And the judges know that too so I do wonder at Craig's strategy in giving Ed 2's, 3's and 4's as he knows after so many years doing the job just how the GBP are going to react. He - and the other judges and producers - probably knows that a certain chunk of the public would be board stiff by perfect routine after perfect routine all the time and the premise of the show is to pair up celebs with pros and watch them improve or at least give them someone to cheer on against the odds - which regardless of what some say is exactly what Ed and Greg are doing IMHO.

And we are all encouraged to vote for our favourites. Well I have about 5 possibly 6 and currently 2 are firmly at the top of the leader board so at the moment I will vote for the others - 2 of whom were in the bottom 2 on the leader board this week.

The joy of variety, is what I say.
Strictly NEEDS the joke acts, just as it needs the ringahs and the improvers. It's an entertainment show. The joke acts add much-needed texture to what would otherwise be a very samey show. I find myself looking forward to watching Rinder and Balls. Watching Louise and Laura (who, for me are virtually interchangeable, is less interesting. It's a bit like the difference between civilian Big Brother and Celebrity Big Brother: civilian BB can be tedious because it's almost entirely made up of young, brash wannabees. Celeb BB has the variety of funny, young, older, talented (in a few cases!), witty people. Strictly is the equivalent of CBB (only with music and dancing!).

I think it's a little unfair to classify Judge Rinder as a comedy contestant. The faces he pulls are unfortunate - and I don't think he's trying very hard to control them - but his sense of rhythm and his dancing are pretty good and his genuine enjoyment is plain to see. I really enjoy watching him and I love his relationship with Oxana, which seems very warm.
I have great admiration for Danny and Ore, too, but I wonder how well they would have scored dressed in lederhosen after a performance to Boom-bang-a-bang?
I'd like Judge Rinder and Ed to be given a chance to perform in top hat and tails to a classic number. It may well show up all their weaknesses and see them instantly booted out, but then again, maybe not. I definitely think the Judge has a decent non-comedy dance in him.

So did they get the job?

I'm mixed on the comedy, I like it when it works and hate it when it doesn't and that's usually a matter of opinion.

But it wasn't funny seeing Ed nearly drop Katya. Maybe it was funny 2nd time when you know he doesn't drop her but 1st time was worrying. I admire them for trusting each other and themselves enough to do the lift again straight away. I dropped a girl once and it feels so awful. And that was just me, it's worse for the one who gets dropped.

I agree, give him simpler choreography. It's funnier when someone is supposed to look stupid than when they look stupid by messing up.[/quote]

This is what I was trying to get at. Ed I think wants to be a good dancer, wants to do dances like Ore and Danny. Clothed the same, given good music etc, etc, but he isn't getting that choice. Funny is funny when its supposed to be for laughs, not when your watching an older guy trying his best to do a serious dance and people are laughing at him. If that's your taste in comedy then fine, but its not mine and I will not vote for a guy who is being sabotaged by the very show he is working on. I feel sorry for him as I feel he could do as well as Lesley if only given half a chance, but he is not being given that chance and I doubt he ever will before he eventually gets voted off.

That lift was also so stupid of Katya to put in. Way to aggressive and technical when she could of instead used less risky lifts which would have been easier for Ed to perform and given a smoother dance. And why put in four lifts when the rule is three max, did she simply not know? If so just how experienced is she?

I don't see Ed as a joke act tbh. He is really giving it his all. With Anne she left me cold and you always got the impression she was only there for the fee. Ed is endearing which makes him so likeable. I think he is here for a while yet.

Someone said on here that the 'joke' acts are required by the show till they get to Blackpool after which its more about the dance and they get voted out quickly. I don't know if there is any truth to that but it feels about right. Let the public have their laugh at the poor joke acts but then get down to business as the show is, despite what a lot of people would like to think, predominately about the dancing. So Craig giving low scores right now actually helps keep Ed in the show.

However for me at least I would prefer a show with no joke acts at all. Some are hired I feel simply to be the 'laugh at me' character as in a pantomime. Russell Grant is a perfect example and he knew from day one that was his role and embraced it to the max. Others taken on for that slot in the show don't seem to realise they are there to be laughed at and so look shaken, annoyed or resigned when the Judges rip them apart and they get stupid costumes and crap music and Ed is the perfect example of that type (although I will say his first two dances were pretty good and I think the producers only decided to screw him over after seeing his Charleston). For me I would love to see a series where the contestants are all serious competitors and all given the best chance possible to impress and improve week to week. Stop with the silly costumes and ridiculous music choices, make it a level playing field and if some are excellent from day one, Danny and Ore, then great, we should enjoy watching good dances, but if the majority are mediocre or just plain bad then we have the underdogs to vote for and hope they get better.

I absolutely agree with you 100%. He is all of that, which is why it annoys be so much to see him sent out in costumes you wouldn't put your kids in for Halloween let alone a dance show and given music its almost impossible to dance a certain dance to.

I just wish Oxana would work a little more on his footwork and try and calm down some of his exuberance. The amount of energy lost in his Jive kicks by the gay abandon of his legs would have been better used in sharpening up his footwork.

If you want everyone to stop thinking of Robert Rinder as a joke contestant it might help if he stopped gurning through every routine like a petulant 5 year old in a sweet shop..

He is his own worst enemy if he is trying to be taken seriously as a contestant. That HAS gone beyond being a joke, it's not a charming trait, or whacky little foible it is infuriating now and it is making him a joke.

I wish people would spell Oksana's name correctly.

Sorry. I knew it didn't look right but was quoting the previous poster.

I suppose it always just screams at me, as I used to work with an Oksana.

First time I saw her name written down was on a 'Who's your favourite poll' that I looked at today. I've never heard of the name before. Sorry it offended you.

No, it doesn't offend me. Please don't think that. It's just one of these wee niggles. When it's an unfamiliar name or unusual, I really do always try to make sure I get it right.

I used to work with someone who deliberately spelled other people's names wrongly, just for pure spite. She always denied it but even when the correct spelling was pointed out she still refused to spell it correctly. In her case it was just sheer bad manners and bloody mindedness and I suppose it's just left me with that residual "foible".

Given that Chris Parker reached the final of season one, I suspect that there will always be people willing to vote for the so-called "joke" contestant because they are entertaining whether they can dance or not.

I hope so...because moments like that 'lift' will go down in SCD history..alongside jay's jive, sergeants 'drag', etc etc...
Ed is part of the reason why SCD is beating the hell out of XF in the ratings. So what if he isn't a semi pro ringer??

here here to ALL of the above!!

Just to say though that I don't see why daisy isn't VOTED FOR more if people like 'real' dancing....

For me, Strictly would be far less enjoyable if it was 15 great dancers from the off. As many others have said, seeing the progress (or lack of) from total beginners is to me far more interesting to view.

And bearing in mind this is an entertainment show, it's not a dancing show as its main focus, 15 great dances one after another just wouldn't have enough variety. Talent shows over the years have always had the able and less able and Strictly thrives on the less able.

Ann Widdecombe whether rightly or wrongly became the star of 2010 because of what she did on the show. It's at that point when the show started moving ahead of X-Factor and the public have lapped it up ever since.

From my own memory, I remember the bad dancers far better than the good ones. Of the good, I can only really remember Caroline's Charleston, Susanna's Paso and Kayie's Tango and Viennese Waltz.

The bad ones stick for a lot longer because they were more memorable. Strictly needs them far more than anyone can appreciate I think. I would definitely sooner watch a show full of Ann's, Ed's, Russell Grant's and Judy Murray's than bland Louise, Danny, Jay etc.

Of course, different strokes for different folks, but Strictly needs the bad dancers. It really does.

And if Laura had danced the would have fitted into that group too

Daisy seems a nice girl, but she isn't a 'light up the screen' personality. She has yet to let herself go and shine. She seems almost shy and a little introverted still. I am sure the longer she stays in the more likely that is to change, but for now I doubt she has much of a following. Being a model probably doesn't establish a huge fan base so she has to win people over with a sparkling personality.

That is a BRILLIANT COMMENT 100 % Correct. Widdecombe was the most arrogant contestant ever to take part

I am glad you said different strokes for different folks or else I would be really worried about you, lol. Yes, different people will like different things and I agree 15 great dancers from the off would be a totally different show, and bad dancers who improve are fine and needed as you say, but there's the bad dancers and then the ones stuck in the 'joke' category the producer want you to laugh at. Are you saying the show needs the comedy acts? Also yes, its an entertainment show but I feel you are wrong to say its not focused on the dancing. I mean why have a show all about training to dance if dance wasn't the main focus? Makes no sense.

Personally I think a show full of Ann's, Ed's, Russell Grant's and Judy Murray's wouldn't be on to long, it would get very old very fast. Plus you have named all the personalities people laughed at, they weren't just bad dancers, they were laughably bad dancers. Its a fine line from having a show with good, medium and bad dancers who are all given an even playing field to train and perform on to the current set up where the show pushes certain people into bad costumes, terrible music and forces them to be laughable. For me at least I would like a show of Danny's, Ore's and Tom Chambers, that I could watch and never be bored as its artistic, fun and just the plain wow factor of some dancers would be endlessly addictive.

I expected this thread to be about Claudia.

Love Ed and hope he is in SCD for many more weeks to come.

Yes in answer to your question, the show does need the comedy dancers. It shouldn't take itself too seriously and that would be my problem if it was 15 good dancers. That's fine if it entertains you but it has to appeal to all and that includes having comically bad dancers.

They are the relatable people out there. I have no connection with the likes of Danny, but could easily see myself as a John Sergeant etc. I've never danced so who knows how good I actually am, but good dancing is only entertaining to a point. It could danced ever so well ala Danny and Louise but lacks spark and joy. That's what Ann, Judy and now Ed have brought to me.

And to your other point. It's an entertainment programme based around dancing. The dancing plays second to the entertainment in my books. Always has, always will.

I don't know about anyone else, but I watch a dancing show to see dancing. If I want panto, I'd go to a panto. I mean, I don't mind the comedy contestants for a time, but only so far as there are still other really crap dancers left to go out before them.

When you get celebs who are not perfect dancers, but have good potential and who's only crime was to have one bad dance getting booted out before said comedy contestant, it's gone too far. Shouldn't we want those celebs who aren't naturally amazing, but have a chance of getting better and better to stay in?

If you're just looking for a laugh, surely there are better and far more reliable ways of getting your comedy fix than Strictly. Watch a sitcom, go see a stand-up comedian, something. For me, I watch the show to watch dancing. Doesn't have to be perfect dancing, but the dancing is the point. The amusement factor is just extra.