S04.E07: Whitney Calls in Backup

[ClareWalks]

You know, re: the Crossfit competition...I am a certified personal trainer, American College of Sports Medicine (one of the most respected certifying bodies out there). I have been doing this for nearly a decade and am very comfortable in the gym surrounded by hard-bodied men. I have 5 marathons and many more halfs under my belt. I've decided to do my first Spartan race this summer, and Spartan and Crossfit go hand in hand. I am more nervous about being around (and participating in/competing against) the "cult of Crossfit" than I have been about anything else I've ever done, and I've done full marathons on NO training. I cannot imagine someone like Whitney waddling in (sorry, no other way to describe her unique gait) and feeling the Eyes Of Crossfit upon her.

Edited March 8, 2017 by ClareWalks

[polandspring]

5 hours ago, swankie said:

I always wonder why these people drink the Kool-Aid and agree to lower themselves to be part of this show.  I feel secondhand embarrassment for them all.  Are they really that desperate for money?  I know Whitney has no shame, but what's their excuse?  That girl was about as attracted to Whitney as Boo Bear is.  Did she just want to be on TV?  I'm at a loss!

Dear TLC:  Stop showing the fake weight on the scale after Whitney steps off of it.  We all know she weighs way more than 358 lbs.  Add an extra 100 to that and it would be more believable.  Just sayin.

I think she and Todd are both aspiring actors, so anything that gets them exposure is good, from a certain perspective.

Re: the weight.  Can anyone find a picture of someone who's roughly Whitney's height and 360 to compare?  I couldn't find one on mybodygallery.

1 hour ago, operalover said:

I'm also annoyed at Barbells for Boobs. Why is breast cancer the only cancer reduced to its body part and then using cutesy terms for it. How about a fundraiser for testicular cancer call Barbells for Nuts? Or prostate cancer called Barbells for Weeners? How about Save the Dicks! I'd like to find a bumper sticker that says Save the Balls... It's just one of my pet peeves. 

I get that.  I think the organizers are trying to take away the stigma and giggle factor by making it fun and embracing that it has to do with a sexualized body part.  It might be a good idea of the colon cancer folks did the same, come to think of it.  

[John M]

2 hours ago, AmyB said:

Jiya posted this to her instagram. She has been recieving a lot of hate over this fake battle. 

What is wrong with people? It makes me a little sad that Whit has obsessed fans that think Jiya's role on the show wasn't completely contrived by TLC. She is a character created by the staff of MBFFL, there is no reason to be angry at her for doing her acting job. It's like holding a personal grudge against Parker Posey over how mean she was to Leslie Knope.

 

1 hour ago, MegD said:

Wasn't that Mattie? Because I think she views Jenzi as a threat for her "role" as transsexual woman on the show. So she was bound and determined to make sure that she was the memorable performer in that scene. Or at least that was my cynical take on it. I definitely think, whether it's true or not, Twit thinks of Jenzi as a transsexual woman 

I'm sure you didn't intend it that way but just FYI a lot of trans people find the term transexual offensive and it is best to avoid it unless you know the feelings of the person you are referring to. The prefered terms are trans or transgender (And yes, transgender, you should avoid transgendered as well.)

I know it seems minor or a distinction without a difference but it really is incredibly offensive to a lot of trans people and given that conservatives have decided to target trans people having lost the battle over gay people I think it is really important to be extra sensitive to the community right now. 

Edited March 8, 2017 by John M

[Yajmele]

Quote

I am more nervous about being around (and participating in/competing against) the "cult of Crossfit" than I have been about anything else I've ever done, and I've done full marathons on NO training. I cannot imagine someone like Whitney waddling in (sorry, no other way to describe her unique gait) and feeling the Eyes Of Crossfit upon her.

I'm someone who was probably as heavy as Whitney's heaviest before I started on my own weight loss journey. I lost nearly 100lbs with adjusting my diet before gym shopping and I ended up giving CrossFit a try. Yeah, it's a bit culty, but as far as judgment goes, I've never been part of a more accepting and encouraging community.  For the record, I'm still obese.  Far and away from where I used to be, but still obese. 

That being said, with competing, they will be held to competition standards. There's not going to be any excuses of, "Oh, I can't squat that low because of my knee."  It's either you do the movements and achieve the range of motion outlined, or it's a no-rep.  You're not going to argue with a judge while there's a running clock on what you're doing, and it's bad form to do so. There are plenty of movements that are not a part of my skill set yet. If a competition comes along, and I can't do the moves, I don't sign up.  It's as simple as that. 

Whit seems quick to throw out justifications and mental gymnastics, which is why I had such a strong reaction to Will posing the competition scenario.  She is also someone whose confidence exceeds her ability. 

Quote

Re: the weight.  Can anyone find a picture of someone who's roughly Whitney's height and 360 to compare?  I couldn't find one on mybodygallery.

I will say, from direct personal experience, when you're that heavy, losing about 20-30 lbs isn't that noticeable - to oneself, or to others. The changes are VERY subtle, but things start getting noticeable when you lose a more significant amount - 50+ lbs at her weight.  It's the whole paper towel roll scenario:  you take off one sheet, you don't notice it. You take 10 sheets off the roll, you don't notice a difference. No one ever notices until it's around halfway or almost gone.  For the longest time, I felt like my scale was screwing with me because I didn't notice anything, but it just kinda hit me one day. So I'm willing to give the show a pass on this, but the jury is still out, as far as whether Whit is genuinely making progress. 

Edited March 8, 2017 by Yajmele

[Ocean Chick]

As usual, I'm late to the party and all you wonderful folk have already made my points.  And made them much better than I ever could.  Yes, Jiya should not have to put up with that crap, but really, did she not watch what happened to Kerryn last season?  If you're cast in the villain role, (stupid stan) people are going to believe that's really you.  And that spills over into your real life.  Welcome to "reality" tv, Miss Jiya.  And I'll bet Jenzi starts getting some hate emails as well.

And Boo Bear saying that the room smelled like "doody" when talking to Twit.  How much does anyone want to bet that the cats (the best part of this show) have been pooping in the corners again, because their litter box is filthy?  And Twit has been ignoring the poop on the floor?  The true definition of slut - a woman who can't be bothered to clean her house.

[TurtlePower]

11 hours ago, Dot said:

Now that you mention it ... Word. I guess TPTB decided to drop the lesbian plot arc,  maybe cuz Amanda looked to be in such pain as she said her lines.

I noticed this immediately. And fighting off laughter. 

[yogi2014L]

32 minutes ago, Yajmele said:

I'm someone who was probably as heavy as Whitney's heaviest before I started on my own weight loss journey. I lost nearly 100lbs with adjusting my diet before gym shopping and I ended up giving CrossFit a try. Yeah, it's a bit culty, but as far as judgment goes, I've never been part of a more accepting and encouraging community.  For the record, I'm still obese.  Far and away from where I used to be, but still obese. 

That being said, with competing, they will be held to competition standards. There's not going to be any excuses of, "Oh, I can't squat that low because of my knee."  It's either you do the movements and achieve the range of motion outlined, or it's a no-rep.  You're not going to argue with a judge while there's a running clock on what you're doing, and it's bad form to do so. There are plenty of movements that are not a part of my skill set yet. If a competition comes along, and I can't do the moves, I don't sign up.  It's as simple as that. 

Whit seems quick to throw out justifications and mental gymnastics, which is why I had such a strong reaction to Will posing the competition scenario.  She is also someone whose confidence exceeds her ability. 

I will say, from direct personal experience, when you're that heavy, losing about 20-30 lbs isn't that noticeable - to oneself, or to others. The changes are VERY subtle, but things start getting noticeable when you lose a more significant amount - 50+ lbs at her weight.  It's the whole paper towel roll scenario:  you take off one sheet, you don't notice it. You take 10 sheets off the roll, you don't notice a difference. No one ever notices until it's around halfway or almost gone.  For the longest time, I felt like my scale was screwing with me because I didn't notice anything, but it just kinda hit me one day. So I'm willing to give the show a pass on this, but the jury is still out, as far as whether Whit is genuinely making progress. 

1- congrats on your weightloss1 and 2- hi fellow crossfitter!!!! Crossfit is a very accepting community. 

I do crossfit 5X a week and omg there is no way Whitney can do almost any of the movement standards, even scaled. Plenty of overweight people can( and do ) crossfit but she is at a point in their morbid obesity where her mobility is severely impacted. She can't even tie her shoes I can't see her bending over to grab a barbell for any of the standard oly lifts ect.

For those of you who are wondering what a typical crossfit workout would look like , here is an example workout 

"annie"

50-40-30-20 and 10 rep rounds of:
Double-unders
Sit-ups

So you would do 50 double unders ( jump rope with the rope passing under your feet 2x) then 50 sit ups, then 40 ,40 ect. you go as fast as you can until you are done

People who are really good at crossfit can do this in 5 minutes or less. 

. to scale this ( make it easier) you could do 2x the amount of single unders ( regular jump rope) so it would be 100 jump rope, 50 sit ups

For Whitney, I don't even know if jumping would be a good idea but she would probably need like 50 single unders, maybe 25 sit ups, then 40/20, 30/15, 10/5, Even then I don't know if that would be possible. 

Edited March 8, 2017 by yogi2014L

[Kid]

I have been thinking about something. I know this is probably all scripted,  but  Whitney is always talking about being empowered. Yet, every time she is confronted by a bully she cannot stand up for herself. That "choreographer " was a bully. You can push people to do better without being abusive. And, in my opinion,  the " choreographer" was abusive. Yet, it was not Whitney, but Todd,  who spoke up.  Truth of the matter, I believe, is that Whitney is a scared,  insecure little girl and she cannot stand up to what she perceives as an authority figure. 

I did think that she looked better last night than she did last season. She looks a little smaller and she is definitely dressing better. The jeans and top she had on looked very nice.

If this show is a reflection of her real personality, that is what needs work and everything else will follow.

[TurtlePower]

21 minutes ago, Kid said:

I have been thinking about something. I know this is probably all scripted,  but  Whitney is always talking about being empowered. Yet, every time she is confronted by a bully she cannot stand up for herself. That "choreographer " was a bully. You can push people to do better without being abusive. And, in my opinion,  the " choreographer" was abusive. Yet, it was not Whitney, but Todd,  who spoke up.  Truth of the matter, I believe, is that Whitney is a scared,  insecure little girl and she cannot stand up to what she perceives as an authority figure. 

I did think that she looked better last night than she did last season. She looks a little smaller and she is definitely dressing better. The jeans and top she had on looked very nice.

If this show is a reflection of her real personality, that is what needs work and everything else will follow.

I didn't find the choreographer that bad given it was for competition, but Whit's whole group is oversensitive IMO. Maybe it's cause I got used to being yelled at by tactics instructors, so I let that kind of thing roll off and turn any angst into better concentration and performance. Can't run off crying in the middle of a fight. Edit: What's worse (to me) than an bullish instructor is a passive-aggressive one who talks down to students in a soft, whispery voice. I've had both and would rather be yelled at so we both know where we're at.

Anyways, I agree about Whit--she talks a big game and then for the most part, seems to back down during real confrontation (runs to Twitter where it's "safe"). But, she did let Kerryn have it last season and Kerryn was only calling her out. Kerryn: "For someone who says she's the happiest she's ever been, you sure cry A LOT." So, so true. 

I also have the feeling Whit might be a closet bully. As someone pointed out in another thread, hardly anyone ever stands up to her on the end of season shows and they always gang up on the "villain" of the season, even if the villain makes good points (Kerryn). 

Edited March 8, 2017 by Runnergirl

[John M]

19 minutes ago, Kid said:

I know this is probably all scripted,  but  Whitney is always talking about being empowered. Yet, every time she is confronted by a bully she cannot stand up for herself.

Whitney is all fake it until you make it except I think deep down inside she knows she is never going to make it.

That's really what this show is, Whit is incredibly obese but she is still fabulous, loves her body, is fit, is a professional dancer, is empowered, blah blah blah. Of course none of that is true, it's become abundantly clear that she is miserable in her own body and has a really unremarkable life for someone her age but the lady doth protest too much, methinks.

Whit is just collapsing under the weight of the facade, at this point we know it is all a lie, she is just a sad super morbidly obese woman who can't even get another super morbidly obese man to fall for her even though she thought he had no other options who can't dance, can't teach, can't bathe, can barely walk and with fake friends living in a house full of cat shit.

Sorry Whit, the truth is out, you are every stereotype about fat people you are trying to fight, you are lazy, disabled, unhealthy, addicted to food and you smell bad. You can say you are happy in your body and empowered and worried about your less enlightened girls all you want but we all know the truth, you are a fraud.

[MegD]

1 hour ago, John M said:

2 hours ago, MegD said:

Wasn't that Mattie? Because I think she views Jenzi as a threat for her "role" as transsexual woman on the show. So she was bound and determined to make sure that she was the memorable performer in that scene. Or at least that was my cynical take on it. I definitely think, whether it's true or not, Twit thinks of Jenzi as a transsexual woman 

I'm sure you didn't intend it that way but just FYI a lot of trans people find the term transexual offensive and it is best to avoid it unless you know the feelings of the person you are referring to. The prefered terms are trans or transgender (And yes, transgender, you should avoid transgendered as well.)

I know it seems minor or a distinction without a difference but it really is incredibly offensive to a lot of trans people and given that conservatives have decided to target trans people having lost the battle over gay people I think it is really important to be extra sensitive to the community right now. 

Thank you for the clarification. I was not trying to be offensive. I appreciate knowing when I put my foot in my mouth and get something wrong so I can correct myself the next time. That being said, I was not trying to say that Mattie is not actually trans, but rather that she views her character on the show to be Whitney's friend who happens to be trans. I got the impression that she viewed Jenzi, whether or not he (because it appears that most references on the internet refer to Jenzi as "he") is actually trans, as a threat to her character, so she had to make a scene with her attire and attendance so no one would forget her or let her be replaced by Whitney's new friend. I had classmates in high school that pulled stunts like that and Mattie's entirely too old to be behaving like that.

 

On a different topic, I think I loved Maney just a little more when he called out Whitney for playing the victim. I'd love to see him say it to her face because it's absolutely true. The poor Whitney story line is really old, but I think it's the basis for the show at this point.

[Ketzel]

1 hour ago, Kid said:

 And, in my opinion,  the " choreographer" was abusive.

In the context of what she does and what she was hired to do, I don't think she was.  She's a hardcore hip hop choreographer - none of her sample videos or videos of her teaching show her doing anything but hip hop choreography. She seems to choreograph back up dancers and video dancers as the major portion of her choreographic work, aside from her teaching.  In any event, the people she is choreographing for are (1) professionals or (2) aspiring professionals/dancers who have the background and ability to keep up with her classroom work.  When you are taking  class at that level, you don't pout when the teacher points a finger at you and says, "drop that butt lower, pink t-shirt." You drop the butt lower. And if you don't, or you don't do it enough, you don't  pout when she gets in your face and says, "I told you, drop that butt lower. Do it right now!" You do it.  It's in the culture of any dance class, and in the hip hop world, respect for the teacher is an even more pronounced norm.

From Jenzi's perspective, she was answering a 911 call from a  dancer with limited hip hop experience, who needed to get her troupe dance-battle-ready in two rehearsals.  She would be expecting, at the very least, that the troupe would be capable of picking up the steps of the routine. She'd also expect that, as a professional dancer and director of the troupe, Whitney herself would be capable of getting all the choreography in those two rehearsals solidly down. That way Whitney could continue to teach her troupe any little bits of the choreography they might need to polish after Jenzi left.  I sincerely doubt Jenzi was told the troupe was actually a random class of out-of-shape ladies and two guys who would need very very simple choreography and very very delicate handling, lest feelings get hurt. Or that the "leader" of the class was unable to dance non-stop for more than a few minutes and was unable to pick up and retain choreography very quickly.  Where would be the drama in that?

So Jenzi shows up and treats the BGDC like professionals. They immediately fall apart. Their leader immediately shows her inability to do the work necessary to keep the routine together. Jenzi gets pissed and  frustrated and lets it be known. (And Todd confronting her was a ludicrous moment. This man calls himself a pro? And he has the nerve to complain that telling people what they did wrong was not the way to teach a dance class? No wonder he doesn't seem to be going anywhere on the New York dance scene, if he only takes classes where no one tells him he's doing it wrong.)

Whitney feebly tries to explain that these dancers aren't really ready for the experience that SHE, ALL BY HERSELF, FORCED THEM INTO and that many of them will never get her routine, no matter how sternly Jenzi deals with them, because, well, they just can't. Jenzi looks at her like she's the idiot she is and points out that Whitney called her to get dance-battle-ready and if she isn't willing to do what it takes, including making cuts of the dancers who can't manage the routine or manage to get to the class on time, WTF is she doing wasting Jenzi's time?

IMO, Jenzi was the refreshing Voice of Reality that I had been hoping Will would be.   (Those sounds she was making as she demonstrated were to identify the move,  mark the movement rhythms and to keep the energy up. And yes, Whitney, if you had asked her what you were supposed to do on the "PAH-PAH!" or whatever, she would have been able to tell you, although she would have rolled her eyes at your having to ask.)

Edited March 8, 2017 by Ketzel

[Cherrio]

12 minutes ago, John M said:

Whitney is all fake it until you make it except I think deep down inside she knows she is never going to make it.

That's really what this show is, Whit is incredibly obese but she is still fabulous, loves her body, is fit, is a professional dancer, is empowered, blah blah blah. Of course none of that is true, it's become abundantly clear that she is miserable in her own body and has a really unremarkable life for someone her age but the lady doth protest too much, methinks.

Whit is just collapsing under the weight of the facade, at this point we know it is all a lie, she is just a sad super morbidly obese woman who can't even get another super morbidly obese man to fall for her even though she thought he had no other options who can't dance, can't teach, can't bathe, can barely walk and with fake friends living in a house full of cat shit.

Sorry Whit, the truth is out, you are every stereotype about fat people you are trying to fight, you are lazy, disabled, unhealthy, addicted to food and you smell bad. You can say you are happy in your body and empowered and worried about your less enlightened girls all you want but we all know the truth, you are a fraud.

Excellent post !     I would like to add to it and its also the reason why I will no longer hate watch another season.  I hope enough people do the same so she is off the air.   

The reason being is that she is no different than say an anorexic or drug addict sending a dangerous and deadly message that what she is doing and saying is healthy and positive.

I am especially concerned about young girls and women who are headed down the same path and instead of getting real help, think Whitney is a role model.   That is easier to do, especially when instead they need to face some hard truths and do some hard work. Our country does not seem to endorse honesty anymore. Blame, excuses and lies are embraced instead.

I wish a group of doctors and other professionals would band together along with the public and demand this show be cancelled.

[John M]

2 minutes ago, Ketzel said:

No wonder he doesn't seem to be going anywhere on the New York dance scene, if he only takes classes where no one tells him he's doing it wrong.)

I highly doubt Todd thinks he is a professional dancer, he really does not have the body of a NY professional level dancer nor has he demonstrated the skills so far on the show. Plus Whit referred to him as a professional server last episode.

As far as I can tell Whit nor Todd has portrayed themselves as trained or professional dancers, more hobbyists. Sure it's been implied, sometimes heavily to keep up the narrative of the show, a fat person dancing for fun isn't remarkable but it seems the only qualifications Whit has is a professional dancer is she has a fake dance class and TLC pays her to have it. 

[Hana Chan]

Anyone who's had any kind of high-level professional training would not be phased by Jenzi. Whitney brought in a professional choreographer who apparently thought that she was getting, at the very least, a class full of invested amateurs who would be willing to put in the work for their upcoming battle. She should have expected that Whitney, who swans about as a "pro" and leads this motley group to have prepared her class adequately, let them know what would be expected of them and to be the leader that they would fall in behind. Instead she finds a timid woman who whines about how she doesn't really want to do this battle (despite given multiple opportunities to call it off) and a group of "dancers" who are as unwilling to put themselves out as Whitney is. One shows up late for class, and one dresses like she's heading to the office and not looking to sweat her ass off. Jenzi traveled all the way to Greensboro for nothing.

I never studied dance professionally (with the intention of becoming a pro because I didn't have the body or the aptitude), but I've taken classes for most of my life (in ballet, jazz and Middle Eastern). In the weeks before a recital or other performance, we not only would be working our asses off in class, but we were expected to be practicing every day on our own. And if we didn't learn... well, at best you would be shuffled to the back where you wouldn't be seen much or at worst, cut completely. And Jenzi was an absolute pussycat compared to some teachers that I've had over the years. If you want to learn, you have to push yourself.

[okerry]

6 minutes ago, Cherrio said:

Excellent post !     I would like to add to it and its also the reason why I will no longer hate watch another season.  I hope enough people do the same so she is off the air.   

The reason being is that she is no different than say an anorexic or drug addict sending a dangerous and deadly message that what she is doing and saying is healthy and positive.

I am especially concerned about young girls and women who are headed down the same path and instead of getting real help, think Whitney is a role model.   That is easier to do, especially when instead they need to face some hard truths and do some hard work. Our country does not seem to endorse honesty anymore. Blame, excuses and lies are embraced instead.

I wish a group of doctors and other professionals would band together along with the public and demand this show be cancelled.

I know what you're saying and you're right, but I'd actually rather see this mess stay on the air for two reasons:

1) Censorship is bad, but mostly:

2) Without realizing it, Whit IS demonstrating every single week how awful her life really is and how damaging and unhealthy it really is to be so overweight. The program does what fiction writers call "Show, Don't Tell," which means you don't explain in so many words what's going on. You just demonstrate it through a character's actions and leave it at that.

TLC does this with a lot of its shows. The Duggars turned out to be a prime example. So did Sister Wives. Instead of those programs sending the message that huge families and/or multiple wives were wonderful things - as they *seemed* to be doing - TLC sat back and let the Duggars and the Browns clearly demonstrate that the downsides of their lifestyles far outweigh any benefits.

If you look at it that way, you could not have a better and more powerful role *anti-obesity* symbol than Whitney Thore. 

[3girlsforus]

1 hour ago, yogi2014L said:

1- congrats on your weightloss1 and 2- hi fellow crossfitter!!!! Crossfit is a very accepting community. 

I do crossfit 5X a week and omg there is no way Whitney can do almost any of the movement standards, even scaled. Plenty of overweight people can( and do ) crossfit but she is at a point in their morbid obesity where her mobility is severely impacted. She can't even tie her shoes I can't see her bending over to grab a barbell for any of the standard oly lifts ect.

For those of you who are wondering what a typical crossfit workout would look like , here is an example workout 

"annie"

50-40-30-20 and 10 rep rounds of:
Double-unders
Sit-ups

So you would do 50 double unders ( jump rope with the rope passing under your feet 2x) then 50 sit ups, then 40 ,40 ect. you go as fast as you can until you are done

People who are really good at crossfit can do this in 5 minutes or less. 

. to scale this ( make it easier) you could do 2x the amount of single unders ( regular jump rope) so it would be 100 jump rope, 50 sit ups

For Whitney, I don't even know if jumping would be a good idea but she would probably need like 50 single unders, maybe 25 sit ups, then 40/20, 30/15, 10/5, Even then I don't know if that would be possible. 

She would need a MUCH better bra!!!

[John M]

1 minute ago, okerry said:

I know what you're saying and you're right, but I'd actually rather see this mess stay on the air for two reasons:

1) Censorship is bad, but mostly:

2) Without realizing it, Whit IS demonstrating every single week how awful her life really is and how damaging and unhealthy it really is to be so overweight. The program does what fiction writers call "Show, Don't Tell," which means you don't explain in so many words what's going on. You just demonstrate it through a character's actions and leave it at that.

TLC does this with a lot of its shows. The Duggars turned out to be a prime example. So did Sister Wives. Instead of those programs sending the message that huge families and/or multiple wives were wonderful things - as they *seemed* to be doing - TLC sat back and let the Duggars and the Browns clearly demonstrate that the downsides of their lifestyles far outweigh any benefits.

If you look at it that way, you could not have a better and more powerful role *anti-obesity* symbol than Whitney Thore. 

Which is why it is so depressing that all of these people have so many devoted fans. How sad does your life have to be that you look up to Whit or aspire to have her life?

I assume most if not all of her fans are very unhappy obese young women with limited social lives because I can't see how anyone, even an obese person with a normal social life would find her life aspirational, it's really emotionally and physically stunted. 

[Hana Chan]

Did anyone catch the weight on the scale when Whitney weighed in? Because it looked to me like 353. If that's correct and Will's stating that she's lost around 25 pounds, that means that she would have been pushing 380! Not the 360 that she's claimed to be.

I realize that twenty pounds at her size is small potatoes, but it's just another example of the show's dishonesty.

[TurtlePower]

2 hours ago, ClareWalks said:

You know, re: the Crossfit competition...I am a certified personal trainer, American College of Sports Medicine (one of the most respected certifying bodies out there). I have been doing this for nearly a decade and am very comfortable in the gym surrounded by hard-bodied men. I have 5 marathons and many more halfs under my belt. I've decided to do my first Spartan race this summer, and Spartan and Crossfit go hand in hand. I am more nervous about being around (and participating in/competing against) the "cult of Crossfit" than I have been about anything else I've ever done, and I've done full marathons on NO training. I cannot imagine someone like Whitney waddling in (sorry, no other way to describe her unique gait) and feeling the Eyes Of Crossfit upon her.

Dude. That's amazing--at my peak I was considered sub-elite and there's no way I could have done a full on no training.  Halfs, sure but no way a full (and nowadays I struggle to do halfs thanks to aging/injuries). Wish I'd have had that gift but I had to work my tail off for long races and watch for stress fractures at the same time. 

[ClareWalks]

Just now, Runnergirl said:

Dude. That's amazing--at my peak I was considered sub-elite and there's no way I could have done a full on no training.  Halfs, sure but no way a full (and nowadays I struggle to do halfs thanks to aging/injuries). Wish I'd have had that gift but I had to work my tail off for long races and watch for stress fractures at the same time. 

LOL, it was a huge disaster and I only did it because I was a stubborn ass, plus I was walking so that's not as bad. I finished, but in over 7 hours and with huge blisters ;) See, Whitney's version of "competitive" is very off-putting to me. She should be more competitive with herself, to be the best version of her that she can be. To prove to herself that she can do anything. Instead she just wants to be better at athletic things than her obese alcoholic roommate.

[AmyB]

15 minutes ago, 3girlsforus said:

She would need a MUCH better bra!!!

Yes!! Someone asked on one of her fb live things and she said she got them from walmart. So Twit is wearing a very flimmsy poorly constructed bra from walmart. 

[Cherrio]

23 minutes ago, 3girlsforus said:

She would need a MUCH better bra!!!

This reminds me of "I think we need a bigger boat"     

[AmyB]

33 minutes ago, Hana Chan said:

Did anyone catch the weight on the scale when Whitney weighed in? Because it looked to me like 353. If that's correct and Will's stating that she's lost around 25 pounds, that means that she would have been pushing 380! Not the 360 that she's claimed to be.

I realize that twenty pounds at her size is small potatoes, but it's just another example of the show's dishonesty.

I thought it was 358.8. I still doubt she gets under 350. And i wanna know how heavy that medicine ball was. We have a 12 and 15 lb and i use it regularly and and no way could I do almost 100 of those at one time, my arms would be mush. We do alot of partner ball toss and situps in boxing (and the dropping on abs). And I think the most have been 25. If Twit was regularly doing those and "stength" training you would see some arm definition at least forming but I definitely don't see that on her.

correction: 358.4 is what was on the scale. 

Edited March 8, 2017 by AmyB

[Hana Chan]

17 minutes ago, ClareWalks said:

She should be more competitive with herself, to be the best version of her that she can be. To prove to herself that she can do anything. Instead she just wants to be better at athletic things than her obese alcoholic roommate.

You've got two obese people, one of which can do very limited exercises and the other who hasn't done any real physical activity in longer than he can remember and putting them in competition with one another is just plain silly. Buddy needs to be motivated, but having to deal with Whitless rubbing it in his face that she's in (marginally) better shape than him is a pretty poor way to do it.

My trainer always told me to focus on what I was doing and not what the hard bodies were. Not just having Buddy in "competition" with Whiney but then being asked to take part in a crossfit contest is just setting him up to fail.

1 minute ago, AmyB said:

If Twit was regularly doing those and "stength" training you would see some arm definition at least forming but I definitely don't see that on her.

Well, that would require her to actually be doing these activities on a regular basis. I'll bet my right asscheek that the only time she steps foot in that gym is for filming.

[Ketzel]

53 minutes ago, John M said:

I highly doubt Todd thinks he is a professional dancer, he really does not have the body of a NY professional level dancer nor has he demonstrated the skills so far on the show. Plus Whit referred to him as a professional server last episode.

As far as I can tell Whit nor Todd has portrayed themselves as trained or professional dancers, more hobbyists. Sure it's been implied, sometimes heavily to keep up the narrative of the show, a fat person dancing for fun isn't remarkable but it seems the only qualifications Whit has is a professional dancer is she has a fake dance class and TLC pays her to have it. 

Not just implied. Whitney talks repeatedly about how she was a dancer until PCOS shut her down (by forcing her to gain weight, get depressed and stop attending her dance classes in college.) Now she keeps referring (un-ironically) to her "dance career." She made a teaching video.  She's been paid to do "choreography" for a wedding. She made those raunchy videos with Fitty Smallz (in which Todd also appeared, at least in the 'Gluteus Maximus' one. )Before the show, she charged money for attending the BGDC.  She performed  and accepted an award for being a dance "inspiration" from the Sarasota Museum of Dance. (Okay, that one was a fake for the show, but still.) And she refers to Todd as her "eternal partner."  I think she does think of herself, however delusionally,  as a professional dancer.

I'll give you Todd,  at least as far what he has said on the show. Unlike Whitney, he doesn't seem overly invested in a non-existent "dance career." Although I do believe he went to New York City to break into musical theatre, and I would  expect that he must have been exposed to some level of professional dance training while there. 

Edited March 8, 2017 by Ketzel

[AZChristian]

17 minutes ago, AmyB said:

Yes!! Someone asked on one of her fb live things and she said she got them from walmart. So Twit is wearing a very flimmsy poorly constructed bra from walmart. 

She said there that she can wear the cheaper bras because her boobs aren't very big or heavy . . . Not a direct quote, but she really said that.

[AmyB]

3 minutes ago, AZChristian said:

She said there that she can wear the cheaper bras because her boobs aren't very big or heavy . . . Not a direct quote, but she really said that.

Yea she said something along those lines. I am like um no those bras give no support whatsover! Maybe if you are an a cup or maybe even b cup but she is way way passed those and her girls constanrly slide out under the walmart bras. My boobs are probably half her size and I am a full d cup and I have very very supportive under armor bras. 

[Hana Chan]

6 minutes ago, AZChristian said:

She said there that she can wear the cheaper bras because her boobs aren't very big or heavy . . . Not a direct quote, but she really said that.

Her tits are flopping about like two potatoes in a sack. No one here needs to see that.

She needs a proper bra. Gravity is no girl's friend and if you are over an A cup, then a really good bra is vital. Especially if you're going to bounce around the way she does. I'm a full C/comfortable D (depending on the bra style) and I just can't go without good support. My sports bras really do a good job holding me in so that I can actually run without things getting out of hand. 

[Yajmele]

Quote

I thought it was 358.8. I still doubt she gets under 350. And i wanna know how heavy that medicine ball was. We have a 12 and 15 lb and i use it regularly and and no way could I do almost 100 of those at one time, my arms would be mush. We do alot of partner ball toss and situps in boxing (and the dropping on abs). And I think the most have been 25. If Twit was regularly doing those and "stength" training you would see some arm definition at least forming but I definitely don't see that on her.

I'm pretty sure Whit was using an 8lb ball and Buddy was using a 10lb one. Definitely not getting breaking parallel on the squat portion of the wallballs, regardless of the weight  

Quote

My trainer always told me to focus on what I was doing and not what the hard bodies were. Not just having Buddy in "competition" with Whiney but then being asked to take part in a crossfit contest is just setting him up to fail.

You've got two obese people, one of which can do very limited exercises and the other who hasn't done any real physical activity in longer than he can remember and putting them in competition with one another is just plain silly. Buddy needs to be motivated, but having to deal with Whitless rubbing it in his face that she's in (marginally) better shape than him is a pretty poor way to do it

Actually, I think Will may have been angling for them to do a partnered competition.

Edited March 8, 2017 by Yajmele

[auntjess]

10 hours ago, Cherpumple said:

Ugh, this show. Could someone please explain to me how Whitney has her "plate full" with the dance battle, when she's not even creating the choreography herself, nor doing anything else to prepare other than staring blankly at a pair of sticks and trying not to drop them?

Was she ever gainfully employed in this country, or only when she taught in Korea?  I assume there's family money, but why pretend she's doing something productive.
We know she doesn't even take time to keep the litter boxes clean.
And her cats are beautiful, but I don't think she's responsible enough, because she almost let one get away.

[AmyB]

4 minutes ago, auntjess said:

Was she ever gainfully employed in this country, or only when she taught in Korea?  I assume there's family money, but why pretend she's doing something productive.
We know she doesn't even take time to keep the litter boxes clean.
And her cats are beautiful, but I don't think she's responsible enough, because she almost let one get away.

The only thing I know for sure she was doing other than "working out" with will and this fake dance battle stuff was she was making appearances at the southern women expo (8-28 was the one in charlotte, 9-16 was orlando and 10-3 was Birmingham)

[John M]

42 minutes ago, Ketzel said:

Not just implied. Whitney talks repeatedly about how she was a dancer until PCOS shut her down (by forcing her to gain weight, get depressed and stop attending her dance classes in college.) Now she keeps referring (un-ironically) to her "dance career." She made a teaching video.  She's been paid to do "choreography" for a wedding. She made those raunchy videos with Fitty Smallz (in which Todd also appeared, at least in the 'Gluteus Maximus' one. )Before the show, she charged money for attending the BGDC.  She performed  and accepted an award for being a dance "inspiration" from the Sarasota Museum of Dance. (Okay, that one was a fake for the show, but still.) And she refers to Todd as her "eternal partner."  I think she does think of herself, however delusionally,  as a professional dancer.

Taking dance classes in college does not mean you are a trained or professional dancer, most colleges offer arts classes for people not pursuing careers in the arts, it is not unusual at all for a college student to take some or even a lot of dancing/painting/music/pottery classes that are not advanced and not really meant for someone pursuing it as a career. Yes, taking dancing classes implies that she was pursuing it as a career because many professional dancers do in fact get formal training in college to pursue dance careers but I am 99% sure that she was taking them for fun and not as an educational path.

As for now, yes, she is a professional dancer. People (TLC) pay her to dance, that by definition makes her a professional dancer, it however does not mean she is any more trained , skilled or qualified  than Krystal at Boobalishious having singles stuffed down her panties who is also a professional dancer.

Edited March 8, 2017 by John M

[sATL]

41 minutes ago, Hana Chan said:

Anyone who's had any kind of high-level professional training would not be phased by Jenzi. Whitney brought in a professional choreographer who apparently thought that she was getting, at the very least, a class full of invested amateurs who would be willing to put in the work for their upcoming battle. She should have expected that Whitney, who swans about as a "pro" and leads this motley group to have prepared her class adequately, let them know what would be expected of them and to be the leader that they would fall in behind. Instead she finds a timid woman who whines about how she doesn't really want to do this battle (despite given multiple opportunities to call it off) and a group of "dancers" who are as unwilling to put themselves out as Whitney is. One shows up late for class, and one dresses like she's heading to the office and not looking to sweat her ass off. Jenzi traveled all the way to Greensboro for nothing.

I never studied dance professionally (with the intention of becoming a pro because I didn't have the body or the aptitude), but I've taken classes for most of my life (in ballet, jazz and Middle Eastern). In the weeks before a recital or other performance, we not only would be working our asses off in class, but we were expected to be practicing every day on our own. And if we didn't learn... well, at best you would be shuffled to the back where you wouldn't be seen much or at worst, cut completely. And Jenzi was an absolute pussycat compared to some teachers that I've had over the years. If you want to learn, you have to push yourself.

Yes !!! Excellent point.  I didn't see the effort on a couple of the class . Mainly b/c some were just over-dressed. How on earth can you do a dance class wearing sweaters and long sleeve jersey ? After the 1st- 8 count, I would have been shedding the 1st layer clothes. And I need to say this, sorry, some members do need to invest in a good supportive sports bra.

Training starts long before professional. For example, sports. Any sport. How many times does one need to tell a 10+ (i.e. passed beginning/starting league) how to throw the ball in (to the pitcher) to stop the play. How many times do you tell a little one playing pop warner football not to run before the ball is snapped. How many times do you need to tell a b-ball player you have to dribble the ball when you run down-court. A high school (varsity, JV and the freshmen team) is going to be very "short" if she/he has to keep repeating basic information.

Everyone Whit's class is last night was definitely over the age of 18. Most looked over the age of 28 and a few might have been knocking on the door of 38. How many times, should someone have to tell you how/what to do, when you know there is limited time?

[ClareWalks]

I love how appalled Whitney was at the idea of partnering with Buddy. "You know, Will, if it's a competition, I want to WIN." If I were Will, I would have just started laughing. And never stopped. The gall of this bitch, to think that she is such a magnificent physical specimen that doing a Crossfit competition with her friend is the ONLY thing that would bring her down to unwinnable levels. I know I talked a bit of shit about Crossfit being a cult or whatever, but I will give it to them, you gotta be in SHAPE to do that shit. Otherwise you could damn near kill yourself. I've seen the Crossfit competitions on TV, and the women are so fit they look like dudes from a distance. Not hating, that is a compliment. Imagine Whitney doing even ONE of the moves at those competitions. If she could do one proper rep of ANY of those moves, I will eat my hat.

[Lesia]

Whitney showed what an incompetent dancer she really is.  If I understood correctly, she was going to do the 8 count first, alone, then the others come in and they do it together.  She couldn't do it!  and, she was exhausted!  soft...

Jenzi was intense, but you know what, some choreographers are like that, and they demand excellence.  do you know how hard ballerinas work??  Whitney has given herself the label of 'dancer", live up to it.

[Yajmele]

Quote

 love how appalled Whitney was at the idea of partnering with Buddy. "You know, Will, if it's a competition, I want to WIN." If I were Will, I would have just started laughing. And never stopped. The gall of this bitch, to think that she is such a magnificent physical specimen that doing a Crossfit competition with her friend is the ONLY thing that would bring her down to unwinnable levels. I know I talked a bit of shit about Crossfit being a cult or whatever, but I will give it to them, you gotta be in SHAPE to do that shit. Otherwise you could damn near kill yourself. I've seen the Crossfit competitions on TV, and the women are so fit they look like dudes from a distance. Not hating, that is a compliment. Imagine Whitney doing even ONE of the moves at those competitions. If she could do one proper rep of ANY of those moves, I will eat my hat.

Yeah, this is exactly my issue with her:  confidence greatly exceeds her actual ability.  No lie, I puked my first time in a CrossFit class after the warm-up.  I was coming from absolute rock bottom, fitness-wise. It took me weeks to get through normal workouts without feeling like I was going to die, and the movements were very heavily scaled/modified.

It takes a lot of guidance and work to get to where you can test yourself, and with not being very active, it takes a while to really get a gauge on what you can do/can't do/shouldn't do.  

Whit would either be the type who would talk a lot of smack about what she can do, and then punk out when asked to pony up.  Or she would be the type to disregard any safety and hurt herself (which already gives the activity a bad name).  She's already shown a complete lack of self-awareness without any physical activity being involved.

[sATL]

10 minutes ago, Lesia said:

Whitney showed what an incompetent dancer she really is.  If I understood correctly, she was going to do the 8 count first, alone, then the others come in and they do it together.  She couldn't do it!  and, she was exhausted!  soft...

Jenzi was intense, but you know what, some choreographers are like that, and they demand excellence.  do you know how hard ballerinas work??  Whitney has given herself the label of 'dancer", live up to it.

Yes. Whit as lead, captain, etc. she will dance first, when it is her team turn. Then the team will follow with the same dance. It is kinda like calling a play .

[operalover]

4 hours ago, polandspring said:

I think she and Todd are both aspiring actors, so anything that gets them exposure is good, from a certain perspective.

Re: the weight.  Can anyone find a picture of someone who's roughly Whitney's height and 360 to compare?  I couldn't find one on mybodygallery.

I get that.  I think the organizers are trying to take away the stigma and giggle factor by making it fun and embracing that it has to do with a sexualized body part.  It might be a good idea of the colon cancer folks did the same, come to think of it.  

I disagree 1000% - it's offensive. There is nothing funny about breast cancer. This is way off topic, I am aware and sorry to the mods but my blood boils over this. The following is from a woman with breast cancer- I'll quote her because I feel the same way. They would never have a fundraiser for colon cancer and everyone wears white tighties in support of men with colon cancer.

When I see SAVE THE TATAS, my stomach hurts. When breast cancer is reduced to “boobies” and “hooters” and sexualized Facebook games, I want to shout STOP IT. Just please stop it.

When I was deciding whether to undergo a preventative double mastectomy, I did not spend time soul-searching about my tatas. My sister, my dad, my umpteen friends did not carefully consider and select treatment options for their boobies. Women do not sit their children down for a discussion of chemotherapy for their hooters. Whether we mean it or not, trivializing these struggles is offensive.

The intentions are good, I know, but there is a point where awareness efforts become so common that they lose all meaning. We are so “aware” of breast cancer and its pink ribbon that we are not really aware at all.

You might be saying, “Aw, Becca, chill out. Humor makes everything better.” You know I agree with that. But guys, there is a line between humor and minimizing breast cancer patients into a junior high school joke. And I think we’ve crossed that line.

SincerelyBecca.com

 also used to think campaigns that focused on breasts were cute and fine. “Save the Tatas” made me giggle. They don’t make me giggle anymore.

There are survivors living with conditions and scars (both physically and emotionally) that remind them daily of the cancer that haunted their bodies and minds, that continue to haunt them with every check-up at the oncologist’s office or every daily morning prevention pill. Focusing on breasts and breasts alone obscures the reality and the faces of the people who are at the center of the fight against breast cancer. It reminds the survivors who either don’t have their breasts or have scars across the breasts they do have that they are now not as wholly feminine as they once were (and they never will be). They may have beaten the cancer but they lost their breasts, the things everyone seems to actually care about.

And for those who don’t survive their cancer, well, I think they, more than any other group, show how silly a focus on breasts/titties/tatas/jugs is.

[Plus, this bothers me also for the simple reason that since this is a cancer that mainly strikes women, it has to be about the body part, a body part that is so hyper-sexualized in our society that breastfeeding a child is a salacious public act. Oh, what would the menz do without the boobies to look at, fondle, and drool over? Save those tatas, ladies!]

Edited March 8, 2017 by operalover

[Barb23]

1 hour ago, sATL said:

Yes. Whit as lead, captain, etc. she will dance first, when it is her team turn. Then the team will follow with the same dance. It is kinda like calling a play .

How does this battle work & how is it scored? What happens if one of the team messes up?  Do you get points taken off or is that person made to stop dancing?  I think the radio guys were going to get the judges. Will be interesting to see who they are & what dance experience they have. Hope all this is explained next week.  Little ironic that Jiya's group shows up with some sort of sticks too. 

 

4 hours ago, Ocean Chick said:

 

And Boo Bear saying that the room smelled like "doody" when talking to Twit.  How much does anyone want to bet that the cats (the best part of this show) have been pooping in the corners again, because their litter box is filthy?  And Twit has been ignoring the poop on the floor?  The true definition of slut - a woman who can't be bothered to clean her house.

It's funny she doesn't seem to notice these smells til someone brings them to her attention. This brings me to a question.  Who does the lawn mowing & other yard care on Whit's house?  It looks like a good size lot from the pictures they show.  It would be great exercise for both Whit & Buddy but once again since we don't see them doing it (& complaining) I'm betting she has a lawn service. 

Edited March 8, 2017 by Barb23

[TurtlePower]

1 hour ago, ClareWalks said:

I love how appalled Whitney was at the idea of partnering with Buddy. "You know, Will, if it's a competition, I want to WIN." If I were Will, I would have just started laughing. And never stopped. The gall of this bitch, to think that she is such a magnificent physical specimen that doing a Crossfit competition with her friend is the ONLY thing that would bring her down to unwinnable levels. I know I talked a bit of shit about Crossfit being a cult or whatever, but I will give it to them, you gotta be in SHAPE to do that shit. Otherwise you could damn near kill yourself. I've seen the Crossfit competitions on TV, and the women are so fit they look like dudes from a distance. Not hating, that is a compliment. Imagine Whitney doing even ONE of the moves at those competitions. If she could do one proper rep of ANY of those moves, I will eat my hat.

OMG. THIS. That's all she ever talks about when she's in a "competition" is WINNING, even if she's never done said competition before!! Seriously delusional. This thing is for charity Whit, not for YOU it's not all about YOU! 

I've been a competitive athlete since age 11 mostly as an endurance athlete but have also done fitness competitions. When you spend weeks watching your diet, logging hours in the gym and tanning salon and someone like Whit comes along--"I want to WIN"--we all just laugh. I'm all about supporting newbies, I was one myself, but most newbies aren't that delusional. 

[ClareWalks]

17 minutes ago, Runnergirl said:

OMG. THIS. That's all she ever talks about when she's in a "competition" is WINNING, even if she's never done said competition before!! Seriously delusional. This thing is for charity Whit, not for YOU it's not all about YOU! 

I've been a competitive athlete since age 11 mostly as an endurance athlete but have also done fitness competitions. When you spend weeks watching your diet, logging hours in the gym and tanning salon and someone like Whit comes along--"I want to WIN"--we all just laugh. I'm all about supporting newbies, I was one myself, but most newbies aren't that delusional. 

Amen, my friend. I switched to walking because I have hyperflexible feet and couldn't run (turns out your feet can be TOO flexible, and have no stability whatsoever, and cause constant shin splints). There are a few races with "competitive walking divisions," but I didn't even THINK about entering them until the last year. I managed to win my age group in a half marathon last fall (walking division) and was THRILLED. I wouldn't have come close to winning the whole walking division unless I was in tip-top shape (like 11-minute miles fast). And I've been walking for years. Whitney thinks she can just waddle into any ol' place and win the whole fuckin' thing. The entitlement is astonishing.

[Dot]

6 hours ago, Kid said:

I thought so!!! It was the constant hair tossing and total lack of concern about the boobage almost being exposed.  

Do you think Twit knows?

[Hana Chan]

Whitney's endless complaints about the dance battle are now officially on my last nerve. She's blaming everyone except for her own idiot self for getting her into this, and she doesn't have the balls to say "You know what? This just isn't right for my group. Trophy Wives are great, and so are the Big Girls. Let's just each do our own thing. Peace out!" 

No, instead we are treated to endless tirades about how stressed she is and that she doesn't have the time for this and it's the radio team's fault for getting her into this. 

Roy does look like he's lost a good chunk of weight. At least 380 pounds that's no longer clinging to his back. *rimshot*

[goodbyeglittergirl]

Just now, Hana Chan said:

Whitney's endless complaints about the dance battle are now officially on my last nerve. She's blaming everyone except for her own idiot self for getting her into this, and she doesn't have the balls to say "You know what? This just isn't right for my group. Trophy Wives are great, and so are the Big Girls. Let's just each do our own thing. Peace out!" 

Totally true. And likewise, when Jenzi started hollering at the BGDC girls (which she probably felt was what she was being brought in to do - whip them into shape for this battle) it's Whitney's job to say, "Nope, that's not how we do things." At the very least, she should have said "OK BGDC, if you're going to battle we have to get really serious for a minute and let Jenzi get us ramped up - if you are not into that, it's totally okay for you to back out of this performance." These girls are not there with aspirations of being awesome, technical, competitive dancers.

Re: the restaurant, it was Mac's Speed Shop - the chain has a shop in Greensboro. And I don't blame Jenzi for the disappointment - I am not a fan. Except you notice they did not get her opinion of the banana pudding - because no one in their right mind would say it's bad. It's delish. I was surprised they didn't take her to a real local BBQ place as there are zillions of awesome ones in Greensboro, but most are VERY mom-and-pop at best and old south-ish at worst so I wondered if maybe they wouldn't allow filming. 

[sATL]

1 hour ago, Barb23 said:

How does this battle work & how is it scored? What happens if one of the team messes up?  Do you get points taken off or is that person made to stop dancing?  I think the radio guys were going to get the judges. Will be interesting to see who they are & what dance experience they have. Hope all this is explained next week.  Little ironic that Jiya's group shows up with some sort of sticks too. 

If you make a mistake, like forget to do something, you keep going & get back on track ASAP. Never let the audience know you messed up and don't stop with a look of horror on your face. I've been to a couple of battles (HS level) and I follow a couple of dance shows, one of which does stand battles weekly. In my high school ages-ages ago, our drill team was also like a dance team. The rules/requirements are given to all prior - like one stand must use a prop, one stand must have acro, stands cannot be longer than x-seconds, etc. And if your going to move around, the dancers should have clean lines - like be in formations like the band does on the football field. For example, when the DCC moves in/out of their star formation, everyone is in a line & equal spacing from one another. As I heard one of my offspring describe band formations "it looks like a missing tooth if someone is not where they are supposed to be".  The judges should have a dance background, as the steps movements are some form of a dance or dance-step, but having a celebrity would also work b/c the biggest factor is entertainment - is the group "fun" to watch. And yes, there is room for subjectivity.

Side note: Add HS/college marching band directors to the list who are very "stern" as to what they want the group to do. They are only going to say where to be when, so many times and they don't want to be embarrassed during half-time.  If a poor student can't do it, well.....

Here's some doco I found on a stand battle: "The stand battle works like a single elimination bracket tournament. The teams draw numbers and are randomly paired together. Each pair take turns trying to out dance each other. The teams go back and forth until the judges determine that one team wins. This is the most intense of all the categories because while the dance sequences are choreographed, when they are used is decided on the fly. The Captain must decide when to use what sequence based on the opposing team's sequence."

Whit = captain, based upon what Jenzi said.

Edited March 8, 2017 by sATL

[Natalie68]

7 hours ago, operalover said:

I'm also annoyed at Barbells for Boobs. Why is breast cancer the only cancer reduced to its body part and then using cutesy terms for it. How about a fundraiser for testicular cancer call Barbells for Nuts? Or prostate cancer called Barbells for Weeners? How about Save the Dicks! I'd like to find a bumper sticker that says Save the Balls... It's just one of my pet peeves. 

I am partial to this one.  HA!  This all made me laugh.

[polandspring]

2 hours ago, John M said:

Taking dance classes in college does not mean you are a trained or professional dancer, most colleges offer arts classes for people not pursuing careers in the arts, it is not unusual at all for a college student to take some or even a lot of dancing/painting/music/pottery classes that are not advanced and not really meant for someone pursuing it as a career. Yes, taking dancing classes implies that she was pursuing it as a career because many professional dancers do in fact get formal training in college to pursue dance careers but I am 99% sure that she was taking them for fun and not as an educational path.

As for now, yes, she is a professional dancer. People (TLC) pay her to dance, that by definition makes her a professional dancer, it however does not mean she is any more trained , skilled or qualified  than Krystal at Boobalishious having singles stuffed down her panties who is also a professional dancer.

I bet Krystal at Boobalishious is in great shape and can do all kinds of crazy moves because she's actually strong and a good dancer!

1 hour ago, operalover said:

I disagree 1000% - it's offensive. There is nothing funny about breast cancer. This is way off topic, I am aware and sorry to the mods but my blood boils over this. The following is from a woman with breast cancer- I'll quote her because I feel the same way. They would never have a fundraiser for colon cancer and everyone wears white tighties in support of men with colon cancer.

When I see SAVE THE TATAS, my stomach hurts. When breast cancer is reduced to “boobies” and “hooters” and sexualized Facebook games, I want to shout STOP IT. Just please stop it.

When I was deciding whether to undergo a preventative double mastectomy, I did not spend time soul-searching about my tatas. My sister, my dad, my umpteen friends did not carefully consider and select treatment options for their boobies. Women do not sit their children down for a discussion of chemotherapy for their hooters. Whether we mean it or not, trivializing these struggles is offensive.

The intentions are good, I know, but there is a point where awareness efforts become so common that they lose all meaning. We are so “aware” of breast cancer and its pink ribbon that we are not really aware at all.

You might be saying, “Aw, Becca, chill out. Humor makes everything better.” You know I agree with that. But guys, there is a line between humor and minimizing breast cancer patients into a junior high school joke. And I think we’ve crossed that line.

SincerelyBecca.com

 also used to think campaigns that focused on breasts were cute and fine. “Save the Tatas” made me giggle. They don’t make me giggle anymore.

There are survivors living with conditions and scars (both physically and emotionally) that remind them daily of the cancer that haunted their bodies and minds, that continue to haunt them with every check-up at the oncologist’s office or every daily morning prevention pill. Focusing on breasts and breasts alone obscures the reality and the faces of the people who are at the center of the fight against breast cancer. It reminds the survivors who either don’t have their breasts or have scars across the breasts they do have that they are now not as wholly feminine as they once were (and they never will be). They may have beaten the cancer but they lost their breasts, the things everyone seems to actually care about.

And for those who don’t survive their cancer, well, I think they, more than any other group, show how silly a focus on breasts/titties/tatas/jugs is.

[Plus, this bothers me also for the simple reason that since this is a cancer that mainly strikes women, it has to be about the body part, a body part that is so hyper-sexualized in our society that breastfeeding a child is a salacious public act. Oh, what would the menz do without the boobies to look at, fondle, and drool over? Save those tatas, ladies!]

OperaLover, those are very good points.

[gonecrackers]

I haven't seen it yet, but it sounds like she is being very protective over her class, not wanting them to be treated harshly by the dance instructor. But if she truly had her 'class' & their emotional health in mind she shouldn't have agreed to this for them, without consulting them, especially after she experienced their competition personally. She is acting protective, but she really betrayed them first.

If I went to any class specifically meant for all sizes, types, for acceptance & fun, where, twice I believe now, she's said to them upon arrival - I didn't tell you this because I thought you might not show up - or something to that affect, I would not trust that instructor to be holding true to the nature of the class, & that would be the end of that class for me.

Even though this is all for the show, & the just for filming 'class' is in on it, she looks really bad in terms of how much she really cares for her their well-being. I guess her fans won't put that together though.

[lovetheduns]

14 hours ago, Cherpumple said:

This episode really made the teacher in me angry. I know that her BGDC is fake, but if Whitney is upset that Jiya and the Jenji brought hostile and snarky vibes into the normally feel-good and non-competitive atmosphere of the class, then it's her job as the teacher to step up and address it. No Whitney, you are not in a "tough spot". You are the leader of the group, and if someone comes in and starts insulting your students or making them uncomfortable, you need to take that person outside and set clear boundaries regarding how they address the class. It's not up to Todd to defend the students, it's up to YOU to set an appropriate tone, and to remove anyone who does not respect it. I would never allow a guest to speak to my students the way Jenzi did. I don't care how many "celebrities" he's worked with (were those real people Whitney listed?). It's bad enough that she proclaims to be a dance teacher who doesn't know anything about choreography (her words) and can't do half the dance moves herself, but now she's signed them up for dance battle with a group that is way more advanced than them, to save her own pride, despite the fact that she keeps saying that she has no idea what a dance battle is. I know that's a lie, and she know full well what it is, but her claim of ignorance makes her look even stupider- why would she get suckered into volunteering her whole class for something if she had no idea what it entailed? This whole plot line is maddening.

The names I heard her spout are all D list or lower. Nia Frazier is from Dance Moms.