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.

Started watching this, I’m addicted to this type of show, I love watching the rockettes auditions on YouTube too.

I started that series a year or so ago but got distracted so I might go back to it, again it was terrifying the throws & catches they did with tiny girls but it was mesmerising, the coach was hardcore too if memory serves

In Cheer one of the head coach people was caught sexually abusing the girls.

He got mega famous from the Netflix show, then it all came out about him

No way @DallasCC

I thought the Indian woman, Anisha (an orthodontist, no less!) was great but I don't think they could get over her age, 31, even though she didn't look it at all. They just didn't take to her and it was obvious she wasn't going to make it.
And there were several younger woman who could easily have passed for 35 with all the slap plastered on. (Sorry, i know I'm being bitchy but I think when girls were cut it was purely down to the trainers not liking them very much.)
They talked a lot (all of them) but didn't actually say much of any substance behind the waffle and incessant 'I love you - I love you too.'
On Netflix currently it's called America's Sweethearts and it covers the DCC 2023 season.

texas is cult

@SiobhanSharpe yeo I thought that too about Anisha. I guessed she wouldn’t get through. Plus she has a successful established career. Maybe a bit more likely to question rather than a 19’year old, Yes Man.

“Cheer” propelled the small college to international fame in early 2020 but scandals followed. One of the show's stars, Jerry Harris, was sentenced to federal prison imprisonment for soliciting sex with minors.27 Apr 2023

I agree about Anisha & I thought the same about Charley although it didn’t relate to her age. From early on I don’t think her face fit, they said something about her look- I can’t remember what exactly. But she was an amazing dancer & seemed such a sweet person.

I felt really bad for Ari, Charlotte seemed to have some kind of crazy grudge against her.
Also when Kelcey was describing her stalker was so awful, surely the team have security they could use to support the girls.
Some parts of American culture are just so foreign.

I cant get over how they exploit these women.
Low pay,
No royalties from all the promo material they sell of them,
have to work a second job.
They know the jump splits cause serious hip damage and don't even provide medical insurance for them.
Then told them it's an honour and a privilege to be a DCC and its not about money, While the owners generate millions of dollars off their backs.
The whole making it out to be an honour, with presentations of the uniform and rings, etc. Because that should be enough for them.
I feel like it's taking advantage of female socialisation to just be grateful they were picked,

It just left a bad taste in my mouth and I bet the two Aunt Lydias are taking a decent cut and not doing it for the love of it.

The water boy and the team mascot make more per year.

As batshit as this was, god it was riveting. The same director/producer guy did Cheer on Netflix which is a very similar vein about Navarro College. I felt sorry for Victoria she didn't really fit in. I've also watched Last Chance U about the young men trying to get footballing contracts, that is also worth a look.

I'm completely blinded by all the teeth!

I thought that was a massive mistake too & yeah age definitely played a massive part but my god is she stunning looking! She totally dodged a bullet

I have just finished the whole thing. Loved it. I thought the camaraderie among the women was so genuine and for that I cannot be whole heartedly mad about it.

Also, Reece’s family- where were they? All the “featured” women had parents interviewed and comment but not Reece? Did I miss that? Her partner… he seemed as sweet as her but also? The charisma of a potato!?

Just finished it after a binge watch today in bed, reminded me a lot of cheer in the sense that any care felt very superficial. Injuries and all sorts of hip issues, mental health issues, absolutely disgraceful the wages, not even being able to keep the fitted jackets, which feels ridiculous but all the players get to keep shirts etc, the stalking section was awful, those poor women, I love seeing people chase their dreams, but this felt very sad with all the negatives.

I binged the lot. So angry on the girls behalf that they bring in so much revenue but receive so little of it. I did love the lack of bitching though. Usually programmes about groups of females always focus on backstabbing and meanness, so nice to see a group of women being portrayed as supportive to each other. I appreciate it may not be the reality, but they certainly appeared genuine!

She looked furious that the girl had reported it before speaking to her. I’m pretty sure it would have been brushed under the carpet by Kelli and Judy. I’m sure they will have experienced worse, which of course does not mean that the current girls should have to suffer what they did. They clearly didn’t want Victoria to try out again either.

I’ve just finished watching it and it really is car crash tv - you just can’t look away.

The all pervasive religiousness and references to God really jarred with me. I guess as no one in the UK talks like that, even if they are religious. I wanted to shake some of the girls who were saying things like “it’s all part of gods plan”, “if he wants it to happen for me it will” etc. No! You have free will, stop being so wet!

And poor Victoria, her time with DCC has obviously given her a life long eating disorder.

I also found the old cheerleaders depressing overall. They all talked about how amazing their time as cheerleaders was, it being their glory days, and the best days of their lives. Imagine your life peaking at age 20-25 and then constantly harking back to that for the next fifty years.

I really liked Kelsey the team leader. I thought she was stunning but also a thoroughly decent person as she also worked as a nurse. Her fiancé seemed devoted to her too. I’ll admit they did seem a bit too perfect but I couldn’t help liking them!
Totally agree about the camaraderie between the squad, it seemed very genuine. I guess because the whole thing is quite intense you form relationships quickly.

Just finished this last night and agree it all seems very cult-like.

They work them so hard with all the extra appearances and I bet the company gets a massive cut of what they make.

They need to unionise!

Just watching this now and what strikes me is just how mentally vulnerable they all seem to be. They all seem to need so much constant external validation. I wonder why that is? Is it a need to try and justify that they are making the right decision or is that how it is in the dance world? Don't get me wrong, I think it's horrendous, but I would also struggle with a close friend, partner, family etc needing that much from me. It also doesn't seem particularly fair to those around them who did not sign up for any of it.

brutal!

I really wanted Anisha and Charly to make it. They didn't know or care much about makeup and Anisha would have been such a strong role model for the younger women. I also really felt for Ari - why let her work so hard all year to come back when they knew she was too short?!

I didn't know what to make of Reece. Stepford Wife meets raunchy dancing queen. She's driven and absolutely gorgeous so why Will and floristry?! Is she just not very bright? I don't get her at all.

Victoria was heart-wrenching. It's very hard to be on the outskirts of a group like that. Her year out sounded great though so hopefully she's living it up doing her own thing.

Reece wouldn’t have got there if she was dim. I don’t know if she even likes Mr Potato Head, it didn’t strike me that she did