Empirical Dancing

The funniest story this week involves some person somewhere who shot his television over the elimination of someone other than Bristol (daughter of Sarah) Palin on TV’s Dancing with the Stars. This news was accompanied by many other stories on the subject of Palin’s worthiness to remain a competitor on the show. Many of these stories push the idea that dastardly tea party types are at it again, mucking things up for other, more worthy dancers.

Palin is mostly degraded because her celebrity stems from being the daughter of a politician, who happens to be an evil Republican, and the former fiancé and co-parent of an idiot. Most ridiculous is all the consternation focused on a call-in show judging the completely subjective. Think trying to explain the definition of a strike zone in baseball is difficult; imagine doing the same for dancing. Having a mirror I know how to identify bad dancing but for the most part, anything from halfway competent to professional look the same to me.

Second, like American idol or any other call-in and vote show, it’s a popularity contest. Perhaps the fact that Palin has been treated so poorly by so many who don’t even know her has led to viewer empathy. It’s not like she forced her way on to the show, she was invited like everyone else who participates and given the opportunity, who wouldn’t take it?

Sometimes not everyone else agrees with who you think should win. It’s no reason to freak out. I didn’t vote for the President, or either of the last two congressmen from New Mexico. I think they’re horrible at their jobs and I will continue to not vote for them, the majority of citizens disagreed and that may or may not change. The key difference is the people voted into office can directly affect our lives. Can a contestant on a dance show? Perspective.