Dancing With The Stars judge Todd McKenney cops tongue lashing from blind dancer | TV | News.com.au

Blind fury ... Gerrard Gosens dances with Jessica Raffa on Dancing With The Stars on Sunday night / Seven

BLIND dancer Gerrard Gosens has a clear message for hot-head judge Todd McKenney - back off.

The Dancing With The Stars contestant said McKenney needed to choose his words more carefully after he savaged the Paralympian's performance on Sunday's show.

McKenney caused a huge viewer backlash after telling Gosens he couldn't dance, his solo salsa was "stilted" and that his effort was "appalling". "To be honest, you are not a great dancer ... and I have to judge the dance, and not an audience of 1.6 million."

via news.com.au

Firstly, I do not watch this program. I am not a fan of McKenney or this format of reality television to be honest. But seriously? I have said it before...if you are going to put yourself out-there, blind or not!!!! then you know the game and how its played.

I don't know if Gosens can really dance. He is a paralympian. One assumes he has a level of talent. Is it necessarily talent that will translate to a non-paralympian event? contest? ratings-grab?

So Todd didn't like your performance. That's life and that's part of the show. Get over it and move on, just watch that step ;)

And, I know, I have just read this one interpretation of the "event" - but alas, its starting to sound like the old "wo is me, I am disabled and you are picking on me and all disabled people" bullshit. Frankly it doesn't wash. You danced Gosens! Not the entire blind community. You put yourself out-there for the world to "see" - so to speak. I am sure its YOU that is getting the wages and kudos. I would almost put money down that you played the whole - "Oh I am just a normal guy, my blindness doesn't come into it" line at the start. You probably wanted to be treated no different to anyone else.

Well, seems you have been.

Don't start yelling and crying about little Toddy McKenna now picking on you becuase you are blind. That is not only disgraceful but an abuse of the position you have put YOURSELF into! Get over it!

Sylvestor
www.twitter.com/Sylvestor

Blind Dancing With The Stars contestant Gerrard Gosens drops partner

Dealt a blow ... blind contestant Gerrard Gosens with his Dancing With The Stars partner Jessica Raffa. Picture: Channel Seven

DANCING With The Stars has been dealt another blow with blind contestant Gerrard Gosens' dance partner, Jessica Raffa, injured in a fall.

Raffa fell heavily while the pair rehearsed a rumba routine for tomorrow night's show.

It is another fracture in their relationship, following several arguments, the Herald Sun reports.

Raffa was taken to hospital for CAT scans and an MRI.

"Gerrard missed his position and accidentally dropped Jessica, causing her to fall heavily to the floor," a Channel 7 spokesperson said.

Raffa was eventually given permission to leave hospital and return home, but dance training was abandoned.

via news.com.au

I am all for equal opportunity and all, but the whole blind-dancer on DWTS seems to me to be somewhat of a dodgy attempt at ratings and profile. Well DWTS-geniuses I guess it was bound to happen!

Personally, I think it would be better if it wasn't a dancer that was dropped ;)

Sylvestor
www.twitter.com/Sylvestor

Filed under: Dancing With The Stars