"Dancing With the Stars" is a popularity contest
As I've discussed in my blog a few months ago, "Dancing With the Stars" is one of my guilty pleasures of TV viewing. While I hate the inane questioning and contrived drama (my wife and I often skip over this drivel with use of our satellite dish's TiVo feature), I can only dream of dancing like some of these folks.
I read where the show's season got off to a slow start in the ratings, and I'm not surprised. I wasn't familiar with many of the "stars," and some I did know, such as Michael Irvin and Tom DeLay, were just plain unlikable. Besides that, the multitalented, attractive and bubbly dance professional Julianne Hough (remember her from her country music performance at the Rock County 4-H Fair?) didn't return this season.
I criticized the show after last season because the TV viewers made it a popularity contest instead of a talent show, and the wrong person won in the finals--Olympian Shawn Johnson over Gilles Marini. I still think Gilles and his gifted pro partner, Cheryl Burke, made for the best dancing duo I've ever seen on the show.
Last night, the show eliminated one star, leaving three for next week's finals. I assumed Donny Osmond would get cut because he performed so poorly in his first of three dances Monday--a tango--that he actually fell to the floor in anguish afterward. He recovered nicely on his second and third dances but still finished fourth, according to ratings by the three judges.
But when coupled with viewer numbers, Osmond survived to the finals. So did rocker daughter Kelly Osbourne, whom the judges rated third best Monday night. I can understand viewers being enamored with Kelly, despite her foul mouth and moodiness. Her improvement has been remarkable, and she sparkles on the floor with a passion, drive and infectious smile and perkiness.
The person booted Tuesday was Joanna Krupa, she of the overly enhanced lips. With her dance partner, Julianne's brother Derek Hough, I thought she was easily among the top three. Perhaps viewers don't see her as too popular because of reports she's to appear in Playboy magazine.
The third contestant making the finals is the singer Mya. I wasn't familiar with her before the season started. But she's the best of the remaining dancers, and barring a stumble in the finals, she deserves to win. Unless, of course, the TV viewers again make it too much of a popularity contest and instead favor Donny or Kelly.
Greg Peck
Nov 19, 2009 at 8:20 a.m.
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newsreader, I think in your first reference to "Kelly" you meant "Joanna." Joanna is the one who got cut Tuesday night and had been dancing with Derrick, and Kelly, as you mention later, is in the finals.
Greg Peck
Nov 18, 2009 at 5:36 p.m.
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I thought Donny would go, too, but am not disappointed that Kelly is gone. She did nothing to endear herself to the audience and benefited greatly from Derrick's choreography and likability. At least Donny is better than Marie and she made it to the finals, too.
Mya should win, but I wouldn't be disappointed if Kelly did - she's very appealing.
Nov 18, 2009 at 1:43 p.m.
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TV is fake? Say it isn't so, Greg.
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