but there is no need on any of the threads for people to start name calling etc - which seems to be happening more & more - there seems to be more personal attacks on all the contestant every day - why can't people just state their opinion Brendan did - he certainly didn't start calling people names

Everyone's entitled to an opinion. The skill is knowing when to express it and when to keep your mouth firmly shut.

But who is to judge when is an opportune time to put up or shut up?

Even though many other people think that he and Lisa have been overmarked throughout the series?

Brendan was tactless and hypocritical and he and Lisa made themselves look shallow and petty.

Which one of the reasons why they won't win.

What a stupid move ...

So are we all to live by Brendan's example then - so throw a paddy when things don't go our way, stomp off from our bosses, whinge about the unfairness of us getting the promotion in spite of no-one liking us?

Or should we be allowed to express our opinion to a few other people on a forum...

rather than on TV, to a few million?

Well a little tip for Brendan - when you're in a show and it's already clear the audience don't like you and your partner that much, don't say anything that's going to endear them to you even less...

How could anyone dislike Lisa? Poor girl, having to do all that damage limitation after Brendan's outburst.

Of course the reverse might have worked - some may admire his honesty as opposed to the mealy mouthed sycophancy we often hear.

I thought he was being critical of the judges..like many of us here. He could have made his comments more general in nature, just defending his own partner was churlish and will not win Lisa any friends.
Then again, Brendan is not the smartest or most diplomatic guy in the world..but we all knew that anyway.

Nope. I was almost buying into this 'nice' Brendan bit and *almost* voted for them last Saturday, together with Austin and Erin. But now I will only vote for Rachel or Tom (should they need my votes) because Brendan does put his foot on his mouth and not realised he's NOT endearing himself to the floating voters (like me) out there and not doing Lisa ANY favour. I am sure Lisa must be 'fuming' inside her. "We are doing another dance-off this Saturday now!" she probably thought.

BTW, there's a difference between being frank/honest and being simply BLUNT. Often the second case is committed by people who are not very intelligent emotionally.

Me too.

Just what is wrong with passion?

If you've watched every Strictly for 6 seasons, as I have, you wont have seen the bad Brendan when his disgust at not having a dancer as a partner was more than obvious. Sometimes he was a bit cruel, but I've never stopped loving him.

But he's been so good this series, and was absolutely spot on this year...generous and, I think it was Len who said " Brendan is letting his own talent lie while promoting his partner" or words to that effect.

I loved Austin, not so keen on Erin (still haven't forgotten the Colin Jackson puppetry, but neither has she I bet) and I'll admit, I thought Austin would win it hands down.

Shame. But at least the next two shows will be fabulously unpredictable.
I dont vote, it's enough I pay my TV license, so I'm not entitled to rant, but Brendan is nothing like as bad as he's being painted, and as for dissing Lisa.... words fail me.

When Brendan thinks he and Lisa have been overmarked he doesnt shy away from calling that too. As I said, he is fair and unbiased in his views.

At this stage of the competition, inconsistencies among the judges can be fatal, particularly for the girls who dont have the public support that their male counterparts have been given...despite being consistently better. Not surprising it makes Brendan - who also judges - grind his teeth.

All I can say is, well done Brendan !
He was stating a fact that the judges were overmarking. Len in particular this series has really overdone the scores and like Brendan says, everyone should be marked from the same scoresheet and marked fairly. It was a good interview, explained his actions to me fully and I'm still voting

That's true. I remember his shock at receiving a ten for his cha cha cha and on ITT afterwards he said noone had danced a ten and tens are being handed out too freely.
They are.

I thought Brendan a petulant child on Saturday but listening to his reasons on ITT and realising it was a very important moment to get a fairly judged score, I can see where he was coming from.

He was right. Even if their Jive was not good AH did not deserve a 10 for the salsa. He is only saying what we say on here all the time. He just acted in a bit of a childish way on Saturday! It's lucky Lisa can handle that with no problem.

I missed this last night and wondered what all the fuss was about.

Having just watched it on iplayer (and hoping it's Sky+'d as I set it!), I wonder why, together with all the criticism levelled at Brendan (and yes, he was a little -erm - blunt! -although I could see where he's coming from and I am definitely not a fan of his!!!) no-one has actually commented on the fact that he said he was upset for Austin and Erin (as in having mixed emotions - which Lisa reiterated) in that they have got through at the expense of someone else.

In fact, what he actually intimated at this point was that they were gutted for Austin and Erin (seeing the heartbreak in their eyes) and that he didn't want to be the one to ruin someone else's 6 months of hard work (yes, that's what he said - not a reference to the other two having danced for longer or indeed anything else). And Lisa agreed wholeheartedly with him at this point.

Instead, everyone is focusing on the negative aspects of his comments about the judging (whether we agree or not about the marks, that is what he was commenting on; not Austin and Erin personally). You'd think we could give him a little credit for actually owning to being upset for the others and saying how close everyone is.

And nowhere did I hear them say that they were under the impression that Austin and Erin thought they had it in the bag. What I heard them acknowledge was that these two had been favourites with everyone else to win. And, of course, A&E wanted to win it - as they all did!!! It was not in any way (at least to me - as an unbiased viewer, who is, as I say, not even a Brendan fan!!) a comment aimed AT Erin and Austin or any accusation that they themselves thought they were definite shoe-ins for the title.

If I had time I'd do a transcript so we could all see what was actually said, but maybe someone else will do that and we can judge things a bit better.

I'm in no way defending Brendan - I think he was a little bit TOO honest and could have couched things better.

However, so many posters on this forum this year have complained about the judges' marking (as happens every year, incidentally!) - there have been threads galore about this topic alone! So it seems a tad disingenuous of us to then make a big song and dance about it when one of the pros actually comes out and agrees with us!!! (Albeit in relation to the scores of someone else and not themselves - although I would like to point out that Brendan also said that he thought their '9' from Bruno for the jive was very generous and that the rest of them - '8's - were right).

I do agree that Brendan was a little too honest. However, it does seem that there is one rule for those on TV/media(not just relating to SCD but anywhere) and one rule for us here.

It does appear (to me), that we as posters on DS (and those on other forums, too, presumably) are allowed to express our opinions (in whatever manner - from polite criticism to downwright villification in some cases! ) about those in the limelight but they themselves are not accorded the same right - to the first option, obviously! I would be leaping on that soapbox myself if any of them were nasty about the other contestants. That's not what I saw, though!!

They're people too. With as many flaws as the rest of us (who here can claim to be perfect?). So why are they not allowed to have the same right to freedom of speech?

Just a thought!

I always appreciate your contributions Callys Mum they are always spot on to me

Mindyann has done a transcript in the ITT thread for those who want to read it
Last edited by allisonbm2 : 10-12-2008 at 10:01

Thanks, Allison!

And hopefully, the transcript will clear things up a little (or very possibly add more fuel to the fire for anyone who is determined to paint Brendan (and Lisa) as the devil(s) incarnate!).

I'm not fuming, in fact I'm not even mildly upset.
I have seen the rant by Brendan backstage, but not heard what he said on ITT. I dont need to see what he said on ITT - I have no axe to grind.
My problem is: I liked/like all of the last four competitors.

I only have an issue with the judges over the whole affair. For me, Austin's AS was much better than his Salsa, but got fewer marks. The result of that was to sabotage Austin's chances, and Len's 10 was the queerest thing about the whole scenario.

Len in fact did Brendan a favor, in that it meant Austin couldn't dance the AS in the dance-off. The lack of a ten for the jive also resulted in Bendan and Lisa being below Tom in the final rankings. I can understand Brendan being furious over the marking.

Unfortunately Len takes these turns occasionally (like his 8 for MattD'Angelo's foxtrot), or he is acting as part of some secret plot - whichever you want to believe.

Brendan has done very well this year, as a choreographer and has been very diplomatic. He would probably have been better off just accepting the marking anomaly and taking the bonus of Austin dancing the Salsa, making the dance-off a walkover for Brendan and Lisa.

They did themselves no favours at all.

Perhaps it came across badly because it seemed like they were targeting Austin for his (undermarking imho!) overmarking when others have been overmarked too.

Oh good it wasn't just me then. I spent their entire interview shouting at the telly and then at one point actually felt compelled to punch Brenda's image on my screen - how dare he accuse the judges of favourism when Lisa has been over-marked on so many occasions it's untrue including the jive and how dare he say that it of a comparable quality to Austin's salsa - in words he'd understand - rack off mate!!!. I have everything crossed that they go next Saturday.

If you'd have seen the ITT interview yesterday when Brendan explained they quite clearly weren't blaming A&E at all - it's the judges who are at fault for the whole debacle

Firstly, I'm surprised the 'OP' hasnt been jumped on for raising this when it has been discussed elsewhere, but this freedom of posting is to be commended IMO

Brendan has been doing a false Mr Nice Guy for the past few progs, but did revert to spoilt, bad loser guy on Saturday. Then couldnt really do anything but own up to it on Monday. I feel sorry for Lisa having to do the dance work and put up with his tantrums as well. She must know that, by and large, it doesnt go down well with the voting public, and could cost her dear.

I can't understand how people can misinterpret what Brendan said on ITT. He was criticising the judges- not Austin and Erin. Anyone who believes otherwise is obviously just hearing what they want to hear- and using it to criticise Lisa and Brendan.