Brandy has been eliminated from season 11 of Dancing with the Stars. If you’ve been looking for proof that life is unfair, here you go!
I wish I could say that this was a shocking elimination, but eliminations ceased to be “shocking” roughly three competitors ago. Despite two excellent dances — one of which earned a perfect 30 from the judges — during the semi-final performance show, Brandy was sent home by the voters.
Why did it happen? One word: popularity.
The elimination of Brandy is solid proof that voter popularity is the key to success on Dancing with the Stars. Brandy wasn’t very popular — her “diva” status and frequent tiffs with Maks assured that. Many fans wrote off her near-perfect dancing as proof of Brandy’s prior performance experience and gave her little credit. Some viewers seemed to find her aloof or rude.
And then she was gone.
A look back at Brandy’s season on DWTS offers further proof that unpopularity, and not a dance defect, led to Brandy’s elimination.
Week 1: The Viennese Waltz
Brandy and Maks started off strong with a lovely Viennese waltz. Although some of the movements seemed a little too much, the pair earned one of the night’s higher scores of 23.
Bruno: “I love the taste of Brandy in the evening!”
Week 2: The Jive
In her worst week of the season, Brandy’s jive felt a little unconfident and lacked the necessary smoothness. Still, she and Maks managed a respectable 21 points.
Len: “This time you took a slight step back. It was a little bit brittle.”
Week 3: The Samba
Brandy got her smoothness back was it due to Maks’ rough teaching style? Whatever it was, it worked enough to give the pair a 24.
Bruno: “I’m starting to see the comeback of the diva!”
Week 4: The Rumba
Brandy and Maks gave us a passionate and romantic rumba, a fitting performance to show off their weirdly romantic tension. The judges were more impressed with performance (26 points) than technique (22 points), but the overall effect was good.
Bruno: “It was like two lovers stealing a moment of passion in a midnight garden!”
Week 5: The Quickstep
This was the week when Brandy and Maks truly began to shine. Their quickstep was fun and precise, earning a high 27 points from the judges.
Len: “It was full of energy, it was a little bit sassy here and there.”
Week 6: The Tango
The tango was an excellent dance to showcase the passion always brought by Brandy and Maks. A little less amazing than their previous week, the pair still managed 26 points from the judges.
Carrie Ann: “I had goose bumps all over my arms.”
Week 7: The Foxtrot
In an absolutely incredible dance, Brandy and Maks managed to give us a safe-for-TV version of sex on the dance floor. Very deserving of the 37 points awarded by the judges.
Len: “I’m surprised at these people being so pedantic about a slight mistake when we’ve just witnessed the most fantastic foxtrot all season!”
Week 8: The Waltz and the Cha-Cha
Brandy and Maks started off strong with their dramatic and beautiful waltz, earning a score of 29 points for the performance. They stumbled slightly due to a lack of choreography in the Instant Dance cha-cha but still managed a very decent 28 points.
Bruno: “Fabulous performers to end a truly fantastic night!”
Week 9: The Paso Doble and the Argentine Tango
Beginning the night with an angry and excellent paso doble brought Brandy and Maks all 9s from the judges for a 27. The pair topped that score with their second dance, the Argentine tango, that romantically flowed to a perfect 30.
Carrie Ann: “I’ve never seen you more connected to your character than you were this week.”
Brandy’s elimination could go down as one of the bigger scandals in DWTS history. Her elimination, one night after a perfect dance, is one of the more ridiculous events all season. And that’s saying a lot.
No, life is not fair. Not for Brandy anyway.
What do you think of Brandy’s elimination? Do you agree that she was the right one to go? Why do you think she was eliminated? Leave your comments below to let us know your opinions!
(Images courtesy of ABC)
Senior Writer, BuddyTV
Laurel grew up in Mamaroneck, NY, Grosse Pointe, MI and Bellevue WA. She then went on to live in places like Boston, Tucson, Houston, Wales, Tanzania, Prince Edward Island and New York City before heading back to Seattle. Ever since early childhood, when she became addicted to The Muppet Show, Laurel has watched far too much TV. Current favorites include Chuck, Modern Family, Supernatural, Mad Men and Community. Laurel received a BA in Astrophysics (yes, that is possible) from Colgate University and a PhD in Middle Eastern Studies and History of Science from Columbia University before she realized that television is much better than studying.
