Len worries me a bit. He is a bit like a smiling uncle one minute but can turn in a second into a snarling wolf. It's not nice to watch and must make watching children, of whom there are thousands, quite scared. I think he scared some of the dancers last night. Totally unnecessary and irrational behaviour. Is he ill?
What is up the Judges tonight?
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After how Katie mastered previous two dances I don't believe a word what Anton said. If only he paid so much effort to the choreography as he did to that long speech. I'd rather think he had no clue what to do. Katie was able to do much better, maybe we'd get the usual comments about straightening legs, about improving what she had done, etc. But he just gave her nothing to do.
As for Giovanni, I can see how he could get Len in that mood. His rumba was all posturing and no basic steps and then he thinks it's unbelievable that they criticise his masterpiece. If anything makes Len go off like a rocket then it's this.
As for Mr. Botox and Bruno, well that's Bruno. If he finds something hilarious he won't hold back.
As for Giovanni, I can see how he could get Len in that mood. His rumba was all posturing and no basic steps and then he thinks it's unbelievable that they criticise his masterpiece. If anything makes Len go off like a rocket then it's this.
As for Mr. Botox and Bruno, well that's Bruno. If he finds something hilarious he won't hold back.
Originally Posted by IvanIV:
“After how Katie mastered previous two dances I don't believe a word what Anton said. If only he paid so much effort to the choreography as he did to that long speech. I'd rather think he had no clue what to do. Katie was able to do much better, maybe we'd get the usual comments about straightening legs, about improving what she had done, etc. But he just gave her nothing to do.
As for Giovanni, I can see how he could get Len in that mood. His rumba was all posturing and no basic steps and then he thinks it's unbelievable that they criticise his masterpiece. If anything makes Len go off like a rocket then it's this.
As for Mr. Botox and Bruno, well that's Bruno. If he finds something hilarious he won't hold back.”
“After how Katie mastered previous two dances I don't believe a word what Anton said. If only he paid so much effort to the choreography as he did to that long speech. I'd rather think he had no clue what to do. Katie was able to do much better, maybe we'd get the usual comments about straightening legs, about improving what she had done, etc. But he just gave her nothing to do.
As for Giovanni, I can see how he could get Len in that mood. His rumba was all posturing and no basic steps and then he thinks it's unbelievable that they criticise his masterpiece. If anything makes Len go off like a rocket then it's this.
As for Mr. Botox and Bruno, well that's Bruno. If he finds something hilarious he won't hold back.”
I wholeheartedly agree with all of that. And sadly, Giovanni needs to accept that he is also being judged, so should not appear disrespectful by shaking his head.
If there are very few steps in it that should be there,then Len was right to point it out. Did seem rather aggressive the say it was said,while body language thing going on.
Originally Posted by TomStar:
“I thought Len was very unprofessional having a go at Giovanni. Totally uncalled for. He came across as a grumpy old man!”
“I thought Len was very unprofessional having a go at Giovanni. Totally uncalled for. He came across as a grumpy old man!”
I think he's always been a 'grumpy old man' but this seemed more nasty than usual. Almost like someone who is losing their marbles a bit and has lost how to speak to people and doesn't care how they come across. I've always had time for Len, as he's the old school type of dancer but following this incident with Giovanni, I think it's time to retire him and get someone new, maybe one of the professionals who no longer do the partnering
Originally Posted by kaycee:
“Sorry to have to disagree. Giovanni was very disrespectful the way he stood there shaking his head at Bruno's comments, and Len - as head judge - was well within his rights to call him out on it.
None of the judges had a go at Katie, they were having a go at Anton, and his pathetic choreography. Anton stating that he aimed the choreography at Katie's abilities was so insulting to Katie, as she has already proved she can learn if she is taught.
I believe Bruno is still doing DWTS, but Len isn't.”
“Sorry to have to disagree. Giovanni was very disrespectful the way he stood there shaking his head at Bruno's comments, and Len - as head judge - was well within his rights to call him out on it.
None of the judges had a go at Katie, they were having a go at Anton, and his pathetic choreography. Anton stating that he aimed the choreography at Katie's abilities was so insulting to Katie, as she has already proved she can learn if she is taught.
I believe Bruno is still doing DWTS, but Len isn't.”
I agree, Len was right to pull Giovanni up on his behaviour and has done so in the past with Brendan Cole and James Jordan to name 2
As Len said he had seen it all, good, bad, mediocre. At least Giovanni got Len excited, even if for the wrong reasons 
The fact that Len gave Jeremy a higher score than Georgia say it all Len is an idiot imo and thinks he is the Show.
Originally Posted by Lady Minuette:
“Len worries me a bit. He is a bit like a smiling uncle one minute but can turn in a second into a snarling wolf. It's not nice to watch and must make watching children, of whom there are thousands, quite scared. I think he scared some of the dancers last night. Totally unnecessary and irrational behaviour. Is he ill?”
“Len worries me a bit. He is a bit like a smiling uncle one minute but can turn in a second into a snarling wolf. It's not nice to watch and must make watching children, of whom there are thousands, quite scared. I think he scared some of the dancers last night. Totally unnecessary and irrational behaviour. Is he ill?”
He does get that deranged look in his eyes some times! The producers should play the music to Psycho when he starts - that'd shut him up
Lens flash of anger was at least 'real' as opposed to the usual rehearsed comments. Giovanni did deserver a ticking off though, he was being a bit of an arrogant smart R's with his smirking and head shaking at the judges comments. Len may have gone OTT but it brought Giovanni into line double quick! I would have preferred him to say something calmer and do the dressing down back stage though. I don't know if the marks he gave Georgia were what he had planned on giving her or whether he penalised her because of her partner - that would be wrong. I hope Len dosn't sulk over it now as he did with Aliona.
It was an odd night with the judges, scores and comments. I don't like to see either the pros or celebs ridiculed. A professional judge should be able to criticise without resorting to belittling and humiliating. I think they get a bit carried away with their pantomime role sometimes. I find it uncomfortable to watch some times. It is very noticable though that it is Craigs comments and points the pairs most fear and value!
It was an odd night with the judges, scores and comments. I don't like to see either the pros or celebs ridiculed. A professional judge should be able to criticise without resorting to belittling and humiliating. I think they get a bit carried away with their pantomime role sometimes. I find it uncomfortable to watch some times. It is very noticable though that it is Craigs comments and points the pairs most fear and value!
Originally Posted by fridgesoup:
“Agree. Initially I was thinking, good on Anton for holding his hands up and saying, the choreography's down to me etc, but then he spoils it by saying, we give our celebs what we think they're capable of. In Katie's case, he obviously thought that was very little. She had loads of content in her jive and tango, but what he gave her for the cha cha was rubbish.”
“Agree. Initially I was thinking, good on Anton for holding his hands up and saying, the choreography's down to me etc, but then he spoils it by saying, we give our celebs what we think they're capable of. In Katie's case, he obviously thought that was very little. She had loads of content in her jive and tango, but what he gave her for the cha cha was rubbish.”
But she proved his point by dancing .. the little content he gave her .. badly.
Originally Posted by holly berry:
“They seem to be conferring more to distribute scores in order to influence the finishing order.”
“They seem to be conferring more to distribute scores in order to influence the finishing order.”
So you know that this is what they are talking about?
Originally Posted by VintageWhine:
“Len's got previous when it comes to starting a feud with a pro-dancer that he doesn't like. Just look at Alionagate (series 9, with Harry Judd having to suffer a run of bad marks from Len).
He's still somewhat cool towards Aliona.”
“Len's got previous when it comes to starting a feud with a pro-dancer that he doesn't like. Just look at Alionagate (series 9, with Harry Judd having to suffer a run of bad marks from Len).
He's still somewhat cool towards Aliona.”
He had a similar dislike of both Artem and Trent I seem to recall. I think he just dislikes any kind of new fangled arty farty choreography which doesn't appeal to him as a traditionalist.
There's no need to be quite so rude and obnoxious in the way you make your feelings known though. Len can be really nasty at times.
I totally agree with the OP it was a bit over the top and went on too long and as for Brunos laugh after that comment 
Originally Posted by memmh:
“What always seems to be overlooked with Craig, especially as the audience so often boos and drowns out the end of his comments, is that he usually tries to finish off his criticisms with something positive, something which generally can't be said for Len when he's in the mood to be critical.”
“What always seems to be overlooked with Craig, especially as the audience so often boos and drowns out the end of his comments, is that he usually tries to finish off his criticisms with something positive, something which generally can't be said for Len when he's in the mood to be critical.”
Yes, Craig always gets a rather unfair ride from the audience. However, he is the most consistent of the Judges over the years,. And, having met him briefly via relatives, he is also one of the nicest guys you would wish to meet.
Aliona learned that best way is too keep your mouth shut. Luckily it was not too difficult for her to do so this year. Len does not like when people talk back, he sees it as them doubting his competence.
Originally Posted by daziechain:
“But she proved his point by dancing .. the little content he gave her .. badly.”
“But she proved his point by dancing .. the little content he gave her .. badly.”
Yes, this appears to have been overlooked. I think the cha cha was just 'not her dance', she couldn't 'get' it, and Anton tailored it to that.
Originally Posted by IvanIV:
“After how Katie mastered previous two dances I don't believe a word what Anton said. If only he paid so much effort to the choreography as he did to that long speech. I'd rather think he had no clue what to do. .”
“After how Katie mastered previous two dances I don't believe a word what Anton said. If only he paid so much effort to the choreography as he did to that long speech. I'd rather think he had no clue what to do. .”
I think you have hit the nail on the head there.
Anton cannot choreograph the Latin dances to save his life. That has not changed in thirteen seasons. We know he is a ballroom specialist and some of his dances with Erin are breathtaking; there is no denying that.
Latin specialists are usually capable of producing reasonable ballroom choreography and vice versa; but Anton is the exception. What he produces is the very basic choreography you need to be able to teach in order to be a dancing instructor - book Latin, if you want to call it that - and nothing beyond this. Thus, his partners are never going to be challenged. That is to their detriment, of course, as although the choreography is "down to him" the judges have to mark on the content and technique.
Originally Posted by MACTOWIN:
“The fact that Len gave Jeremy a higher score than Georgia say it all Len is an idiot imo and thinks he is the Show.”
“The fact that Len gave Jeremy a higher score than Georgia say it all Len is an idiot imo and thinks he is the Show.”
I totally agree with Len on this one. Georgia did hardly and dancing other than standing and posing, I also think Giovaani is just going for sex appeal than content.
I also think Jeremy deserved more marks because his dance had many more steps and facial expressions.
I would have given Jeremy 6 and Georgia 4.
I'm not sure that Giovanni was being rude and disrespectful, maybe the head shaking was more that he was puzzled by Brunos comments.
Len however was rude and disrespectful in how he responded, to 'bawl' somebody out like he did on tv in front of thousands was very, very unprofessional.
Len however was rude and disrespectful in how he responded, to 'bawl' somebody out like he did on tv in front of thousands was very, very unprofessional.
I think what Len did is a strategy - he's probably been told when certain pros are stroppy, he should engage with them to create a narrative or a story (they're always looking for angles like that - it gets publicity and creates viewer interest.) It's even possible Giovanni was coached to react like that, but I'm leaning more toward it just being something that Len's been told to be on the lookout for (and take advantage of).
He's done similar things on DWTS-US and yet, I'm a Len fan and have watched him in interviews and such and find him a very measured, careful man (unlike Bruno though I think some of his impulsivity is medicinally induced). I don't think Len is the type to let his anger take over, like we're led to believe. But he's a great "company man" and will do whatever they ask of him.
He's done similar things on DWTS-US and yet, I'm a Len fan and have watched him in interviews and such and find him a very measured, careful man (unlike Bruno though I think some of his impulsivity is medicinally induced). I don't think Len is the type to let his anger take over, like we're led to believe. But he's a great "company man" and will do whatever they ask of him.
Originally Posted by MACTOWIN:
“The fact that Len gave Jeremy a higher score than Georgia say it all Len is an idiot imo and thinks he is the Show.”
“The fact that Len gave Jeremy a higher score than Georgia say it all Len is an idiot imo and thinks he is the Show.”
Originally Posted by Grumpy_Alan:
“Yes, Craig always gets a rather unfair ride from the audience. However, he is the most consistent of the Judges over the years,. And, having met him briefly via relatives, he is also one of the nicest guys you would wish to meet.”
“Yes, Craig always gets a rather unfair ride from the audience. However, he is the most consistent of the Judges over the years,. And, having met him briefly via relatives, he is also one of the nicest guys you would wish to meet.”
For the past few years, I've done an analysis of the judges' scoring and found that, maybe surprisingly, Bruno has been the most consistent. Len and Darcey have been the least consistent, and Craig has had the odd inconsistency too. At least Craig scores from a full palette though.
I shall be looking at their scores for this series when it's about halfway through (i.e. when there's a statistically significant sample, yet with a reasonable number of contestants still left).
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