Cloris Leachman is Booted Off Dancing With the Stars After Judges' Unfairly Nasty Comments
I was rooting this week more than ever for Cloris Leachman after the judges' nasty, and very unfair, comments to her on Monday night's show. Bruno Tonioli told her no one else could carry off the "nonsense" she does and actually get applause for it, and guest judge Michael Flatley, who was very respectful toward her and partner Corky Ballas, echoed Bruno, saying he couldn't lie; she was lucky Corky was helping her along. (Actually, all the professionals are greatly helping their amateur partners along.) It was Carrie Ann Inaba who I thought was most out of line by telling Cloris it was unfair that a good dancer like Toni Braxton was kicked off last week "for this," she said with a flick of the arms in Cloris's direction. I fully agree that Toni was a very good dancer, and I'd initially thought she was a contender for the trophy, but it was ridiculously unfair of Carrie Ann to criticize, and basically to blame Cloris for remaining in Toni's stead. How was that Cloris's fault?
Cloris added humor to an otherwise relatively bland season. Her Cha Cha this week was sweet and classic. Of course the music was slow and the tricks toned down, though she did pretty decently with that death spiral at the end, and her New Yorker cha chas in the middle were pretty fast-footed. But no, of course she's not the best dancer on the show. How could she be at 82? I think everyone knows by now that's not the point of the show. People do well because the public finds them endearing on some level. I think Cloris was really trying. She wasn't aiming to screw up and be a goof, she was really trying hard, even if she used humor as a cover. Those lifts of the leg that she pulled off a couple weeks ago are not easy. They require a good degree of flexibility and agility, uncommon in someone that age. Why did they allow her to be on the show in the first place? Did they honestly think she had a chance of out-dancing the others, the teenage Cody?
Carrie Ann's comments could also be seen as directed against the public, who, unless the show is rigged, obviously voted for Cloris. Several people have actually expressed a belief that the show's results are somewhat manipulated, and I've always dismissed them. Now I'm wondering. I would have thought Cloris's fans would come out for her now more than ever - she wasn't even in the bottom two last week.
Anyway, I think in her own way, she brought ballroom up a bit, made it more noticeable, at least to a certain population. I was beyond thrilled to see Corky Ballas, ballroom legend, in the pages of the New York Times with her. I will miss her.
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I think it was time for Cloris to go. Toni's being voted off the prior week was, I think, a catharsis for Carrie Ann and Bruno, as it signified that a real competitor that had the potential to improve were being lost to one that was going to just keep doing the same shtick. So they were honest. After all, they are supposed to know something about what dancing really is, and be able to tell it when the dance that was called for is not being danced very well.
I had no problem with Cloris outlasting everyone who was voted off prior to Toni, as they were never going to really dance, either. There's a point where the novelty acts need to be gone and the real competitors can focus on the prize, and the problem was a novelty outlasted a real competitor. I don't blame the judges, as they gave Cloris a lot of low scores and she spent a lot of time in the bottom two, with the only exception being the week that Toni left and Susan Lucci was the other bottom performer. Note that she is on the edge between being a novelty and a real competitor, and should be next unless she improves a lot.
I applaud Carrie Ann for having the guts to say what most folks were thinking. Cloris wasn't going to go far in the competition--she knew that. I think the judges have to take some responsibility for helping to keep her in there as long as they did. They often gave her far higher marks than she deserved. But in the end, even the fans knew it was time -- past time for her to go.
Cloris was horrible. She couldn't dance or behave. She wasn't funny.
None of the judges were out of line. Their job is to judge. Cloris was awful. What else were they supposed to do?
And don't kid yourself that Cloris was still on the show because of her "fans." She had very few. She was still on the show thanks solely to the 'vote for the worst" people.
Looks like you were out voted on this one. She was terrible and irritating and I think the majority of people were more than happy to see her go.
The judges' comments were accurate. Her dancing, if that's what you want to call it, was terrible and she was extremely obnoxious.
Every week she delivered substandard performances. Her routines were not as challenging as the routines of the other dancers. Case in point, look at what she did during the Group Hip Hop number. She lasted as long as she did because people voted for her . It was a popularity contest. For her to stay in, meant that other, more deserving dancers were booted. That's what happened to Toni Braxton. The judges spoke the truth about that situation. The comments made by Carrie Ann Innaba were not nasty. They were blunt, but truthful.
I thought she was unwatchable during the hip-hop number. She ruined the whole ending with her stupid face-making and stance. She was Dancing's Sanjaya, staying on in the place of other talented, fun celebs. Luckily, she's gone sooner rather than later!
Sorry, she had to go. She was hamming the camera and therefore being rude to the other professionals involved in the production. Kudos to her age and effort but shame on her camera/audience hoggin ways.
Cloris has been milking her age. She feigns hard of hearing, interrupts the judges, and does a "poor litttle ol' me" routine to keep herself on the show. Having her on made as much sense as having Marlee Maitin or Heather Mills on. Carrie has been noted for not having more ballroom dancing in her background, which makes her a rather odd choice to have as a judge. But the bottom line is that Cloris had her time on the show, and it was time to move on. Carrie may have decided to do a "Simon" style critique to draw attention to herself in hopes of securing a bigger paycheck at the next contract negotiation.
I liked Marlee Matlin -- she was fascinating and incredibly well-prepared each week, considering her disability. Heather Mills I can't stand, period! Leachman was a just choice until she started dancing. Well, in any event, she's off the show now.
Carrie's comments were completely appropriate. Cloris was kept on for any number of reasons having nothing to do with her inability to dance. It was a shame to lose Toni Braxton for the sake of some folk's amusing themselves with Cloris Leachman while deneghrating the quality of the show. I have no problems with Cloris other than she fully served her purpose as light entertainment within the first two weeks.
Carrie Ann was unusually rude and mean to Cloris. There is no reason for her to act so immature. These people are not professional dancers. 2 weeks ago,Cloris's routine was equally as competitive as the other dancers. She is remarkable for an 82 year old. Branson MO. had a show with seniors that was great. Nobody could have guessed their ages. My parents could not do what she does, and they both were dancers of an advanced non professional level.
Susan Lucci is stiff and probably will go soon. I certainly missed Toni, and will also miss Cloris. But, I am rooting for Warren Sapp. His Hustle was great.
This was the first dance I liked of Cloris'. Carrie Ann was just plain rude. But she thinks to be a strong woman you need to be coarse and rude.
She's a judge. It is her job to honestly critique people.
I don't see how you or anybody commenting think that Carrie Ann Inaba was blaming Cloris Leachman for Toni Braxton being vooted off.It was unfair that she left the show before this vulgar old woman.
You saying that she was blaming her is a baldfaced lie,plain and simple.
well, I agree with the author. It's called a difference of opinion, not a lie.
If the producers didn't want Cloris to stick around, they shouldn't have put her on the show. Each season, there one person who outlasts better dancers due to showmanship or entertainment value in spite of a lack of superior dance skills. Jerry Springer, Marie Osmond, George Hamiltion.
The show IS a popularity contest. That's why Susan Lucci is still there. Her AMC fans are extremely loyal even though her dancing skills are obviously subpar. She was even more ridiculous than Cloris during the group dance and Lucci was trying.
I appreciated Leachman's effort. I was not entertained by her. Indeed, I was embarrassed for her. It was way past time for her to go home.
Was "Carrie Ann" one of the dancers from "In Living Color" (1990-1995, FOX)?
To those who spit out that this is a dance contest: Wake the hell up you naive fools! Oooh, that could be redundant. Anyway, Cloris was invited to be on the show. Let me say that another way. Dancing With The Stars asked her to be on the show. What the hell did any of the judges expect? And if they are so high and mighty and could only possibly ever stand on principle why didn't they refuse the gig as one of the judges????? Could it be M O N E Y????????? So, judges, especially Carrie Snotty Ann: Methinks you protest too much!!!!!!!!
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