Bristol Palin & Mark Ballas - Season 11

[chrisg]

Bristol was working full time and taking classes at the time but stopped both in order to participate in this season of DWTS. I think she was surprised at the offer but jumped at it for the money....who wouldn't?

Please provide a link to an objective news source (not a politically-oriented blog that may not fact check) that says Bristol is enrolled in classes and I'd like to see where she is matriculating and verification from that institution if possible. I know she graduated from high school but I have seen no verification of her attending college despite looking for it extensively.

As far as who wouldn't do this, I can't imagine the Bush twins or Chelsea Clinton doing DWTS for a second. This type of show can easily have a hindering effect in traditional, highly accomplished circles and that is precisely why I cannot imagine for a moment that any of those women would partake in it. They all attended college and are pursuing paths of traditional accomplishment and there are plenty of traditional ways to create wealth.

This show is fine for performers that are looking to get back in the public eye or increased exposure for athletes who want to expand public career options when their athletic careers end but Reality TV is the kind of thing traditionally accomplished parents would genuinely disown their children over - not encourage it - and I have friends who have been told as much by their parents who are highly accomplished in traditional fields and are open to their children pursuing the performing arts but not through a cheesy Reality TV route.

[chrisg]

For me, the bottom line is that politics is one factor that I wish would never be introduced into the equation on this show, because as unfair and subjective as the voting is anyway, when politics is involved, people get passionate to a whole 'nother level, leading to potential hijacking of the whole show.

Even though I didn’t see it this way initially, I really agree at this point that DWTS has been hijacked in exactly this fashion, IC. DWTS should be a fluffy entertainment show, not one where divisive political figures -- and those linked to them -- are brought on which detracts from that light atmosphere in a considerable way.

I initially supported Bristol because I thought she would be defining herself apart from her mother. How much DWTS and/or her mother is playing a role in this whole thing is speculative, but it's pretty apparent that we're getting the Bristol/Sarah package deal with regard to: how she's being presented, her mother's role on the show, her mother's fans' role in voting and political supporters who may not even regularly watch the show being lobbied to vote for Bristol, etc., and I'm over it. I'm watching Monday to see Emmitt Smith and then probably not watching the rest of the season due to this.

I also get that Bristol's mother's fans will choose to see things in a different light. That's fine but it's just one more indication of how DWTS is being hijacked by politics from the fluffy entertainment show it should be. And now I really hope to steer clear of this thread because it's starting to go around in circles.

[VAgirl79]

Please provide a link to an objective news source (not a politically-oriented blog that may not fact check) that says Bristol is enrolled in classes and I'd like to see where she is matriculating and verification from that institution if possible. I know she graduated from high school but I have seen no verification of her attending college despite looking for it extensively.

Quick Google search showed an article from May of this year in People magazine saying the following:

Rather than attending a warm school [article quoted her saying she had expected to be away at college in a warm climate], she is working as a medical assistant in a local dermatologist's office while taking business classes at a community college. "I don’t ever have time for friends or anything like that," she says.

Bristol Palin: Levi Johnston Is 'A Stranger to Me' - Bristol Palin, Levi Johnston : People.com

Would look further, but don't have the time or inclination to do so. To me, it's irrelevant. *shrug* Some people go to college later in life. Some go to trade school instead, some join the military right out of HS, etc. etc. I look at things like this as it's none of my business, honestly. Even if we knew the name of the CC, if she has had her files sealed as some students do for privacy reasons, they wouldn't be divulging her business to the news media. Heck, when I was in college, our university had the policy that if you didn't agree to be listed in the campus phone directory, they wouldn't even tell on-campus honor societies that you were an enrolled student.

This show is fine for performers that are looking to get back in the public eye or increased exposure for athletes who want to expand public career options when their athletic careers end but Reality TV is the kind of thing traditionally accomplished parents would genuinely disown their children over - not encourage it -

IMO, someone disowning a child over a TV show is sad and wrong on so many levels, traditionally accomplished background or not. Things like DWTS, AI, etc. aren't even what I consider "regular" reality shows. They're competition-based, as opposed to the smut shows such as Real World, Jersey Shore, etc. Even with those latter shows, why any person would threaten to disown or actually disown their child over them going on those shows and not going to college is beyond my comprehension. Your child is your child, no matter what. Maybe that is the reality of some people's worlds, but that would come across to me as disturbing, at best. But that's all neither here nor there of course, if one believes the People story that says Bristol was taking classes at a CC before this show.

I also think it's all neither here nor there because she'll be off the show in a couple of weeks at most anyway, IMO. Despite whatever numbers she's pulling in vote-wise, the judges will eventually tank her with scores and comments to boot her off, barring a big improvement from her in performance and technique. If by some strange stretch she makes it to the finale, they'll finish her off with the scores then, too. Kelly didn't deserve to be in the finale either, and was over-scored several times her season. Come finale time, that went buh-bye. Her famous family couldn't save her then either. I liked Kelly on the show, FWIW; just not as a finalist.

[chrisg]

And another quick Google search shows this conflicting information also from May of this year. No matter how many times one Google searches Bristol Palin's educational situation, there is vague information. Anyone who Google searches it will, in fact, find several Wiki questions as to where Bristol is attending college since it is so nebulous and people have hit dead ends trying to research it. When putting bits and pieces together it appears that Bristol has tried to take some college classes but has been largely unsuccessful in getting through them thus far. She is also working and caring for her son and those are both time consuming. But my wish for Bristol remains -- as it was when I first heard she would be on DWTS -- that she takes the money she earns from the show and focuses on finishing her college education.

And while I assume that her mother's political base would be glad to hear that Bristol is pulling herself up by her bootstraps, rather than relying on money from her famous family, I was more curious to know why she is working full-time, but finding it difficult to attend school. According to Bristol, she is working from 8 to 5 doing "just very repetitive work"; she tried to attend night classes as well, but found it "nearly impossible" to work and attend school. "I'm trying to chip away as much as I can at college," she says. "I want to beat that statistic of teen moms not graduating from college."

Fair enough; she's in her first year as a single parent and has a few years yet to get it all together (even without a kid, it took her mother several tries to get through college, and her father never finished). It's also fair to assume that Bristol and Levi's public notoriety might come with a certain number of media appearances, some of which -- Candie's Foundation spokeswoman, Playgirl model -- have been known to include paid compensation. But if Bristol can work a 40-hour week as a mother, she can finish college (I did it with a part-time job, financial aid and a kid). I'd hazard a guess that college tuition is well within the reach of the Palin family budget, with or without Bristol holding down an additional full-time job. Assuming Bristol feels the same, it's time for us to stop worrying about her night life and for her to start chipping away at that degree.

Come on, let Bristol Palin have some fun - Broadsheet - Salon.com

Regarding parents disowning their children that is a figure of speech that is thrown around in high net worth families and is almost always a joke. Something I assumed would be obvious. I value education as do my parents who were the first in their family to not only attend college but graduate school and both got full Ivy League scholarships to both. Quite a difference from my great grandfather who emigrated here from Sweden and lost an eye in an industrial accident. Others may not value education but I do -- if for no other reason than that -- and my firm opinion regarding that will never change. Concerning reality shows and how they are generally regarded by high net worth, higher educational circles, from my experience in them they are not valued much compared to real world accomplishments that aren't mixed in with producer manipulation and scripts. I watch a few reality shows because I have an extremely high pressure job managing money and I like something far less serious to engage in here and there. And this season of DWTS is rapidly dwindling in terms of the frivolity.

One day I hear how Sarah Palin's fans - many of them - aren't voting for Bristol but voting for the best dancers and then shortly after I hear that a form letter has gone out to right wing political lists urging them to vote for Bristol. And, shortly after that, Audrina gets voted off who is a far more gifted dancer than Bristol. And everything just seems to come back to all Sarah Palin all the time this season. And while I am still willing to consider Bristol a separate entity if she ever makes it there -- which doesn't appear to be any time soon -- I tired of Sarah Palin's idiocy long ago. If Bristol is voted off shortly I may return for the rest of this season but I doubt it. This whole Sarah Palin thing has sucked the life right out of the show this season for me. Others may, and are certainly free, to feel differently. ETA: And I only ask that you all carry on without bringing me back into it because I've blabbed on so much about this that I really am beginning to annoy myself. Thanks.

[Columbia, MD]

chrsg -- kudos to you for saying what a lot of people are thinking!!

[Rattus]

Bristol may last longer than Kyle simply because she is better known and there probably are people voting on who her mother is. Probably just as many are not voting for her based on who her mother is as well.

Actually, the only reason she is still on is because of her mother, and I believe that anyone not voting for her because of her mother wouldn't be voting for her anyway. She can't dance, she isn't charming, witty or interesting and she isn't a "star" - why on earth would anyone vote for her?

[Debra5604]

Because I am a new member I am not allowed to post links and I agree that is a good rule. If I had been allowed, I would have reluctantly posted a link to an interview that Bristol gave to a Blog internet radio station. I say reluctantly because I found the hosts very tedious and difficult to listen to...but, I wanted to hear the interview in its entirety so I persevered. I am glad I did...one time, at least...because I came away with a good impression of a young woman about whom I had only read bad publicity in the past.

[Bloomers]

And another quick Google search shows this conflicting information also from May of this year. No matter how many times one Google searches Bristol Palin's educational situation, there is vague information. Anyone who Google searches it will, in fact, find several Wiki questions as to where Bristol is attending college since it is so nebulous and people have hit dead ends trying to research it. When putting bits and pieces together it appears that Bristol has tried to take some college classes but has been largely unsuccessful in getting through them thus far. She is also working and caring for her son and those are both time consuming. But my wish for Bristol remains -- as it was when I first heard she would be on DWTS -- that she takes the money she earns from the show and focuses on finishing her college education.



Come on, let Bristol Palin have some fun - Broadsheet - Salon.com

Regarding parents disowning their children that is a figure of speech that is thrown around in high net worth families and is almost always a joke. Something I assumed would be obvious. I value education as do my parents who were the first in their family to not only attend college but graduate school and both got full Ivy League scholarships to both. Quite a difference from my great grandfather who emigrated here from Sweden and lost an eye in an industrial accident. Others may not value education but I do -- if for no other reason than that -- and my firm opinion regarding that will never change. Concerning reality shows and how they are generally regarded by high net worth, higher educational circles, from my experience in them they are not valued much compared to real world accomplishments that aren't mixed in with producer manipulation and scripts. I watch a few reality shows because I have an extremely high pressure job managing money and I like something far less serious to engage in here and there. And this season of DWTS is rapidly dwindling in terms of the frivolity.

One day I hear how Sarah Palin's fans - many of them - aren't voting for Bristol but voting for the best dancers and then shortly after I hear that a form letter has gone out to right wing political lists urging them to vote for Bristol. And, shortly after that, Audrina gets voted off who is a far more gifted dancer than Bristol. And everything just seems to come back to all Sarah Palin all the time this season. And while I am still willing to consider Bristol a separate entity if she ever makes it there -- which doesn't appear to be any time soon -- I tired of Sarah Palin's idiocy long ago. If Bristol is voted off shortly I may return for the rest of this season but I doubt it. This whole Sarah Palin thing has sucked the life right out of the show this season for me. Others may, and are certainly free, to feel differently. ETA: And I only ask that you all carry on without bringing me back into it because I've blabbed on so much about this that I really am beginning to annoy myself. Thanks.

On the other hand - tedious or not - if there is no controversy, this board gets very boring, and it does so very quicky.

The season Sabrina was kicked off early and the question was hotly debated as to whether she was actually a ringer, she was the enlightening subject and the controversy.
Who could ever forget that marvelous season on here where we hotly discussed ( and the mods deleted) up one side and down the other Gille's nudity, Melissa's pro cheerleading dance experience, and all those years of gymnastic dance routines behind Shawn? I tell you we had a high time on here.
Then there was Mya who had danced on Broadway and who helped Dmitry choreography some of their routines.
Last season we really had a blast with Nicole who danced her way into fame while singing with her pop group.

Controversy is energizing to opiniated people, and most folks who like to post on a message board are to one degree or the other opinionated!

So....this season the honor of controversy goes to Bristol. Jennifer provides some contoversy, but she comes in a pale second to Bristol.
This board would really be boring without Bristol to discuss. This season she is the number one fodder of controversy.

Now if she had been given to Derek.....

[Columbia, MD]

Bloomers -- enjoyed reading your wise words, as usual.

Controversy is one thing but snark is another, and thank goodness we have for the most part managed to avoid it. Carry on!!!

[maude~flanders]

Actually, the only reason she is still on is because of her mother, and I believe that anyone not voting for her because of her mother wouldn't be voting for her anyway. She can't dance, she isn't charming, witty or interesting and she isn't a "star" - why on earth would anyone vote for her?

Talk about a dud personality! She's probably been living in her mother's shadow too long.

I really hope the predictions of her making it far because of her mother do not happen. Maybe the judges will say "enough is enough" and score her too low to make it possible for the Palin-fans to carry her through.