I used to really like the ABC show, Dancing With the Stars, that is until they ran out of actual "stars". This season, for example, we are watching the brother of three semi-famous women--who are famous for no apparent reason; the child of an actual HUGE star who has no real claim to fame himself other than a sex change operation; a handful of B actors, a news correspondent and a war hero. All arguably great people, mind you... but 'stars'? No.
So what are we really watching? It would be nice to have this contest based solely on a...dancing competition. That would be the entertaining caveat that would also make sense. Instead we are watching a popularity contest unfold each week. And what's worse, we are watching a public service announcement, based on such things as sexual preference, marriage rights, and politics. It cheapens the whole experience. Kinda sad.
Dancers are people I admire greatly! I'm not a dancer, and I'd love to watch non-dancers work their butts off (literally) and improve a skill which they never knew they even possessed. But, that alone doesn't make for good TV, and it certainly isn't going to increase their social media presence!
I guess what we learned so painfully in high school might really be true; It's all about popularity--not the amount of effort or perseverance we put into action. Because in this age of social media, he who has the most tweeples has the biggest voice, the most votes and therefore is the most influential---I mean the BEST dancer. Makes sense. Talent is so passe.
The reason we aren't watching it this season? There are no real stars. I don't want to hear PSAs for whatever their cause might be. If I tune in to watch an entertainment show, I want to see entertainment, and not receive a lecture. And, yes, there have been stars who were great dancers who were voted off because their fan base wasn't big enough to keep them in week to week. I won't say I won't watch it again. I am going to make that decision when the next season rolls around.
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