SCD '21 #19: We have our FINAL! Judges, your paddles are for guidance only.

[PolkadotsAndMoonbeams]

Just as well, as they seem to have lost all of the ones under 9...

Previous thread

@Piggyinblankets

Here we go :

www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2021/dec/07/loud-academic-wins-unfair-dismissal-case-against-university

Women are also accused of interrupting more than men, of being abrasive, and of being disruptive influences. I guess it goes back to the school model when, on the whole, girls are passive and compliant. Those who aren't are treated as deviating from norms. Conversely, teachers also ted to criticise girls for being 'too quiet' so it is hard to win!!

Way back when I did my dissertation on Women's Language as part of my Linguistics degree. Men speak more than women by a mile. *disclaimer - it's possible the research findings have changed since 1993!!

Oh, this reminds me of a great Liz Lochhead poem:

Men Talk, by Liz Lochhead -

Women
Rabbit rabbit rabbit women
Tattle and titter Women prattle
Women waffle and witter

Men Talk. Men Talk.

Women into Girl Talk
About Women's Trouble
Trivia 'n' Small Talk
They yap and they babble

Men Talk. Men Talk.

Women gossip Women giggle
Women niggle-niggle-niggle
Men Talk.

Women yatter
Women chatter
Women chew the fat, women spill the beans
Women aint been takin'
The oh-so Good Advice in them
Women's Magazines.

A Man Likes a Good Listener.

Oh yeah
I like A Woman
Who likes me enough
Not to nitpick
Not to nag and
Not to interrupt 'cause I call that treason
A woman with the Good Grace
To be struck dumb
By me Sweet Reason. Yes -

A Man Likes a Good Listener
A Real
Man
Likes a Real Good Listener

Women yap yap yap
Verbal Diarrhoea is a Female Disease
Women she spread she rumours round she
Like Philadelphia Cream Cheese

Oh
Bossy Women Gossip
Girlish Women Giggle
Women natter, women nag
Women niggle niggle niggle

Men Talk.

Men
Think First.
Speak Later
Men Talk

I think the other thing I want to say about AJ is that she has really worked hard to get where she has in TV land as an ordinary person (from an underrepresented group at that), from an ordinary background, with no monetary privileges or advantages but with massive determination and academic study (and this is why I like Dan too) . She is a proper grafter.

I agree @Piggyinblankets

Piggy great poem. It reminded me of Women in Power by Mary Beard - which is about how women who dare to speak in public have been treated through the ages.

F

@Maerchentante

I would love John and Johannes' Paso Doble again.

Was that the pirates?

If so, yes!

Couples choice should be everyone does theirs on the same week to make comparisons easier/fairer (if we must have it). Could happily lose it tbh. Rose's was AMAZING, but generally could do without the sob stories etc. Save it for a show dance if they get that far.

@Piggyinblankets

I think the other thing I want to say about AJ is that she has really worked hard to get where she has in TV land as an ordinary person (from an underrepresented group at that), from an ordinary background, with no monetary privileges or advantages but with massive determination and academic study (and this is why I like Dan too) . She is a proper grafter.

Exactly. Not an Oxbridge alumnus, not in the Footlights or with parents in the media or who could subsidise her through life.

This is purely political - BBC wanted a same-sex couple in the final.
That's conspiracy-theory nonsense.
Do you really think all three judges would go along with that? (even if the producers or whoever you think the overlords are DID want this).
The three of the judges who did the saving all looked genuinely thoughtful/conflicted as they gave their reasons for who they were voting for. I love Craig et al to bits, but they're not THAT good at acting.

Very unfair on Rhys who has been consistently good except he hasn't been (in my opinion) he has been at times but he has also totally lack connection with Nancy, lacked light and shade and been so frantic that he is almost always ahead of the music, oh and his posture isn't great and his steps /movements are sometimes too large so they look awkward/ungainly and that is just to my untrained eye. I'm sure the judges are able to spot other technical faults that are not on my radar. He made progress in the last few weeks and addressed some (but by no means all of those issues).
It was a tight call and an equally good case could probably be made to keep Rhys and send John home but it's rewriting history to claim it was an obvious fix or that Rhys has never deserved to be in the dance off (in so far as anyone 'deserves' it - most celebs that stay by a few weeks absolutely give their all and work extremely hard).
If Rhys had gone through the people that believe Dan was being kept in because he works for the BBC would be saying it was obviously a fix because Rhys works for CBBC. Just because the result isn't the one you want it doesn't mean there is some huge conspiracy.

@boogiewithasuitcase

Piggy great poem. It reminded me of Women in Power by Mary Beard - which is about how women who dare to speak in public have been treated through the ages.

You know what really boils my piss?

When the likes of Hancock, not having any arguments to present say to women who challenge them "I don't like your TONE".

I mean - what the actual EFF?

Why should any woman have to watch her "tone" so that it doesn't upset a bloke?

In the first week or so of Strictly I found AJ's voice, well the loudness of it, really, really annoying and by week three I didn't because she's wonderful at the dancing, funny and suddenly I realised that her voice was joyous and I loved it.

Each year there are people I don't take to at the beginning and often I get over myself and see the good in them. It certainly happened with Tilly although never with her partner whose name I have currently forgotten. I worried that Rhys would be another Karim but he wasn't at all and I warmed to him almost immediately.

And. Each year there are a couple who I like or want to like and gradually they wear me down and I am happy to see them go. No, it wasn't Dan this year, it was/is John and Johannes. It's a little annoying because I've always really liked Johannes but I've found him painful this season and John seems like a lovely bloke but as a partnership, they've grated on me, John far less so. I think that it's less to do with them as people and more to do with the fact that they reached a plateau and stayed there week after week after week. Too much mirroring, too much not being in hold, too much of the same.

Anyway! Rose will almost definitely win and she's a joy to watch and that will make me happy but if it's AJ lifting the glitterball I'll be equally happy because her ballroom is divine and She comes across as a lovely woman. And Kai

I too like AJ and can't see why she should be quieter! I love her accent as well. And her family when they're in the audience are always so enthusiastic and supportive, and so wonderfully dressed.

IReallyLikeCrows, I also have people I don't take to at the beginning. It's really interesting how things change as the series goes on.

I also disliked Rhys at first, but my heart went out to him after he'd been in however many DOs; he just started looking defeated. I loved his AT and was so pleased that he avoided the DO and got all the praise from the judges and the other pros.

@Samcro - For the avoidance of doubt and thank you to those who posted re women's voices not being heard - I worked at a huge multinational company in the early 80s - Yes some women did not speak up & that is wrong. Not is whispering because men in the room . I am not talking about anything AJ says - purely the decibels. But if she was in a huge family & had to shout to be heard - I get that. But also it is just my opinion I find her shouty voice irritating. Not what she says & I admire her for being competitive and determined. I just don't like the shouty voice but it seems to me she has somewhat moderated that over the series. She can dance fabulously on a good day & all best wishes to her - I am still team Rose as I think she has been more consistent - but please no one take my comment as women's voices should not be heard. They should and thank you to whoever posted the articles.

@Piggyinblankets love that poem. Have you seen Liz Lochhead perform it? She's amazing

I don't think AJ has a "shouty voice"!
Is it any louder than Craig's or Anton's?

@Maireas

I don't think AJ has a "shouty voice"! Is it any louder than Craig's or Anton's?

Anton is a bit annoying. Mostly he is a great judge – constructive, perceptive, knowledgeable – but he does have a tendency to turn it into the Anton Show (as Craig was saying on this week's results show!)

[quote TheBitchOfTheVicar]@Piggyinblankets love that poem. Have you seen Liz Lochhead perform it? She's amazing[/quote]
Yes, I have! I am Glaswegian. I love her!

I thought AJ was far louder than the other contestants, nothing to do with her sex. I think she's taken it down a decibel or two as the series has progressed though.

@SoupDragon - I agree

I went from wanting her out as soon as possible to wanting her in the final.

I don’t believe there’s any kind of conspiracy. We all have our own opinions about each dance (and dancer), but those are based on what we’re shown by the cameras and our own level of expertise with the dances (I admit I have none other than what I’ve picked up by watching Strictly/ITT!), the judges have a different viewpoint from us, as well as their own criteria for judging. I can’t get that het up about who goes through/wins, they’ve all done a great job in their own style, and it’s just a tv show!