The popular TV “Dancing with the Stars” has just started its new season with some very interesting personalities like Nancy Grace, Chaz Bono, Elizabetta Canalles and J.R. Martinez participating. It has been indeed a pleasure to watch the change in personalities that one assumes some are, like Nancy Grace, from the strict, disciplinary, sharp critic that she is in her evening show to the sexy graceful cha-cha dancer on the first night of this season of “Dancing with the Stars.
The costumes that the participants wear are another focus of interest from the most conservative to the almost nothing, revealing almost all. One sometimes wonders when the steps become very fast, what might happen when one of the strings of the costumes snaps,
I am sure most viewers would agree that there is indeed a sideshow – the reaction of the judges to each performance. “Dancing with the Stars” has one of the most interesting teams of judges in television today. All of the three have their own line of expertise in expressing themselves.
Popular Bruno Tenelli is the most emotional of the three. He expresses his views with extreme body language with the most explicit words that he could think of. Len Goodman is the technician who analyzes intricately the steps of every dance. He does not go for any frills added to the performance. He is very keen about music tempo and can tell the slightest off-beat step of the dancers. Carrie Ann Inaba goes for the choreography, posture and positions of hands and feet. These three complement one another in their comments. Sometimes Bruno Tonelli gets carried away in expressing his review that Len Goodman feels threatened that he might be physically hit by his gestures and prepares defensively for the attack. The viewers look forward to these antics that are indeed hilarious.
But no matter what each of them says, or what their faces express, no word is uttered to put down one another. The fun remains and the audience is entertained.
There is another show that had just completed this season: “Americas Got Talent”. This is a very interesting variety show wherein anything goes, from the most ludicrous to the highly amazing, from individuals to huge groups, from the very young to the very mature (I am avoiding the use of world “old”). Participants came from all walks of life; some with previous training in the talents they displayed while others have never been tutored or any experience in the kind of performance they presented. The last champion was a car washer who displayed ala Sinatra charm in singing,. A young girl, Jackie Evancho was second place in the previous season. She sings like an angel and has now sold thousands of CD’s of her songs. Susan Boyle was discovered through the “Britain’s Got Talents.”
The three judges in “America’s Got Talent” are experienced and talented people whose artistic talents are varied. Howie Mandel is known as a stand-up comedian who hosts a popular show.”Deal or No Deal” has a very charming personality. His views appear to run with the common masses. There were some presentations which he believes may amuse some people including him but is not sure if it is worth the top award.
Piere Morgan is an artistic journalist who also sits as judge of “Britain’s Got Talent”, He can be brusque in expressing his views. He is quick to decide if a performance is not worth the million dollar award and he expresses his opinion by pressing the “gong”. He does not mince words in expressing his views. He points out the slightest mistakes whether it is an out of tune note in a song, or a mistake in a magician’s presentation. He will tell the performer if he is captivating or boring, or if the singer chose the wrong song for his type.
Sharon Osbourne, a member of a well-known TV family is respected for her talent in music and participation as co-host in talk shows. She is the most sensitive of the three judges. She expresses her critique in the most diplomatic way. She gives words of encouragement and advice for improvement to participants.
These three judges have indeed very different angles and ways of expressing their views about each performance. They often have a consensus on the merits of each presentation but they express their views in varied styles. This is well and good and it also shows their differences in backgrounds of experience.
What is disturbing to this viewer is that part of their commentaries when they did not agree and they started putting down one another. As I mentioned in the early part of this article, the reaction of the judges appears to be a side show.
Is this a display that is aimed to amuse the viewers? Well, this viewer is not amused when they start calling each other names or hitting each other with rolls of paper. It leaves an unpleasant taste in the mouth when one of the jurors cuts the other in his remarks and tells him to get to the point. These actions lessen the credibility of the judges as well as the respect due them from the viewers.
Each judge has his/her own way of expressing his/her views. One may agree or disagree but his right to express those views must be respected. A put down invites a retaliation that may be worse than the first . So the disagreement acquires a new colour that escalates to more disagreeable situations.
If this sideshow aims to make the viewers laugh, here is one who isn’t.