DWTS11 Finalists: What If…?
Ok, first things first: I don’t think this is the final 3 that any of us predicted at the beginning of this season. Jennifer? Maybe, but there were concerns about her health. Most of us had never heard of Kyle and predicted an early exit for him; and we certainly didn’t expect Bristol to last to the midpoint of the season – let alone to the finale. It definitely leaves us with some interesting speculations and concerns – the main one being “What if Bristol wins?” Well, perhaps in an attempt to assuage some of the panic, Heidi and I decided to examine the 3 possible outcomes of the finale: Jennifer winning, Kyle winning, and Bristol winning. Just how exactly will it impact the celebs? The pros? The viewers? Even the show itself? Read on…
What if…Bristol wins?
Courtney: Ok, obviously this seems to be everyone’s biggest worry right now – and I think we all generally agree that this would be a very, very, VERY bad outcome for the show. Literally – this is the Doomsday Scenario for me. If Bristol wins, the show’s credibility is basically shot to hell, as if it wasn’t headed there already with her far-longer-than-neccessary presence this season. People are already claiming the show is “rigged” (doubt it, but some people cannot be persuaded); I think a mirror ball trophy in her hands despite a marginal performance this season would read as confirmation for a lot of people. From those who believe the show is not “rigged”, there would be outrage about how the voting process can screw over great dancers and protect bad ones – some might be proactive and actually try to reach out to the producers and the network for voting reform (how political 
), others would probably stop watching altogether out of disgust. And ratings would plummet – they might manage to eek out another season just riding on the coattails of controversy from this season, but I don’t know that another season would be the ratings juggernaut that this one was. As for the pros – I could see a few of them quitting, most likely Maks (who, understandably, seems the angriest of all about Bristol, and is being mysterious about his future on the show), maybe Tony & Louis (who seem to get their feathers ruffled more easily about ballroom politics, and already feel they’ve been “wronged” by the show in the past), and perhaps even Mark or Derek – we’ve been saying for awhile that they may already have one foot out the door, and their final season would be sooner rather than later – maybe this would be the last little “shove” they needed to leave the show for good. As for future celebs – I definitely think it would deter some potential candidates from signing on. Who would want to participate in a show that is known to be unfair? And who would want to suffer the humiliation of putting your all into the show, only to get the boot in favor of a pseudo-celebrity that is not nearly as talented as they are? Listen up, people: do you like DWTS? Then don’t let this happen. Get out and vote for either Jennifer or Kyle as if your life depended on it. Now while I don’t see Bristol actually winning (just too much talent from the other two to overcome, as well as some very angry, very proactive fans), it’s important that everyone does their part to ensure that she doesn’t even come close to winning…because this could be one very, very big nail in the coffin of DWTS. Plus I just don’t want to hear about it or the Palins any more than I have to in the media, jeezass…
Heidi:I had a conversation with my mother today that was very illuminating. She is a very casual watcher of the show, at best, but she watches it when she can because I watch it and she’s a mom. She really likes the show, it’s just that she likes The Closer even better, which I think might be on at the same time. But she and my sisters were really loving Kurt Warner. And she has been watching the show this season because of him, as opposed to watching it every other week or so. Well, she ain’t watching it anymore. This is totally anecdotal evidence of course, but she was pretty pissed off. She kept saying she got disgusted when that “one girl” got voted off. I was trying to figure out what “one girl” she was talking about and she was saying how she just can’t watch it, she gets to mad and disgusted that Bristol is still there and “that girl” is gone. I’m like, “what the hell girl are you talking about”?? She says, the one dancing with the big athlete. I’m like, Oh ANNA?? She’s like, “yeah, that’s her.” I’m like okay, Anna is a pro, not the celeb, but that’s the couple she liked by god and she thought that Bristol wasn’t nearly as good as those two. Whatever, ma. 
But my point is, my mother, the casual watcher – who I have not talked to about DWTS in several weeks – is fed up enough with the show and it being “fixed” that she’s turned the channel. My mother lives a few hundred miles away from me, so she’s not being influenced by me – but she’s pissed off. I’m thinking old Conrad perhaps wasn’t expecting this scenario when he put a politicians daughter on the show. Like it or not, it puts a different connotation on the competition that just isn’t good. Maybe it’s not rational. Maybe it shouldn’t. But there’s a little saying that goes: “Perception is reality”. If a large percentage of the audience thinks it’s political and that they’re giving Bristol a pass – well then that’s all that really matters. How people – viewers – perceive a situation and how they react to it is very important. Who cares if that’s not what you intended – this is how it’s working out. We are far from the only blog that is wondering if they will be able to get good celebs after this, or if we’ll be stuck with the likes of Christine O’Donnell. We’re not the only blog that wonders if great ratings right now translate into basement ratings in the long run because people have had enough. It’s very easy to sit back and say, “Oh people are always saying they won’t watch the show anymore, they never quit.” But what you’re missing in that little scenario is that every audience has a point where they say “Screw it”. How do you know this isn’t the proverbial straw??? As for the pros?? Well, I think they need to worry far more about the men than they do the women. Maks, Tony and Louis?? All three have been VERY vocal in the last year or so about the failings of the show. All three have other stuff going on too. Heck, Louis just testified on Capitol Hill the other day – these guys are stars in their own right. They might not leave right now, because the show still benefits them, but how much more time they have will depend on just how well the producers cast the next season. Derek and Mark?? Well, nothing seems to really ruffle Derek these days other than paparazzi – and even they are getting the occasional smile from him. But Derek’s most recent interview indicates pretty strongly that he’s got something else cooking. We’ll have to wait and see if that takes him away from DWTS. Mark? I put Mark in the same league with Maks, Tony and Louis. I think he’ll stick for a bit because he’s starting at the very bottom for his music career. He needs DWTS probably more than any of them. There is one “Pro” to Bristol still being there, though – this, and everything around it, will certainly come back and bite Sarah at some point in the not to distant future.
What if…Jennifer wins?
Courtney: I’m sure there are those that are going to point fingers at me and scream “BIASED!” (here’s a preemptive “Ummm, DUH, and I don’t really care, because this is a blog”), but I think of the 3 that are left, Jennifer is the one that deserves the trophy the most. I’ve seen her work hard, improve, overcome obstacles, and truly enjoy herself this season. She has technique, she has performance, and she has character – she is the full package for me. I have enjoyed all but one of her performances (the paso doble, but I’m looking forward to seeing her redeem herself on that one). That said – this outcome would not be without backlash, either. There is the camp that always whines “But Derek ALWAYS gets a good partner! NO FAIR!” that will likely try to claim the show is somehow rigged in his favor. Big whoop. There were so many outraged fans commenting here after last season that claimed they would never watch the show again because Nicole’s win was “unfair” – and I have to chuckle when I think of how many of those same fans are still actively watching and commenting this season 
And ratings are still fantastic…clearly enough people are not pissed off enough with Derek’s success to boycott the show. My other concern (and Heidi knows more about this and can either dispute this or support it) is that another win, just like Bristol winning, may be enough for Derek to say “You know what? I’m done.” Whether it’s going out on top or getting out before things get REALLY bad, Derek’s days on the show are likely numbered…he’s a successful, in-demand guy, and I can’t blame him for wanting more from life than DWTS. As for Jennifer – it could possibly generate into some more TV & film opportunities, although I’m not sure that’s necessarily what she wants right now. She seems pretty happy with being a wife and mommy, and just taking the occasional small role (anyone else catch her on House?) here and there. But who knows – it could generate into something bigger, and she could jump right on it. She looks fabulous and I’d sure as hell like to see her do more! Overall, I don’t think much would change on the show - I don’t see any big uproar if Jen wins. If anything, I think America, the pros, and TPTB would breathe a sigh of relief that someone other than Bristol won.
Heidi:Yeah, I think everyone other than the Mark and Cheryl fans would be breathing a sigh of relief. Those two groups will not be happy if Derek is the first to reach Mirrorball number three. And well, the Maks fans are always unhappy about Derek. I see it as validation. Who really cares what some fan groups on the net say, anyway? They don’t actually represent the general viewer, but the fringes. Hey, I’m fringy. Really, there isn’t much to say about this scenario – everybody wins (except those fan groups I mentioned). The really funny thing is that out of all the people involved, Derek and Jennifer seem the most relaxed about the outcome. You had Brandy desperately wanting to WIN, you have Bristol and Mark on the defensive (to the point of nervous breakdown in Mark’s case, I think ), you have Kyle having fun and wanting to win…then there’s Jennifer and Derek. I get the feeling from them that they would love to win, but they actually seem to have pretty good perspective about the whole thing. That’s just my feeling from watching all of them. Actually, Kyle and Lacey seem pretty cool too. I wonder if they have bought into Bristol as a foregone conclusion and are just going to relax and have fun. Really, they both could knock it out of the park for that reason.
What if…Kyle wins?
Courtney: The more I think about this one, the more I could possibly see it happening – just based on the fact that there are a lot of Maks fans that seem intent on somehow “avenging” Brandy, and somehow that agenda involves sticking it to both Bristol AND Jennifer…go figure. Plus, Maks & Brandy have publicly thrown their support behind Kyle - I think a more PC move would have been to encourage their fans to VOTE, PERIOD, and to vote for who they think was the MOST DESERVING…a very subtle way of implying that certain couples *cough*Bristol&Mark*cough* don’t deserve to be there. But for those on Team BranDMC that aren’t too pissed off to tune in and vote, it could be good news for Kyle – an extra boost to maybe put him over Jennifer, who maybe didn’t get quite as many votes because people assumed she was safe based on scores. Overall, I think the reaction would be something like “Hmmm…well, didn’t see that coming, but COOL! Someone other than Bristol won! GO KYLE!” There may be a bit of an uproar from those who thought Jen deserved to win, but again – I think at this point everyone (except the Tea Party) is just going to be thrilled as long as Bristol doesn’t win. Lacey might get a little big for her britches (ugh), but I think Kyle would just laugh, say “Yay!” and ask for some pizza I could definitely see this kid having a bright future…tv shows, movies, talk shows, whatever! After thinking this one through…I almost wonder if this would be the most PC outcome of this season. Seems like it would eliminate the Derek backlash, the Bristol backlash, and wouldn’t disrupt the dynamic of the show too much. Do I think it’s what SHOULD happen? Of course not. But I think it would be hard for anyone to truly be pissed off if this lovable little imp won
Heidi: Hell, even *I* wouldn’t be pissed off if he won. Of course I want Jennifer to win, but I would take Kyle easily – I think you are absolutely correct, that anyone other than Bristol at this point would be a positive outcome. I think many of the Brandy fans are a lot of talk, but like most fan groups they are only a small part of a much larger whole. I doubt there is a lot of power voting coming from that quadrant – I know I wouldn’t if I was them. As for Lacey – yeah, ugh – she is an odd one. She was left out last season and she was nearly left out this season – you would think that that would be a bit of a wakeup call to be a bit more humble. Girl ain’t all that if she starts to go the Jonathan route – only signed on when there ain’t no one else (poor Jonathan – sob). Why she doesn’t grasp this is beyond me – lack of self awareness? Beats me. But Kyle is generally a cute little guy – even if he has been annoying me that last two weeks or so. As for the “Derek backlash” – girl, ain’t nothing stopping that, regardless of the outcome. Boyfriend is threatening. He’s only won twice in 7 season and yet to the fans of other pros he’s the root of all evil – even though he isn’t the only one with two trophies. It’s quite validating, actually – the talent and charisma is surely there if he’s perceived as such a threat by those groups to the point that they revise history such that it is unrecognizable. You can forget that -that isn’t going to change. Hell, I got ten bucks that says, if Mark wins, people STILL complain about Derek’s partner if he’s on next season. Mark could be paired with Kristi Yamaguchi junior after winning three MBTs and Derek with an unknown model and still it would be “They like Derek best!!” whine, whine, whine. Why??? Because people are SILLY. You wanna take that bet??
It’s so true. I didn’t think it would be Jennifer, Kyle, and Bristol in the Top three either. I thought Derek and Jennifer would be. But, I had Kyle and Bristol at the very bottom of the list. Kyle has been a nice surprise every week proving me wrong. But, other than last week, I can’t say the same for Bristol. Don’t get me started. lol (sorry Zach!)
Anyway, excellent write up Girls!! I agree…..if you love this show (which I do and always will), …people please….don’t give up now. If nothing else, do it for “dancing” itself. Do it because of your love for all of the dancers. One thing I have loved about this show is how it’s brought dancing to the spotlight in general more than it’s ever been. Same for all the Pros who deserve just as much attention, spotlight, and praise as the Johnny Weir’s in the skating world.
Anyway, it’s full out voting for Jennifer and Derek for me tomorrow night!
Love, love, love this post! Thanks Courtney and Heidi! It leaves all the BS behind and speaks to everything objectively. It’s right on the money, which means I’m not taking that bet, Heidi! lol
May the best dancer win, if you get my drift!
when i first heard that Kyle Massey was going to be on DWTS, i was so for it and could see him going far because of his charisma. I have also supported him from the beginning. However, Heidi and Courtney. I always thought that my top 3 from the beginning was Jennifer, Audrina, and Kyle. Although Brandy showed to be a contender. When Audrina left, i was disappointed and threw my support for my top 3 for Brandy. this season has been crazy. I really did think that Audrina, Rick, and Kurt did not deserve to leave but Bristol should have.
I find that Kyle should win because he has improved from the beginning. I wouldn’t mind that Jennifer wins although Derek would hit his third win…I think Lacey and Kyle should get it this season. As for Lacey, I love her. I’ve watched her from SYTYCD and i like how she likes to go out of the box. she and Lance dancing together was amazing! I really do hope that Kyle or Jennifer should win.
I love mark and all but i’m sorry, Bristol in my opinion yes, has improved but is not worthy as a winner.
Since the beginning of the season, I was very surprised that a lot of americans didn’t know Kyle. Some of brazilians know him, because of “That’s so Raven” (“As visões de Raven” in portuguese) and “Cory in da house” (“Cory na Casa Branca” in porgutese) because these shows were broadcasted on a popular channel here.
So…
My top three, even never the first episode, were Jen, Audrina and one of this: Kyle, Kurt or Brandy – based on the rehearsals I’ve had seen.
Kyle – because I was thinking he could be a dynamo, and energetic and charismatic – as he is.
Kurt – because we know how far football players goes, and he looked charismatic.
Brandy – I knew she could do good, but I was fearing something with Maksim could mess things up, what happened.
But I’d never – even in one milion of years – could ever think that Bristol would reach the finals.
BTW, nice observations, girls =]
*never=before hehehe
I’m rooting for Jen and will vote for Kyle. =]
Carlos, if you want someone to win-vote for them. Otherwise, Bristol is going to take it.
Not saying don’t vote for Kyle-by all means, do-but don’t root for Jennifer and not spare a vote for her, haha.
If we’re going to go with “most improved,” like Bristol and Mark have really been pushing, then I’m going with Kyle. His dancing was sloppy in the beginning, to the point where I had a hard time watching him, but he’s really cleaned up his technique. He’s not my favorite, but I’ve enjoyed watching him the past few weeks, and I’d be happy if he won. I think Jennifer deserves it the most though. I think it’s inspiring that she’s more than twice the age of the remaining contestants, and her health isn’t the greatest, but she still goes out there and gives it her all. If she can do it, then why can’t I?
I will say that I am a huge Derek fan, but I want this win for Jennifer more than I do for Derek.
Like Carlos said before me, I was also surprised so many people had never heard of Kyle. I live in America, not Brazil, and he was one of the few stars this season that I had heard of. I called him for the finals when I saw him in week one. With Jennifer and Brandy. And I thought it would be Jennifer to win, Brandy in 2nd, and Kyle in 3rd. Now I would hope for it to be Jennifer in 1st, Kyle in 2nd, then Bristol in 3rd. Will that happen? Who freakin’ knows anymore? That’s right. Nobody. But everytime I make a wish on an eyelash or at 11:11 I’m wishing that Bristol will get 3rd. And I hope telling you guys that won’t make my wish not come true.
Haha.
I don’t mean to hijack the thread, but I saw pictures of Cheryl Burke at the AMA’s tonight:
http://www.gettyimages.com/Search/Search.aspx?contractUrl=2&language=en-US&family=editorial&assetType=image&p=Cheryl+Burke
I’m just wondering — is it me, or that dress look exactly like a coffin liner?
I kinda get the feeling Derek will be leaving eventually simply because his career is hot right now and lots of opportunities await. And why shouldn’t he? Strike while the iron is hot! I’ll be watching him whatever he does and wherever he goes, because he’s GOOD.
I kind of thought Kyle would make the final 3, and I felt that way since his first dance. I knew Jennifer would be in the finals too. I still can’t wrap my head around how Bristol got there. Nothing against her, but for me, her dancing is boring to watch at best, and other times, a little painful. But if she has the votes, she has the votes, so I wish her well.
I’m pretty sure she won’t win but I’m not sure if Kyle or Jennifer will take it. Guess it depends what voters do. I don’t think Brandy and Maks have enough fans to make that much of a difference between Kyle and Jennifer, but I could be wrong, so I’m going to cast all my votes for Jennifer and Derek if I can get through this time.
My pick for the top three was Jennifer, Brandy and Rick. I figured fourth position might be Kyle or Audrina.
I do think everything will be just fine…whatever happens, but ….WHAT A CRAZY SEASON!!
I do have to disagree with a lot of people who seem to think that the future success of a celebrity banks on their ability to win the trophy. Casting directors and agents won’t care if they won or came in third – they’ve had enough exposure this season and have shown enough of their likability for this to further their careers, if they so choose. Does it make a difference if someone is the first to go versus the eighth? Probably. Third and first? Highly unlikely. If Jennifer or Kyle (or even Bristol for that matter) decide to leverage their DWTS exposure, winning or not won’t matter. For now it’s more about rewarding their effort than yielding future results.
I for one would be totally happy with Kyle or Jennifer winning, as they have been my two favorites this season. Bristol, I hope she doesn’t win, but I’ll still be back next season regardless.
I completely agree with you all, this season has been crazy. Shocking eliminations, people who deserved to go not leaving, etc. This is what I feel will happen to each if the mirror ball trophy is awarded to them (meaning that they win).
Jennifer – She seems more like the calm, relaxed, and carefree type, so I think that if she wins, she could still have an awesome career with small roles and all, but I feel that she will stay out of the spotlight. Derek already has two wins, though, so I can see people who don’t like him voting for either Kyle or Bristol.
Kyle – I think that if he wins, more people will start to know him and he will be in higher demand. He could have a career in movies as the leading man, or something. I know people will think I stole some of the judges’ crack, but I think that Lacey deserves a win. Maybe her head will deflate a little bit… who knows.
Bristol – Ahhh… if she wins, DWTS ratings will plummet. Which sucks, because she’s a sweet girl and doesn’t deserve any of the hate she’s getting. Is it her fault that she’s made it to the finals? No. It’s the Tea Party’s fault! I think that she and Mark have been trying to get themselves eliminated for weeks now, but TP’s not letting her.
Also, if anyone other than Lacey wins, either Derek or Mark will be the first pros to wins three MB trophies. Remember, people, VOTE for who you want to win! (alas, I don’t always do that… sorry)
Many people have asked Jennifer about her acting career after this is over. She said she will continue acting because she’s too old for a real job! She is a riot. I think its the beginning of many opportunities for her, movies, maybe even a new tv series! Why shouldn’t she, she looks fantastic and is in fantastic shape. Who would believe this woman is 50 years old? She looks better than some woman in their 40′s. I wish the best for her.
EW.com reported that they have it from a source inside DWTS that they will be revamping the voting system next season. Giving the judges more weight. CNN did another piece tonight on Brandy’s ouster and Bristol’s stay. ABC had no idea that casting Bristol and the Tea Party supporters voting in a solid block for her would cause such an uproar and bad publicity. There is such a thing. Conservative groups have taken over DWTS message boards on several sites and this show is no longer the escape from reality it used to be. It is a shame b/c I used to LOVE this show even when my fav was voted off. A Kyle or Jennifer win may kind of salvage this season, but it is already tarnished.
I also agree with figmentation. Celebs don’t necessarily have to win the trophy to get the benefits. Mario Lopez, Gilles, Mel b, Sabrina etc all saw career boosts from being on the show. Sometimes having a controversial or early exit is better.
Hey,fellow DWTS fans. Something is lost here…where is the positive focus on,talent? stop to remember the earlier shows,I believe that the pros have grown,not only in their talent,but also their quality of who they are..wow, can u even begin to realize what pressure is on them.You may think my ideas are “fluffy”, but I do believe in looking for the good in everyone….though this is their profession(job),they each definitely believe in the “joy of dance”.Think about it wouldn”t you use the show to,also further your career choices.I think maybe their are politics to some measure,but can’t put proof to this..after all the bottom line is abt ratings! The professional attitute displayed by those that are “off” the show,is a positive example to us,and our children! Showmanship and fellow appreciation to each other is a PLUS”! We all should take example of “all” of the pros and each star!! Appreciate and recognize the beauty of everyone,in so doing our world will be a better place.Thank u.
I like Bristol, I’ve even voted for her, but fully expected her to leave long ago. Of the 3, she is the least deserving of the win, so though I haven’t voted the last 2 weeks, I will be voting every vote I have tonight for either Jennifer or Kyle, whoever does best and wows me. I would love for Derek to win his 3rd mirror ball, and Jennifer has been amazing all season. Kyle was a complete surprise to me for how much I liked him from week 1 (same goes for Bristol too, just not for her dancing really lol). Kyle is just so fun to watch, and is always making me laugh. I won’t be upset no matter who wins, but am hoping for Bristol in 3rd.
And Heidi, anyone would be crazy to take your bet! No matter what happens, Derek will always get the hate. He could get next seasons Kate Gosslin and people would still cry unfair and that he always gets the good partners. I’ve grown tired of trying to talk sense into people over the subject!
There is an interesting interview at tvguide.com with The Berg on this season….but I don’t wholly buy the fact that Bristol got this far because people were not voting….But as always he is positive and the show’s cheerleader….
Apparently this has become so political it’s tasteless. The Conservative blogs are telling the people to make a statement to the country. What is so ridiculous is that mediocre is now somehow good enough. It never should be good enough. Even in a dance show for fun. Since when does even a pick up football game for fun ever give over the win to the team who never scores a touchtown? Why does dance have to be so disrespected to be trashed completely for a political statement? That makes me sad. No other pastime gets this type of treatment.
At this point Maks and Tony do DWTS (and will continue to do it) coz they like the attention. Maks took a season off and I dont think he liked it.
Mark would rather do music than this. Since his music career is not blooming, he’s stuck with DWTS.
If Jennifer wins… all will be alright with he world because she was one of the front runner since the beginning. (I’ll vote for the first time ever on dwts for her)
I won’t be OK with either Kyle or Bristol winning. It’s just not right.
Mary, for many conservatives (and all in Washington) mediocre is always good enough. This is part of the reason the US is no longer number 1 in ANYTHING of value. How’s that for politics?
The truth hurts. I think that the very idea that Bristol winning a dancing show sends some sort of message to the country is just plain insane. It sends a message alright – but one I doubt conservatives would be happy with.
I just hope EVERYONE who is disgusted votes for either Kyle or Jennifer – and votes a lot. Even my mother is voting on two phones – that’s two more phones that she’s ever voted with before, let me tell you that. If only I was there to teach her how to vote online.
I’m quite scared for Bristol if she wins the MBT. Not to say that she isn’t deserving of it but there are people all over America outraged that she’s on the show. I won’t be able to catch the show tonight but my votes will go to Kyle. Jennifer is a great dancer but I was more entertained watching Kyle.
Kyle maybe be amusing, but I am bothered by his lack of technique. I still will vote for someone who has completely respected dance technique and is entertaining. For that reason I love Jennifer even more than Nicole from last season, as I felt Derek’s Quickstep routine while amazing, didn’t really respect the rules. I’m a bit of purist in that sense because I am from the international standard ballroom school, and since that’s really the only international standard dance left in the competition, it is nice to see it done in hold for the majority of the dance.
Kyle’s technique has been sloppy. That jive that everyone is so excited about was not that great. Poor pump action in the legs, not really strong footwork, a bit of cheat here and there on the finishes, and the Argentine Tango had some very awkward moments especially the lifts, which goes to Kyle’s ability. I sense that if Lacey’s partner isn’t particularly strong as a lifter she really doesn’t teach the technique properly either. She had some real problems with Lance Bass and his lack of lift ability on the Swing.
So with all of that, I have to go to the best of the season, and that’s without question Jennifer and Derek. I don’t want to love Derek two seasons in a row, but I can’t deny his ability to keep Jennifer centered and at tempo. We saw some baubles in the earlier dances, but the show is about improvement and what he’s been able to do with her is nothing short of amazing. Love this team. I see a real maturity in Derek, and Jennifer is without question my favorite partner for him.
Sheri,
I’ll vote for Kyle to balance him with Jen (who I think will get the majority of votes) =]
I won’t be giving my vote to anyone but Jennifer and Derek. Too risky.
i will be voting 1,000,000 times for bristol.
K. Courtney, U have officially freaked me out with your review on if Bristol wins.
I still love her and think shes soooooo hot and ill give her a few votes because of that. But it would be better for everybody including Bristol if someone else won so im voting for mostly for Team Schmurgles!
Vogue your like dieing now that I said that, right? lol
The only place I see people ranting on and on about Bristol is on liberal blogs and on media sites, because liberals have created a story out of nothing. I honestly believe this started with delusional people hating the idea of Palin being on the show and then deciding it MUST be the Tea Party that is keeping her on.
As I said in a previous post. I am a STRONG Democrat. This is my first season of watching DWTS. I see Bristol as a young, polite girl who was offered a chance to participate in the show and went for it. I can guarantee that all of you complaining that she is not a star..if you had received the call from DWTS, none of you would reply, oh, sorry, I am not a star, so I am going to decline.
DWTS is supposed to be about taking non-dancers and watching them become dancers. It is not about watching dancers compete. That would be a show called So You Think You Can Dance. That is where my problem is with Jennifer. She is an amazing dancer. She has been since day 1. That’s because she IS a dancer. She has not improved, she has always been good.
Then there is Kyle, who finds himself in a great situation. As a performer, he is the best. But his dancing is sloppy. Yes he has improved, but as far as dancing goes, I believe Bristol is better. But non of the screamers would ever admit that, because then it would be Kyle that took Brandy’s spot. How can you be mean spirited and when it comes to Kyle???
Someone commented on how Bristol didn’t seem as into it as the others lastnight. I am curious how you would be reacting if you and your partner were getting death threats. She is on a dance show, obviously has a fan base, as EVERY OTHER DANCER DOES, and because of that, she is getting death threats. Think about that. It is blogs like this that spit out such mean comments that causes that to happen. I would hope you have a tiny bit of credibility and show some responsibility in what you write, Those types of comments should be denounced. It is no wonder this country is so screwed up, when it is somehow acceptable to totally trash a 20 year old girl because you do not like her mothers politics. Before you write your next “article”, I would suggest you think about what it was like being 20 years old, although after reading the previous posts, you may actually be 20.
So, to whoever wins, congratulations. They have all worked hard. This show is about ratings. That is why their formula rewards those who can build the largest fan base. You get it yet? For some reason I doubt it, but hey, that’s what makes this country so great. Everyone is free to make themselves look as stupid as they possibly can.
If you have not read Mark’s diary from the show, check out his last couple posts. A true gentleman. The kind of human we should all strive to be.
First of all, Joseph, you assume (wrongly) that it’s only “delusional liberals” that are disliking Bristol, and for political reasons alone – the majority of the people here that are upset about Bristol’s continued presence on the show are upset for reasons that have NOTHING to do with politics. We’re in an uproar because a dancer that seems to barely make an effort week after week, yet manages to scrape by on votes alone, is ousting far more entertaining, skilled dancers. We span the political spectrum – I’m a republican, Heidi is a democrat. And we both think it’s whack that Bristol is still here, still being mediocre – nothing to do with politics. But I think at this point it’s hard to deny Tea Party involvement when Tea Party blogs are encouraging their readers to vote for Bristol, and I quote, “to make liberal heads explode.”
I also find it funny that you assume that DWTS is about “taking non-dancers and watching them become dancers”. When has the show ever claimed to be that? The show is whatever the viewers make it to be – an entertainment program, a popularity contest, a dance contest, whatever. If it were truly about growth and improvement as you assume it is, then the casting directors would take greater strides to cast celebrities that had no dance background.
You’re entitled to your opinion about Bristol & her dancing; I just don’t share it. I see little to no improvement in her dancing from week 1, and she holds very little entertainment value for me. While Kyle may or may not better a better technician than Bristol (another matter of opinion), I find Kyle to be the better entertainer, and if historical evidence is any indicator on this show, technique alone is not enough to win – you have to be a combination of technique and entertainment, and clearly Kyle must be enough for a good portion of viewers, since he’s made it this far. He’s apparently also good enough for the judges, who consistently score him higher than Bristol. Brandy didn’t get the votes – period. It’s pointless now to try and split hairs about who’s fault it was that Brandy is gone.
And quite frankly, Joseph, while it sucks that some people are stooping to such lows as to sending her death threats, in the end it really doesn’t matter to me what’s going on off the dance floor – I want to see finalists dance like they’ve never danced before. I want to see them hungry for the trophy, and I want to see them prove why they’re in the finals in the first place. Bristol’s not the first one to face adversity while on the show (Shawn & Erin also received threats on the show, and I don’t think their performances suffered because of it), and everyone’s dealing with their own hardships – Jennifer’s injured, Kyle’s having a hard time with technique, whatever. I don’t think anyone should get a free pass in the finale just because they’re having a hard time off the floor. Everyone has haters; it’s all in how you deal with them – do you shake it off and keep on moving? Or do you let it affect your performance?
And I’d love to hear what you find so “mean” about the comments being made here. I never made any personal attacks on Bristol; this post is ultimately about the show itself, and how her winning could affect it. If you had taken the time to read through everything, you would see that. People are passionate about this show, and people are entitled to their opinion. How you interpret that is up to you. And don’t start with “this is why this country is so messed up” bit – this blog is pretty damn mild compared to some of the vitriol that’s being spewed about Bristol out there, and hardly representative of this country as a whole. And regardless of whether Bristol is 20 or 70, she signed up for this show, and all the press, good and bad, that comes with it. Again, WHY SHOULD SHE GET A FREE PASS? Plenty of other contestants (both younger and older than Bristol) have dealt with the rigors of this show just fine.
And just stop with the insults. I find it very telling that the biggest troublemakers around here are the ones that are supposedly trying to defend Bristol – how do you think that reflects on her fanbase? If you wanna trade insults with someone, go to the ABC boards. I’m sure they’d be happy to oblige.
@Joseph, with respect, here’s the holes in your argument
Jennifer is not a dancer:
1. You have to watch Patrick Swayze’s AFI interview regarding Jennifer Grey. He states that while Jennifer had amazing natural ability, he was the dancer, not her. All the akward teaching moments in the movie were real .
2. She learned ballet as a child, as many young girls do. She learned the mambo for a film 23 years ago. That doesn’t make her a dancer all her life, not even close.
3. Jennifer had a great couple of first weeks, she did have stamina issues with the jive, but then she started to have trouble centering in her dances, meaning any spot turns or swing out turns she was going off balance. I noticed actually from her first Viennese Waltz a little issue, that became more pronounced in the Samba and glaring in the first Paso Doble. She may have had some equilibrium problems and the tendonitis in her knee was making her dancing less than excellent.
4. She came back from her low point with a great Ballroom Tango in hold which was very helpful to her, as she definitely required a strong lead to get her through that dance without error.
5. Jennifer’s freestyle, while exquisite and clever and massively entertaining, did not have the level of tricks that Brooke or Nicole had because Jennifer does not have the physical capability to jump off a desk, or to be hung upside down by her thigh. Being 20 years older and a cancer survivor may have something to do with that.
Re Bristol and threats:
Shawn Johnston had an Actual Stalker come to the DWTS studio. A very scary and de-ranged individual who had to be arrested. Shawn persevered and actually won the competition, so yeah, a few dip-sticks sending baby powder through the mail is ridiculous and not to be tolerated, but Bristol is in a political family, this kind of stuff is more likely to occur, and maybe her political family needs take measures to handle it.
Bristol has been over-scored all season long. The worst offense was the Jive – Monkey suit. Anyone else in the competition at the point of forgetting steps and completely blanking out as well as being so heavy footed and off tempo at times would not have scored 18. We know it would have been lower.
[...] and check out Heidi and Courtney’s in depth analysis of the possible DWTS season 11 winner results. If you care about DWTS at all, then you’ll find their thoughts very [...]
hey all – love the show but the thing that really bothered me this season was the continual whinning (lack of a betterword) from Jennifer. Every week there was something wrong and from a few of the contestants with exception to Kyle – never once did he complain about his health injury etc. I would have loved to have seen him win as I didnt care for Jennifer and Dereks continal hugging, kissing and doesnt she look amazing, the injuries and so on. Dont get me wrong she dances wonderfully well but then again she was in “Dirty Dancing” and danced so she had a big advantage over Kyle and Bristol who had no dance experience what so ever and look at what they both accomplished – amazing!!! But in all fairness Bristol should have been gone several weeks ago.
I thought that the judges were very biased and had picked the winner from the very beginning almost.
Anyhow thats that and will watch again next season.