The lead item on the news (TV, radio and papers) has been the fact that John Sergeant has quit Strictly Come Dancing.
Is this really news? OK, it is interesting to fans of the show and of Mr Sergeant, who is by most accounts a lovely individual. But the lead item? For two days?
If he was bullied off the show, well, that's just not fair. I can see that some of the judges' comments were rude... But, seriously people, it's just a flipping dance show. Come on...
Am I missing something?
No, I don't think you're missing anything, this should never come anywhere near being the lead item for any news organisation. Ever. (Hello, by the way.)
ReplyDeleteBut.
It has felt rather uncomfortable to see the judges so blatantly disdaining the views of the general public. I wanted John Sergeant to get voted off or, yes, walk away - he is an atrocious dancer and has made no progress whatsoever - but now I'm not so sure.
It's a very strange thing to have a democratic voting system in place if the voters are then berated for casting their votes injudiciously and continuously told that they need to vote "correctly". We get quite enough of that just whenever any European referendum lumbers into view and so to be treated in a similar manner by the judges (and, by extension, the BBC) - in what should purely be an exercise in fun - well, it feels pretty rank and distasteful. Hardly headline news, though, you're right.
The programme remains, however, extravagantly watchable.
Kind regards etc....
TPE
I don't watch the show, but I agree with TPE that the viewers should be able to vote for whoever they want even if that person is the worst because it is meant to be entertainment, not a serious competition.
ReplyDeleteRegarding it being frontpage/headline news, I think this is the way things are going with the media. Perhaps when everything else is gloomy this does provide some light relief - but it should be the "And finally" item, not the first news story and my OH told me that the broadcast of Prime Ministers Questions was interupted to bring this announcement which is crazy.
What I also don't like about these shows is the way that it isn't enough for them to be on once a week - they overspill into so many other programmes across their respective networks especially on daytime television. ITV do it too, but on the BBC this constant cross-referencing of their own shows is rather too much like advertising and commercial television behaviour for my liking.
I usually get irked when trivia leads the news, but I have to say in this case it has been a nice distraction from the hellish events being broadcast...
ReplyDeleteI don't watch SCD - I have only ever seen snippets, I agree with Pony that it is an odd situation when the judges are so disdainful of the voters' choice that the choice has to quit - but the British public love an underdog, and he possibly could have ended up winning, and that would have been a bit silly - I would be annoyed if I were an amateur dancer training really hard, dancing well, and I was beaten by cuddly John! x
Hey TPE,
ReplyDeleteI agree that the judges have got above themselves somewhat. It's ridiculous that they can choose to ignore the votes of the people paying their wages!!
I have watched bits of SCD and from what I see, it's meant to be fun, so this picking on John seems quite mean-spirited and rather unnecessary.
I shall have a look on Saturday and see what's what so I can criticise on a more informed basis.
Best of wishes
Mellz
SandDancer, hello... Yes, it's a bit nuts the way this matter seems to be all over the telly – it does seem like advertising. I couldn't believe the prominence the news channels gave this story, as you say, cutting into shows to 'break the story'. It does provide some light relief but this whole thing seems rather out of proportion. It's being taken far too seriously, IMHO.
ReplyDeleteI'm torn, NMJ, between irritation that this story is so big, and relief that it's not more details about D. R. Congo or Baby P. Maybe it's because I'm not an avid fan that I don't care as much as others might. I dunno...
ReplyDeleteI understand the frustration of the judges and other competitors when it comes to the underdog's popularity being worth more than the hard work put in. But I was staggered that it made Newsnight. Staggered!
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