Dancing With The Stars, Week 6

[Rob]

I agree that it sounded bad, but my take on what he meant was along the lines of emphasizing his investment (in time, commitment, emotions) in the show. If someone says "This is my family" they don't necessarily insult all the other family members.

Exactly - like if you say "This is my town" about the town you live in - it just means you care about it, it doesn't mean it is all about you and it isn't anyone else's town. That is how I took it.

[danceronice]

Not how it came across to me at all, but then I'm coming at this knowing Maks complains about all judging, not just the show. He's got a rep for it and it probably hurt his real-world results so I suspect he's hypersensitive. It used to be he was the upcoming more-talented brother, but Val was better at keeping his mouth shut and dancing.

Yes, it's publicity, but it's just boorish. No different than Derek's Shannon-tantrum (though given they were dating I can guess what body part he was thinking with at the time, making his apparent populartity as they wouldn't coddle him without reason even more WTFery to me...)

And I REALLY think Len was the wrong target as *he was the one propping up Hope in prior weeks.* She deserved almost NONE of the praise she got for previous dances and ironically got critiqued for the only thing she has going for her, the alleged work ethic. (I'm sure she's practices/lessons a LOT, they have to per contract, but I'm not sure how well she's actually doing it given the end product.) Len was completely out of left field with the nonsense about Kristen and Hope being the utterly wrong bottom two and both being potential winners (Kristen MIGHT have pulled out a top three because Mark is just that good at working with limited-talent dancers-look at Bristol, who ended up doing quite well and with some decent foundational technique put on her to boot, but Hope just doesn't have any natural talent and for some reason isn't getting much help from how Maks is teaching her.) If anything, Len doesn't deserve criticism for being too cruel, he deserves it for falsely building up her expectations and not just saying 'you don't really have much aptitude for this' from the get-go. Bruno the same, to a lesser extent. (I leave out Carrie Anne and her 'be sexy/feel it/project' noncritiques because 1. she says that to EVERYONE and 2. she is clearly out of her mind.)

And if there is deliberate manipulation to lowball her somehow, the producers are likely doing it either to try and boost her votes, or because she doesn't have them and they don't see a point in propping her up with the scores. Meanwhile I suspect krob is getting a LOT of votes, hence him getting the utterly inexplicable praise Hope was getting before.

Tony and Louis actually have grounds for complaints about being handed disasters after putting in more time for the show than Derek (Tony most glaringly of all. He's gotten some COLLOSSAL clunkers. Louis had some clunkers, an unexpected gift with Kelly, and also took a little while to get into the mindset of the show and teaching like they only have a week.) Maks has never been handed partners like they've been saddled with.

And the crowd booing is meaningless. They boo anything that isn't unmitigated glowing praise even when the pro and celeb are NODDING and gesturing for them to be quiet.

[rfisher]

danceronice, you are confusing pro competitions with this show. They aren't the same and the pros don't treat them them same. Louis did support Maks' comments. And has been stated, the media has asked pointed questions deliberately phrased to generate more controversy, ESPECIALLY Robin Roberts. She's handed a freaking script to read. Let's see; why would it be in ABC's interest to create conflict in a show that they know has had declining ratings because most of the celebs are terrible? Maks had his *issues* with Carrie Anne before. Same pattern. Same results. Both of which were staged to generate after show talk. Some times you really need to lighten up. We know you take dance lessons. We know you know more stuff about the pro world of ballroom dancing. However, most of that really doesn't apply to DWTS.

[jadingirl]

The showbiz reporter on Q107 in Toronto said the Kim Kardashian tweeted she had Justin Bieber's personal phone number and put a number in the twitter that then lead to voting for her brother Rob on DWTS. Don't know if it is true or not but if she did that wouldn't it be considered cheating?

[kwanfan1818]

With Carrie Ann moaning that they're the only reality judges who have to give a numerical score. Uh, lady, how about the X Factor where 'mentors' have to auf their own people?

Or Battle of the Blades, where they're using the 6.0 system for competition nights and the same vague, contradictory 6.0 criteria for offing one of the bottom couples: example, this week, that they all chose Annabelle and Brad because they made mistakes, but no mention of the relative difficulty of the programs. It was easy and TV-friendly to explain it that way. (I know, it's TV, and it's Sandra Bezic.)

Maks ought to know, he's tried judging. It's not as easy as it looks.

Oh, the Battle of the Blades judges after the skate-off: "This is the hardest decision I've ever had to make." Really? I'd like to live the life where that is the hardest decision I've had to make. (And I have judged things that were critical to the people involved, and they were not the hardest decisions I've had to make.)

I think my real problem, though, is besides that it's always a little "ugh" to see someone go after a 'coworker' like that, is Maks didn't just insult Derek, he on-camera said "This is my show".

I read this more that it is the dancers' show, not Len's or the judges' show.

And I REALLY think Len was the wrong target as *he was the one propping up Hope in prior weeks.* She deserved almost NONE of the praise she got for previous dances and ironically got critiqued for the only thing she has going for her, the alleged work ethic. (I'm sure she's practices/lessons a LOT, they have to per contract, but I'm not sure how well she's actually doing it given the end product.) Len was completely out of left field with the nonsense about Kristen and Hope being the utterly wrong bottom two and both being potential winners (Kristen MIGHT have pulled out a top three because Mark is just that good at working with limited-talent dancers-look at Bristol, who ended up doing quite well and with some decent foundational technique put on her to boot, but Hope just doesn't have any natural talent and for some reason isn't getting much help from how Maks is teaching her.) If anything, Len doesn't deserve criticism for being too cruel, he deserves it for falsely building up her expectations and not just saying 'you don't really have much aptitude for this' from the get-go. Bruno the same, to a lesser extent. (I leave out Carrie Anne and her 'be sexy/feel it/project' noncritiques because 1. she says that to EVERYONE and 2. she is clearly out of her mind.)

Some of the reasons, regardless of his background, number of titles, etc., why he should be slapped. When it comes down to it, he's whoring his profession by judging for ratings and not professional consistency.

And the crowd booing is meaningless. They boo anything that isn't unmitigated glowing praise even when the pro and celeb are NODDING and gesturing for them to be quiet.

Doesn't every TV judge get booed for almost every negative criticism? Do they put up "Boo" signs, like they do applause signs, or is the audience already on autopilot?

[danceronice]

Doesn't every TV judge get booed for almost every negative criticism? Do they put up "Boo" signs, like they do applause signs, or is the audience already on autopilot?

I don't watch any other reality shows with an audience unless you count the final show of PR (tonight tonight!) or ANTM runway shows (which aren't quite the same), but I think someone has said the stagehands encourage it. Loud audience reactions allegedly make good TV (though it just drowns out what everyone's saying.)

And rfisher, get a grip. Where did I say Louis didn't back him up-but Louis isn't on the show, whining in front of the judges (who are placeholders for the producers, who are actually making the important decisions.) Louis got unfair remarks from them on the show, and he took it like an adult and saved the complaints for later. I've said about ten times now Maks had a valid point, but the place to make it is not right there, especially with this particular partner where it's not nearly as valid a complaint as it could have been.

And I'm well aware it's not a real competition (no one this season would last five minutes--JR would do well in Smooth with another pro who knows how to teach it. He has the panache.) That doesn't change how one responds to criticism if one is a mature adult. I don't tune in to see Maks throw a temper tantrum because things didn't go his way--even back when he was bitching about real judges, he didn't do it right there on the floor. Crybabies and whiners are only good for ratings in the sense people tune in hoping to see them gone, and they do eventually get tired of waiting if that takes too long. Since I don't watch any ancillary entertainment shows (I only see interviews if they're quoted on here) the explaining and excusing on those doesn't carry any weight, either. Stand there, shut up, grow up or if you're that unhappy, quit. There are plenty of dancers who'd be happy to smile and take a regular paycheck for dealing with weird judges. Past time people stopped tolerating adults who don't act like adults.

[rfisher]

And rfisher, get a grip. .

All right then.

[stfli]

If Ricki is with Maks, I don't think she would look as good. Maks had been given a few gifted dancers but I don't remember many memorable performances. Derek had been given a few gifted partners but he did realize their potentials to the fullest and had many many memorable works with them. Many more than the other pros. Maks might have been a more competitive dancer than Derek but he is just not that good of a choregrapher and pro-teacher. He does not know how to highlight his partner. Many less competitive pro-dancers have done better jobs than him, such as Johnathon.

[screech]

Doesn't every TV judge get booed for almost every negative criticism? Do they put up "Boo" signs, like they do applause signs, or is the audience already on autopilot?

A few years ago I went to a taping of that craptastic Skating with Celebrities, and we were told that if the judges gave less than 5.7 (I think) to express our disappointment. There was no 'boo' sign, but we were coached on our reactions.

[skateboy]

Sorry, but I can't stand Maks, never liked him.

I've never understood all the Derek hate, I think he's great.

(And yes, I understand he's probably straight and will never, ever date me.)

[Rob]

Derek will be doing a duet with Allison Holker on the results show this week. Perhaps a Cobu3D movie promotion?

[Cherub721]

Derek will be doing a duet with Allison Holker on the results show this week.

I loved the duet Mark did with Jeanine Mason, and if this is anywhere as good...

[WindSpirit]

Nancy and Tristan have jive next. I really hope Nancy can pull it off somehow. She said they have a really fast song. What should help: Tristan's choreography; the fact it's Halloween week and that Hope has samba...

As for Maks' blowup, it must have been Len's week, because he got some lip on Strictly too. Strictly has two "wild boys" and when one was being criticized by Len for his samba being repetitious, the other yelled from the balcony "Whatever!" Len yelled back, "All you have to do is turn up, keep up and shut up!"

I would love to see Maks' face if Len said it to him. Come on, Len. Maks is a rude Euro, he should be able to take it. Or we'd see his ego explode. Fun either way. Seriously though, as someone summed it up on TWoP, "The combination of bullying and self-pity is really a turn-off." Maks is handsome and a good dancer, that's it. He's not a good teacher at all, his choreography sucks, he's always combative and he whines too much. And he's always ready to throw his partner under the bus, no wonder Hope cannot let go.

DWTS Unaired Confessionals

Derek looked dashing. David is growing on me. I know it's been said before, but it has been amazing to see this completely different side to Nancy. And Tristan was a perfect match for her. They really have a great partnership. BTW, he is pretty, but I don't think so many people would have taken to him if it weren't for his endearing personality.

Nancy: We're thrilled! I never thought I would ever get a nine. If I, God in heaven help me, ever made it to the end, I still don't think we would get a nine.
Tristan: And we're going for three nines next week!
Nancy: Why did we get a nine?
Tristan: Because you were great.
Nancy: I'm afraid they're going to recall it.
Tristan: There's an investigation going on.
Nancy: And the investigation continues as why we got a nine!
Tristan: He meant to put up a six. He put it the wrong way around.

Chaz and Lacey seemed offended by their scores. Really? They're not scoring his "journey", Lacey. He went as far as he could go. Hope and Maks looked like a couple in a passive-aggressive relationship and at a funeral. Rob can't count.

They have group dances next week. There's a clip taken by paparazzi on YouTube where JR, Tristan and David are discussing their group. I loved it how JR said that Rob wanted in but they told him no. "We have enough dash without a KardDASHian."

[nursebetty]

David Arquette was on Chelsey Lately, it's on youtube.......talks about Maks, Chaz, something that happened with Simon Cowell. I couldn't tell if he was kidding or not. He had to be high or he is one wild and crazy dude. Also saw Rob on Ellen. I did start to like him better, but am still not a fan of his dancing. Thank goodness for the dvr, because I think I would have to bow out this year. I keep hoping Maks and Hope will get it together, or that I will like Ricki better. Hope Carson will come along more for the ride. JR is a keeper.