11/9 Results Show Discussion **Spoilers**

[fluff]

Since the show has never, to my knowledge, divulged any figures regarding how many votes are received each episode and who is getting what, it's impossible to know how easy/hard it would be to manipulate this season. If Bristol has been getting millions (or even tens of millions) of extra votes from her mother's fervent supporters since the beginning (people who have never voted or even watched DWTS before), and the show generally was getting 30million votes total (I think I heard that guesstimate thrown out here before, but I truly have no idea how accurate it is) pre-Bristol, that are split with relative equality among all the competitors, then Bristol could conceivably have twice the votes of anyone else, which could mean that even a 20 or 30 point difference in the finale scores wouldn't be enough to beat her. If this is the case, and the producers realize that she is going to win based on votes alone unless she receives 5's to everyone else's 10's (which I don't believe they will ever do), they may have resigned themselves to her winning, plan to try to justify it somewhat by having the judges continue to praise her, and hope that the controversy produced by the highly watched finale will die down by next season.

That is, unless you believe that the whole vote counting is a sham, and then all bets are off and they announce whichever winner they want.

It's hard to even estimate the true volume of support for Bristol because she's always been pretty close to the pack.
Obviously she only has to beat one person every week. This week she was only one point behind Kurt, which I'm sure equates to a mimimal percentage of more fan votes needed than Kurt to beat him.

I remember reading an article last season about Shannen's elimination.
She was 12 points ahead of Buzz, but he needed to get less than three percent more fan votes than her to beat her.
According to Ariel's recap the judges awarded 265 points. Kurt got 48 (18.113%) Bristol got 47 (17.74%). If my maths is correct, that's a very small percentage more of fan votes needed to put Bristol ahead of Kurt.
I can't see them bringing out the 5's now, but lets say they did for the sake of argument.
If the final three was Jennifer, Brandy and Bristol, they all danced two dances and Jennifer and Brandy got 60 points and Bristol got 30, Bristol would (I think) need 20+% more fan votes than the other two to beat them.
This is just rough calculation. I don't know if she could do that with only three couples left, but as I don't see her getting scores that low I don't think she'd need to get such a large share of fan votes anyway.
At this point I'd consider it more of a shock if she didn't at least make it to the final three because of the way she's being scored so closely to far superior dancers.

[karalott]

mmmmmm...........the more I think about it the more fun it would be if Bristol does win.

Bristol winning would be a fitting end to this season, and would serve the show right, imo. Of course I'm living with the theory that it'll do more harm than good, but I'm not sure it is. Anyway, the first part of that statement holds true, at least for me. Even though I really don't want to see the trophy back in the Hough/Ballas circle.

[MFWalkoff]

Bristol winning would be a fitting end to this season, and would serve the show right, imo. Of course I'm living with the theory that it'll do more harm than good, but I'm not sure it is. Anyway, the first part of that statement holds true, at least for me. Even though I really don't want to see the trophy back in the Hough/Ballas circle.

It will definitely do more harm than good for the show. A segment of the people voting for Palin aren't even watching the show, so it's not as if they are gaining new viewers that will come back next season. Also, there seems to be a segment of the core fans (like myself) who see this as the straw that broke the camel's back in terms of the show's credibility, and may not return.

I'm wondering what ABC thinks it is getting out of this?

[Rattus]

Also, there seems to be a segment of the core fans (like myself) who see this as the straw that broke the camel's back in terms of the show's credibility, and may not return.

I'm wondering what ABC thinks it is getting out of this?

And I am one of those fans. I have certainly been less than happy with a few of the winners over the past seasons (and I have seen them all), but Bristol winning would be so deeply ridiculous that I just couldn't watch in good faith any longer. I mean, I know that there are certain machinations involved in the whole process, but seriously, Bristol? Tsk.

[justCoz]

My jaw dropped last night when Carrie Ann claimed to respect all the pros, and then started her list with her favorites (Derek and Mark). I don't think she has any idea how much she favors Derek and Mark over other pros and that her favoritism is apparent to many viewers. I haven't re-watched the scene, but I don't think she even named Anna who was standing in front of her. Who else did Carrie Ann mention/miss?

I thought she named all the remaining pros that are left on the show currently. Mark, Derek, Anna and Lacey as well as Maks.

[veg_out]

At this point, I really think that the finale will be Kyle, Bristol, and Jennifer, and Kyle will pull out a shocking win over Jennifer. I'd love for Brandy to get there, but I think that she's been a tough sell for America, that Jennifer is too diva with her 85345236 physical ailments, and that Bristol as the winner would adversely affect the show's future. Kyle entertains, is charming, takes to heart the judges' comments, and is so happy-go-lucky that it's almost impossible NOT to root for him given the rest of the pickings.

[Tilden]

I thought she named all the remaining pros that are left on the show currently. Mark, Derek, Anna and Lacey as well as Maks.

My memory is that she did not name Lacey. She named Mark and Derek first, then said Maks, and then added Anna. I hadn't thought it was about who was left on the show so much as that she added Anna because Anna was right there in front of her, and it would have been rude not to mention her.

Of course, I may also be mis-remembering. I definitely recall thinking it was dumb of her to mention Mark and Derek first, precisely because they are the ones most often linked to favoritism on the judges' part.

[karalott]

It will definitely do more harm than good for the show. A segment of the people voting for Palin aren't even watching the show, so it's not as if they are gaining new viewers that will come back next season. Also, there seems to be a segment of the core fans (like myself) who see this as the straw that broke the camel's back in terms of the show's credibility, and may not return.

I'm wondering what ABC thinks it is getting out of this?

Ratings. I'm sure the sole intent is get people talking, get people who don't normally watch hooked, and hope they stick around even if they're favorite chosen one is gone. However, I'm inclined to believe that's rarely the case. I watch DWTS all the way to the end, but would be far less interested if I didn't have any celebs or pros I liked (and if Brandy goes next week, that'll be my season finale sceanrio). The producers may like it now, but what do they do next season? They'll try to top it is what I worry about. Maybe they should try to really dish out the cash and get some A-listers on the show. Same issue with popularity, but I don't think it'd be as bad as a person that's a famous for being the daughter of a controversial politician.

I do think it's going to be Brandy or Kyle going next week. Bristol will be in the finale, pull out high ratings, and go out in 3rd because they can potentially manipulate her scores just enough.

[SsnWard]

I would love to see Brandy win and if not Brandy, then Kyle. Immediately following Kurt's elimination, I thought I noticed Brandy's lip quivering a bit and I wasn't surprised, because she had been trying to keep the lid on Maks all evening and that would cause anyone to be a basket case by the end of the show. Winning means so much to her at this point, I sure won't be a happy camper if Jennifer prevails.

[Beachmom]

At this point, I really think that the finale will be Kyle, Bristol, and Jennifer, and Kyle will pull out a shocking win over Jennifer. I'd love for Brandy to get there, but I think that she's been a tough sell for America, that Jennifer is too diva with her 85345236 physical ailments, and that Bristol as the winner would adversely affect the show's future. Kyle entertains, is charming, takes to heart the judges' comments, and is so happy-go-lucky that it's almost impossible NOT to root for him given the rest of the pickings.

I would be thrilled if this were to happen! I'm not a fan (personally, not taking into account their dancing ability) of Jennifer and Brandy.

Since I've been watching, this show is more a popularity contest than not. I don't think a dancer should be judged by anything but the way they IMPROVE throughout the show - but it's never been about that.

And my post last night, when I said Kurt looked mad - I thought about all of the 8's they were getting - but wouldn't say anything? I was wrong.