I think you are grasping at straws LOL!

No, I don't think that's correct at all. I hail from the North West and don't feel any kind of kinship in these shows to vote for 'one of my own'. I never have done either. In fact, my sister - another northerner obviously - argues that Jodie is, if anything, a stereotype who does northerners no favours (I said "my sister" before I get leapt on by anyone).

I think it's certainly true that people from the north can, at times, feel proud of being northern or feel a certain kinship with folk from their neck of woods. But speaking for myself, my 'northern-ness' is only ever an issue or a talking point when it's being noticed by a non-northerner. And, dare I say it, particularly by a southerner (that's the great regional - and some might argue 'class' - divide after all). I'm otherwise just 'me': neither northern, southern or any region at all. It's not something that I define myself by nor something that influences my decision-making.

And I think that's true for lots of people. Scottish people only need to feel defiantly Scottish when they're up against people who are defiantly Not-Scottish.

The person writing this article is being really reductive and divisive in their reasoning. But I understand why. Similarly, I can see why the poster I'm quoting thinks that northerners are some homogenous group who'd be 'chauvenistic'. We seem to have a real need to perceive humans as belonging to groups whether it's north/south, irish/english, black/white, young/old. But whilst we'll let ourselves be unique and idiosyncratic, we attribute all kinds of generalised stereotypes to the other groups. It's human nature.

Its called tribalism. And I agree that it isn't nice.

People vote for many reasons, who thery think seems nice, who they think is pretty, who they feel the most connection/have in common with, and yes who comes from the same place as them. There is also the dreadful pity voting. Lastly there is who they think is the most talented and right for the part, although unfortuantely, this really does seem to be the lowest reason why people vote, which is a real shame.

I don't really agree. I'm sure there are plenty of people who vote just for that reason or mainly for that reason. I'm not saying none of the other reasons may not come in to play, but I don't think they are as high up on most people's lists as you believe. Just my opinion.

A good post, but I have noticed on some threads, if you criticise Jodie, you are accused of being anti-north or anti-working class. This is surely reductive.

Firstly, not all southener's are middle or upper class - ie. Nancy was an 'eastender'

Secondly, there are lots of posh northerners, been to Harrogate or Alderley Edge lately

Before anyone says it I'm a Brummie (no mans land!) living in the north.

I also wondered what does the Isle of Man count as - is it not 'the north'?

I thought it was a terrible article - so biased and trying to back that bent up with suppostion ... bloody awful.

Im sure you could write a perfectly decent article along those lines that would make an actual point - but a fan writing it makes it just look puerile.

Yeah, it is reductive. And so pointless given that most people probably aren't voting on tribalist grounds yet on these forums all kinds of 'in-group/out-group' arguments happen.

And you're also absolutely right about the stereotypes being largely bollox. As a migrated northerner, I've seen for myself that many southerners are common as muck.

What a pointless article and what nasty comments about Jodie.

What difference does Jodie's age make when Georgia Brown and Shani Wallis were both older when they played the role of Nancy? What size is Jodie a 14? That's hardly enormous is it? As for the 'not natural on the dancefloor' comment, she's not going for a part in Saturday Night Fever or Dirty Dancing is she?

I am that poster ('Your country needs you!' etc.)

I wasn't talking about a north-south divide, whether imagined or actual.

I do believe that, as we proceed north, there is a tendency to be more chauvinistic: Yorks, Lancs, the North-East, Scotland, etc. As I said before, this can be seen as a positive attribute.

PS: I agree that the rest of the article was off-target.

Thank god for Scott....The Stage.........the voice of reason.........

SM seems to be able to articulate what I actually saw. It makes me wonder about ALW and the panel.

yea they could get rid of the panel..pay Scott and get a better outcome..........

she is the person i thought would go on saturaday. definitly not a shock here lol

The Isle of Man can't believe it finally matters; although a small constituency, it has become highly activated with its finger permanently on the redial button.

Bit over the top that and the last sentence is a total sweeping generalisation. Yes of course Sam has a lot of support over here (I got scoffed at in the staffroom on Monday when I suggested that I thought Rachel might win ), but I wouldn't have thought that all her votes are from Manx people (unless the sheep are voting). Just like someone has said, if that were the case, then why isn't Ashley still in? There are approximately 80,000 people on the Isle of Man, a fair amount of the older generation (retirement days by the sea!) who I can't see watching the programme anyway. As far as I'm aware ( ), there are a hell of a lot more than 80,000 people in Scotland! I have voted for Sam once and that's it.

To say that 'the Isle of Man can't believe it finally matters' is a little bit silly too I think. There are many things (deformed cats )/events/people etc that we're known over the world for (off topic - one of which starts on Saturday - can't wait!), it's just that we don't tend to shout it from the rooftops. However, if we're going for specific groups of voting, then come Saturday, Sam will have the biker vote I reckon.

Yes a real shocker that one

Who wrote this rubbish.

What did he say?

The "regional vote" theory doesn't hold up if you give it even a minute's thought. How could Sam have got all this way without being in the bottom 2 if she was reliant on the tiny Manx vote? How, as someone else said, could Ashley have fallen out so soon with the Scottish vote to herself? How come, with England the biggest nation by far in Britain, there was only one English girl in the last seven?

It's not only rubbish, it's quite plainly rubbish, and I don't know how anyone calling themselves a journalist can come out with it.

[
[/quote]

check out his thread

I'm Scottish through and through, but wasn't a big fan of Ashley. In all honesty, nationality doesn't sway me in the slightest - perhaps if I knew them or we came from the same town, it would be a factor, but I come from the same country as the Krankies, so I got over supporting only Scottish people a long time ago!

I make it a point never to agree with anything in the Torygraph.

I suspect that there is a certain amount of voting based on regionality but my response to that would be so what?! There were twelve girls in the final put there by 5 (I think) supposed musical theatre experts, all 12 of whom surely should have been able to do the job and if not why were they there in the first place.

It is then our right to vote for whoever we want to whether it's because we are from the same town, of the same gender, have the same taste in clothes/men/accessories or simply like the colour of the eyeshadow one of the contestants is wearing that week. It seems that the author of the article has had their nose put out of joint by the fact that Niamh has gone and feels the need to lash out in response, that's fine but it's not their place (nor is it ALW's) to moan about who we vote for whether they agree with our decisions or not.

I also think the comments about Jodie were uncalled for but they are their opinions and are valid reasons why they is not voting for her. However, there are reasons why people did not vote for Niamh whether the author can understand that or not, they may not agree but who cares?!

[quote]
It makes you wonder and it wasn't a tabloid newspaper either. So what was the point, another way to criticise Jodie?

I don't think anyone ever suggested that any contestant is "reliant" on votes from any group or area.

I don't believe the whole IoM votes for Sam (or any other permutation), but I don't blame them if they do.

If you look back, you'll see that I simply asked a question (rather than making an accusation).

Dave

The Telegraph!, it will just be ALW's toff friends trying to back up his nasty anti Jodie agenda. Elitist snobs!

Jodie haters clearly lurk everywhere.

We're on this board. Some are judges on the program. And now they are even writing things in broadsheet newspapers. Such behaviour must be stamped out

How dare anybody say anything critical of the chosen one.