S24.E01: Week 1

[crowceilidh]

Quote

Some immigrants never lose their accents, no matter how long they live somewhere besides where they grew up. I didn't think she did great in her dance but I don't think her accent should be the reason she gets eliminated from a dance show.

I remember listening to a documentary on accents wherein Henry Kissinger who left Germany at 15 never lost his accent (he says partly due to shyness) and his brother who is slightly younger totally did.  I think there's a developmental point where your brain is malleable enough to pick up a new accent or not.  Charo has so much schtick though, that it's hard to tell, but the wikipedia article maintains she was in Spain until at least 16 and I don't think most people CAN pick up a new day-to-day accent at that age (and probably not girls whose language centers seem to develop earlier than boys').

[legaleagle53]

I finally got around to watching the episode.  Is it just me, or is Erin even more annoying in her skybox interviews than she's ever been before?  I thought she was awful!

[jackjill89]

11 hours ago, crowceilidh said:

I remember listening to a documentary on accents wherein Henry Kissinger who left Germany at 15 never lost his accent (he says partly due to shyness) and his brother who is slightly younger totally did.  I think there's a developmental point where your brain is malleable enough to pick up a new accent or not.  Charo has so much schtick though, that it's hard to tell, but the wikipedia article maintains she was in Spain until at least 16 and I don't think most people CAN pick up a new day-to-day accent at that age (and probably not girls whose language centers seem to develop earlier than boys').

Yes, you are correct about the accent. It also has to do with the physical development of your mouth/jaw, etc. You can become proficient in another language past puberty, but you will most likely not sound like a native speaker. 

[boyznkatz]

I don't mind Charo's accent. She is just annoying because of her schtick. I found it annoying even in the 70s. She isn't a bad dancer, though.

[Toonces464]

11 hours ago, legaleagle53 said:

I finally got around to watching the episode.  Is it just me, or is Erin even more annoying in her skybox interviews than she's ever been before?  I thought she was awful!

I always find Erin to be at her most annoying during Week 1 when she doesn't know the contestants at all. 

[Wings]

11 hours ago, jackjill89 said:

Yes, you are correct about the accent. It also has to do with the physical development of your mouth/jaw, etc. You can become proficient in another language past puberty, but you will most likely not sound like a native speaker. 

Charo pushes the accent, it fits her act!  I find her obnoxious.   Many teens master the English language and have no accent.  

Edited March 27, 2017 by wings707

[Morrigan]

I think ability to pick up accents is highly individual and some adults can do it, others can't, the way some people become excellent mimes and can mimic other people's voices, like comics who do impressions (and they add new ones throughout their lives) - but not all people have the talent.  I've known a number of people who've moved to new regions (or countries) after the age of 21 and pick up the accent there while others don't change at all.  I moved to Ireland and lived there a couple years and could turn it on or off as I didn't like sticking out as an American most of the time but with my family it felt "affected."  And I was in my 40s.  My husband could never do the accent at all.

Edited March 27, 2017 by Morrigan

[rcc]

13 hours ago, legaleagle53 said:

I finally got around to watching the episode.  Is it just me, or is Erin even more annoying in her skybox interviews than she's ever been before?  I thought she was awful!

I don't like Erin on this show at all. I feel bad for her because she's been through hard times. She is very good with the sports reporting but this show just doesn't suit her. She should stick to the sports.

Leah Remini was very good in her short stint. She would be a good hire.

[crossover]

1 hour ago, rcc said:

I don't like Erin on this show at all. I feel bad for her because she's been through hard times. She is very good with the sports reporting but this show just doesn't suit her. She should stick to the sports.

Leah Remini was very good in her short stint. She would be a good hire.

Everyone is different.  I think Erin is better than Leah, sports or not.

[truthaboutluv]

27 minutes ago, crossover said:

Everyone is different.  I think Erin is better than Leah, sports or not.

Agreed. In my opinion, I don't think anyone hired for this job will please everyone. Because while so many loved Leah, I just found her loud and annoying. Go figure.

[vibeology]

I love Erin. I do think she gets better the farther we get into each season because by then she knows the cast and is able to connect with them. The first week or two never is her best work. I don't think that's an easy job for anyone and I've never minded any of the women who have been Tom's co-host. They've got to ask all the producer prompted questions, respond to the things actually happening in the skybox, monitor the time, make sure they give everyone their chance after the dance to say their piece for votes. Truly great TV hosts are rare. Tom is one of a very short list of people who can do it naturally. Erin, I will acknowledge, isn't a natural the way Tom or a few other hosts are, but I do think of all the people who have been cohost, she's shown an ability to learn from Tom and the most growth into the role. Erin isn't perfect but I do love her and I'd be sad to see her replaced unless she decides she wants to move on.

[vavera4ka]

I don't care for Erin one way or the other, but I also don't get the hate she's getting. I think she gets a lot of it partially  by being next to one of the best hosts on TV. That's not really fair, very few will not pale next to him...

[rcc]

Leah does come off as loud but she makes me laugh and is witty. Wit is what Erin lacks on this show. Sports reporting is so much different.

[boyznkatz]

I like Erin, but yeah, she is better for sports. I can't stand Leah Remini. She isn't funny IMO. The only funny person on the show is Tom. He embraces the cheese.

[calipiano81]

5 hours ago, vibeology said:

I love Erin. I do think she gets better the farther we get into each season because by then she knows the cast and is able to connect with them. The first week or two never is her best work. I don't think that's an easy job for anyone and I've never minded any of the women who have been Tom's co-host. They've got to ask all the producer prompted questions, respond to the things actually happening in the skybox, monitor the time, make sure they give everyone their chance after the dance to say their piece for votes. Truly great TV hosts are rare. Tom is one of a very short list of people who can do it naturally. Erin, I will acknowledge, isn't a natural the way Tom or a few other hosts are, but I do think of all the people who have been cohost, she's shown an ability to learn from Tom and the most growth into the role. Erin isn't perfect but I do love her and I'd be sad to see her replaced unless she decides she wants to move on.

I very much agree that Erin's role is challenging and thankless (for all the reasons you mentioned), so I've also appreciated all the women who've done it, even when they come off as awkward.

I would be interested to see what it would be like to have Erin and Tom switch places for one show night. Who knows, it might end up being a better setup!

[smiley13]

Erin is not good and has not improved at all.

[Toonces464]

11 hours ago, rcc said:

I don't like Erin on this show at all. I feel bad for her because she's been through hard times. She is very good with the sports reporting but this show just doesn't suit her. She should stick to the sports.

Leah Remini was very good in her short stint. She would be a good hire.

I would honestly stop watching if Leah Remini were ever hired permanently. I find her annoying, obnoxious and she makes everything about herself. I would rather see Brooke Burke, who I couldn't stand, back before they ever put Leah near the ballroom again.

8 hours ago, vibeology said:

I love Erin. I do think she gets better the farther we get into each season because by then she knows the cast and is able to connect with them. The first week or two never is her best work. 

She's always visibly comfortable right off the bat with the athletes, Maks and Val. The others it takes her a few weeks to get going with.

[crowceilidh]

Having lived through the "Brooke will be better than Sam" and "Erin will be better than Brooke" discussions, I have to say that I don't think we get how hard the job is.  Erin is the best of the lot so far.  I didn't much like Drew or Leah's fill-ins and think they seemed better because they were different, not because they were better, and that we'd soon get sick of either substitution as soon as they settled into the routine.  I wish the producers would stop guiding the conversations so hard, because I think that it isn't the person doing it quite so much as it is what they're being forced to do.  I think they mostly leave Tom alone and I wish they'd leave his co-host more free.  I suspect that is the root of the problem.

[Uke]

11 minutes ago, crowceilidh said:

Having lived through the "Brooke will be better than Sam" and "Erin will be better than Brooke" discussions, I have to say that I don't think we get how hard the job is.  Erin is the best of the lot so far.  I didn't much like Drew or Leah's fill-ins and think they seemed better because they were different, not because they were better, and that we'd soon get sick of either substitution as soon as they settled into the routine.  I wish the producers would stop guiding the conversations so hard, because I think that it isn't the person doing it quite so much as it is what they're being forced to do.  I think they mostly leave Tom alone and I wish they'd leave his co-host more free.  I suspect that is the root of the problem.

I agree that I think the biggest problem is the voices in the ear.  Brooke could never work around it.  Erin does much better IMO. But I think the Brooke-Erin-Leah-whoever debate is more about what viewers are expecting from that role...someone to "entertain" (which winds up, like Leah IMO, drawing the attention to herself) or someone to get a few coherent sentences from the star who just exhausted themselves on the dancefloor, ran up a long flight of stairs and is full of anxiety/nerves/happinesswithjudges/annoyancewithjudges/etc.

[Lamb18]

Late to the show, but . . .

Nancy. I thought she danced beautifully as far as technique goes. (By technique I mean the actual physical movements of the dance.) However, I thought she was still performing like an ice skater. (By performance I mean the expressive part of the dance, facial expression, gestures that are meant to express emotion and that are beyond the requirement movements of the dance.) She was looking up into the ceiling with a smile on her face, like performing ice skaters do, but I felt she needed to connect more with her partner - smile at him, acknowledge that he's there. I'm sure she will learn that.

I like David (Cubs) but I don't see why he got sevens and Nick got sixes. I thought Nick danced better and had more dancing content in his routine. I thought the scores should have been switched.

Bonner: I caught the controversial hand placement and it almost looks accidental; however, I was watching his hand placement throughout and he was very aware of where he placed his hands, so I doubt he suddenly became inattentive.

[Kid]

On 3/26/2017 at 9:21 PM, legaleagle53 said:

I finally got around to watching the episode.  Is it just me, or is Erin even more annoying in her skybox interviews than she's ever been before?  I thought she was awful!

I like Erin. When she is authentic (meaning, not asking scripted questions) she is very skilled at what she does.   I think that she and Tom are a good team.  And, I think he is fantastic -  he can think on his feet and can handle any situation.

[simplyme]

5 hours ago, Kid said:

I like Erin. When she is authentic (meaning, not asking scripted questions) she is very skilled at what she does.   I think that she and Tom are a good team.  And, I think he is fantastic -  he can think on his feet and can handle any situation.

I think having to ask some of the scripted questions and push the agenda that the producers want you to push makes for a very difficult job. And, of course, there's a wide palette of views and tastes in the viewing audience, so no matter what Erin says (or wears), someone is going to be offended. Overall, I think she handles it fairly well. Obviously, ymmv.