Chaz Bono in Dancing with the Stars - political correctness gone too far.
 

First of all, I do admit it. I love to watch that show. The show, is in many ways aimed at women I think... that aside:

What exactly makes Chaz Bono a "star"? What are his accomplishments? His parents, they were, undoubtedly stars in every sense of the word. Chaz Bono... :confused:

Is it because he has head gender reassignment surgery? I am very happy for him. Happy that he feels now at home in his masculine body. Good for him. That, however, does not make him a star.

Is it that he is the offspring of Sonny and Cher Bono? Great, but again, it doesn't make him a "star"

It's certainly not his skills as a dancer, although he did try. I understand his partner is a professional ballroom dancer (I love ballroom dancing myself :D) and her skills are beyond reproach.

Then the question has to be asked: Why did he stay on the show for so long? I assert that it had to do with his status in the LBGT community. That had the producers of the show been fair, he would have been the first to be booted. They didn't want the backlash for that "squeeky-hinge" group or a possible lawsuit over discrimination. I think it was disgusting that they allowed this obvious travesty to continue for so long.

Then after he was booted... one of the judges was not kind to him. They said something about his weight and made a Star Wars reference. Okay, looking at Chaz, he is totally obese. I guess personal responsibility is something foreign to him. I wish Chaz Bono well, I hope he has a good life, but I never want to see him dance again and I hope that DWTS is reformed so that REAL stars and celebrities show up. If it has to be a transgendered person, which is fine, there are so many (male and female) who are not only more graceful, talented dancers (Mr. Bono is not), and stars in their own right.

Perhaps his Cher, Chaz's mom, will now start singing: "If I could turn back time...." ;)

The question to be asked is who cares? I might watch the show if the hourly fee was high enough, but it would be a chore.

IMHO, this is an issue screaming to be ignored. It's not exactly news that the rich and the famous are pampered.

Regards,

D-Ray

Well... I care, for one.

This issue has nothing to do with the "rich and famous" being pampered. It has to do with political correctness gone overboard. Personally, I like the show. Then again, much of it is aimed at women. Quite frankly, I feel the same way watching a football game. I would much rather watch the grass grow, but there is nothing politically incorrect with that game. Also, all those individuals on the football field are most certainly the pampered "rich and famous". :confused:

Like it or not, DWTS paints a picture concerning the values of society. Thus speaking of political correctness in television is an interesting subject... at least for me.

OK, is Chaz Bono's celebrity any more of a reflection of a famous parent than say, Bristol Palin?

The social commentary I see from the whole thing is that celebrity is an extremely over-valued commodity in our society. The untimely death several years ago of a KC Chiefs football player created an enormous media crush and outpouring of adulation because of his celebrity - which arose from his uncanny ability to sack the quarterback. The same thing occurred in a much grander scale in the Wake of Princess Diana's death. The public was absolutely ravenous in its consumption of the most intimate details surrounding her life and death.

That is why I have no use for DWTS. The primary criterion for participating is celebrity status. At least the rich boys on the football field are there because they beat out anyone else who wanted their position.

Regards,

D-Ray

Yes and no.

How's that for an answer?

Chas

Sounds like a damn lawyer - but you're supposed to say "it depends."

Regards,

D-Ray

I'd argue that it is more voyeurism than political correctness. The American public loves to watch freak shows and train wrecks. Why else would we also be bombarded with the latest happenings in the Lindsey Lohan saga? On TV, it's all about getting eyeballs to the screen - no more, no less.

There are several attorneys in the forum. I wonder, if any of them could talk about Lindsey Lohan. I have this feeling if I would pull the things she did, I would have been six-feet under the jail for quite some time.

As far as voyeurism... I have to agree. Too much was made of Chaz Bono being transgendered. Nor can he dance. Terrible! If they wanted a transgendered person, how about Dana International from Israel. She is a world-class ballroom dancer as well as an entertainer (thus a star). Then again, having two professional dancers isn't really fair. She would have been a ringer. ;)

Voyeurism definitely!

Daniel Boorstin's "The Image" is on point here. Great book. "A celebrity is someone known for their beingknown." I love that book and the absurdities of celebrity. Unfortunately, we must live in a world where they have an influence completely out of proportion to their usefulness. As Boorstin so elequently puts it: the menace of superficiality.