C.J.: A beauty of a contest in undercutting your frenemy — cue the vicious meowing

It's not difficult to judge what's going on between Carla Beaurline and Wendi Russo. They've had a falling out, though neither will simply say she doesn't like the other.

I was on vacation when @sveback, lifestyle guru Ross Sveback, tweeted me about some behind-the-scenes action preceding Saturday's sixth annual Dancing with the Twin Cities' Celebrities charity ball:

"Rumor has it, Carla got @wendyrusso dropped as judge — catfight #ForCharity $$$."

When I interviewed Beaurline for Sunday's Q & A, I asked the owner and host of cable Channel 6's "Around Town," about it.

"I didn't actually. She [Russo] actually called or asked if she could judge, I guess; then they figured out there must be a reason," said Beaurline impishly.

Sooooo, Beaurline had nothing to do with it? "Well, I'm sure because I am competing, they [celebrity dance officials] took care of it 100 percent," she said.

There is precedent, Beaurline said. "A year ago I was judging Mrs. Minnesota and she [Russo] was competing and had me dropped [as a judge]."

They once were friends. Beaurline mused about the time Russo and her husband were guests at Carla's parents' home for Christmas. Russo told me the friendship went south when she informed Beaurline that one of the guests at a party was making fun of her. Does any of this sound like high school or junior high?

"Yes, it does," said Russo. "The whole thing has been immature since day one. She tried to have my crown removed in 2008 by … "

Bup, bup, bup — I will not be taken 2008 deep into this feud!

Besides which, Beaurline vehemently denies the Russo's crown allegation.

Here's Russo's take on Beaurline's ouster as a Mrs. Minnesota judge in 2014. "Let's put it this way: If you're competing in a pageant you should probably not have a judge judging you who knows you, would you think?"

Russo remarked that Beaurline "had no compunction about deciding she was going to be OK with judging me."

Despite their "bad history together," Russo said she would've been fair to Beaurline in the dance contest. (I know.)

On Monday, Arthur Murray office manager Kristi Cartier confirmed that Russo first asked to be a dance event judge years before Beaurline was a contestant. "I called to discuss the situation with [Russo]," said Cartier. "I was informed they knew each other and whether it was good or bad, maybe it wasn't a good idea [that Russo judge]."

I bet they'd be fun to watch on "Survivor Lake Minnetonka," if you're looking for a new franchise, CBS.

Jackie MacMullan had advice on ESPN's "Sports Reporters" Sunday for two Timberpups in the wake of the return of the Alpha wolf.

"You'd better box out, Zach LaVine, because Kevin Garnett is back and he doesn't care at all about dunks that don't count in games. You had it right, Ricky Rubio, when you said [and MacMullan raised her hands in a defensive, surrender motion] We'll do whatever he tells us to do."

When I asked Strib colleague Sid Hartman if Garnett was going to be a generous or grouchy wolf in winter, the sports columnist said KG is going to be like having a coach on the floor for the young players.

Longtime former K102er Donna Valentine made her debut Monday on MyTalk 107.1 FM.

"She will be working with Tam Raasch and Marley McMillan on what will be called the 'Donna, Marley and Tam Show,' " Amy Daniels, program director, said via e-mail.

If readers read my Jan. 26 item about Taylor Swift in full, you noticed that I wrote that Valentine appeared to be on the station auditioning for an opening that exists or may develop. And if you read closely my story about Jason Matheson, another MyTalk talent who just switched his TV job from WCCO back to Fox 9, you saw mention of a new WCCO-TV 9 a.m. show being co-anchored by Jason DeRusha. WCCO has now made that official. The show will not be called "DeMuch," a name whispered around the station.

C.J. can be reached at cj@startribune.com and seen on Fox 9's "Buzz." E-mailers, please state a subject; "Hello" does not count. Attachments are not opened.