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AIBU?

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Original poster

...to be outraged that the two black contestants in Strictly Come Dancing...

250 replies

seeker · 19/10/2008 21:48

...were bottom of the public vote, even though it was obvious to anyone with eyes in their head that they weren't the worst two dancers?

OP posts:
LunaLoveg00d · 10/10/2016 08:23

The OP is old - but still relevant now as the first two people voted off this year are black too.

Spammer has been reported - as soon MN are in the office I'm assuming she;ll be zapped.

Sarahwoods2000 · 10/10/2016 08:24

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

ghostyslovesheep · 10/10/2016 08:26

Sarah love - give it up - you can't cure AIDS over the phone

AnyoneButAndre · 10/10/2016 08:28

To be fair we have no idea yet whether anyone is voting for Danny and Oti at all. For all we know so far he could be getting literally no votes. I'm intrigued to see how it develops because he's clearly hot and an excellent dancer but I'm not sensing a lot of love out there for a smug Hollyoaks ringer.

charlestonchaplin · 10/10/2016 08:33

Having just won a silver medal at the Olympics and having narrowly missed out on gold, Louis had an enormous public profile and that contributed a lot to his success. He was quite a good dancer as well but he struggled to get into character.

However him winning is no proof that the Strictly audience is colour-blind. He excelled in his field rather than being a run-of-the-mill soap star. He's well known to be half-white. No strange names reminding people that he's different, not really one of us.

I'm sure most people aren't thinking of black and white when they vote, but that's not to say race doesn't affect how people are perceived consciously and subconsciously.

charlestonchaplin · 10/10/2016 08:39

Actually I meant to say it is well known that Louis was mostly brought up by his white British heritage mum. So he is seen as 'one of us' rather than a bit foreign.

HopefulHamster · 10/10/2016 08:40

From watching a bunch of UK talent/reality shows I think it is like a form of passive racism. As someone said above, the black dancers/singers/whoever have to be EXTRAORDINARY just to stay in the game. An average white performer can stay in much longer. No one is voting against black performers. They are voting for the white ones. It is still depressing.

I haven't watched X Factor for a few years but certainly there was a while where the young black singers between 15-25 would get sent home very early on, unless they were picked out as a potential winner. The overs had a better chance as they usually had a bit more personality on display. The charmless white 20-somethings didn't seem to have the same issues and could stay right until the end.

poppopp · 10/10/2016 08:52

To be fair we have no idea yet whether anyone is voting for Danny and Oti at all.

Hang on if no one was voting for them wouldn't they be in the bottom two? Confused

Unicornsarelovely · 10/10/2016 08:54

A huge amount of it is name recognition though. A lot of people won't have heard of Melvin and Laura will have the same issue.

Dan and Tameka are only known if you watch soaps, whereas loads of people know of and want to laugh at Ed balls, and like that nice Naga from BBC breakfast.

I don't think Tameka should have been in the dance off, but if you vote online for your three favourites, you only vote for people you don't know if if they're amazing dancers.

SoupDragon · 10/10/2016 09:06

The OP is old - but still relevant now as the first two people voted off this year are black too.

The first person voted off was poor dancer who happened to be black.

We have no idea whether Tameka or Laura was bottom of the vote but Tameka danced poorest out of the two in the judges' majority opinion.

Ore is likely to go far in the competition because he is really good and does not appear to irritate people in the way Tameka did (judging by the Strictly thread). Oti should go far as she is paired with Danny although his Ringer status has lost him my vote.

DiegeticMuch · 10/10/2016 09:11

It's all about personalities and recognition as others have said.

Melvin's successful, but his fan base comprises Kiss listeners who probably don't vote in SCD.

Tameka was rather irritating.

Ore won't go for a while. People recognise him from the recent Olympics and he's likeable.

Viewers are obviously voting for Ed, Lesley, Anastasia and Naga for reasons other than their dancing talent! As I said - it's likeability, recognition. And in Anastacia's case, admiration for her pluck and fortitude.

Wetcappuccino · 10/10/2016 09:14

I do sadly agree that there is a subconscious racism that comes in to play in the voting i.e. othering - looking back over the years there is clearly a recurring pattern. I predicted Melvin would not last long but was really disappointed to see Tameka go. I thought she drew a bit of a short straw with that song/ routine this week certainly. On a lighter note, I have a question - what is "ringer status" with regard to Strictly? Does Danny have dance experience (I have my suspicions as he is v good so early on...)

2014newme · 10/10/2016 09:16

Ore and Naga are also black.
Danny is top of leader board and dancing with a black professional.

SoupDragon · 10/10/2016 09:16

I said on the Strictly thread : I vote for Ed because he has thrown himself into it with enthusiasm despite not being a great or natural dancer. Compare him to, say, Naga who just appears to be going through the motions IMO. On that basis I think she should go before him and its nothing to do with the colour of her skin no matter how much people might want to claim it is.

SoupDragon · 10/10/2016 09:17

Does Danny have dance experience (I have my suspicions as he is v good so early on...)

He has significant recent experience dancing in the West End.

DiegeticMuch · 10/10/2016 09:38

I'd like Danny to be voted out next because of his ringer status (I prefer to watch genuine celeb novices become better week-by-week). It would be nothing to do with Oti being black.

Wetcappuccino · 10/10/2016 10:05

Ah - thanks SoupDragon! I agree DiageticMuch - much prefer to see novices start slowly and improve each week.

TheNaze73 · 10/10/2016 10:50

I think it's a sad reflection on the British public. I remember when Ricky Whittle should have won, yet didn't.

Although I don't think it's people going out of their way to be rascist, I think it is more than a coincidence. I would however, be more worried if you were voting for your least favourite (like Big Brother) and the result was similar.

My vote for Louise on Saturday had zero to do with race, sex or anything related

HelloSunshines · 10/10/2016 11:15

Laura Whitmore is a good dancer and she was in the bottom two this week, out of the two dances (her and Tameka) I think Laura was the better dancer regardless of colour.

Seeing as there was one black and one white contestant in the bottom two it came down to the judges and I do think they voted purely on how well the contestants danced in the dance-off.

Does anyone thing Tameka's dance-off was better than Laura's and the judges got it wrong?

Sunnymeg · 10/10/2016 11:23

When the list of celebrities was announced, there were three I hadn't heard of. All three have been in the dance off. This year, everyone is either so good, or trying so hard that it will become much more about personality. who people know and who they like. Everyone is in danger if they have a bad week.

Chikara · 10/10/2016 11:25

Ore and Naga are also black.
Danny is top of leader board and dancing with a black professional

Agree. And Taneka's dance was not the better of the two. She is heavy-footed and lacks grace. (As does Ed to be fair but he is IMO more fun to watch. I don't think he will stay long though.)

There is no doubt real racism in the country but it would be so much better if we addressed it properly - whether it is black against white/ white against asians/ asians against black - anybody against anybody else who are behaving in a racist manner and NOT assume that any decision in which whites are favoured is naturally racism. It creates conflict where there isn't any and which escalates. .

WorraLiberty · 10/10/2016 11:32

Melvin was proper shit.

I'm gutted Tameka has gone as she brought so much humour to the show (unlike the try hard Claudia Winkleman).

But then again Tameka's dancing didn't really cut it this week.

If these threads get any older, the OPs will be written in Latin...

Foxyloxy1plus1 · 10/10/2016 11:44

The difference between someone like Ed and someone like Tameka is that Tameka is known as an actress and therefore should be good at the characterisation. Ed has really thrown himself into something that is completely opposite to his usual life. I never liked him as a politician, but admire the enthusiasm with which he has embraced this.

Tameka was embarrassing over Ore's emotion when talking to Claudia. She bulldozed her way in to his interview and took over. She wasn't a good dancer. I am impressed by those like Greg, and Claudia F who are enjoying learning, Lesley because she's thrown herself into it, Will because I like him and Ore.

Gutted about Gorka the corker though.

Mummyoflittledragon · 10/10/2016 12:14

Oops Blush. I got the guys the wrong way round. i will pay better attention to strictly next week I'm watching it with half an eye and on mumsnet so my time is well spent.... Anyway I'm really glad Ore is still in as he's lovely.

blueturtle6 · 10/10/2016 12:20

What colour where the first two celebrities to go in other years?
I don't think temeka was worse dancer of the bunch but between her and Laura she was.
Pixie lott went early last year and she was very good.
Combination of mid table and public voting for the underdog

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