Dancing with the… Nobodies?
Everyone! Grab your dance shoes and paddles, Dancing with the Stars is back and better than ever!
Except it's not better than ever. In fact, this is a recurring theme for Dancing with the Stars, where I wake up early to catch Good Morning America to see the cast revealed to the country for the first time, and I find myself scratching my head, saying, "Who is that?".
It appears that the show follows the same pattern every year, casting stars who are incredibly prevalent in today's world, whether through social media, television, cinema, podcasts, or other platforms.
Yet there are always "stars" that I, along with plenty of other viewers, have never heard of. This is not entirely bad, as it gives viewers the chance to learn more about the different worlds these stars come from. It just seems some contestants, along with the professional dancer they are paired with, are seemingly destined to fail because they are not as well-known as some of the other contestants.
When you hear the word "star", automatically your first thought is a big name in Hollywood that is known and loved by millions of people around the world. That may be my problem, as I enter the cast reveal expecting these household names, only to be met with basketball players I have never heard of and reality television stars from shows I have never watched.
I suppose ABC and I have different definitions of what constitutes a "star."
At the same time, I recognize this could be a problem I am having with understanding that the term "star" has drastically changed in meaning over the last decade. Being a star does not constitute being a famous Hollywood legend or a record-breaking singer. Nowadays, being a star can mean having a successful podcast, a large following on TikTok, or even being from a niche reality television show.
The shift we have seen is a direct example of the change in how we consume media, or rather, how we live in an age where the media tends to consume us. Everyone's perception of reality is skewed based on the type of media we consume, and it is because of this that many people have a fragmented and personalized view of fame.
The problem lies in the disconnect between casting producers and the often-unreachable expectations of fans. They are trying to appeal to younger audiences, as seen with Alix Earle and Dylan Efron, while also ensuring that their long-term fans have recognizable faces to root for, such as Corey Feldman and Elaine Hendrix.
This balancing act does not always work, as it leaves both sides of the coin somewhat dissatisfied, resulting in neither party being entirely satisfied. Younger fans want to see faces they recognize from TikTok and niche reality shows, while older fans want to see an actor they have never heard of because they have not been in the movies for decades.
Whichever way you decide to look at it, the casting of Dancing with the Stars has its problems. It is an undeniable advantage to enter this competition with a huge following and fan base, while some contestants do not even have a social media presence. It creates a narrative that to win the show, you need a huge fan base supporting you, even if you don't deserve to win. (I'm looking at you, Bobby Bones.)
All of this has led me to wonder: Is Dancing with the Stars truly a competition where celebrities learn ballroom dance, or is it a popularity contest disguised as a dance show?
Strike Out,
Matty Wolfe
Boca Raton
Matty Wolfe is the Senior Editor for Strike Magazine Boca. This avid reality television consumer loves to escape the world as often as he can. You’ll find him outside often, working on his tan and playing mermaids in the ocean. He’s also a future Survivor contestant, even if the producers do not know it yet. You can reach him by email at mattheww0507@gmail.com
