Acromantula

Gorgeous shot of Miranda! Without spider lashes and such heavy makeup she is much more stunning (I think). I suspect even Kitty would approve of her hair as well. ;)

Agreed. My secret hope is that a whole bunch of guys try out and sit in completely different areas so that CMT HAS to film a least some of them. I would also love to hear Kelli and Judy explain their way out of accepting men on the team..."Sorry, we only believe in treating women as sex objects...I mean *cough* it's about image...and maybe at some point...not now...maybe in 2045" With guys on the team we wouldn't be treated to the supremely awkward chest enhancing shirt tying scenes curtesy of Kelli, but maybe she will branch out and figure out an adorable "crotch-enhancing" knot for their shorts!

They all look fantastic! Honestly, I don't know how Maddie can look so good and relatively toned in this pic and so out of shape in the one posted above. The DCC uniform really does show all.

Good point there. I was honestly curious because I just didn't see what everyone else is gushing about with Judy's looks, but she is definitely well-put-together and confident. She did have a very girl-next-door vibe in her younger days, and I would love it if she was a little more natural now and without all the facelifts/botox/whatever else is going on. Personal opinion, though, and she should do whatever makes her feel confident. On the plastic surgery note, however, what on EARTH is going on with Melissa Rycroft's face??? She was so beautiful in her Dancing with the Stars/DCC days, and now her face looks so different! All stretched and odd-looking with puffy lips. Melissa, leave your face alone, you were already gorgeous!! **Edit: Even last year, her face looked normal, so I think this must be a new thing.

I'm confused as to why ya'all think Judy is SO pretty? Even in her DCC days I thought she seemed old-looking and rather plain (sorry!). Now with all of her plastic surgery/botox, I feel she's aged herself even more. Her hair is lovely, but honestly way too long and bleached to oblivion. Kelli (boss) now, Kelli is one pretty lady and I think always will be. She's probably had plastic surgery too, but it hasn't changed her face into a mask (yet).

Meredith and her vocal fry need to Get Off My Screen. My guess is she'll make it part-way through TC and then they'll discover she's a massive pothead or something.

Someone upthread mentioned Lauren looking better with straight hair, and I have to agree!

I certainly hope they can opt out of this event, @mmm. I'm an animal lover too (and a vegetarian), and there's no way I would attend a rodeo. :( If I did have to cheer at one, I would come bearing protest signs in place of my pom poms!

I would have thought so too, but now I'm not sure. She's just not in DCC shape, and if there's one thing that will cut a legacy, it is that. On another note, on the auditions website there's a list of things you get to do/benefit from as a DCC. One of them is: "Receive extensive training in dance and vocal techniques" Do they actually teach them to sing as well?? Are we talking just for the "Santa Baby" video they put out at Christmas?

That sucks and I'm sorry your husband had to go through that. Workplace bullies are no joke and can make life really difficult. I cannot believe that Shannon never came back to that question! He asked them both, Lauren said she was returning, and then the conversation got side-tracked. I figured he would bring it back in the end, but he never did! That was the ONE THING we all wanted to hear from that podcast.

Ditto--I'm 28 now, and only got a job where I could afford to be a DCC when I was 27. But, like you, there's no way I could get the time off to attend Game Days, practices, appearances, special events and solo preparation time. And I'm not even married or have kids! So DCC should only be a rich girl's hobby? No poor people allowed? No, of course they're not. Because auditioning/dancing for the DCC is outside the realm of possibility for anyone below middle class. Let's be real here for a moment: being a DCC is a "privilege" only for the privileged and middle class. I'd honestly be surprised if any of these cheerleaders is supporting herself 100%. They are able to audition and cheer with the DCC because they have families/parents/husbands at home supporting them financially, at least in part. Am a millennial. Can confirm: Not all young people are lazy. However, us "young people" aren't stupid either. If you pay us crap wages, no benefits, and we are forced to work long hours, you better bet we're going to realize pretty quickly that this job isn't worth much effort. I wonder how the attitudes/work ethics of the young people at your husband's place of employment would change with higher pay and a feeling of greater value.

Since we're on the topic of what's going wrong with DCC... I wonder if a change in culture in general would help a lot. Several people mentioned above how there are so many strict rules, 6am calls for Game Day, scheduling the cheerleaders down to the second, etc. The show emphasizes it as well: you do not talk back, you do not voice any opinion except for "Yes Ma'am", you do not ask questions, you never miss a practice (even if you are ill), etc, etc. It's just so...old school. Maybe that kind of absolute respect and reverence for one's coaches/supervisors was seen as more normal back a few decades ago, but now? It's just...odd. I don't see the absolute obedience with olympic gymnasts and their coaches, or swimmers, or any athletes really. Heck, definitely not football players. They all tend to have a very close and respectful working relationship with their coaches, but no athlete becomes great by saying, "Yes Ma'am" and blindly following orders. Why don't the the cheerleaders get more of a say in their dancing? Why don't Kelli & Judy ask for input about the routines/the practices/the choreography? I guarantee it would only improve things--the one thing this team could really use is some innovation. You or your child are sick? It's legal and ethical to allow you a day off. You work a real full-time job with real demands like many 18-15 yr olds have to? Ok, let's talk and figure out how to make cheerleading work with your vocational aspirations. Why? Because the confident, well-rounded, well-spoken, educated women we say we are looking for tend to have real responsibilities, real lives, and real jobs, etc. It's like they are stuck in a time capsule, forever dancing Thunderstruck, and grinning unquestioningly. Like Kelli & Judy are afraid that if they relax the scheduling a notch or allow even one girl to speak up/ask questions soon they'll all be reciting bad poetry and going rogue a la Vivian or something. It's 2018 for God's sake! Get rid of the "Yes Ma'am-ing" and start treating these women like the adults they are. Maybe a few more would want to stay around.

Maybe they will start paying them more? So this part-time cheering gig becomes a bit more sustainable?

That seems a bit harsh. Have you met her in person?

This. Did anyone else feel that Kashara seemed a bit overwhelmed with all of her roles (Group Leader, Point, Pro Bowl) in the Podcast? She mentioned several times that her "head was not in the game" at moments, particularly at the start of Pro Bowl. She also talked about how at the last game of the season she was really looking forward to going home, etc. And when she revealed that she was re-auditioning this coming year, she mentioned just wanting to enjoy the experience/being in the locker room/game day, and not be so stressed out (as I felt it was implied she had been this year). Honestly, I could see her being a bit relieved if they were to give Point to someone else this year, and she got to just enjoy being a regular cheerleader and not the focal centre piece of everything.