Americas Sweethearts

[KenAdams]

Has anyone watched this on Netflix?

It's about the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders.

There's so much wrong with it I don't even know where to start. They get paid virtually nothing but are required to completely commit (because the role is a privilege), are held to unrealistic beauty and weight standards, ruin their hips and feet by the time they are in their early twenties, the list goes on.

It shows how backwards the USA are as a country in terms of their treatment of women that they think this is OK.

Shit! I love her make up..

Well, loads of people do! It’s just her persona, so fake and weird. Plus she looks like a pantomime dame, so isn’t a good advert for her own products.

I knew who Charlotte Tilbury was genuinely thought it was a man in drag at first when I saw her. I won’t be buying her products again. Not a difficult decision as I was never overly impressed with her products. Pillowtalk lipstick does not suit everyone. It makes me look like a copse! She was just awful and fake in every way.

I agree re Charlotte Tilbury. Her appearance on the show was embarrassing. I was really expecting a classy English businesswoman and was sadly disappointed, both by her look and her manner. 😳

Pillow talk looks horrific on me also. She’s not a good advert for her products. She should stay behind the scenes.

Maybe if the Dallas Cowboys are doing badly and the DCC are stratospheric they should swap salaries!

Sophy wasn't in it much this year but she's such a beauty! I can't imagine what it would be like to look like that. Seems like a sweet person too.

I get the impression Reece's dh wants her bare foot and pregnant.

I get the impression Reece's dh wants her bare foot and pregnant.

I was disappointed to see Reece is still with that power-washing potato head. Surely her head would’ve been turned by now. All that wanging on about God she does in her silly girly voice gets right on my tits. She’ll so be barefoot and pregnant within the year.

Either pregnant or on Dancing with the Stars.

I've just finished episode 3. Faith is a fantastic dancer but she's getting on my tits. She never lets anyone else get a word in edgeways!

😂she actually does

I’ve never quite got my head around CT claiming her husband has never seen her without make-up.

The rumour is that Reece will be on DWTS. We know she has some ballroom chops after her ballroom and latin infused first year solo that nearly gave that judge from the boot maker a coronary!

Sophy is stunning and also seems very nice- actually many of the girls seem to be both. Sophy's a 5th year now and has just become a group leader so hopefully she'd get some air time in S4 as part of that, although I wonder if she's just one of the ones who doesn't really want to be on camera much.

I like this series. I have been 'body shamed' by family, friends my whole life. I love their confidence - I wish I could feel as confident as they do, just walking around in not very much - and every one of them is a superb dancer.

Is there going to be another season?

I have Kelly's red poppy shirt! Phase Eight - I didn't realise they had that in the US.

Kelli is so rude and condescending to Faith in the final episode.

i agree with you @TheThirteenthFairy that the women in the team are amazing in terms of athleticism, commitment, teamwork and performance. but aI don’t think it’s good at all regarding body image stuff. They seem confident (and may or may not be) but they are all thin and have to meet the DCC body standards, wear the tiny costumes and things.

They clearly don’t select dancers who don’t fit the narrow stereotypes and are open about that.

I’ve just finished season 3. I liked it but overall there’s something about the format just doesn’t work for me. I prefer the more structured format of the old ‘making the team’.

The focus in America’s Sweethearts on the girls lives and the effects of fame feels like it’s gone too far. I think simple is often better, and the old version did a good job of foregrounding the dance competition element, while using dance as a way into the girls lives and personalities. The new series felt quite meandering - I really don’t need 10 mins of a hairdresser on the sofa with his dog!

This latest series also lays it on very heavy in terms of portraying Kelli and Judy as caring leaders. Which is more in tune with tv nowadays, rather than the reality tv shows of 10 years ago, where humiliating contestants was a key aspect. But this felt quite forced at times.

Was it just me or did anyone else think the girls in the latest series weren’t overall quite as thin as in previous series?

Yes, they’re all very fit, and slim with flat stomachs, but there seems to be a bit more of a move towards tolerating slightly larger thighs, bums, arms. Or maybe it’s just wishful thinking that they’re not policing women’s bodies quite so much.

I’m sure in previous series women with bodies like this would have been called chunky or soft by Kelli and Judy.

They’ve stopped the overt body shaming and weight talk on camera at least, compared to the old series where they’d talk about them needing to be within x pounds of their first weigh in etc.

Not sure the women are any bigger, although maybe the volume of veterans made it seem so.

What that hairdresser did to that poor girl's hair. Her hair was stunning before, everyone was commenting how they wanted her hair. I was wanting her hair. Not only the colour, but the shape/style/movement. The colour he put on didn't look as good, and the cut was really crap. It looked better before he did her "make over"

That's the American dream all over. Like Britney Spears. Be a pure, sexy virgin please

I’m addicted to this, it’s great tv - and the ‘girls’ (women) seem genuinely lovely, and supportive of each other. But I cringe at the focus on appearance, conformity and the bullying and physical abuse.
i don’t understand how they can go on using that split jump as part of the routine when they know it’s so harmful. I can’t believe there isn’t a lawsuit waiting in the wings.
‘She’s so sexy’, ‘she’s gorgeous’, ‘a pretty face’ - anyone else think Kelli and Judy sound like a pair of madams sizing up girls to work in a brothel?

I think what I find depressing is that so many talented, intelligent young women see this as their dream.
Doesn’t stop me watching it though!

@MerelyPlaying ICYMI I was so addicted that I went back and watched like 9 series of DCC : Making The Team which was a forerunner to America’s Sweethearts. 5 on Demand had it all at one time