I assume my 3 regular readers are aware of my deep love for So You Think You Can Dance and how I’ve been pimping a few dancers from the current season (Legacy, Kathryn and Ashleigh). Well, after last night’s top 8 elimination, the pimping is ending. Right now.

Had I written this yesterday, the post would have started with a big “FUCK YOU AMERICA!!! FUCK YOU!! FUCK YOU!! FUCK YOU!! FUCK YOU!!”.

Bboy Legacy, my favorite dancer from this season was voted off last night after an impressive track record (never hitting the bottom until last night), only tarnished by two weeks of bad hip hop choreography and other factors I’ll discuss later.

For all SYTYCD fans, top 8 week is particularly worrisome because a shock elimination always occurs. The cruelest shock elimination for me (until last night) was Jeannette from season 5, a Salsa dancer that never had a bad review and never hit the bottom until week 8, when she was voted off, just like it happened with Legacy.

But last night’s elimination was surrounded by a particular set of circumstances that made it all seem like a silly joke. During the top 8 performance show, Ashleigh was unable to perform because of an injury and the audience was allowed to vote for her based on previous performances. Ryan (Ashleigh’s husband), a dancer who’s had a relatively good run on the show but has hit the bottom a few times and was predicted to be voted off this week, was the last dancer to do a solo and made a tearful plea for America to vote for his wife. As for Legacy, he had the best performance of the night, a contemporary piece choreographed by Travis Wall; unfortunately for the second time in two weeks, he had another hip hop that was a conceptual failure, making Legacy and his partner Ellenore the only pair that had a bad review during the episode. They did the best they could with what they were given.

As soon as Ryan made his tearful plea for his wife, I knew Legacy was out. And indeed, Ryan and Legacy ended up in the bottom 2, and Ryan was safe.

No offence to Ryan, but seriously: Legacy had a much better run on the show and was a better soloist than Ryan, but Ryan gets saved because of sympathy votes? Really? Did America decide at the last minute to become romantic and make sure the married couple dance in the finale over a dancer that had been wonderful all season?

To me, Legacy’s elimination is the cruelest of all eliminations on this show. Silly me for carrying for the success of someone I don’t know and will never meet. The only other time I ever voted for someone was for Ryan Star from Rockstar Supernova, but I wasn’t affected as much by it because the show became a joke half way through. I guess my attachment to dance comes from admiration of what the human body can do, and no one on the show could do what Legacy can.

I remember how every time I saw a group of rabid soccer fans, I’d point to them and in my best Nelson impersonation, I said “Ha-ha!”. Those days of merciless mocking are over.

My downward spiral into fandom began a few weeks ago when I discovered I could vote with skype. I liked Legacy and Kathryn enough to spend 2+ hours a week voting for them (with an arm on a sling and a displaced neck tendon, no less), but my votes went to Legacy when they were split up.

The downward spiral into fandom continued when I decided to join IdolForums (IDF), a place where rabid fandom is the norm. I joined because I needed spoilers. A bit obsessive? You bet!

As chud.com blogger Anderson said: “Sometimes, the internet communities creep me the fuck out.”. I’m often appalled by the type of fandom seen in places like IDF. Why would people resort to personal insults to contestants and forum members alike when they don’t even know them, or each other? Also, the insults between threads were ridiculous and childish.

Fortunately the only three threads I frequented were also frequented by a very respectful bunch.

So I thank the good people from the Legacy, Kathryn McCormick and Kathacy Threats. I had a very nice time. And you made the experience very enjoyable.

As for Legacy, it was an absolute honor to support him and I can’t wait to see what comes next for him.

I wish Kathryn the best and hope she wins.

And I’m never, EVER, watching this show as it airs again. I don’t want to become emotionally attached to someone I don’t know. I don’t need that. It’s too much!!

Silly, silly me…

By the way: FUCK YOU AMERICA!

Just kidding! … not.