GirlInFlux

Jess is killing me with the jealousy. She’s threatened by literally any woman that talks to Rob. Then she threatens violence against Aesha for touching Rob’s butt when taking a group photo? All this for a six week relationship? She’s worried about the charter guests as if they’re 1) not all moms/presumably and 2) ever going to give Rob the time of day.

I had to laugh out loud at Aesha and Jess’ convo about boat romances. Jess asks Aesha if she was at the I love you stage during her last boat relationship and Aesha laughed and said “of course, not! We’re on the boat for like six weeks!”. Cut to the confessional and Jess is like “That’s probably why you don’t have a boyfriend.” Yes, Jess. She’s single because she doesn’t fall head over heels within two weeks of meeting some clown she will only spend six weeks with. The whole Jess/Rob thing is super annoying. They’re both melodramatic and acting like this relationship is long term and they’re encountering all of these problems. Jess is super threatened by Aesha for whatever reason. At least with Bugsy’s leadership Jess is performing better at her job, but Rob is just bumbling around like a fool. At least Bugsy finally caved to Alex. He seems really sweet and genuine. Bugsy is different, but there is someone for everyone.

Ugh...Malia. Hovering over Tom in the galley. Pulling him aside several times for pep talks after he screws up or complains about making a chocolate cake. Referring to her deck crew as boys and f-ers but expecting them to respect her. She’s a nightmare. Jess complaint about all the work she does when that’s to be expected while down a stew and her delusions that she is qualified to be second stew. Meanwhile she and Rob are still sneaking off the whine (Rob) and make out. She just doesn’t want to work hard, but gets an attitude literally any time she’s asked to do something. Bugsy is doing a pretty good job all things considered. I wish she and Alex would just go out or drop the whole flirting thing. The whole will they or won’t they is obnoxious and I’m not invested in either of them so I don’t care. The guests are still weird especially that older guy. The chicken didn’t look undercooked. I think it’s an American thing plus not having experience with poached food which has a completely different texture from meat cooked other ways and may look undercooked to someone who hasn’t had it a ton. Tom should stop making poached things but he probably does it because it frees him up to work on other meal items. And Sandy...sigh. Going on and on about the laundry going 24/7 as if the girls aren’t running around constantly doing other stuff. They’re down a stew. Laundry is something that can be put on the back burner. And she sat there while Malia was a jerk to Rob.

Sounds like she rightfully spoke up about the need to have in-person training camp and that likely rubbed TPTB the wrong way. We all know independent thinking doesn’t fit in with the “yes, ma’am; no ma’am” culture of DCC. I’m glad she is standing firm and sticking up for herself.

I’m not super invested in any of the ladies, but even I am shocked about the vets being cut while others who are far weaker dancers (Kat, VK mainly) stay. I mean, am I really supposed to believe that they outdanced those girls? I don’t even dislike Kat or VK but it’s baffling to me. Especially Brennan. If she was performing poorly, she should have been cut some slack. The symptoms of COVID-19 have been known to linger for weeks and even months after you have it and certainly would affect her ability to dance as normal. If there were concerns, why let her back to training camp at all? For VK, probably the usual nepotism. It stopped bothering me a long time ago because nepotism is just a fact of life. One would hope she would be doing everything in her power to prove herself, but I guess I would expend the energy either if I knew I didn’t have to do much to stay on the team. It is what it is. For Kat, while I hate to say this, I suspect she was kept due to diversity. The allegations about her sleeping around...meh. Not something I would personally do, but it’s her life. It’s happened before and it will happen again regardless of any anti-fraternization policy. It’s a misogynistic rule that fails to hold the players responsible for anything that happens and punishes women for being desirable. Maybe whoever she is allegedly sleeping with can get her some better wigs.

Sigh. The whole Hannah firing reeks! First, if Malia was so concerned she would have notified Sandy about the Valium at the same time she told Sandy about Hannah’s panic attack. Period. Second, it’s evident that Sandy planned on firing Hannah regardless, but she needed a “legitimate” reason. That’s why she kept harping on the Valium/anxiety and the “pot pen” without asking Hannah if it were perhaps a nicotine or CBD vape pen. Then she followed Hannah to her room pretending to be concerned that Hannah would flush the pills. Hannah was already being fired and Sandy had photo evidence of the pills. What would flushing have done? Nada. Then she follows Hannah to the dock expecting what? Hannah to beg for her job back? I’m sure the rules allow discretion in these situations so if Sandy wanted to keep Hannah she could have said “Okay. Let’s put the Valium in the medicine cabinet in my quarters. If you need it, I’ll dispense it. Regardless this rule seems like discrimination based on disability (mental illness/perceived mental illness). Like they’re saying you can take any medication while on duty, but the chief stew is literally always on duty. Bravo knew exactly what they were doing airing Season 2 all day yesterday. It reminded me of how terrible Malia actually is. She really stood there looking clueless while Hannah packed and then had the nerve to tell the deck crew to leave the drama with the interior??? The only real drama was caused by her! She’s at the center of it all. You could see on her face that she realized she messed up bring Tom on to work on the boat with her. For all Tom’s experience and having worked with Gordon Ramsay he sure did buckle under pressure quickly. Oh no! They want a cake! Oh no! There’s no oyster knife! Oh no! I messed up and there’s shell in the oysters and they didn’t like my poached lobster! Yes, those guests were gross and a little rude, but that’s not uncommon on a boat. Apologize and move along. Bugsy was just relaying the message and trying to help and he snapped on her.

When he was on the phone with Malia prior to arriving she mentioned Sandy wanted to meet him and he said something like “Well I obviously won’t be prepared to cook.” So that makes me think he didn’t have his stuff with him. He honestly seems pretty innocent in the whole situation aside from blowing off his sick uncle to stay on the boat. But with how Sandy was hyping him up, who would say no to the job?

I’m just baffled at how Malia picks and chooses when to do things by the book. On her last season, she stirred up drama by having relationships with both the chef and bosun. Where was her professionalism when she was doing that? Also, this whole “couples stay together” reasoning is BS. She didn’t say anything when Jess/Rob became a thing and no one seemed to take issue with them shacking up in each other’s rooms. Now that it’s her, it’s an issue? Why would anyone want to move all their crap to another room with only two weeks left in the season?

The whole cabin fiasco was super frustrating. I understand Malia wanting time room with her boyfriend and all, but why does that mean everyone has to rearrange their living spaces with two weeks left in the season? Where was the concern for couples rooming together before her boyfriend came? Seemed like everyone was perfectly okay with Rob and Jess sleeping in each other’s bunk. Notice how neither Rob nor Jess made a big deal out the situation. Then to make things about professionalism! Malia of all people? This is the woman who on her last season hooked up with the chef and her bosun and stirred up all sorts of drama. Did Malia confirm that she told Sandy because of the Valium or did she think the vape pen was pot? When I first saw the photo I figured it was because of the pen. Regardless, it was wrong of her to go through Hannah’s things and to seemingly tattle out of spite over the room situation. Bugsy is interesting. She hasn’t done anything to bother me this season and honestly I was on her side last season when she complained about Hannah slacking off. The obsession with accessorizing is giving me little girl playing dress up though. It’s a bit much. I agree that the editing is setting her up to be chief stew. She’s a hard worker and the guests always seem to like and appreciate her, so I think she deserves a shot especially with Hannah clearly not enjoying the job anymore.

Kat clearly isn’t skilled with wig selection and/or application. It’s an art and can be time consuming but there are tons of Youtubers who can walk you through a flawless, unclockable wig application. I don’t see why she doesn’t go with a lower maintenance style by getting a weave with a closure or frontal if she doesn’t want any of her natural hair out. MUCH lower maintenance and realistic looking than the typical wig. Plus, she wouldn’t have to worry about securing it. Perhaps this is all HER choice, but she needs to axe the blonde. There are blondes that don’t clash with darker skin tones, but the blonde she wears washes her out.

Sigh. This just shows that VK has always had a leg up on everyone, even from a young age. I'm probably what most would call a VK defender, but I think her village (her parents, mentors, other adults in her life...etc) has really failed her. I don't think she's a bad dancer and I think she is fine for the team, not the best and not the worst. But even I am starting to feel like they are trying to make fetch happen with her. If she just rode out her first year without being featured in articles and in special IG videos, people might have grown to like her and she would have the space to grow as a dancer on the team without the spotlight on her. She also just doesn't know when to shut her mouth. There's no reason to reveal that you got into things unfairly because of nepotism.

I agree. I can’t imagine the pressure of maintaining whatever magic number TPTB come up with and also feeling confident in the uniform. On top of that, maintaining perfection under the microscope of critical fans who look for the slightest hint of pudge or “flab”. I know it’s what they sign up for and this isn’t unique to cheerleading/DCC, but it still makes me a little sad for them.

I can see how it’s suspicious that a VK defender would show up now after having never posted at all. I guess the difference between past rumors and this one is this rumor is a bit more nefarious than lying about a medical condition. Saying someone lied is different, and arguably less deplorable, than accusing someone of theft (even of something as stupid as a cell phone case) so that might prompt someone to step in. I don’t want to believe that someone would be stupid enough to steal a phone case and show up to work the next day with it. Wouldn’t the person who was missing it ask? Why would TPTB turn a blind eye even if VK is the apparent crown jewel of then DCC? Seems like a terrible thing for overall morale. Also, VK certainly could afford to buy a phone case if she really coveted it that much. All the facts just aren’t entirely believable, but stranger things have happened. At the end of the day, true or not, obviously it isn’t impacting her life other than potentially being ostracized from a peer group or hurt feelings from the gossip of strangers on the internet.

Meredith IS beautiful and her eyes are striking, but she’s opens her mouth to speak and I’m completely turned off. It’s interesting she made it but not Briana from a few years ago who was also the apple of Kelli’s eye but just couldn’t get the DCC style down. Maybe Kelli feels that the overall look of the squad needed to be pulled up with a bombshell beauty even if she isn’t the best dancer. None of the ladies on the squad are unattractive, but there’s not as many with that wow factor in the looks department as in the past.

I guess I see less issue with VK than others in part because I just have learned that nepotism is a part of life but most of the time it’s effects aren’t shoved in our faces. I’d be upset if say, VK danced like Meredith and got on the team and SG, but that’s just not the case. At least she’s arguably beautiful and has some dance ability in the DCC style. Even if she isn’t the next coming of Holly or Jenna or another of the greats, she dances circles around Kat and Meredith. VK can’t help how many times she appears on the screen and CMT is obviously playing to the controversy by intentionally pushing her as one of the “stars” of this season. She also can’t control Kelli or Judy or what any of the judges say or do in her favor. If I had a kid and had what we are assuming to be TK’s power to get my kid ahead or enable them to achieve their dream AND they were at least moderately capable of doing whatever it was, I’d definitely do that. I don’t like or dislike VK, but it’s clear there are two sides to the debate and neither side is willing to budge. At the end of the day, VK being a cheerleader is virtually harmless in the grand scheme of things because I don’t see her has signaling a downturn for the DCC. I will agree that she appears to enjoy being the center of attention, hence her habit of being in the center of photos, but I don’t think that’s a crime/a character flaw. It at the very least gets her noticed whether the person noticing likes her or not.