Thursday, August 6, 2009

Dear Producers of "So You Think You Can Dance"...

We interrupt our regularly scheduled Healthy Living post (which will be completed after this one) to bring you a letter to Nigel Lythgoe and the producers of Fox's show, "So You Think You Can Dance"...

Dear Mr. Lythgoe (and fellow producers):

I write to you as a concerned parent. Allow me to start by saying, I love "So You Think You Can Dance," (SYTYCD) It's brought dancing to TV in a way that has never been done before. It shows young, masculine males dancing athletically and therefore helps to make dancing more "acceptable" to young boys who might find it something they're interested in doing. The choreography is clever, unique and inspiring. The talent of your contestants is unmatched.

I write to you with a different concern... The language that is often used on your show. Last night The Husband and I allowed our five year old son stay up to watch the finale of SYTYCD, he loves your show and dances around the living room proclaiming that one day, he too will be on SYTYCD because dancing is his "talent." I'd like to think that shows like SYTYCD are family friendly, they certainly should be, but last night on at least two separate occasions, the phrase, "What the hell..." was used, as was the word "friggin" over and over again. Now, I am not a prude but trust me, it's not cute when your five year old asks someone at the YMCA "What the hell is that friggin' thing?" because he now thinks it's acceptable language. It's hard to be a five year old, these days, especially a smart one who remembers everything he hears. How do you distinguish what is appropriate language and what isn't when it's commonplace on "family friendly" television shows? The Husband and I gasped when we heard those phrases and told The Son that it was "naughty" language, and that it didn't make the host or judges appear to be very well-educated. He seems to understand but still, I await the day his kindergarten teacher has to send home a note telling me our son used the words "hell" and "friggin" during reading group.

Lastly Nigel, you came off as a dirty old man last night, leering at your final two female contestants and suggesting that they should have removed more clothing during their duet. Please allow me to say, "Ewwwww, just ewwwwww." You should have been a bit more professional in that regard instead of acting like a testosterone fueled teen or worse, a lecherous old man having trouble coming down off of his latest Viagra pill. Those beautiful dancers should be taken seriously and complimented solely on the beauty of their dancing skills, bad judgement on your part Nigel, bad judgement. It was easy to see on couple occasions that the girls were't exactly comfortable with your comments, in a "real" workplace Nigel, that kind of behavior would be grounds for a sexual harrassment case. Grow up and please learn to act appropriately.

All that being said, The Family and I will be watching the finale tonight, I hope you, the host and the other judges are able to act in a more family friendly and professional manner. Thank you.

Very truly yours,
CityMomma/CountryMomma

P.S. I voted for Brandon.

4 comments:

Darlene said...

YAY for your letter! I can't wait to hear if you get a response to that. LOVE it!

Chrissy Cuz said...

I can't wait to hear the response. It should be interesting. :o)

Cathy said...

good letter. Are you really sending it??? (Don't know why I am asking this, of course you are!!)

I totally agree - especially Nigel's comment about the girls clothes in their duet. I looked at Matt and said "that was wrong, just wrong".

Let us know if you get a response.

Shakirra said...

Hey Caren, I totally agree with you, so my suggestion is send the son to bed..dvr the show and watch is with him the next day and you can censor, fastforward, turn the volume down..that is what I do..yes it's more work for us, but I don't think television is going to change for the better. It's getting worse. Nigel has been a dirty old man since the first season..Phil calls him a freak! LOL!