SYTYCD vs DWTS Acronym Smackdown

In this week's Entertainment Weekly (or I guess it's last weeks, but I'm reading it this week), Ken Tucker does an article about The Dancing With The Stars finale airing the same week as the premier for So You Think You Can Dance. (I can't find the article online, but his tv blog is here). I'm not going to call it a review although that is ostensibly the space it occupies in the magazine, because instead of reviewing either show (which face it don't need it anyway) he decides to make commentary on how we can't go a single week without a dancing competition on tv. Because you see, Mr. Tucker doesn't see any difference between these two shows.

And that I take issue with.

Comparing DWTS and SYTYCD (I am SO not typing those names out each time!) is effectively the same as comparing Don't Forget The Lyrics and American Idol - and I think we can all agree those shows are highly different. Both involve singing, yes, but one casts regular people scorching our eardrums for cash prizes, while the other feature genuine talent stretching and applying their skills with the aim of an actual CAREER in the field.

It is much the same with these "dancing shows." Both have their respective charm and appeal, but that is where the similarities end. DWTS showcases washed up athletes and "celebrities" desperate to regain or maintain the slightest ray of the spotlight. As dancers they are competent AT BEST, and unwatchable at worst, and the entertainment value of the show revolves around the attitudes, costumes, and train wreck voyeurism of watching people we love or hate or forgot even existed stump around performing feats their bodies were never meant to do in a pathetic attempt to find that 16th minute of fame (or knock off a few pounds).

On the other hand, SYTYCD puts that spotlight on people with genuine talent. God given gifts and back-breakingly achieved technique in the dancers and choreographers who push the limits of creativity and physicality each and every week. These are not your average Joe off the street looking for a free ride through the tabloid papers. These are people who have dedicated their lives to improving their abilities and exploring the boundaries of what it means to dance. Every week they expose the millions of Americans who watch to talent and skill and originality that most of us will never posses in our wildest dreams.

The dancing on SYTYCD showcases passion and technique and culture and variety and emotion and every joy and pain and miracle the human body can achieve. The talent in each and every contestant in each and every top twenty is astonishing; the intelligence and power and creativity of every choreographer (many of whom are past contestants) is inspiring. SYTYCD pushes the envelope of what it means to dance - and they bring that experience and education into the homes of everyone who watches.

They are the REAL stars, and it demeans them to be lumped into the same category with any faux-lebrity who thinks they can dance.

It's Hard To Make A Title About Cox Cable Sucking That Doesn't Sound Dirty

Since we moved to Omaha we have had Cox Cable. We have HAD to have Cox Cable as it is the only choice here. And while I'm quite fond of Omaha and enjoy living here, I have to say I am honestly considering moving somewhere we can get different cable services because they suck so hard.

The problem is the DVR. We have lived here 9.5 months, and we are on our THIRD cable box. No wait, that's not right - second cable box. But we may be about to be on our third because this one isn't working either, although I think it is their signal and broadcasting rather than the device itself this time. The first one we had to get rid of because during playback of certain recorded shows it would just turn itself off. Super annoying. At the time I thought the entire issue was a glitch with the machine, but in light of our further problems I think the recording errors were broadcasting malfunctions, and the turning itself off was a machine glitch. Still pretty pathetic no matter how you figure it.

This second box has been no better. We have had to have the signal resent to it at least twice because of recording issues - you can check your DVR'd list, but you never actually know if a show is there or not. probably 30% of the time when you try to play a show everything just freezes up. Cause it didn't work. Awesome. It is also really special when it freezes up 5 or 10 minutes into the show - that isn't frustrating at all.

Monday night we were lucky enough that nothing froze up until the last five minutes of everything - so we got almost all of every show (except one which I only got 1/2 of), but when you are talking about season finales, missing that last 2 or 3 minutes is kind of important. By the way, can anyone tell me what happened between House and Cuddy? Missed it.

Last night we missed both Glee and NCIS all together, and all I can say is they are lucky Lost worked or their offices would have been firebombed. As it was all I could do was curse them out on Twitter - too bad I don't have a million followers.

And yes, it is in fact true that too much of my evenings revolve around the tv. But you know what? Who cares? I am home with 3 small kids all day every day. I don't drink, I don't do drugs or smoke, I'm trying to cut out overeating and I nver go shopping anymore. TV is all I have left vice wise and I'm NOT giving it up! I like, nay LOVE, my television and the cable just better start working properly because this is ridiculous.