I agree i don't think anyone deserves to be booed. I never thought KK should have stayed as long as she did but I would think it wrong to boo her (not that anyone did).

I couldn't stand Wagner in X Factor (sorry slighty OT) but I thought it was terrible the way he was constantly booed.

to be fair, just because he is a hero doesn't mean that should be the reason he is going to further in the competition

Who said it is?

I agree that I don't think anyone should be booed.

I'm with a lot of people on here that I think Jackson isn't a good enough skater to win, and he shouldn't stay in just because he's served for his country.

He's a nice man, but there are other skaters who are much better.

More so for him than the vacuous votes that were made/are being made for others on their 'celeb' status alone. When that kind of voting stops then you can quote the above.

Why can't the poster say the above just because some other people are voting for their favorite celebs? I think it made perfect sense and the poster didn't make the rules.

As soon as the public are asked to vote, you're always gonna get people getting through due to popularity alone. Doesn't mean that people have to like it, or not talk about it.

Don't suppose I'm allowed to say I don't find him likeable.........I am respectful of what he has achieved etc etc but for me that is different from being likeable.

Well the fact that you've said it proves that you are allowed to express your opinion on here.

I like him, respect and admire him - but I don't expect everyone to feel the same way - though I do question those who maintain he has no right to be on the programme.

I think he has as much right as everyone else to be on there. The programme is called 'Dancing on Ice', not 'Celebrities on Ice', so anyone could be a contestant, arguably.

Just to play Devil's advocate a minute, I assumed the booing was at the public's decision rather than at Johnson himself. They were expressing their dissastisfaction with the result rather than any particular dislike of Johnson,

Having said that, I don't like booing in general. It's not very sporting and it lowers the tone. In fact I never liked it in Big Brother either

I can understand why people would want to vote for Johnson but, personally, I think that when you have a competition like this one it is inherently unfair to the other competitors if a person's ability at what the competition is supposed to be about is not the primary factor in deciding how well they do.

It's human nature to be swayed by other factors but it's not objective and, as such, in my opinion, I don't think it's fair.

Having said that, with the exception of Jennifer, I don't think we've lost anyone we shouldn't have because of Johnson but I would definitely not want to see him getting into the semi-final or final. That, in my opinion, would make a mockery of the show's basic premise.

Regards

Julian

No one has any right to be on the show.

Ditto

Exactly this! He was a soldier, HE signed up for the job, HE wasn't forced to and HE knew that he might not come out of the forces alive! Just because he was a soldier doesn't mean he is above everyone else! Whatever happened to everyone being treated the same.

Yes he was a soldier, yes he was brave, yes he's lucky to be alive but this isn't a show where previous jobs matter! The simple fact is there are better skaters in the show (Laura, Sam, Vanilla, Chloe, Jeff) and Johnson is getting through on the sympathy vote, whereas other are getting through on skating ability.

Anyway, when was Johnson booed I didn't hear it

But it is. Maybe it shouldn't be but it is.

Then why is no one else's jobs matter. Each of them could've done something heroic privately and that isn't considered. It's Dancing On Ice where the routines and how they are done matters not what they have done before the show!

Take away the fact that he WAS a soldier and focus on what the show is about - skating!

If he wasn't a solider, would you be saying he was really good and should be there?

No, I'm saying that what people have done in the past clearly does matter to a lot of viewers at least as much as their skating does. And the rider I put in my post above should indicate that I don't necessarily agree with the situation. What Kerry Katona had done in the past (whether positive or negative) obviously mattered to the voters. What Laura Hamilton hadn't done in the past seemingly mattered more on the first programme to the majority of the viewers than her excellent skating did as she was in the skate off. People will always vote on what they know/like about a person as well as or even despite their skating ability. Maybe that shouldn't be the case but it is and always will be. Just by stating "this isn't a show where previous jobs matter" isn't going to convince anyone that you're right (even if you should be).

I actually think that Johnson deserved to get this far on his ability, I'm not claiming that he has the skills of the other remaining contestants but with the exception of Jennifer Metcalfe none of the other former contestants were better then Johnson and hes never been bottom with the judges to date. So they obviously haven't thought that he was the weakest in previous weeks.

I didn't know who half of them were at the beginning, so had no opinion either way. With Kerry Katona it is was her skating ability not her past that mattered to me, she was slightly worse than the one from corrie. I'm just one of the people that judge by what the show is about not people's backgrounds, but I suppose people will always see Johnson as the winner even if he couldn't stand up on the ice which makes the show pointless.

EDIT: forgot to quote sorry, reply to above post from Tabithakitten

You have a very fair point here, Jen Metcalfe is the only one that's gone that should still be there. I just feel that it's seen as a crime to criticise Johnson becuase of his past. If Johnson was as bad as the one from corrie (can't remember his name, sorry) or as bad as Kerry would people still be saying he should be there. It's as if he's untouchable and he's the best skater there.

i think that's just slightly taking my comment out of context. But thanks for responding.

I agree with this to a point while I do respect Johnson for what he has done in the past I do not feel that it should be relevant for keeping him in or him leaving the show. I say this as having family serving in the armed forces and I know they wouldn't want to be treated favourably just because they were seen as a hero, if anything they get embarrassed if they get praised by people and when they are home just want to be treated normally. On watching this show it does seem a bit that Johnson is being treated with kid gloves and one telling statement for me was in the aftermath of the Karen and Jason arguement and it was Karen talking in the results show VT and she said

"Its all about Johnson" that could have been solely in response to the arguement but to me it was saying that everything had to revolved around Johnson and that was the end of it as if none of the others mattered.

I don't agree with any contestant being booed that said I don't recall hearing any booing and I've watched it back a couple of times but no one should be booed you can't say you can't boo Johnson because he's a war hero but its ok to boo Kerry because of her past or boo Chloe because you feel she's only famous because of her parents.

You can't have one rule for one and one for the others respect should be shown to everyone and if you don't like Johnson then you shouldn't be abused for it as I've said as a person I do like him as a skater I don't but I don't want to be made to feel like a criminal because of it.
Last edited by Tiggergirl : 22-02-2011 at 17:26

For what it's worth, I agree with your point of view but there are many viewers for whom background is also important. There are those who look at Johnson and see improvement and then feel he's worth a vote because a small amount of improvement in his performance (because of his background) is worth a much bigger amount for someone without his problems. It does not necessarily make the show pointless.

The bit in bold explains the whole situation very well and I completely agree, which is why I don't like it when people favour him for his background. I too didn't hear any booing but haven't watched it back.

It's just a TV show, and I think everyone should be treated fairly without any favour of their past. And no one should feel they can't praise and criticise because of their past. I think some people have taken it too far in the fact that you can't say a bad thing about Johnson's skating ability because of his past.

Anyway, I've expressed my view and I'll leave it there.

I totally agree, very good post.

It's only sentiment that's keeping him there isn't it - his skating is really not up to scratch. Anyone who dares to criticise is treated like a heretic!!

You make some very good points here Dare Devil and i agree with you.