.
May 15th, 2008 at 12:53 am
Leah was amazing. She’s absolutely gorgeous, and very personable.
I really hope she wins!
May 15th, 2008 at 3:55 am
Leah did an AMAZING job.
-The camera LOVES her.
-She was really comfortable on camera and her voice is very engaging and clear.
-She really interacted well with her interviewees. Really put them at ease.
-Besides being very beautiful, she oozes intellect. Very articulate.
All-in-all, I am sincerely hoping that Leah is awarded this job. She would be an AMAZING host!!!
May 15th, 2008 at 5:25 am
Lean is the one. She has trained to do this job and it shows.
May 15th, 2008 at 7:36 am
Leah has that special “something” that the camera and your viewers, are able to pick up. She is intelligent, articulate, creative and she seems like she would be fun to work with with. I am hoping that you pick her… and soon! I have to say that the suspense is killing me!
May 15th, 2008 at 10:40 am
Leah is the best without question. She is beautiful, articulate, and not afraid to joke around with the subjects.
May 15th, 2008 at 11:24 am
Yes!
Leah is definitely the one. She’s watchable and cute with the perfect combination of quirk and professionalism. There are no awkward moments here, just entertainment and information.
ARE YOU LISTENING CALACANIS??? HIRE HER!
May 15th, 2008 at 11:55 am
Mahalo Daily is in my Miro list for one reason only: Veronica!
Having now seen Leah’s first episode, Mahalo Daily will stay in my Miro list, but only if Leah wins. (Do you read me, Calacanis?)
Cheers,
Moochie
Melbourne, Australia
May 15th, 2008 at 11:58 am
this was a great episode and Leah is absolutely great!..she should win hands down!….what an intelligent beauty!
May 15th, 2008 at 12:18 pm
I absolutely loved Leah. She just has a spark and intelligence to her that makes we want to watch more.
May 15th, 2008 at 12:59 pm
leah is A-MAZ-ING. intelligence, stunning beauty, grace, poise, wit. and what a great, fascinating subject to choose for her mahalo daily vlog idol finalist competition! i’ve seen people doing this in parks and such, but never had the guts to ask more about it — and i need to get into shape!
but hands down, leah is my absolute favorite of all the finalists. veronica has left some hard, cruel shoes to fill, but leah steps into them with grace, style & aplomb. you’ve found your next host. go no further.
May 15th, 2008 at 1:19 pm
Leah was good, interviewed the maestre and a couple of students giving different perspectives to the viewer. That’s nice.
She was tense though, must be the competition. But Nadine wasn’t. I’d say I can feel Leah getting more and more stressed if she get the job. Just gut feeling.
I see comments about cupsizes all over…I can honestly say I never did look at Veronica’s chest on Mahalo (or otherwise). If the person talking to you is entertaining and informative, there is no need. If you look at her breast, it is because what she is saying is boring, she lost you. Anyway, That’s what I think.
Thank you Jason
May 15th, 2008 at 1:25 pm
Very interesting and entertaining episode. As for Leah I thought she did a fantastic job. When it was her on camera she had charisma and kept me engaged whereas when she was interviewing one of the people at the Capoeira Besuro studio she let them be our focus, which not a lot of people in a hosting position know and/or can do. Her voice resonates very well, she has gorgeous eyes which immediately draw your attention, and she seems very real and a person you could be talking to yourself. She makes watching the show a personal experience, seemingly inviting you personally to share this story with. Definitely has the necessary skills, looks and overall package to be a host, and I would definitely vote for her to be the host of the show. Great job Leah!
May 15th, 2008 at 1:48 pm
She was great. Beautiful and intelligent. She definitely has what it takes. Keep it up.
May 15th, 2008 at 1:54 pm
I loved her episode. Thought that it was very informative and very interesting. What a good topic!! Still prefer Michelle Hummel’s episode. However, Leah’s was good too!! You have a hard decision to make.
May 15th, 2008 at 1:57 pm
Weak interview - the questions were asked off camera and the answers rambled on and on.
Would have like to see her participate more in the dance
The segment was weak
May 15th, 2008 at 2:14 pm
Leah has a star quality that none of the others possess. All of the girls are personable and very attractive, but Leah is memorable.
May 15th, 2008 at 6:58 pm
Leah is my favorite so (out of 3)
May 15th, 2008 at 7:28 pm
Leah is by far the best of the first 3 competitors. She is my pick as the new host so far. However we have 3 strong competitors coming up so time will tell.
May 15th, 2008 at 8:52 pm
Leah has the best personality… spunky, fresh, exciting and will be the perfect host!
May 15th, 2008 at 9:20 pm
I really enjoyed this episode, Leah has great flow, great ability to make people feel at ease, and she looks so natural on camera - she’s my pick!
May 15th, 2008 at 11:42 pm
ZZZZZZZZZZZ… that’s me sleeping. That’s how boring this segment was. A good host should be able to take a boring topic and produce a segment that’s even mildly engaging. Leah failed. She relied too much on talking-head interviews and chose dozens of dance clips that looked like high school gymnasts doing cartwheels in slow motion. The interviewees kept talking about how exciting and energetic it was, but we never saw any of that. And Leah utterly failed by only trying one lame move herself. I expect the MD host to jump in and participate from start to finish. NEXT!
May 15th, 2008 at 11:59 pm
She was great !!, In fact, I was amazed for her show ’cause she did really well. I would love to see her hosting Mahalo, but I’ve to check out the other girls too…
Leah was great !!
May 16th, 2008 at 12:25 am
LOVED it! Very professionally done. Leah is engaging and friendly. I felt like my best friend was introducing me to something new. She’s the one!!
May 16th, 2008 at 3:25 am
[...] <– View our previous episode! [...]
May 16th, 2008 at 12:01 pm
She’s the best one, cute as a pea and comes across as very intelligent also. Killer combination.
May 16th, 2008 at 3:28 pm
After watching the first three back to back to back, I have to say that I like Leah’s show the best. I thought she was professional and had a great sense of when to take a step back and let the interview run its course and when to step back in to continue it on.
May 16th, 2008 at 3:40 pm
She looks great and confortable on the screen. Very professional. I liked her episode a lot.
May 16th, 2008 at 4:51 pm
She seems very comfortable and confidant. She comes across very relaxed and professional at the same time. She the one.
May 16th, 2008 at 6:51 pm
Is Leah a Fourth grade teacher? These comments that I’m reading must be her 4th grade class voting for her and it is obvious they are stacking the comments.
She does have a pretty face for a “Fourth Grader”.
She does not captivate the audience. I was bored out of my mind with this piece and the people she picked to interview–very bad. Leah is at the top of her game like Michelle is. Leah and Michelle are OK for local Cable and College communications graduates.
Nadine is a little green but has the room for improvement and become a seasoned Mahalo Daily-Spokes person. Nadine gets my vote but needs to improve. The other two I will never watch.
May 17th, 2008 at 2:18 am
Leah has been my favorite from the very beginning. I liked her with her glasses and I liked her even more without them. Her eyes are beautiful!! And don’t forget the eyes are the windows of the soul. If it were up to me I would stop the search already and hire Leah on the spot.
May 17th, 2008 at 6:55 am
leah can totally replace veronica. she has strong appearance and good talk skills. Beautiful too!
May 17th, 2008 at 9:32 am
Leah did a great job! She should be the next Mahalo Daily host. Think about it…
May 17th, 2008 at 11:34 am
love her… she has a great vibe, she is gorgeous, spontaneous and has nice charm… Leah is my favoirte!
May 17th, 2008 at 12:15 pm
Introduced a new subject to me…did a great job and a realy fun energy
May 17th, 2008 at 5:14 pm
I enjoyed the performance, Leah so far is my number one choice. She kept me interested, excited and wanting more. She brought some professionalism, comedy, and beauty. Her interaction in the interview I felt made them confortable and eager to hand out info. Over all it was a great job and left an excellent impression.
May 17th, 2008 at 7:10 pm
Excellent! Leah is the best. The show was smooth and interesting. She was very professional.
May 18th, 2008 at 5:01 am
Great job. She has the best show so far, and she picked a topic that was really interesting.
May 18th, 2008 at 10:09 am
Good try but she’s not the one in my opinion. It seems like she’s “acting,” not just being herself. She was off-camera most of the time.
May 18th, 2008 at 1:03 pm
You can’t even see her interviewing the guys most of the time. I agree with Cameron. Why is she off camera most of the time? How can we tell how good she is, if we don’t even see her during the piece? I could hear her talking? And why didn’t we see her actually demonstrate the moves?
May 18th, 2008 at 6:35 pm
Nice balance of general information, interview time with the Mestre Batata and students, pop-ups as well as Leah’s face time, which did include a demonstration of a basic Capoeira move. If the purpose was to showcase Capoeira and inform your viewers of this fun and interesting workout, it was achieved. Leah is professional and engaging and has a sense of humor. I would like to see more of Leah D’emilio…like everyday as the host of Mahalo Daily!
May 18th, 2008 at 9:52 pm
Excellent! Good energy and most important for Mahalo, Leah introduced me to something I had never heard of before.
May 19th, 2008 at 12:54 am
I’ve seen all the ones until ep124 and I still think Leah is the best. Though I too miss the glasses.
May 19th, 2008 at 12:56 am
Done, contest over. You could find anyone better.
May 19th, 2008 at 8:01 am
Yes
May 19th, 2008 at 9:22 am
I’ve watched the first 4 finalist episodes and Leah’s was the best in my opinion. She is the most professional, the most engaging and the cutest! Can’t argue with that really!
May 19th, 2008 at 10:12 am
Really loved the energy and as I watch more of the contestants do their interviews I realize how great Leah was in her interview. Lots of energy, great smile. I actually went back and watched this again.
May 19th, 2008 at 10:28 am
She did an excellent job. Good presence and she makes sure to add her personality to the story without taking away from what she is reporting on. I’d watch her any time!
May 19th, 2008 at 3:30 pm
I loved it. I thought it was very professional and engaging, and a very interesting subject. One thing I wasn’t too jazzed about was the whole voice-over thing; it just seemed too much like a history show on PBS, and less like an episode of Mahalo. Overall, though, I think Leah is definitely in the top 3.
May 19th, 2008 at 4:15 pm
Great job, very slick, professional and engaging. Of the 4 to date head and shoulders above the competition.
May 19th, 2008 at 4:21 pm
Nah
Not getting our vote
May 19th, 2008 at 4:33 pm
3rd best so far
May 19th, 2008 at 6:11 pm
i don’t like her voice. It bores me. she is blah
May 19th, 2008 at 7:45 pm
Leah rocks. Her education shows. Her skills will improve with experience.
May 19th, 2008 at 8:34 pm
Leah could not be more perfect. She is smart, asks great questions, but brings a certain energy to Mahalo Daily. I felt confidence and professionalism when I watched this, but not so much that I felt uncomfortable.
And beyond the more obvious things, there’s certainly an x factor. Other candidates have been good, but I think Leah is great, intelligent, and definitely wins my vote by a wide margin.
May 20th, 2008 at 12:19 am
Awesome. Leah is probably the definition of a natural on-air personality. Mahalo Daily would be a great place for such a remarkable talent. She’s the one.
May 20th, 2008 at 12:35 am
One of the best ones so far.
May 20th, 2008 at 7:07 am
Of the 5 episodes that are out as of today, Leah is by far the most engaging and the most natural on camera. Outstanding!
May 20th, 2008 at 7:50 am
Leah’s is the only professional episode so far.
If Mahalo is to grow as a company, it desperately needs to look more professional!
People tend to dismiss a company as a serious contender if its flagship product looks like a amateur high school production (which the rest of the girls’ episodes looked like)
If Leah is not chosen, I will be forced to dismiss Mahalo as a company worth following.
May 20th, 2008 at 9:04 am
Leah is great. I agree you need someone as professional as her on your podcast.
May 20th, 2008 at 1:42 pm
Leah and Michelle are my favorites. I’d be very happy with either of them. They’d each make a great successor to Veronica. Cute, spunky, quirky, and have the requisite skills to do this effectively. Go Leah!
May 20th, 2008 at 4:00 pm
I loved Leah’s energy, she’s very confident in what she’s doing, she paces everything so well, i think she would be an excellent choice.
May 20th, 2008 at 8:05 pm
Well we have one more episode to see…keep the comments coming! Thanks for following the competition!!! This is intense! :-)
May 20th, 2008 at 8:19 pm
Leah is definitely my pick. She has an intersting look & presents the story well. Nice enthusiasm & prfessionalism at the same time.
May 20th, 2008 at 8:58 pm
She did quite well for being one of the first to go. Needs to work a bit on interviewing skills but a good contender. She is very knowledgeable and genuinely interested in what she is doing and it comes across. Definiately in the top two!
May 20th, 2008 at 9:40 pm
Leah has the IT factor. You can’t teach that. Ups for Leah.
May 20th, 2008 at 11:41 pm
I have watched the next 4 episodes ( Michelle, Nadine, Sara, and Kristina) and I have to say that Leah has done the best job thus far. She has a great look, she flows the best, and she chose a very unique subject. So far I think she is the best of the first 5
May 21st, 2008 at 12:00 am
So far I have watch thru thru episode 125 and I can say that I think it should so far be between Leah and Michelle. Both have done a great job and deserve to go to the next round.
May 21st, 2008 at 12:09 am
Follow up to last post…. Do a google search about Lea and you will find she has done some modeling and her MySpace site has a couple of songs she has written and performed. Excellent by the way. This girl has some skills……..
May 21st, 2008 at 8:04 am
Now I’ve watched them all - Leah, you rock. One of my two faves definitely :-) Nice work, and good luck!
May 21st, 2008 at 8:51 am
STILL my favorite one.
May 21st, 2008 at 11:33 am
Well that’s all six and I still think Leah is by far the best one. What’s next?
May 21st, 2008 at 2:13 pm
Now that I’ve seen all 6, Leah is still the best by far.
That’s a wrap .
May 21st, 2008 at 3:57 pm
This contest is entirely too long. I feel sorry for the girls who came far away
to Hollywood to find a job. This is taking too much of their time.
Pick LEAH D’EMILIO and forget about it. She is winning hands down.
Thumbs up for LEAH!
May 21st, 2008 at 6:25 pm
Leah’s is the best. I’ve watched them all and she’s #1. Leah has my vote.
May 21st, 2008 at 7:11 pm
By far the best of the competition.
May 21st, 2008 at 8:12 pm
I’ve watched all the episodes so far, and I think Leah outshines the rest of the hosts. Her topic was interesting and off the beaten track (which keeps in tune with all previous Malaho Daily episodes up til now), her questions were pertinent, and she responded to the answers well. She remains professional whilst still keeping the viewer entertained and I think she’s proved that shes intelligent and able to take direction easily.
May 21st, 2008 at 11:08 pm
Leah D chose a topic that I never heard of. Not so with the other contestants. The informative piece was a masterful bit of editing and comentary by Leah. The difficulty in interviewing a person who does’t have total command of the English language has been overlooked because she made it look effortless.
She was humorous and engaging and guided us through the piece with commentary that told the story of a socially redeeming activity that really helps people relate to one another. Mahalo helps people! She cleverly interjected her succinct points with intelligent editing while still allowing the instructor to share the richness of his charachter on video.
Leah and Sarah are the only two that didn’t rely on the baseness of flirtation or that overbearing perkiness that comes off as a con to get the attention of the hound dogs that fall for that stuff. Mahalo viewers are perceptive and want the humor and content with a host that’s above the cheap sexual overtones. The stunning and engaging eyes of Leah D are as hot as it gets. Her personal gravity draws people to her as she makes them feel at ease. She could command the attention of the biggest celeb or a homeless person on the street and pull it off with ease.
Leah D’Emilio is the realio dealio!
May 21st, 2008 at 11:26 pm
I waited until I had seen all six before making up my mind, but I think Leah was the best by far. I was quite taken with her after seeing this episode, but I wanted to give eahc them a fair chance to wow me. Leah did it more than anyone else. I think Andrea might come in second.
May 22nd, 2008 at 8:55 am
After seeing them all, I believe that Leah is the only one who has the ability to replace the amazing Veronica Belmont. Leah is attractive, intelligent, articulate, entertaining and is a better reporter than Cali Lewis of Geek Brief TV, who sets the benchmark. The others are amateurs in comparison, although they did an admirable job. Vote for Leah everyone, you know she deserves it!
May 22nd, 2008 at 9:51 pm
didnt really impress me… leah didnt really seem to connect to any one of the people she was interviewing and seemed to be off camera a lot. She almost seemed disinterested torwards the end. My vote still is with Sarah!
May 22nd, 2008 at 9:53 pm
BOOOORING!!!!! who was doing that interview? I bearly saw her , very forgettable and hope there are better contestants out there.
May 22nd, 2008 at 11:03 pm
What a natural talent! Leah D’Emilio definately has what Mahalo Daily is looking for in a host…smart, young, fun and charismatic!
She has great eye contact with those she is interviewing, as well as with the camera, drawing the audience in with her engaging smile and enthusiasm.
Her intro and entire interview was fun and upbeat, and even though I had never heard of Capoeira Besouro before, I couldn’t wait to find out more about it! I’m sure that’s what it’s all about in this business….getting the audience interested and involved, and leave them wanting more! Leah has what it takes!!!!
May 23rd, 2008 at 9:04 am
What is amazing about Leah, which some probably didn’t even realize is this. Did you notice how she tied in the beginning of the piece (lifting your ipod) with the end of the piece (downloading Brazilian music to your ipod).
To me that is superb genius and illustrates how a real interview should be handled.
She is the most articulate and is head and shoulders above the rest.
The total package.
May 25th, 2008 at 5:18 am
don’t get me wrong what a great face and a mouth full of teeth… I just wish I could have seen more of her…
May 30th, 2008 at 11:12 am
Very nice work, only remember to keep the energy up in the voice-over. When she VO began it felt a bit… monotone, I guess.
Still a great effort and she would make a fine host.
June 4th, 2008 at 7:23 pm
very good - thought she did a great job and was very effective.
June 15th, 2008 at 8:38 pm
You’ve got a few facts wrong -
* The source for the name “capoeira” is unknown. There’s another version that says it means “tall grass”, in which the slaves played.
* It’s “angola”, not “angolaN”. And its moves aren’t only slow, but they’re also slow and tricky in other means (you don’t have to be quick or kick hard to surprise the other person)
Slaves sometimes couldn’t even get up higher than, say, 3-4 feet and they were chained so they dealt with what they have. Good angoleiros can play for a while at that low - it’s really hard.
Nice show, though :)