P looked thrilled to be voted off.
Just a theory – he stepped in at the last minute because his kid was injured playing basketball or something. Whaddya think he figured he’d be gone after one week and has been trying desperately ever since to be so freakin’ bad they’d have to get rid of him, and he’s been gnashing his teeth that he’s turned into this weird underdog figure?
I am assuming that the result is determined by combined rankings. Thus, P had a 7 from the judges. If he had gotten fifth place in fan voting, his combined total would be 12, and he would have stayed in again had the 6th place in judges rankings pair been 7th place in voting.
For thems as are wondering “Is it Thursday yet?” – PBS has an hourlong ballroom competition on tonight at 8 Eastern (at least in Philly – Y TV Schedule MV). First of two parts, hosted by Marilu Henner. (What happened to Juliet Prowse?)
I saw that here in Milwaukee, too. Do you know when the second part airs? (I suppose it’s in direct conflict with DWtS!)
It lookes like Part II is next week. (Speaking of “on against DWTS,” I’m gonna miss the first two eps of Suvivor … oh well …)
Oh, thanks, that’s great. Nothing much on Wednesday at 7pm. (I don’t watch IDOL until the group of 12 contestants is selected.) And a SURVIVOR v. DWtS conflict? That’s what VCRs, DVRs and/or TIVO are for, right?
I figure that I’m actually going to break out my phone and vote for Tia next week; much as I love George, she really is a better dancer than he is, and I think the show would be more fun if she stays than if he does. Does anybody actually know what her number is to call? I’ve paid zero attention to the numbers, except to notice the second week that the contestants have the same number each week. I figure I can cast votes for her early without even seeing her dance. That’s what everyone else does, obviously, and what they expect people to do since they open the voting before people have even danced.
As stupid as AI voting is, at least they wait till the conclusion of the show to let you vote for people and preserve the illusion that you’re actually voting for what you just saw on your screen. (Although I wish they’d use the same software that DwtS does and limit the number of votes per phone number.) But as long as DwtS has rigged the system, might as well play along with it. For one week and one week only.
Dunno about phone numbers; I’ve been voting online. You can vote once per email address, so I’ve been casting three votes a week (regular address, twickster address, and work address). You do have to register each address, but I haven’t gotten any spam at all from this.
You can also vote eight times per phone number, and since we have a land line and two cell phones, I figure I can pull more than my fair share. If my husband doesn’t laugh at me too loud over actually, y’know, voting. (Not that it’ll stop me, it’ll just mean I have to think up an evil payback.)
Marilu Henner needs a couple of lessons on being a dance show host. Rule 1 – ask the questions your audience would like answered, like “what the hell is the difference between ‘waltz’ and ‘Viennese waltz’?”
I find watching the pros fascinatingly creepy – it’s so stylized, it’s like watching androids or something.
I think you can only vote as many times per phone number as there are contestants left in the contest. So, what are we down to now. . . 6??? That would mean only 6 calls per phone number.
But wasn’t it fun seeing DWtS’s Tony Dovolani WIN his chunk of the competition tonight??? Is he Tia Carrere’s partner???
Totally missed that. I’ll be watching next week, though!
The other thing that’s so weird about watching the pros is the posture on the women. Because of the height of the heels they wear, I guess, they have this really bizarre roosterlike stance – with both butts and breast simultaneously stuck out and held in. I can’t describe it, but it looks profoundly unnatural (and even more uncomfortable).
Just checked the website – it doesn’t really explain the difference between “waltz” and “Viennese” waltz either, other than that the VW is fast … (faster than … ?)
Sigh.
My other question – why so many Russians in the competition?
The professional ballroom commentator explained the waltz difference this way: in the Viennese Waltz, the couples have to stay stuck together. It’s more like what we think of as the traditional waltz.
And I don’t know why there are so many Russians in the competition. . . but there are several Russians in DWtS, too. Maybe they’re just better ballroom dancers!
I thought that was for all five of the dances in “International Standard,” as opposed to “American Smooth,” both of which schools (? groups? categories?) have both a waltz and a Viennese waltz. 
Well, lemme see if I can look it up somewhere. (I love a challenge!)
You da woman! Thanks! (I’m at work, and really do have other things I should be doing today besides reading the Dope.)
OK. . . here’s what I found on WIKIPEDIA:
<<International Style Viennese Waltz
International Style Viennese Waltz is danced in closed position. The syllabus is limited to Natural and Reverse Turns, Fleckerls, Contra Check, Left Whisk, and canter-time Pivots.
[edit]
American Style Viennese Waltz
American Style Viennese Waltz has much more freedom, both in dance positions and syllabus.>>
Got it?