Did Bristol Palin win ‘Dancing With the Stars’?
(ABC/GREG ZABILSKI)
Jennifer Grey had the time of her life, ultimately taking home the mirror-ball trophy tonight.
By far, she was the superior dancer compared to her competitors: the exuberant, youthful Kyle Massey and the controversial Bristol Palin. From a pure dancing perspective, only Brandy had a shot at beating Grey but she was eliminated last week.
Loading ...Grey’s role as Baby in “Dirty Dancing” gave her the instant nostalgia vote. The thoughts of her and the late great Patrick Swayze was especially resonant early in the competition. And her fans embraced her roller-coaster ride of injuries and emotions.
This season 11 spurred more blog-Twitter-Facebook buzz than any prior one thanks to Palin and the political connection with her mom. As a result, the ratings on Monday night jumped to 23.7 million, the highest of this fall for any non-sports program.
The final dances didn’t really change the judges’ impressions of each. They marveled over Grey’s skills and passion. They loved Kyle’s stagecraft and power to connect with viewers. They gave Palin, the obvious amateur who made it to the finals on the strength of the voters (not the judges), props for pushing hard to improve at all levels.
Len Goodman noted that Kyle attacks the dance while Bristol is all about neatness and precision. “He has the wow,” he told Bristol on finals night. “You’ve got the how.”
Grey, at age 50, is often called a “professional dancer” based on the film in 1987 “Dirty Dancing.” She actually has had chronic neck problems the past two decades stemming from a car accident and has never been a “pro” dancer. Given how her career went nowhere after the film, this is a great resurrection for her. Hopefully, she’ll find some work from this.
Oh, and that Situation “dance” would not have gotten him into a Chippendale’s audition.
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By Rodney Ho, rho@ajc.com, AJCRadioTV blog
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106 comments Add your comment
Pebblebeach
November 24th, 2010
8:19 am
So much hatred among some of you folks…some of you are in need of a big hug…it is going to be all right…sit down tomorrow, eat some turkey and be thankful for the breath of life…
OEStar
November 24th, 2010
8:24 am
Everybody keeps talking about how Bristol is an amateur, so is Kyle. He has NEVER danced before. She is only new to being an entertainer, as he has been on television before. I’m happy for Jennifer.
KAR
November 24th, 2010
8:25 am
@At Work, The difference is Brandi is not putting herself out there as the “teen advocate” for abstinence. Let’s be real…
LMAO
November 24th, 2010
8:28 am
Palin haters shouldn’t complain when they probably didn’t vote on November 2 or on DWTS! There was no shocker, shoe-in Jennifer Grey won. Still, there is utter horror amongst some of you that Palin came 2nd on a reality TV dance contest. You guys show more compassion for your enemies than you do for your neighbor simply because there is an (R) behind their name. We see your true colors shining through and it isn’t very pretty!
KARMA
November 24th, 2010
8:29 am
@ KAR
Just shows that Brandy is a hypocrit and is ashamed of her child!
KARMA
November 24th, 2010
8:33 am
The Palin haters are the very ones giving them their fame and keeping them in the spotlight. Look in the mirror if you’d like to find your own worst enemy. The Palin family looks just like yours, is that what bothers you?
OEStar
November 24th, 2010
8:34 am
@kjdfa – Kyle was fat when he came on the show and looks like he lost some weight. Bristol seemed to gain more weight as she walked through the dances each week.
Traffic Headache
November 24th, 2010
8:39 am
You people don’t realize the sleep I’ve gained not caring about trifle like this.
Shannon
November 24th, 2010
8:40 am
I get so irritated when Jennifer is called a professional dancer. She’s not. She danced once in a movie 23-24 years ago and hasn’t danced in any regular capacity in 20 + years plus she is 50 y.o. And has had several problems stemming from that car accident that has made it difficult for her to dance. Thank you for setting the record straight, Peachbuzz.
Jim
November 24th, 2010
8:44 am
Who cares, it’s another American Idol, a fake and a fraud. The only thing that counts is when you tune to the channel. Your vote or nothing else counts, they just need for you to tune in and THEY GOTCHA. Why you think the Palin girl lasted so long, sure as heck wasn’t her dancing, It’s about the RATINGS and keeping her on keeps you tuning in to ABC.
KAR
November 24th, 2010
8:47 am
@KARMA
Bristol got “knocked up” just like so many others. That does not make you a teen advocate. And again Brandi did not put herself out their as anything thing but an entertainer. That does not make her “ashamed of her child”. BTW…none of this is that important in the big picture!
S2C
November 24th, 2010
8:53 am
The show was called “Dancing With The Stars”. Bristol is NO star, and it’s obvious she can’t dance. I’m glad Jennifer won. She deserved it!!
Jelly Sandwich Meat
November 24th, 2010
8:59 am
I don’t get professional wrestling. Can’t you tell how fake it is? Are the masses that stupid? And doesn’t it seem ironic that the majority of those watching….The good ol boys redneck faction, do not see the gay innuendos? Large, sweaty men in underwear rolling around on each other.
Preze Obozo
November 24th, 2010
9:04 am
Only reason Jennifer, the already PROFESSIONALLY TRAINED dancer beat out Kyle was because most of the ‘little girls’ voted for Jennifer because they thought her partner was hot!!! The people who criticized Bristol for being an unwed mother, well Fantasia on American idiot was also unwed AND a criminal thug! Kate Gosselin was NO STAR because, she by the grace of God, pumped out a couple of liters. Too dumb for birth control….Yes America votes – China & Japan has a lot better class of people!
Monroe Burbank
November 24th, 2010
9:08 am
Bob LaBlah,
The Wall Street Journal and the National Review? Why don’t you just tell everyone to watch the Fox News Channel? I bet you have it on right now. The Wall Street Journal is published by the same company that publishes the NY Post. Enough said.
Try the Washington Post and BBC News.
bevvie
November 24th, 2010
9:15 am
Jennifer won!!!!!
DK
November 24th, 2010
9:33 am
Bristol is just a little SPOILED BRAT!! She is so use to getting her own way by having Mommy take care of her!!! Waa Waaa Waa!!
it'sallgoodnRoanoke
November 24th, 2010
9:43 am
Bristol should have been gone, Long Gone, Finally Gone. I understand why that man shot at his TV. I didn’t watch because Palin was toooooo much, and the worst of the worst, GONE!!!!!!!!Stay Gone
booyah
November 24th, 2010
9:44 am
You silly, silly fans…If it was all about the BEST dancer competition, you would have professional dance judges only and the winner would always be the best dancer! Clowns! But, that would be BORING! So, pizazz it up with the fans voting and they vote for their favorite. It’s all about ratings and Dems can’t stand Bristol getting some fame…Like it or not she is more popular than Obama right now! BooYah!
OldSchool
November 24th, 2010
10:02 am
Palin should have been run back to Alaska with her fruit cake mother on the second week of the show….she never looked like more than an overweight unwed high school mother.
SimonSays
November 24th, 2010
10:07 am
I was pulling for Bristol but congrats to Jennifer. I will say Bristol is a better dancer then skeet shooter. Palin 2012!
Bubba
November 24th, 2010
10:23 am
I’m surprised more hasn’t been said about Bristol’s mother not being there to support her. That speaks volumes in my opinion. I’m neither Democart, nor liberal, but I find the Palins absolutely disgusting. I never shot my television as a result of it though, but I did bitch-slap it a couple of times.
Rasmussen
November 24th, 2010
10:25 am
Bristol Palin’s approval ratings are higher than President Obama’s. It is a shame that some of you would rather rally around your enemies and terrorists that support your brother or sister next door! What are you so afriad of, that the Palin’s mirror your own family life? Happy Thanksgiving!
Joe B.
November 24th, 2010
10:28 am
I think losing Brandy last week made a lot of people realize that voting is important. It sure was hard to get my votes in Monday night and I hadn’t had any trouble before.
KARMA
November 24th, 2010
10:29 am
@ Bubba
Again, it’s people like you that put the Palin’s in the spotlight and give them their fame. Your hate is making them extremely popular. Congratulations for creating your own misery!
Milo
November 24th, 2010
10:30 am
Bristol should have followed her mothers’ example….quit half-way through the contest,
William
November 24th, 2010
10:46 am
Donna. When Brandy left the show all you Tea Partiers were bragging about how powerful you all are and how you all were going to put Sarah in the White House. You all turned this show political with your comments about the President and spewing your hatred over this blog and any other venue that’s available. Please don’t act so innocent now.
John Adams
November 24th, 2010
11:02 am
What is Bristol Palin’s claim to being a star? Being an unwed teenage mother? Where did the title “Teen Activist’ come from? Being a sexually active teen does not make you a teen activist. Where I come from that kind of behaviour is called promiscuous, not stardom.
I guess the message now to teens is give it up, get pregnant and become a star. Only in Palin’s America.
GO BULLDOGS/JACKETS
November 24th, 2010
11:03 am
Lanette, yes you can dance and move with a ruptured disc with the right medication and pain pill because I had one once and I was able to dance and move at my wedding and even did the limbo so yes you can dance and move. Painful yes but you can do it. When you have something this important in your life you get so hip you just don’t think about pain. Remember how it was when you had your baby or did you sleep thru that part of child birth. Brandy should have been in the top three not Bristol. That would have been a great final to watch. Ok yes Bristol did improve somewhat over the weeks but not enough to be in the final three. She should have gone a few weeks after Michael Bolton who by the way I did not see at the final last night guess he is still mad. If you can’t take the heat then get out of the kitchen (Michael) but in this case get off the dance floor. This was suppose to be DWTS but Bristol is no star so she should have never been on this show to start with. It’s all about her mother and that is plain and simple. I saw her mother showing up at her hotel but not at the show thank God the camera were not showing her if she was their which I don’t think it was important to her to see her daughter in the final. Donna if you are part of the Tea party like you say and don’t like Sara Palin then don’t support her to run for president (PLEASE). When you dance you are suppose to lose weight not gain weight. At least Kyle lost several pounds and Bristol must have been behind him to pick them up. That red outfit was not very becoming. Infact that is probably why they kept Bristol covered up thru out the season of DWTS and gave her ugly outfits to wear. Have a great Thanksgiving everyone and be safe if you and your families are driving on these busy highway. God watch over you.
DB
November 24th, 2010
11:03 am
What in the world is this guy Rasmussen talking about!!!!!!!
Peter
November 24th, 2010
11:11 am
So why is Bristol Palin labeled “Controversial” in your article? Is it because she’s Sarah Palin’s daughter? That’s a pretty petty, lowbrow move from a money-losing ‘news’paper.
Charley
November 24th, 2010
11:15 am
Nothing personal Bristol, but they got it right. Jennifer IS the person of choice. She has grace and talent all wraped up in one little lady.
Miracle
November 24th, 2010
11:25 am
I saw Bristol in the audience on the Bad Girls Reunion2 show last night, and the “shy, homespun unwed mother” was sitting there laughing and yukking it up at the bad behavior of that shows cast as they swore, fought, and dressed cheaply. She didn’t look or act shocked at that behavior, and I believe it is because she would love to be a Bad Girl, but Mama would have a cow. Not the person painted as pure and shy on the DWTS..
beezeyob
November 24th, 2010
11:26 am
Jennifer was a whiner and a cryer and extremely tiring; wanted to make me puke..and, tho she may not have ever become a “pro”, she has a background as a dancer… Brandy should have won and her fans should be ashamed of themselves for not hitting the votes. Got nothing against Bristol (even tho I really dislike what I see of her mother) and I gotta give it to her for hangin in there til the end, but she should have gone long ago, ONLY because of her dance skills.
GG
November 24th, 2010
11:50 am
Jennifer Grey played her sympathy role really well. She is a complete phony. She was a professional and should not have been in that group. A star dancing with a star isn’t fair. Why do people hate Bristol so much? Thousands of girls have babies out of wedlock. At least she kept hers, not like some of you who have abortion after abortion.
Actual Factual
November 24th, 2010
12:06 pm
“I guess the message now to teens is give it up, get pregnant and become a star. Only in Palin’s America.”
This is Liberal’s America – NOT Palin’s. That why you “progressives hate them so much, because the Palin family is the epitomy of what a liberal “family” looks like (very untidy!).
No one seems to remember that Patrick Swayze did not care for Jennifer Grey – there was no love lost between them at all! I give the grace award to Swayze’s widow for letting the drama queen lay it all out for her final act!
Mental Floss
November 24th, 2010
12:09 pm
“Thousands of girls have babies out of wedlock. At least she kept hers, not like some of you who have abortion after abortion.”
Liberals can’t stand the fact that the Palin family is much like their own life. It is hard looking at someone and having to admit that you are just like. A liberal would rather give aid to their enemy than give porops to their neighbor. The liberal mantra is finally showing it’s true colors!
sahsa
November 24th, 2010
12:20 pm
What is all this “hate” thing? I realized Bristol used it but she’s just turned 20 and hasn’t learned etiquette or style and class yet. Oh wait a minute……her mom is Sarah Palin…this is what she has learned…no etiquete, style, class, inteligence, etc.
Bubba
November 24th, 2010
12:41 pm
@ Karma
You are confusing hate with disgust. I happen to have a co-worker who I feel the same way about, but we manage to get along just fine. It’s just that I see her for what she really is and I find it disgusting. Same with the Palins, same with Nathan Deal. Personally, I think Bristol’s 15 minutes are up, but if somehow that is not the case; I’m certainly not going to be miserable about it.
Urinal Cake
November 24th, 2010
1:28 pm
If any offspring of Palin was in the show, it should be called Dancing With The Tards……
ML
November 24th, 2010
1:31 pm
All these comments from Liberals just proves that you all are a bunch of folks full of hate !!!!
Rosita
November 24th, 2010
1:36 pm
So, RoHo, how do you happen to know the standards for Chippendale auditions?
lin333
November 24th, 2010
2:17 pm
The right person deserved to win! I did vote for Jennifer, and got my vote in on the phone in less than 5 minutes. I still am mystified as to how Bristol got as far as she did, but I do not work ‘behind the scenes”. Kyle was also very good, and should be proud of himself-he did a terrific job and exhibited a lot of energy and charisma. Brandy also was excellent, and should have been way ahead of Bristol. But things work in mysterious ways, but Brandy should pat herself on the back for her accomplishment. Glad the show turned out the way it did.
A-Square
November 24th, 2010
2:27 pm
I agree with most all comments in that am glad Jennifer won. She deserved it!! And for those of you that don’t think the Tea Party/Republicans had any effect. Look at Bristol beating out Brandy. Everyone knows that Brandy was a better dancer. What a final it would have been with Brandy and Jennifer. I hope that politics does not any effect on this show in the future.
rod
November 24th, 2010
2:30 pm
Jill, it is the twits like you in the country that just pour on the hateful talk and speech at Bristol Palin. People like you just bomb her 24/7 and then when she makes one comment that winning would be like flipping the bird at the critics, you are horrified and indignant that she would say it. Can you really be this stupid?
John Galt
November 24th, 2010
2:47 pm
Amanda and other haters-
Would you please post some pictures of yourself so that I can determine whether you are a “cow” or not? What, classless, trailer-trash liberals you must be!
Jennifer Grey was a great dancer and deserved to win. Kyle was NOT a polished dancer but exhibited a lot of enthusiasm and confidence and won the voters over. And Palin had absolutely ZERO experience- the only real non-entertainer on the show, except for the two athletes- and exhibited tremendous progress and poise.
The results were dead-on, but unfortunately the reaction of the leftist haters was predictible.
red ryder
November 24th, 2010
3:50 pm
BRANDY SHOULD HAVE WON!!! SHE HAD THE BEST ASS OF THE BUNCH!!!
Jubie
November 24th, 2010
4:23 pm
Brady’s problem was Brandy. She Thought the Trophy was hers. Her attitude cost her.
Jubie
November 24th, 2010
4:28 pm
Shannon: Get serious. All that complaining from Jennifer, and a ruptured disc just yesterday?
Danced right through a ruptured disc? You believe that? I got so sick of her grunting and her pity parties.
Jami
November 24th, 2010
4:40 pm
Jennifer cried every episode, over Patrick, over her neck pains then she would get on the floor and dance like she never felt a thing. All of the women that voted for her are fans of the one movie she is known for DIRTY DANCING, which in case anyone has not seen it, she played a DANCER! She is a great dancer, as was, Drew, Nicole, Kristi and I AM TIRED of ABC allowing singers and who spent most of their youth in music videos (Mya, Brandy, Joey Fatone, Mel B, Aaron Carter) and ice skaters who have dealt with choreography on this SHOW! They At least Kyle improved as the season progressed and his dancing on Monday was great! Even Bristol as much as I am tired of hearing about her entire family including her baby daddy, Levi, started off as one of the worse and by the finale I thought it was Jennifer Grey I saw dancing in that sparkly black outfit. Even though her facial expressions did not change anytime she danced! I am DONE watching this show which continues to allow entertainers with an extensive background dancing compete with reality starts and ex child actors who have very little to no dancing experience, do well enough to stay until the finale, and still lose to the person who was the best from the beginning ANYWAY!
Kyle should have won!