This Strictly Come Dancing thing - are the judges a bit racist?

[Wuldric]

So for the first time in my life, I have been exposed to this Strictly stuff. Fairly predictably it was utter crap. Brucie almost remembered all of his lines, which was good.

Then I started looking at the scores.

You tell me why this performance - Susanna Reid & Kevin dance the Paso Doble to 'Los Toreadors' - - where the non-professional swished her skirts a few times

got the same marks as this performance.
Natalie Gumede & Artem dance the Charleston to 'Bang Bang'- Where the non-professional played a blinder. That girl could seriously but seriously dance.

And then tell me that racism isn't institutional.

[Wuldric]

Sorry links not working - try again here Natalie and Artem

[fannyfireworks]

Wtf? No.

[MaryMotherOfCheeses]

Eh?

No.

Is this the first one you've watched?

[Wuldric]

Tell me why not? Seriously, I would dearly love an explanation that does not involve institutional racism.

[Methe]

Ummmm I think you might be over thinking it. I watched it and didn't see a hint of racism.

They were both 1 mark from the highest possible score!

[cuppachai]

erm... no?

[MaryMotherOfCheeses]

Didnt the bloke from casualty get 39?


I do believe he's black.

[Wuldric]

Yes they were both one mark from the highest possible score, But seriously are you telling me that those performances were equivalent? Because they were not. They were so not.

And yes, this is my first time of watching this rubbish. My last too. The result was ridiculous.

[Methe]

You need to have a word with yourself.

[BankWadger]

Don't know about the racism, but the sexism is horrific sometimes. And some of the comments from the judges in another work place would be classed as sexual harassment pure and simple.

[AShowerOfBastards]

What?? Are you on a wind up?

[JumpingJackSprat]

I don't think it's racism but I agree that the scores were very odd tonight. The best dance of the series so far was Natalie's rumba yet the highest she got was 9. If it hasn't been so early in the series it would have been 10s all round. Susannahs paso was technically good but she is so dull and uninspiring.

[MaryMotherOfCheeses]

Natalie was mediocre in the charleston. I've sen better from her.

Weird to call it racism.

[Wonderstuff]

This is the only week I think, except last week when she was I'll that Natalie wasn't top of the leaderboard all by herself. I personally think Sophie Ellis-Baxter's charleston was better than either of them and she got less than 39.

[TheFantasticFixit]

Errr.. Weird. No. Not racist. HTH.

[PolkadotsAndMoonbeams]

Every week other than this one (and last, when she was injured) I'm pretty sure she's been top of the leaderboard. And last week it was Patrick - he's black. So racism doesn't really make sense.

I thought she was overmarked tonight actually, she was out of time at a few points. Sophie's charleston was better imo.

[Wuldric]

No wind up at all :)

I have genuinely no clue who these people are. I'm just saying that this girl [Natalie Gumede] could really properly dance. No-one else could. It was blindingly obvious. So when that girl draws with another girl (who as I say, just swished her skirts a few times) you wonder how and why this has happened.

[PolkadotsAndMoonbeams]

Yep, that would be because it lists her as a trained Latin dancer on her CV

But whether she should even be on the programme is another argument entirely...

[Wonderstuff]

I thought she was off time a little in the beginning, but maybe I was imagining it?

[timidviper]

So it can be claimed to be racism to mark a white person higher than a black person in anything Wuldric? Sounds like you think it from your post

I don't watch this tripe but it sounds a bit arrogant to watch it once and think you can pronounce that the judges are wrong. If the decision was suspect I'm sure it will be for far more cynical reasons than racism, like rigging it for ratings, etc

[coffeeinbed]

The judges look at whether there has been an improvement.
Susannah was better than previously and Natalie wasn't , so the scores were similar.

[PolkadotsAndMoonbeams]

I noticed it more in some of the sections when she should have been in sync with Artem and wasn't quite. There was a kick section which wasn't quite together.

[missmash]

Natalie Gumede can really properly dance because she has danced as part of becoming an actress, it's been widely reported, she is the best by far. However all the other contestants had little or no experience so they are marked on their own performance and how far they have come individually, they are not marked compared to each other.
If you had watched a bit more of the series you would have seen that Natalie and in fact Patrick are probably the judges favourites and certainly get lots of amazing comments. Really don't understand how racism can be seen to come in to it.

[MaryMotherOfCheeses]

Are you a dancing expert perhaps Wuldric?

[Wuldric]

Look, this is my first time of watching this shite. I am a Strictly Virgin.

All I am saying is that the only non-professional who could dance, who could really really dance, was marked the same as a white girl who swished her skirts a few times to a popular tune.

Hey, if you all think that was right, then you are either all barking/racist, or I have lost the plot.