Dancing With the Stars: Helio races to the trophy
I predicted it, but it didn't really take a rocket scientist (or professional dancer) to see that race car driver Helio Castroneves would win this year's Dancing With The Stars competition.
I didn't think Spice Girl Mel B. had the fan base to get her into the finals, let alone win the coveted Disco Ball Trophy. I was wrong about the first thing, but not the second. She was clearly the judges' favorite – not by a lot, but consistently so – but Castroneves had the charisma (and the Y chromosome) necessary to win the female vote. It's a tossup as to which we'll get first: a female DWTS champion or a female president.
I also believe that viewers will continue to reward those contestants who don't have a background in dance. The appealing premise of the show is that people undertake something outside their comfort zones, and that we get to watch them on a journey through the season. Professional entertainers may have the edge in terms of composure on the stage, but that doesn't necessarily mean that they won't have two left feet.
I'm reminded of a quote from the movie All That Jazz, where Roy Scheider plays a character – Joe Gideon – based not-so-loosely on famed choreographer Bob Fosse. In one scene, Gideon is attempting to console a female dancer who made it into his production by way of the casting couch, and who has just realized that she doesn't really have the talent to be where she is. Gideon tells her something like this: I can't make you a great dancer. I don't know if I can even make you a good dancer. But if you work hard and don't give up, I promise you that I can make you a better dancer.
That's what the DWTS audience tunes in each week to see: someone becoming a better dancer. And, who knows, maybe a great dancer will emerge.
Yeah, Maks (short for Maksim, I believe) is definitely not a shrinking violet. It was pretty funny how even Tom Bergeron starting making jokes about his ego. He's a great dancer and choreographer, but really needs to work on his image if he's going to pull in the popular vote.
Posted by: Eric at November 28, 2007 01:52 PMDidn't one of the first one or two have a female winner?
Posted by: soccer dad at November 29, 2007 10:08 AMDarn. I thought I'd be able to skate by on that one. Yes, the winner of the inaugural competition was, indeed, a woman. That was before I watched the show so, for me, it's like it never happened. ;-)
Posted by: Eric at November 29, 2007 02:07 PMAbout the publisher
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As we've discussed previously, the female celebs have a tougher row to hoe just because, in ballroom, it's usually the woman who's in the spotlight and doing the lion(ess)'s share of the work. That said, I thought Mel B might actually pull off the win – right up until Max starting jawing on some of the entertainment shows and showing his backside. Given Helio's charm and class, I'd be willing to bet that Max's lack of same pulled more than enough votes away from his team and over to Helio's.
It would have done for me, had I been inclined to vote.
Posted by: Foo at November 28, 2007 01:27 PM