‘Dancing With the Stars’ finale recap: do you love me?
There were no major surprises tonight. Kyle Massey was vibrant and fun. Bristol Palin put in her best effort. And Jennifer Grey is the one to beat.
Why Jennifer Grey will win: She has gone two weeks in a row with perfect scores from the judges. She has pulled off slow dances well, fast dances well, sultry dances well. She’s passionate when need be, sexy when need be, athletic when need be. She has managed to get past nagging injuries and emotional distress midway through the competition to ride this one to the end. Nice echo to “Dirty Dancing” last night in her free-style dance (aah… the watermelon!)
Why she won’t: She’s been almost too good. Voters may just get complacent and assume she’s safe. To some, she comes across as a bit too confident, maybe a bit too desperate to win.
Odds of winning: 1-1(odds I gave her before the competition: 10 to 1)
Loading ...Why Kyle Massey will win: If it weren’t for Bristol Palin, Kyle would be the true underdog. He started out in this competition as someone nobody (including his partner Lacey Schwimmer) expected to make it to the finals, much less win. But he possessed a glint in his eye, an arch in his eyebrow and joy to his presentation. He overcame poor footwork and overall technique, keeping him safe week after week. He absorbed the judges’ advice and improved steadily, hitting 10s in recent weeks (though Len cannot give him better than 9). Sure, he has looked a bit chunky and immature to be doing some of these dances, but he has made it up with determination and artistry. He also took a big chance during the finale to with his “Tootsee Roll” freestyle, giving us some Will Smith ’90s old school.
Why he won’t: He is not and never has been the best natural dancer. He simply lacks a certain flow. Does he have a fan base as big or bigger than the other two? It’s hard to say. He received 56 out of 60 from the judges (50% of the final score) and will have one more dance to do tomorrow.
Odds of winning: 3-1 (odds I gave him before the competition: 125 to 1!)
Why Bristol Palin will win: It’s hard to discount her fan base, which has helped her overcome low scores week after week and take out better dancers. Their knowledge that others dislike Bristol’s mom might even get folks to vote for her more. She has been a solid technical dancer and listens to her partner Mark Ballas. As an every-day person with no stage experience, people connect with her.
Why she won’t: She is the weakest overall dancer of the final three. She has not gotten a single 10 from a judge. The judges penalized her for her a rather difficult free-style dance from “Chicago” as she struggled again embodying the character she tried to play. There could be a backlash vote against her as well from folks who don’t want her to win. (The undercurrent includes many who vow never to watch the show again because they feel she is not a “star” at all and has politicized an entertainment show.)
Odds of winning: 3-1 (odds I gave her before the competition: 100- to 1!)
UPDATE: The Washington Post and ABC News actually polled people about Bristol. About 54 percent said she is in the finals because of her mom. Only 14 percent think it’s because she has the talent.
I checked back on my Sept. 17 handicapping before the competition started. I got a few right and a few way wrong. My top 5 before even seeing anybody on the dance floor were Grey, Brandy, Rick Fox, Kurt Warner and (oops) David Hasselhoff.
The first four did finish in the top 6. The Hoff? Axed week one. I completely over-estimated his appeal.
I placed Bristol in the middle of the pack near the bottom and Kyle second to last. I also chose Audrina Patridge at rock bottom. We all know about how I missed the appeal of Bristol and Kyle. Audrina, while obviously a good natural talent, was so boring in my mind, I figured she’d be out first. She lasted six weeks. My bad!
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By Rodney Ho, rho@ajc.com, AJCRadioTV blog
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75 comments Add your comment
WeenlikestheGOP
November 23rd, 2010
10:17 am
If the least qualified candidate Obama can win an election so can Bristol! Go Bristol!!!
Gary
November 23rd, 2010
10:38 am
I am actually enjoyed how much Palin pisses off liberals. You are mad at a candidates daughter. That is just sad. Go pet a puppy.
uninterested
November 23rd, 2010
10:39 am
Explain to me again why this show is STILL ON THE AIR?!?!?!?!?!? I say we bring on a game show/celebrity competition that REALLY appeals to people… THE RUNNING MAN! Have the celebrities and wanna be’s run for their life as we cheer on the attackers. Not only would it be hilariously entertaining, but we’d thin the ranks of these overpaid, no-talent hacks! Somebody find Richard Dawson!!!!
the truth hurts
November 23rd, 2010
11:03 am
Yay! The chunky unwed mother with the potty mouth is in the final 3!
It's Obvious
November 23rd, 2010
11:20 am
to me in more is not better. just more; and when one has to stoop so low as to cheat at a dancing competition, it speaks volumes. In this political climate, there is absolutely no such thing as fair and balanced. Par for the course, when politics enters, all common decency goes out the window.
In America, any and everything is for sale . . . so much for one man, one vote, when Big Daddy got deep, anonymous pockets and access to the internet.
Lying and cheating is the only way to win for most people.
kim john ill
November 23rd, 2010
11:28 am
if palin wins i launch at america next. tee hee
bill gates
November 23rd, 2010
11:30 am
its obvious your a moron
Preze Obozo
November 23rd, 2010
12:10 pm
Ok little girls, I’ll give you this. DWS is MUCH better than ‘The View’, the bickering bitty females show but so is every show on the ‘Cartoon’ network! With the execption of Elizabeth, the only one with a brain, the other bed wetting liberal hens are useless! As far as dancing dws put on Paris Hilton – she is HOT! More men would watch, vote & she would probably win!
Whatever
November 23rd, 2010
1:04 pm
I do not watch this show but I turned it on last night and watched just to see if Bristal could dance and was getting a bad rap. I was stunned. The girl is not the worst thing in the world but there is no way she could or should beat Jennifer Gray and her partner. If Bristal wins then they need to go another route for voting because this is not the way you compete. They will lose a lot of fan base if they Jennifer loses as she is BY FAR the best dancer on the show.
There, you have a opinion from a non-watcher.
Bubba
November 23rd, 2010
1:40 pm
Bristol to win! Then on to American Idol, where she takes the top prize again.
vonnie
November 23rd, 2010
1:40 pm
I hope Bristol loses but it has nothing to do with her mom, political views, etc. It has to do with the fact that she CANNOT dance. I don’t care about anything else. I’ve see the judges score others a lot lower earlier in the season for that crap Bristol performed last night. She actually scored some 9’s. Are you serious? The judges should be fair with scoring, they are part of the problem here. I don’t care how much she improved, everyone has improved. Just do the right thing.
Willx
November 23rd, 2010
1:46 pm
Jennifer should not even be in the competition since she is a professional trained dancer. It should only be between Kyle and Bristol. Bristol was invited to compete, DWTS is sandbagging the competition with Jennifer. I don’t care who wins between Kyle and Bristol, because the true goal of the show is defined by their improvement during all the competition.
JustMe
November 23rd, 2010
1:50 pm
Jennifer was in a movie called, Dirty Dancing for gods sake!!!
Give me a break. That hardly gives her an advantage especially when you consider that movie was released 23 + years ago and probably filmed 24 years ago and that she is 50 years old.
JustMe
November 23rd, 2010
1:52 pm
Willx – do you know how many trained dancers (and ice skaters – who are effectively trained dancers) have been on this show and WON?? See my post above – because of Jennifer’s age (50) it hardly gives her an advantage.
Preze Obozo
November 23rd, 2010
3:14 pm
Preze Obozo say, – Justme – Dorothy Hamill-(won olympic medal ‘76′), Peggy Fleming, Katarina Witt-(Won Olympic gold ‘84′ & ‘88′), Nicole Bobek-(Several silver medals ‘98′-’02′), Debi Thomas-(won bronze ‘88′) Oksana Baiul-(won gold in ‘94), Nancy Kerrigan-(won bronze ‘92′), Kurt Browning-(6th in ‘92′ Olympics & 5th in ‘94′Olympics), Elvis Stojko-(2 time Olympic silver in ‘94′ & ‘98′), Scott Hamilton-(Olympic gold ‘84′ – saw Scott skate two years ago – yes Justme he was horrible, had forgotten EVRYTHING he once knew! – NOT!!! Yes all these old skaters should be allowed to compete in a amateur skating event since they have forgot how t skae!
JustMe
November 23rd, 2010
3:41 pm
Good grief – you people that say you voted for Bristol and the reasons you gave for doing so are just pathetic.
Will
November 23rd, 2010
3:42 pm
Tea Party voters sent over 1 million text messages in for Bristol last night. She is going to be the winner.
Renee
November 23rd, 2010
4:22 pm
I absolutely crack up everytime I hear people going on about the Tea Party being the reason Bristol is winning. Tea Party voters are interested in getting our country back and getting big government out of so much of our lives – not a stupid dance competition!!
TRUTH
November 23rd, 2010
4:36 pm
Bristol or Bust!!!!!!
Jubie
November 23rd, 2010
4:42 pm
Well since Jennifer was a dancer when the competition started why didn’t they just go ahead and give her the ball and forget about it. Where was the competition?
lipstick on a pig
November 23rd, 2010
4:47 pm
Bristol is the ONE to beat!! Jennifer is a PRO.. Bristol has come a llllooonnnggg way!
This is a POPULARITY vote ALSO!!!
Eloise
November 23rd, 2010
9:24 pm
Judges this was the worst show of all times, I looked forward tuning in to watch dancing with the stars, but no more, I am THROUGH! never thought this show would stoop to such favortism. bristol is not a dancer to receive such a rating from you guys, this was the pits, I can not tune in anymore. You took alll the excitement and pleasure of watching. my station will not ever tune in again for you to receive any type of rating.
G
November 23rd, 2010
10:58 pm
Wooohhooo! Yeeeessss! B Palin and the Tea Party gone from DWTS! I love Jenifer!!!! Congrats to the new champ!
Kupkake
November 23rd, 2010
11:20 pm
They will lose me anyway. I never watched before and won’t watch again. And I voted for Bristol. She may not have been the best but she was not a dancer and came a long way. And watching her and knowing what she has been through garnered my vote. Jennifer Grey was a dancing star in “Dirty Dancing”. She should have been the teacher not the “neophyte”. I also got sick of her “diva”ness and complaining about aches and pains. Either put all non- dancers on or game the show and put on dancers that don’t belong. Jennifer and Brandy didn’t belong.
loves oldies
November 24th, 2010
10:03 am
I am so glad that Bristol did not win! First of all, she is not a “Star” and second of all, she was not the best dancer. Period. I don’t care if she’s the “girl next door” which she’s really not. She is only a “celebrity” and I use that term loosely because her mom ran for VP and she is a teenage mom. So what? Plus she is not the “sweet shy girl” they try to make her out to be. Did you hear her comment on last night’s show? When asked if she wanted to win, she said, “Yes I’d love to win because that would be like giving the finger to all the people who hate me and my mom.” Wow, so classy! If she had won, then the show would have truly “jumped the shark”.