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.

I'm halfway through and loving it.

It's not as bad as I thought it would be.

Totally agree with everything you said OP. Found it very disturbing and it actually made me angry. These women are every bit as committed and athletic as the footballers but they get a token pay and expected to see it as a privilege. Meanwhile the guys get hundreds of thousands of dollars!

I haven't seen the series but it does sound grim.

Some teenagers locally (UK) do cheer but as a way of keeping fit in a gymnastic/dance way and having fun. They don't actually act as cheerleaders for anyone but compete against other cheer teams. I know little about it but it sounds rather good. Must ask my friend more, daughter not someone who would embrace the ways of Stepford though, at all!

I think the Uber-conservatism is because it's in Dallas, rather than because it's Cheer.

Either way, very odd people corralled into one programme. Compelling viewing!

they worked those young women to death. 21 days in the trot,

All that money coming in from merchandise & they see none of it.

I agree that they were treated as children who must be compliant, sweet & obey, Such misogyny.

Many are highly educated professionals. They are choosing this. To suggest they are brainwashed is unfounded.

It's not a full time job. It's a part time hobby for which they get paid a small sum. Should they get more yes probably.

Should they stop the jump split. Yes.

I used to watch making the team and it's so depressing how little things have changed. The only difference seems to be the lack of weigh ins now.

I remember an article from when they were protesting to increase the pay and the women were saying with the rules on hair and nails that they came out behind financially.
That even when they had vouchers for the hair salon, they had to cover the tip themselves which was still a lot.

I hope they all come out of the series with brand deals and appearance fees and two working hips.

Many are highly educated professionals. They are choosing this. To suggest they are brainwashed is unfounded.

i agree, some of them are educated. But some also came across as thick as mince or deeply unhappy. And they do seem to have an element of being brain-washed, maybe it’s the rictus grins and all the ‘yes, ma’ams’.

😂 he really does look like a potato!

There’s punching and then there’s Bubba (or whatever his name is).

🤣🤣🤣🤣

He doesn't really seem to have much going for him does he?

When Kelli asked Reese if her husband was happy for her to try out again next year! Wtf?!

I laughed my ass off at the "judging panel" which included the obligatory fat old perv named Randy.

His unique qualification to judge their dance performances was that he owned the boot making company that makes their boots.
He was basically salivating at one point. So gross...

Reece's boyfriend is horrendous
🤢🤢🤢

So my sil who is amercian explained this.

In texas / bible belt this is cultural thing. its considered a real status symbol to marry the first boy who kissed you or courted you. Its a badge of honour.
Second boyfriends are okayy if it was your highschool sweetheart but if you date a few different people even if you dont have sex you are considered "damaged goods" (nice...
😑 )

Yeah but whyyyyyyy did she ever let him kiss her ever?!

Bleurgh. He's repugnant. And it's not like you could overlook the physical stuff because he's got a great and worthwhile career. No wonder he's in a hurry to put a ring on it.

No dreams, no job, no goals but it's OK cos a Dallas Cheerleader slid into his DM's.

Her baby voice is a bit weird though. She forgets to do it at points and her normal voice is much nicer.

Kelli was so unsubtle "he's not what I expected".

Reece was odd, I don’t buy the Snow White act.

I'm a born and bred Texan and I am nothing like those women in that program.

Thank you @Savemysweets
I appreciate your comment, ma'am 🤠

Yes they can. But it depends...

There are two types of cheerleader squads in colleges though. One is the cheerleaders you see at football or basketball games. They dont get scholarships but they might get a stupend from the team.The other type of squad is one that participates in the sport of competitive team cheerleading, where the cheerleading is the sport.

Cheerleaders often have a background in gymnastics or dance. They can get NCAA scholarships. Either way, whether the football cheerleaders or the competitive squad, it's something they would put on their CVs.

That is patently untrue.

This whole thread was inspired by a Netflix documentary that will be seen worldwide.

There are lots of competitive cheer squads in the US too, including at university level.

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

Xenophobic much? You're painting with a pretty broad brush there. There are well over 168 million American adult women and you take a reality TV lifestyle show showing a few dozen of those women and extrapolate from that that all Americans tolerate poor treatment of women? Just stop. You are parading your ignorance and should be embarrassed.

Nobody is victimizing these women. They are choosing this freely. I wouldn't do it, but choose this and they have every right to. What they get from it is an entree in Texas high society. They meet everybody--all the business people, CEOs, all the politicians, all the leaders of Texas society. They do charitable visits, get interviewed on TV, etc. They make invaluable connections that can help them get ahead in life and that is worth it to them.

You can't get ncaa scholarships for cheer, it's not an ncaa sanctioned sport.
You can get scholarships for cheer, but they're nothing like the big full ride scholarships you can get for ncaa sports.

I was going to say the same thing.
Funny how "no one outside the US knows or cares about them", but all these people in this thread know and obviously care enough to watch the series.

This whole thread was inspired by a Netflix documentary that will be seen worldwide.

We're watching as a social commentary. No one outside the US loves the DCC.