# So You Think You Can Dance Season 4 - 2008 **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 18, 2008, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-you-think-you-can-dance-season-4-2008/449763 "2008-05-18T17:45:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Tristan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tristan/32/18058_2.png) [@Tristan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tristan)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2008, 10:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-you-think-you-can-dance-season-4-2008/449763/41 "2008-05-29T10:26:25Z")
One time bump for the morning folks, and the West Coast peoples. Music that Gev Manoukian danced to? Anyone? ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2008, 11:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-you-think-you-can-dance-season-4-2008/449763/42 "2008-05-29T11:17:54Z")
The blonde at the beginning was amazing. Holy cow, what a beautiful … well, everything. By the way: Hi, my name is Lib, and I like Mary Murphy. ---
**Author:** ![zagloba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/977dab/32.png) [@zagloba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zagloba)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2008, 12:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-you-think-you-can-dance-season-4-2008/449763/43 "2008-05-29T12:06:12Z")
[QUOTE=Only Mostly Dead] I was going to give the show a try for the first time this season. Got about halfway through the first episode before turning it off, this Mary person was so painfully annoying. Soon after, having context, I noticed her on a commercial or teaser for something else, and she made a point to let us know that her catch phrase is a high pitched squeal. Not teenage fangirl squeal. Car slamming on its brakes before an imminent crash squeal. No thank you. The show may have been interesting enough to watch occasionally, but for that. [/QUOTE] Gotta agree. Why does she talk with her jaw closed? Tetanus? And as a result she talks through her nose, which is annoying in itself. I’ll try one more episode to see if I can learn to tolerate it. Who is she, anyway? The women who do ballroom are just amazing. I can put up with a lot of annoyance to see that kind of dancing. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2008, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-you-think-you-can-dance-season-4-2008/449763/44 "2008-05-29T12:56:33Z")
[QUOTE=zagloba] Who is she, anyway? [/QUOTE] > **[Mary Murphy (choreographer)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Murphy_(choreographer))** > > Mary Ann Murphy (born c. 1958) is an American ballroom dance champion, accredited dance judge, and a judge and choreographer on the Fox dance competition-reality show So You Think You Can Dance. > Mary Murphy was born in Lancaster, Ohio in an Irish family. She graduated from Northwest High School in Canal Fulton, Ohio. After graduating from Ohio University with a degree in physical education and a minor in modern dance, Murphy moved to Washington, D.C. to begin her career. > She answered a newspape... ---
**Author:** ![Avarie537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/48db29/32.png) [@Avarie537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Avarie537)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2008, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-you-think-you-can-dance-season-4-2008/449763/45 "2008-05-29T13:20:42Z")
[QUOTE=Drain Bead] That Kelly girl who was the daughter of the choreographer for High School Musical was GORGEOUS, and she had great lines, but she let her body momentum carry her out of step several times. She always recovered well, but that lack of control could end up biting her in the ass later. [/QUOTE] A lot of the auditioners commented on the floor surface and how it was very slippery and hard to dance on. Maybe that had something to do with it. ---
**Author:** ![Tristan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tristan/32/18058_2.png) [@Tristan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tristan)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2008, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-you-think-you-can-dance-season-4-2008/449763/46 "2008-05-29T13:29:15Z")
[QUOTE=zagloba] Gotta agree. Why does she talk with her jaw closed? Tetanus? And as a result she talks through her nose, which is annoying in itself. I’ll try one more episode to see if I can learn to tolerate it. Who is she, anyway? The women who do ballroom are just amazing. I can put up with a lot of annoyance to see that kind of dancing. [/QUOTE] Last night, after watching Ms. Murphy talk, I made the statement that her whole face appears to just be a support structure for her mouth and teeth. My wife, giggling, agreed. ---
**Author:** ![Eureka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/74df32/32.png) [@Eureka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eureka)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2008, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-you-think-you-can-dance-season-4-2008/449763/47 "2008-05-29T13:47:26Z")
The thing which fascinated me last night more than anything else was how many people seemed to audition wearing unremarkable and fairly casual street clothes. I mean, baggy jeans or sweats type street clothes. Not that everyone can or should wear a leotard, but it surprised me a little how few people dressed in ways which would help show off their bodies, their lines, etc. Now granted, hordes of people show up for auditions, and some of them audition for the experience more than the expectation of winning and I’m not sure how many or what percentage get sent to Vegas or even just the Choreography round, (and granted that I don’t dance and I’m too old to audition) but it just surprised me that more people didn’t make an effort to wear clothes which would help them get noticed. ---
**Author:** ![Viridiana](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/ebca7d/32.png) [@Viridiana](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Viridiana)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2008, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-you-think-you-can-dance-season-4-2008/449763/48 "2008-05-29T15:45:05Z")
Wow, the Utah auditions sucked! ---
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2008, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-you-think-you-can-dance-season-4-2008/449763/49 "2008-05-29T20:42:01Z")
[QUOTE=Liberal] > **[Mary Murphy (choreographer)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Murphy_(choreographer))** > > Mary Ann Murphy (born c. 1958) is an American ballroom dance champion, accredited dance judge, and a judge and choreographer on the Fox dance competition-reality show So You Think You Can Dance. > Mary Murphy was born in Lancaster, Ohio in an Irish family. She graduated from Northwest High School in Canal Fulton, Ohio. After graduating from Ohio University with a degree in physical education and a minor in modern dance, Murphy moved to Washington, D.C. to begin her career. > She answered a newspape... [/QUOTE] Heh. This will probably get edited soon but someone has been messing with that page: > [@wikipedia](#): > > As of Spring 2008, Murphy is judging the season 4 auditions with fellow judge, Nigel Lythgoe. She also drinks far too much before the show and as a result looks and acts like an idiot. I find her almost intolerably irritating to watch. I think she’s got a hideous mouth, but there are plenty of people I think are ugly that I still enjoy watching. Her voice and her mannerisms are what make her so horrid to me. I often mute or fast forward through her comments. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2008, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-you-think-you-can-dance-season-4-2008/449763/50 "2008-05-29T22:32:58Z")
😃 Too funny! ---
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2008, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-you-think-you-can-dance-season-4-2008/449763/51 "2008-05-29T22:43:35Z")
Ok I’m watching last night’s now on TiVo. At about 1:45 there is a guy who takes off a jacket and a hat and then they show the judges clapping and saying “that was great” like something funny or clever had happened, but I didn’t get it. Did anyone else know what they were talking about? They didn’t show enough of that guy’s dance for me to understand. Also, the “cutie apple pie” girl Paige… am I the only one who didn’t think she was cute at all? She was like those scary pageant retouch photo sites come to life. And she looks like someone is trying to fold her head in half forward. She was in shape and blonde, and I guess that’s enough to make you cute. I thought she danced like a cheerleader. I really liked Joshua, except that for the first half of his dance he had his mouth in this sort of “chimp kiss” position. When he jumped in the air? Holy crap! How high did he get? That was CRAZY! He was really graceful as well, which I didn’t expect given that he looks like a football player. ---
**Author:** ![ladybug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/46a35a/32.png) [@ladybug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ladybug)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2008, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-you-think-you-can-dance-season-4-2008/449763/52 "2008-05-29T23:12:56Z")
[QUOTE=OpalCat] Also, the “cutie apple pie” girl Paige… am I the only one who didn’t think she was cute at all? [/QUOTE] You’re not alone. I wanted to smack her upside the head with a rolled-up newspaper. It was like watching Dance School Barbie. “I really wanted to stand out from the other contestants, so I wore a top with rhinestones!” Yep, that’s much better than working on your dance skills. She may have gotten through to Vegas, but I seriously doubt that she’ll make the Top 20. ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2008, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-you-think-you-can-dance-season-4-2008/449763/53 "2008-05-29T23:19:49Z")
I told my wife I wanted to punch Paige in the mouth within 30 seconds of her little profile, maybe sooner. My wife thought she was OK at first, but started to agree with me after her audition. Kelly, the blonde in the little black dress at the beginning, though, was great. So far my favorite. I’m not sure but her borrowed dance partner may also have made it through choreography. Joshua impressed. He had a good groove, but I thought he needed to do more with his feet, then he jumped. Wow. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2008, 9:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-you-think-you-can-dance-season-4-2008/449763/54 "2008-05-30T09:41:25Z")
I don’t recall anybody who stood out for me tonight. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2008, 11:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-you-think-you-can-dance-season-4-2008/449763/55 "2008-05-30T11:53:26Z")
I liked the story-ette about the twins. I understand why they do the choreography round – but has anyone gone on to be a serious contender (top 12, say) who only got to the final tryouts after having to do the choreography round? ---
**Author:** ![Eureka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/74df32/32.png) [@Eureka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eureka)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2008, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-you-think-you-can-dance-season-4-2008/449763/56 "2008-05-30T14:06:12Z")
[QUOTE=ladybug] You’re not alone. I wanted to smack her upside the head with a rolled-up newspaper. It was like watching Dance School Barbie. “I really wanted to stand out from the other contestants, so I wore a top with rhinestones!” Yep, that’s much better than working on your dance skills. She may have gotten through to Vegas, but I seriously doubt that she’ll make the Top 20. [/QUOTE] Yeah, I agree. On the one hand, I approved of the fact that she thought about her appearance–too many people seem to put no thought at all into their clothes. But on the other hand. . . * * * In other news: Attention all contestants–especially those with at least some dance training: Failure to make it to Vegas does not make you a bad person. It just means you are not a great dancer. I wouldn’t be surprised if most of the finalists look a little one dimensional. And look, I’m not unsympathetic to the “end of a dream” thing that some people had going on. But, failure to make it to Vegas doesn’t make you a bad person, a bad parent, or even a worse dancer than 90% of the population\*. It just means you aren’t going to be a serious contender on this TV show. On the other hand: To those contestants who only get airtime because they suck or are combatative: If you bothered to show up and “dance” and get Nigel asking you “what was that?” and generally get treated like you are wasting the judge’s time, be polite. You probably aren’t a great dancer, and even if you are, if you can’t take criticism any better than it looks like you did here, no one wants you causing problems behind the scenes of the show. \*Although many of us who dance worse than you know it and did not show up to audition. ---
**Author:** ![Trunk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/87869e/32.png) [@Trunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trunk)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2008, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-you-think-you-can-dance-season-4-2008/449763/57 "2008-05-30T14:30:32Z")
The funniest quote of the year has to be that dude saying, “no ever accused me of being feminine when I danced with a ribbon.” I know it was archival, but it was new to me. ---
**Author:** ![Harriet\_the\_Spry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e56c9b/32.png) [@Harriet\_the\_Spry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harriet_the_Spry)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2008, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-you-think-you-can-dance-season-4-2008/449763/58 "2008-05-30T16:34:14Z")
[QUOTE=Trunk] The funniest quote of the year has to be that dude saying, “no ever accused me of being feminine when I danced with a ribbon.” I know it was archival, but it was new to me. [/QUOTE] That was a funny clip, I think the actual quote was a little more understated “No one ever said I wasn’t masculine when I danced with the ribbon.” But in general I thought that guy got a raw deal. Since when is “masculine” a requirement for good dancing? Part of why I thought that was funny was that he took it as an irrelevancy, when IMHO it was. Like “no one mentioned I was a white guy dancing hip hop.” He had a lot of physical grace and artistic ability and I think he would have held his own further into the competition. There was nothing original about the girl dancing with the ribbon, she looked like one of a squad of majorettes in a routine, but the guy with the ribbon definitely didn’t give that cookie-cutter impression. I also liked the break dancer (from Linden, NC, I think). His performance cracked me up, but I think he put his all into that one routine and was legitimately eliminated in the choreography. I hope some other opportunities come his way. ---
**Author:** ![cactus\_waltz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/74df32/32.png) [@cactus\_waltz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cactus_waltz)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2008, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-you-think-you-can-dance-season-4-2008/449763/59 "2008-05-30T20:59:02Z")
Sometimes I feel like the judges are too harsh. The “What you did is not dancing and you are wasting everybody’s time”-rhetoric can get pretty hostile and it seems to go over the contestants’ heads a lot of the times. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2008, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-you-think-you-can-dance-season-4-2008/449763/60 "2008-06-04T13:08:18Z")
Good, they’re not going to drag auditions on forever – last batch tonight, then tomorrow, Vegas, with the announcement of the top 20. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-you-think-you-can-dance-season-4-2008/449763.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-you-think-you-can-dance-season-4-2008/449763.md?page=4)