'Dancing': It's... the Lord of the Cash Register!
So I learned something last night: The world's biggest-selling dance star isn't Baryshnikov. It also isn't Nureyev or Judith Jamison or Mark Morris or Martha Graham or Insert-your-favorite-dance-great here. It's... Michael Flatley. Not sure what that means for the future of our civilization, but it can't be good.
Flatley was dancing the jig on "DWTS" because, quite naturally, he's got a product to plug: his newest show, "Celtic Tiger." Avril Lavigne's got a product to plug, too--an upcoming tour--which is why she was warbling "Complicated" while newly outed and reunited couple Sabrina and Mark threw themselves around the stage, emoting up a storm. Makes you wonder: Does performing on "DWTS" help or hurt the street cred of a rock star?
Watching Sabrina and Mark dancing demonstrated that this is a popularity contest, not a dance championship. But is it even fair to have a clearly trained dancer competing with someone who doesn't have any training? Moot point, I guess, since Sabrina got the boot.
Marie is safe, again. I'm not going to say anything, because, well, I'm sure by now it's abundantly clear that I'm a Marie hater. Let's just say that my derision has decades-long roots -- she had me at "I'm a little bit country."
So we learned that Marie was safe, early on, leaving us to with a good 50 minutes or so of pure filler. Which meant that we got to watch the ex-dancing starlets from seasons past pretend to go through withdrawal in dancing rehab. (Laila Ali: Funny. Harry Hamlin overacting in shades: Not so much.)
And we got to hear the semifinalists indulge in a little self-justification for their continued existence on the show. Jennie on Jennie: "I bring to this competition a kind of realness... I'm just like you. I'm real like you." Um, no. Marie bragged that she brings the wisdom, while Mel proclaimed that she brings the fun element. And Helio? He brings the testosterone: "I'm the only guy left." He likes to state the obvious, our Helio.
Mel looked as if she were going to hurl while waiting to find out whether she was safe. And she was... as was Helio. Jennie, however, is out, out. out. No surprises here.
--TERESA WILTZ
By Teresa Wiltz |
November 21, 2007; 8:27 AM ET
Dancing With the Stars
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Posted by: Kim | November 21, 2007 09:03 AM
"But is it even fair to have a clearly trained dancer competing with someone who doesn't have any training?"
They do this every season, though... Remember Joey Fatone? Anyone? That man was trained to be a dancer, performer and crowd pleaser. I guess he didn't end up winning either, but he was clearly head and shoulders above everyone else, especially in the beginning.
Posted by: | November 21, 2007 09:11 AM
I couldn't vote since I'm terribly afraid the Marie contingent is going to flood the voting and she'll end up winning the whole thing. It should be Mel first, Helio second and Marie a distant third.
Posted by: jes | November 21, 2007 09:57 AM
Hmmm--if this season compares to Season Two, then Marie is Jerry Rice and she'll nudge out Mel B. (Stacy Keibler) for the final-finals but Helio (Drew Lachey) will walk away with the trophy.
I'm a Mel B. hater, so I'd actually prefer that Marie won over her.
Posted by: Stella | November 21, 2007 10:52 AM
I'm with you Stella, although I really did like Stacy Keibler, so the analogy doesn't quite work for me. My favorites always tend to peak too early and someone I hate almost always ends up winning, so that probably means that Mel will win.
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If Helio wins it all, are they going to install a chain link fence that he can climb in celebration?