» S2 Winner - Benji Schwimmer: Season 2 Winner Options

[ngcskate]

He has systematically done everything in the world you could possibly do to make this season about him rather than his sister

I've asked this before and never got an answer...what exactly has Benji done to make this season all about him? He's not producing the show or directing the camera men on who to film, he didn't force the producers at gunpoint to have him choreograph a dance, he didn't make them not mention Heidi (or Donyelle or anyone else from last season). About the only thing he has done is dance with his sister (which I think was incredibly sweet of him and her because I'm sure she knew there would be backlash if she auditioned with him) and dance his solo, which was his right by way of winning last year.

In another thread I wrote that I added up all the screen time Benji has gotten this year (minus the audition footage and his solo, but including the profile piece with him choreographing) and it's less than 3 minutes. Seriously, that's not what I would consider taking over the show or overshadowing any of the contestants from this year.

Yes, maybe in person at tapings he's a loud, overbearing and annoying person but we don't see that and it really shouldn't color the TV viewers opinion of him any since we don't see it and haven't seen it. I can see it changing the opinion of someone who's witnessed annoying behaviour in person, but I am willing to give him the benefit of the doubt until I meet him and get to see how he acts for myself and not through someone else's eyes. Right now, to me, he's just a big brother that is very proud of his sister and I think it's a shame that he has to hide now because viewers are angry about it.

[Mmm... Free Goo]

I think ever since they used him as choreographer he's become less annoying this year. Maybe because he feels like he has an actual purpose or whatever i'm not sure, but he seems more laid back and not as much famewhoring for the sake of famewhoring in the audience. Lacey might have given him a good talking to. I liked what he did for Sara and Pasha - it was really fun. Like most reality show fandoms i'm pretty much over him compared to last year, but I wish him luck. I think he means well but has a couple issues. I agree that he seems wierdly insecure and tries to overcompensate. Sometimes there's a fine line between joking and telling the truth, and it's a bit wierd that he's all "i'm going to lose my title! and possibly to my sister!" (though I don't think TPTB would actually let Lacey win) and having a crisis.

As for the infamous contemporary solo, it wasn't amazing compared to what i've seen actual contemporary dancers do on this show, but it was all right. I don't think it showed disrespect to contemporary dancers in that "I'm so great at this style, let me show it to you" way, but more "i'm learning this new-to-me dance style that's cool, and i'm so excited about it" way, but who knows with him.

And still catching up, I agree with him on Reality Remix about the hip-hop Dan did for Lacey and Kameron; he did choreograph it to make her look like a skank IMO, just like some other hip hop routines on this show that give nothing for the female dancer to do but prance around in a skimpy outfit. It might not have been smart to say, but compared to some of his other outbursts (blog about DWTS copying him and Heidi, anyone), it makes sense.

[cricketc]

he had a great story arc (out of dance for nearly two years on a church mission, then falling in love with Donyelle -- Shane Sparks said it in an interview, and I think Shane knows what he's talking about)

Do you have a link to this Shane Sparks interview? I'm a big Shane and Benji fan so would love to read what Shane had to say about Benji. He seemed to be a huge supporter of him during the show, which I thought was cool.

[ShellBen]

The new recap for this week is up on the site.

It's mean, and I liked Danny's solo...but I'm dying at Benji's impression of his scream. Hilarious.

http://www.realityremix.tv/

[irisblue]

I think one of his two big flaws right now are that he strikes me as strangely insecure. He's not willing to admit when he doesn't know much about something--you can see that in one of Reality Remixes where Kennedy asks him about the difference between contemporary and modern and instead of admitting that he's not a specialist in those areas and doesn't know, he babbles an incorrect answer.

Exactly. Also, as I posted in the SO 2005 thread, he is not representing *contemporary* dance well, he is doing moves that are way beyond his current level of technique

I really wish they would get some of the other dancers in on Reality Remix. I don't appreciate Benji trying to expertly cover aspects of dance he has no clue in (re:that abysmal solo). In the latest show he comments that Jaimie's performances were mostly "sour" except the Hummingbird dance, in which she was "decent". Decent..??? She was outstanding in that and did very well with several other numbers. He dismissed Kennedy, who liked Jaimie's solo and called it too melodramatic. Guess who's solo he liked?

If Benji is there as a correspondent, he should at least attempt to show some basic tact and objectivity. Hello at mocking Danny's scream? That was nasty and unnecessary. If he is there as a Lacey fan, fair enough, I don't begrudge him his opinion or support for her, but by allowing him to air his support every week smacks of propaganda. I say dump Benji and bring on some of the choreographers in for a chat--that would be far more interesting and insightful.

[Mardia]

he had a great story arc (out of dance for nearly two years on a church mission, then falling in love with Donyelle -- Shane Sparks said it in an interview, and I think Shane knows what he's talking about)

I also would love to see this interview. I was watching some old clips of Benji and Donyelle on YouTube, and seriously, their chemistry was ridiculous, and (IMO) the practice scenes were adorable. I kept going, even though I knew better, "No, for real--are they dating, yea or nay?"

[BarbC]

One of the interviews was for TV Guide, I think (Shane's, I mean), and that was during final four week?

I wish I had the links, but the old SYTYCD thread (if you can wade through it) has it in there somewhere.

Shane mostly said, IIRC, that "Too Much Booty" put Benji on the map (true, and it certainly helped Donyelle as well as it's one of her specialties), that Benji and Donyelle had mad chemistry, and when they asked him what Benji thought of Donyelle, he simply said, "He's in love with her."

There is absolutely no one on this show who has that sort of chemistry with anyone else; Anya (Anna) and Pasha (Pavel) have it in their real-life pairing, but no one else on this show has developed anything like what Benji and Donyelle had last year. (Sabra/Dom did better than the rest, and Danny/Anya had a nice bit going there while Anya was doing ballroom and helping Danny in the process. Jessi/Pasha had a real chance of success but was short-circuited by Jessi's health and/or the judges' inexplicable decision to boot her rather than Lauren.) It even made the Heidi-Benji pairing look weaker than it ought, solely because that sort of chemistry simply isn't there between them (although they counterfeited it well enough to make me nervous).

Benji is a superb technical dancer who also gets the emotive aspects right; he has every reason to be pleased with his success, and he did try (and is still trying) to learn other styles and to become a more versatile dancer. Good for him.

[ngcskate]

Guess who's solo he liked?

Yeah...but he also liked Lauren and Sabra...

I have to agree with him about Jaime, I can't recall any dance she's done, except the bird dance, which was terrific. Maybe 'sour' wasn't the right word though.

I giggled at his Danny scream...cute...

This post has been edited by ngcskate: Jul 27, 2007 @ 7:06 am.

[jennyisdancing]

It's so interesting to me to see the reactions to Benji this season. He's showing more sides of his personality and revealing more of his opinions and some people don't like that. They want the sweet, innocent eager-to-please guy that they saw last season.

Benji is genuinely a sweet person, but he's human and has his snarky/annoying/opinionated moments too. I just think he was careful to emphasize the 'nice guy' part and keep his opinions to himself while competing last year. It was a smart strategy.

And BarbC, I thought Shane said (about Benji & Donyelle) "they love each other" or something like that. I think this is the interview.

[yesenializ]

Never mind...

This post has been edited by yesenializ: Aug 5, 2007 @ 5:46 pm.

[provencal]

I enjoyed seeing Benji on Reality Remix. It showed the professional/industry side of Benji. He was born and raised in the dance industry. Both parents are dancers/choreographers/instructors, so he must know a LOT about the way the industry works. He was now calling it (not sure if doing publicly was a smart move). But I have a feeling that's the way he talks with his professional dancer friends. It was a good insider's view.

[jennyisdancing]

He was born and raised in the dance industry. Both parents are dancers/choreographers/instructors, so he must know a LOT about the way the industry works. He was now calling it (not sure if doing publicly was a smart move). But I have a feeling that's the way he talks with his professional dancer friends. It was a good insider's view.

Benji is totally an insider, we just didn't see that side of him before. He wrote about this in one of his blogs. He said that on the show, he was working with choreographers whom he respected and looked up to, so he was in the position of being their student and was humble. But he says, he's normally not in that position.

Although Benji is just 23 and came across to us as just another young, fresh-faced hopeful, keep in mind that he is actually very experienced. In the West Coast Swing dance world, he was at the top of his game before SYTYCD. He won many national championships and was a high-level teacher and coach (his student whom he auditioned with, Torri Smith, has gone on to win her own competitions). So in his own field, he saw himself in a position of authority. He basically had achieved everything he wanted in swing dance. I think he decided to go on the show to take on some new challenges and expand his career to a widespread audience. With that background, I certainly can understand how he is talking like an opinionated insider, because that's what he is.

[Mmm... Free Goo]

I think toning down his confidence and "authority" when he was competing wasn't fake but smart. Like American Idol, anybody who talks back to someone judging them (even if they're right) tends to lose votes. If Blake had kept his mouth shut in season 1 he might have won.

[reinoe]

I can't find the second Benji interview

[Munchiewoman]

And BarbC, I thought Shane said (about Benji & Donyelle) "they love each other" or something like that. I think this is the interview.

I can't watch at work, but if I remember correctly, Shane said, "He loves her" and then added, "They love each other." He never actually said in love, though some crazy benjellers, ahem, not me at all, of course, may have interpreted it otherwise.

I love Benji to death, but even I can see how he could be annoying. BUT, I don't see how the camera being on him is his fault. Or how it NOT being on him is his fault. Or how he's trying to make the show about him. A joking "I'm losing my title" is just that, a joke. and encouraged by TPTB, IMO.