Dancing with the Votes: The Fine Line Between Talent and Popularity

For many, “Dancing with the Stars” is undoubtedly an entertaining display of celebrities and prominent social figures scurrying across the dance floor in hopes of securing the coveted Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy — yet the lengths these stars have to go to in order to win are questionable.

Season 33 of the hit television series premiered Sept. 17, featuring a star-studded cast with diverse backgrounds. From reality television stars to professional athletes, ABC has found a way to keep viewers engaged by employing celebrities that are culturally relevant among the ever-changing social climate. The methodology proved fruitful, as the show’s premiere garnered an average of 7.3 million viewers across network and streaming platforms.

While there has already been an outpour of support from fans, many casual and loyal viewers of the series had mixed opinions on the casting of con-artist-turned-socialite Anna Delvey, who may not exhibit the same charismatic qualities as those of her peers.

Delvey was arrested in October 2017 after a slew of scams towards individuals and businesses under the facade of being a wealthy heiress and she was later charged with grand larceny and theft of services. She was sentenced to four years in state prison and served her time in the Albion Correctional Facility in New York until she was released early. Today, she remains on house arrest, but was allowed to travel to Los Angeles to film for “Dancing with the Stars.”

Many were unsure of how appropriate it was to allow a convicted con-artist to join the show, and despite Delvey’s controversial past, viewers and judges alike decided to give her a chance. It is the ultimate tragedy, however, that any attempt at learning how to ballroom dance alongside her pro partner Ezra Sosa did not save her from being eliminated Sept. 24, in addition to actress Tori Spelling’s departure from the show. Interestingly enough, both Delvey and Spelling had higher scores both weeks from the panel of expert ballroom judges than the contestant who stood among them but ultimately escaped during the elimination: Reginald VelJohnson.

Actor Reginald VelJohnson, known for his roles in “Family Matters” and both installments of “Die Hard,” joined the cast of this season as one of the older stars. While age should never be a limiting factor, the ability to dance well should be a determining marker of how successful a contestant can be on the show. This is not the case for VelJohnson, where his low combined score of 31 — the second lowest of the show so far — has not taken him out of the running. With this in mind, no need to look further for other justifications: the show is a popularity contest.

While VelJohnson received important feedback from judges who may have been afraid to harshly critique the actor during the first week, the second week’s performance was no more than a minor improvement in the form of a stiff paso doble. It is difficult to ask for much from older stars whose hearts may be in it, but simply cannot translate the passion into a well-scoring routine. Luckily for them — but unluckily for those invested in the quality of the stars as dancers — the viewers at home have their backs.

Take Eric Roberts, for example. The Oscar-nominated actor had the lowest overall combined score, and he was safely guided into the next week of the show. The criteria which the show uses for saving and eliminating couples is based on the judges’ scores combined with viewer votes. If it weren’t for viewer participation, Roberts certainly would have been the first to leave. This point system calls into question the fairness of awarding these stars their time on the show.

“Dancing with the Stars” is unique in that it provides a space for each contestant to grow in their capabilities alongside seasoned professionals who choreograph intricate dances, yet ultimately the couples play into “showmances,” show romances, and extensively post on social media to earn votes. The show has slowly descended from an intriguing competition regarding growth and the stars’ deservingness to move forward to a show based on how well-liked the contestant is, regardless of any actual merit.

After her elimination, Delvey said to NBC News, “It’s supposed to be a dance competition and not a popularity contest.” She also described how she felt the show was “exploiting [her] for attention.”

The Harvard Crimson reached out to Delvey, but she declined to comment further.

However, it cannot be denied that the broad range of celebrities for season 33 gives any kind of viewer a reason to look forward to tuning in each week, which is ultimately the network’s goal. In addition to the aforementioned actors and personalities, the show has reality television stars such as Joey Graziadei and Jenn Tran, Olympic medalists Ilona Maher and Stephen Nedoroscik, and other professional athletes such as Dwight Howard and Danny Amendola, each of them set up for success with their loyal fanbases. What each of these contestants have in common, along with the rest of their opponents, is their likability — and no fan wants to see their favorite go home, even if they can’t dance well. Fortunately for these contestants, that doesn’t seem to be the case, as they’re all within the top ten based on the judges’ scoring and seem to genuinely enjoy the process.

As the saying goes, bad publicity is good publicity, and in the case of the showrunners for “Dancing with the Stars,” having as many popular stars as possible makes for good ratings and viewership, even if the stars who deserve to remain simply don’t.