Friday, January 3, 2014

Grandiosity and limited personalities

You know how you can circle around something and not quite land but you're close? The reality show is doing that to me.

So I went to google with the idea of searching "Grandiosity and low self esteem" to see how much these two traits are paired. I typed in "grandiosity and", and low self-esteem auto-filled, so it's right up there.

Some quotes:

Grandiosity, or the delusion that you’re special and/or don’t have to follow the normal rules, underpins nearly every aspect of perfectionism

Tessa has spent how much time telling us about her perfectionism? Usually that's meant to trigger empathy - she's hard on herself, she's self-critical = humble, never good enough. But we've seen with Jessica, who also loves the label, that it can be a pretty histrionic, self-dramatizing self-description.

This next writer is a little florid and precious for me in the adjective department, but her descriptives do evoke what we see from Tessa and Scott, what they project and what's missing. I think I'll highlight what we see missing in Scott and Tessa.

And mostly, it got me thinking about the difference between grandiosity and self-esteem.

Grandiosity is a cover, an attempt to divorce yourself from pain through self-elevation. Self-esteem is an acceptance of your pain, your strengths and weaknesses, because you understand the incredible value of your very Being.

With grandiosity, you pursue your vision to the exclusion and detriment of your dear self and others. With high self-esteem, you cultivate your dream and garner the resources to make it happen.

Grandiosity makes you feel special, and separates you from others. Self-esteem connects you to others through your humanity.A grandiose brag is designed to impress, but merely turns others off. A high self-esteem brag is a celebration of one’s gifts.

The one thing we can CLEARLY see with Scott and Tessa, however we choose to armchair psych/spitball it, is a desire to separate themselves from others. Others as in - the common horde. There is no arguing that. We can see it from space.

On the ice, they've separated themselves. That's a given. They're extraordinary talents.

However, they and their community have an equivalent drive to separate themselves from others off the ice, and what they end up proactively doing is alienating themselves from others.

Alienation is one way of separating yourself out off ice and it's the easiest way. The 'elevation' part seems to be built-in due to their status as celebrity athletes and the public's lower status as fans,

I think the part that I'm not so on board with is the "pain" part. Who knows what they're compensating for, but a healthy personality isn't grandiose. I do know Moirville projects itself as having very restricted personalities. BIG doesn't mean full personalities. They have narrow-spectrum personalities that appear to be fixed. There's no development.

Tessa goes on and on about the wonder that is Kate, her mother, as if we have Kate to thank for all that Tessa has become. I don't think Kate does Tessa's skating for her, but she was influential in the development of Tessa as a person, to which I can only say, mother of fucking God. I don't think anybody has to wonder about the Virtues in this anymore. They produced Tessa. That's all we need to know.


I also went googling for the difference between "nice" and "kind" as I think Scott and Tessa both make no distinction, and there's a big distinction.

This is a second hand compilation of the difference I found on the web - it's schematic but it gets the point across:
Nice: adj; pleasant or pleasing or agreeable in nature or appearance; socially or conventionally correct; refined or virtuous

Kind: adj; having or showing a tender and considerate and helpful nature; used especially of persons and their behavior; characterized by mercy, and compassion

A “nice” person is one who conforms his behavior to what he believes society sees as “nice.” A “kind” person doesn’t necessarily care about what “society” thinks of him; he acts out of a deep-rooted love for his fellow living beings.

On the surface, this might not seem to be a very important distinction. However, when we look deeper at the roots of these two behavior patterns, we see two very different human beings.

The nice person is focused on himself – he does nice things in order to be perceived (by others and by himself) as a “nice person.”

The kind person is focused on others – all he wants is to relieve the suffering of the living, conscious creature in front of him.

When we dig deeper into these two “personalities,” we will find some extremely intense differences.

The core of a “kind person” is love. The core of a “nice person” is fear.
The kind person is strong. The nice person is weak.

P.S. - reading descriptions of the reality show below, it looks like Virtue Moir can't maintain internal logical consistency even inside a single episode of their own fan fic'd reality show. To wit: apparently Tessa goes on about how she's bad at flirting and she needs coaching from their choreographer about how to look at, touch, and respond to Scott (all of that, btw, sounds like Scott and Tessa have decided to use themselves as masturbatory aids for their fan base. NICE.).

FF to their poignant dinner and Tessa is rubbing her red stilletto flat against Scott's leg. Which is it, lady?

She's not good at flirting.

90 comments:

  1. The W Network has times for repeat viewings. Gaahhh.

    The repeats of this series are going to last forever on TV, let alone the youtube eternal access. HOW could Tessa and Scott do this and leave this kind of tacky disgusting narrative as one of the biggest things in their legacy?

    oc you must be right. There have to be some very serious mental and psychological issues going in with VM, Cassandra (and her family) and Moirville.

    Assholes is another proper name for it.

    ReplyDelete
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    1. Their body of work as skaters is a beautiful legacy to leave to leave behind. It's unfortunate that they would rather people remember this mess they've put on tv.

      Assholes indeed.

      Delete
    2. 11:01 again.

      I wonder if Kate warped the other three kids as bad as she did Tessa.

      Delete
    3. 11:01 - no shit. This isn't looking good on Saint Kate at all. That lady has issues.

      I think them being assholes is a product of their psychological impairment. When Scott jokes - even on the square - about them being crazy or not normal or unique, it's really pretty much a backdoor brag. I don't think it's meant to be taken as for real as it actually is. There is actual psychological sickness on display here.

      We were talking about ticking the boxes for pathology - this reality show ticks the boxes for brutality to their kid. The kid is going to have to be as much a sick fuck as they are to be able to laugh and point at this show - everything that goes into laughing and pointing is going to be damaging, because yes, it's dad and mom acting, but it's also dad and mom lying and making fun of other people both for believing them and not believing them.

      LM has her mom, Tessa, through some type of perverse egocentricity/vanity on Tessa's part, pushing dad on to act out with another woman.

      What is that, some type of rarified ego trip? Look how much I've got him on a string! An insecure woman would hesitate, but every time Tessa pushes Scott in this direction she is basically ego-tripping about her power over him - not her power to get him to do it, but how much she feels she owns him. That's how it comes across. It's this sort of grandiose demonstration - THAT's how much he's mine - there is NOTHING that can threaten me because he doesn't even perceive other women.

      They left LM out of this show, which, thank God, because it's a debacle. But why does this exist in the first place?

      We all know in alcoholic families and in other seriously dysfunctional families, turning everything into a joke is one way of denying and avoiding real issues, and a way of shaming people who perceive and want to address real issues.

      What other route is there for this child but not to take it seriously and to deny the scary underpinnings? Even if you come out on top of the scary part, there's dad humiliating himself on television. That's your dad, Little Moir. He's an Olympic champion, but he's also an incredibly cowardly human being.

      What's also become clear is that skating is their get out of jail free card. Being a great skater means "this" about you. And it proves "that" about you.

      Delete
  2. you are so crazy. I hope virtue and moir sue u once they retire. and no, the burden wont be on them to prove them wrong, it will be on u to prove your nasty and unsupported accusations in a public forum. and you will have to reveal ur identity. in fact, they can sue you for defamation, then determine your identity, then out you, then drop the case just for the purpose of identifying and outing you for the psycho you are. vm, I hope your team is listening. virtue's dad is a lawyer, I hope they use this strategy against you.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The blog is three years old now and Tessa's dad has been a lawyer the entire time.

      What Team VM could do is appeal to google to shut down the blog for violating google TOS. That hasn't happened. Google would be their first target.

      If they couldn't get the blog shut down on technical violations, and they can't, their next recourse they'd have to say the blog is lying, and there, they're out of luck. They wouldn't want to take legal action because one of the first steps in legal action is discovery and they would be the ones exposed, not the blog.

      Delete
    2. P.S. - just for the edification of those who feel like 11:31 - if, hypothetically, the blog were sued (and since Tessa's dad is a lawyer that's not going to happen), that means the blog can subpoena Tessa and Scott's marital records and the birth record of their kid. That's one of the only conditions under which private records can be made available to non-parties. If Tessa/Scott claim there are no such records, that's perjury and I can counter-sue.

      The truth isn't on their side.

      Delete
    3. no, you're wrong. what they would do is: (I) sue you as john doe and identify the url/domain; ;(ii) get your identity via third-party subpoena, meaning not through you; (iii) out you; (iv) voluntarily dismiss their own lawsuit, all for the sole purpose of outing you. by the time your request for discovery gets handled, they will have your identity, and out you, and once they voluntary dismiss it's over. you cannot sue them or countersue them for voluntarily dismissing their suit. they will do this once the olympics are done. they may even find a kind enuff judge to file the complaint under seal. I hope they do. you're bullshit accusations has caused a hardworking brilliant pair of skaters a lot of bad press and who knows who reads your bullshit. If you're going to make accusations of having a false/real romance, that's one thing. once you make public accusations re: the abuse of a potential child, you're in dangerous territory legally and they do have options. theyre not going to waste their time now, but they will.

      Delete
    4. You're off-base 4:24. Technically speaking, this is google's blog, not my blog. They can terminate it for any reason. They'd have to first ask google to take it down based on whatever reason. If google refused then they'd have to sue google. At that point google could present my identity if they were able to do so, and then the case could be argued.

      It's not going to get there because the blog is telling the truth. Scott and Tessa are married with a three year old child. Furthermore, the blog hasn't alleged physical abuse but psychological damage. I don't recall Anthony Weiner suing the reporters who wrote he'd left a fabulous legacy for his son by sexting his dick to a whole lot of anonymous women. That's opinion.

      The blog is a) fact: Scott and Tessa are married with a child.
      b) opinion: Scott and Tessa are acting out a charade that involves Scott promoting his sexual involvement with another woman and extinguishing the existence of his child from the public record. The two of them lie through their teeth and have hoaxed the public left and right.'

      I'm not going to tit for tat this with you but as I said, the truth isn't on their side. The truth is on the blog's side. They're married. They have a child. Every other opinion on this blog derives from their behavior and public statements evaluated in view of this fact.

      Delete
    5. "no, you're wrong. what they would do is: (I) sue you as john doe and identify the url/domain; ;(ii) get your identity via third-party subpoena, meaning not through you; (iii) out you; (iv) voluntarily dismiss their own lawsuit, all for the sole purpose of outing you."

      What good would that do them?

      Delete
    6. idiots at 602, and oycanada, as they embark on their professional money making careers, they will out you, bc ur in their way. what I am trying to explain to you Oycanada, and anyone that thinks the "truth" matters, it doesn't in the beginning of a lawsuit. again, let me repeat, and yes, im an attorney, they can SHUT U DOWN within weeks of filing a suit against you bc of -how's this for irony-publicly humiliating YOU the way you do them. anyway, point is, you're in for a surprise post-Olympics. they can do this quickly and quietly and you can continue to blog ur bullshit but not anonymously. when you are sued, you are not entitled to hold on to john doe status, and trust, they will find your name, and identity, if they don't already know it.

      Delete
    7. If you're an attorney, you're an attorney with horrible grammar. You also seem to be horrible with how the law actually works.

      Delete
    8. 635, how does the law work then if your knowledge and grammar are so amazing? grammar is your problem? not the reality of how easy it is for even you to out oycanada. do you really think it's that hard to figure out this psycho's identity? it's not.

      and oycanada, google doesn't own your site, the applicant for the url and the domain name does. they, VM, or their agents, can easily, and will, out and humiliate you after they go professionally. they have no incentive now. they have an incentive after. you will be made a public fool of, there's no such thing as anonymity on the internet. I for one, cant wait for you to taste your own medicine.

      Delete
    9. Google owns the blogspot.com domain. To take a google blog down, you go through google. OC didn't apply for a domain name like she would have if she had purchased web hosting and registered a name like dubemoir.com for it.

      If VM or their agents could have so easily taken down this site, why haven't they earlier? Your logic fails me there in that it's not important now but it will be important later. VM have had endorsement deals since Vancouver.

      Regardless, OC isn't psycho or lying.

      Delete
    10. So what if V/M find out OC's real name/identity? What's going to happen?

      Nothing. That's what. How the hell will OC be humiliated? Be thought of as a crazy fan of V/M? Nobody cares.

      The people who have the most to lose with this are V/M, and they've already lost it by not shutting down this blog years ago. Waiting until after the Olympics is beyond pointless. If they are actually getting new viewers/fans with their show, and those fans want to know more about google them, this blog shows up. Why would V/M want to have this out there if none of it is true?? What would be the point of waiting to shut it down?

      Maybe you need to stop being an idiot yourself.

      Delete
    11. you're idiots. v/m or their agents out OC and public humiliation follows. if OC didn't care about that kind of fallout she-thanks for confirming the psycho is a she- she wouldn't be so anonymous. google doesn't own the CONTENT of this blog. the content is the basis for any defamation suit. and what im trying to say, is if vm doesn't know the identity of lunatic-OC -they probably do but for the sake of argument- they can easily find out via suit or otherwise. right now their endorsements are pretty light, also for the point of supporting their skating. once they go pro, and see if their reality show can make them more bankable post skating, they will come after OC psycho either publicly or privately. my point is that it will be very very easy for them to do so. and oc has zero recourse. none whatsoever. so if oc cares about her identity or the people around her she's betrayed by using their alleged intel for this bullshit site, she should pack it up now, because this person will be exposed if vm think this site will hurt their post-Olympic shots at making $$$$$. what I am saying is very simple, very easy to understand. whomever OC is, once exposed, will lose all credibility. that's the point. public humiliation and discrediting you. it can, and will be easily done. and that's that. so cut your losses, close up shop, bc they will come after u. it's so simple. and if there are fans out here that want to shut this crazy lunatic up pre-Olympics, with ten minutes of research, you can figure out who applied to google, registered domain name, owns the url, etc., and out her yourself. I'm sure there are plenty of vm fans that want to see you shut down pre-Olympics run. you are an awful weird person and I hope you get your due.

      Delete
    12. While I agree it would not be too hard for team V&M to trace the IP back to the blogger and/or shut down this site, it makes absolutely no sense they would wait to do that after Sochi. They let this site get away with posting that they faked the withdrawal in 2011 4CC, a very serious allegation, and have allowed the blog to contradict everything about the new reality show. I have to assume that if V&M haven't had it shut down by now, it is never going to happen.

      Delete
    13. Yeah, I think the legal expert up there doesn't understand that Scott and Tessa are married with a kid. That being a fact, there's not much the VM team can do except try to find technical grounds to get rid of the blog.

      When I first started fooling around with this blog idea I started a facebook group page that was taken down because a facebook PAGE can only be authorized by the person it's about or whose name it's in. That was a technical error. I then did a facebook group before deciding blogger was a better format, and the facebook GROUP stayed up.

      There's something else I've read about so-called libel and slander. Let's pretend I'm making this shit up - all of it, and let's pretend it falls under the legal definition of libel and slander (there are standards that must be met before something can be termed libel and/or slander). Virtue and Moir would have a limited window of time to sue between their awareness of the blog's existence and filing some sort of lawsuit. That window of time has long since shut. It would be difficult for them to claim they weren't aware of the blog til 2014, seeing as when the blog started everybody connected with Virtue and Moir and the shamming immediately restricted their facebooks. Their facebooks were open to most of their fb friends and a whole lot of material was available to friends of friends. The second the blog was opened in early 2011, all that stuff was restricted - across the board. That means they knew about the blog in 2011. It's now 2014.

      You really can't say "Well, I didn't feel like suing back then because we had better things to do, but now we want to sue."

      Too late.

      And that's if the blog were LYING.

      The blog is telling the truth, so that's a pretty big obstacle for any lawsuit. It would be over and done before it started as once a lawsuit gets the green light by the legal system, the next step is discovery. I think it wouldn't get a green light because the judge would say - ARE you two fucking married with a kid? Yes? Well I guess I'm not going to green light this thing.

      IOW, they're not doing it. They're stupid but not that type of stupid.

      Delete
    14. 9:18, YOU are the idiot. Even if OC's name were to come out, it doesn't change the facts that VM are married and have a three-year-old daughter. And why would knowing OC's name make her lose credibility? That makes no sense. OC also wouldn't be the one publicly humiliated because she's the one who's been telling the truth. It's VM who would be humiliated because they're the ones who have been lying.

      If you google anything at all about VM, the search results will include, usually on the first page, a link back to here. If OC weren't telling the truth, this blog would already be gone. However, the blog has been here 3 years.

      Delete
    15. 9:18 - here's a link for you.

      http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1244224

      And that's it. You have logic problems, you're using this site to rant, and if you've done any research you haven't understood it. That's your problem and not mine. This is done.

      Delete
    16. Why would VM care more about their pro career than about winning a second OGM ? If they care about their reputation ( which they obviously don't ) they won't sue because as soon as celebrities sue a newspaper or a blog everybody starts to believe that they are hiding something. Getting outraged is the kiss of death for any celeb.

      Delete
    17. 9:27, actually, google takes the privacy protections of its bloggers VERY seriously and it would not be easy for anyone other than google to get the IP. In the link above, google ended up providing the identity of a blogger in a legal case and google got huge pushback from its blog users.

      Google, I think it's fair to say, has bigger resources than Team Virtue Moir.

      Okay, I said I was done before and now I am done.

      Delete
    18. oy Canada, in reply to 928, what I'm trying to say is yes, maybe "the truth" is a defense to defamation, but that's not the point. the point is they can out you VERY easily BEFORE they would have to respond to you, i.e, prove the truth. that's my point. they can find you, out you, discredit you, humiliate you, etc., BEFORE they have to explain the truth of the allegations of the blog. that's my point. they can easily figure out who you are, and you would choose-most likely you would be too embarrassed and discredited- to continue with the blog. there's many ways to shut a person down online, and I just explained the no risk way VM can, and will do it, if they think your blog stands in their way of $$$ post-Olympics. they know they will not win gold. that's part of the reason for the reality show, cash now, let's hope for cash later. get ready to be publicly humiliated! let's see how you like it.

      Delete
    19. 4:43 In what way is oc publicly humiliated for telling the truth? So people would know a name. Big deal. It also doesn't shut down a blog.

      Delete
    20. No they CAN'T "out me very easily". Google protects its bloggers, even more so since the occasion they got blowback for giving up the i.d.

      Don't come back with this.

      Delete
  3. Cassandra was introduced 1 1/2 years ago and has been pulled along to every event since then ( except when they were sleep skyping or she couldn't go to Japan ). How does this qualify as " fairly new " ? In a real relationship the first butterflies would have disappeared by no so not so much hot and heavy action anymore. Unless of course Scott counts on the media that they keep ignoring cassandra and her Facebook shenanigans.
    So the narrative is that Scott is super busy screwing his very own Tessa lookalike clone while 24 year old virgin Tessa is training all alone and waiting for her knight in shiny armour to rescue her from eternal wallflowerdom.
    I wouldn't be surprised if they made it look like Tessa has an unrequited crush on Scott. The restaurant scene was already very promising. Tessa waits patiently for Scott, he's late, she's stroking his leg while he's keeping distance. And the disappointed look on Tessa's face when Scott didn't say he would miss skating with her the most. You just have to feel for this poor,innocent little girl. Forgotten are the countless times that Scott and Marina declared Tessa wasn't innocent at all or how fans thought of her as Carmen. She's back to maidenhood and will spend her time pining silently for Scott while he sucks face with Cassandra.

    Brilliant. A teen magazine for girls couldn't have scripted it better

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    1. they've always flipped the script like this. Growing up the relationship was mutual but Scott's insecurities and sensitivies where Tessa was concerned are no secret. So of course portray their boy as this stud with the Tessa lookalike at home and the actual Tessa pining and at a loss, and will Scott resolve his feelings for her from protectiveness to where he recognizes it is love? It's pitiful. It pretty much advertises that in real life he's seen as a loser because otherwise we wouldn't be getting this compensation. Oh yeah, all the girls had a crush on Scott. I liked Scott and he dumped me. I'm alone - is it Scott I really want? Let me stroke his leg - oh dear, he's distant.

      This does feel like a Tessa script though.

      I'm sorry to keep asking what happened but I know I have to watch this sucker pretty soon and I'm procrastinating because I don't want to find myself watching and then doing, like, twenty posts in a row, which I know will happen. So I'm holding back for a bit.

      What happened? Miss what? What's he going to miss most instead and what was the question?

      As for the script portraying them as physically shy around each other and showing Tessa as some kind of pinng Jane Eyre on ice, that's typical of something the blog pointed out in a recent post - the only truth they acknowledge is what they pull out their ass today.

      Delete
    2. OC, you must see it as soon as possible. I'm very much looking forward to all your opinions and posts about it.

      The trainwreck has begun.

      Delete
    3. I know I have to see it (I mentioned this in the comments on the other thread). I just know it's going to produce around seventeen posts and I want to gather my strength first. Fingers crossed I'll bite the bullet before the weekend's done. I see it playing out like - watch five seconds - POST! Watch the next 30 seconds - POST! and, of course, screen caps. so I'm procrastinating a little bit.

      Delete
    4. The trainwreck hasn't begun, it's done. That damn thing came straight out the chute and derailed.

      Delete
    5. OMG. Already pages of pseudo-psychoanalysis and you haven't even seen the episode yet, OC?

      I can't decide which is more fascinating/the bigger train wreck -- the episode itself, or watching your behavior, OC.

      Delete
    6. I think OC has been observing VM long enough that she can make an analysis going off what has been reported about that show.

      Delete
    7. Seriously 5:54 - I know these two are married parents and I know a few other things about them. I know this reality show portrays Scott canoodling with someone he identifies as his girlfriend and I know Tessa pretends she's solo and they act out some sort of unarticulated undefined romantic that includes Tessa pining and Scott overreacting to her interaction with some other dude.

      NOBODY NEEDS TO SEE IT. All ANYBODY needs to know is they're married with a 3 year old daughter. They've been married for four years.

      Seriously, to react to this shit you need to SEE it? Are you for real? You only need to KNOW about it to nail it.

      You're being stupid. The important info to know is they're married and have a daughter. The reality show is a piece of junk. You don't need to SEE it. What is the nuance I'm missing?

      oc

      Delete
  4. Tessa and Scott sat together in a romantic restaurant and talked about how this might be all over soon and Tessa asked him what he would miss the most about skating. She looked very disappointed when he gave a meaningless answer. The entire thing was set up to look like he would say he'd miss spending time with her the most ( because that's his usual answer ) and Tessa had a very anxious look on her face while she waited for his answer. It was straight out of a teen romance.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. These partners and friends of more than 15 years managed to have a dinner date that looked uncomfortable, including questions one would ask of an acquaintance. It was not "natural" at all. But it did further the storyline of Poor Tessa, without Scott or any other true love.

      Delete
    2. To give them credit, I always underestimate them. When they were all - this is honest and genuine and the real us, I figured that b.s. was mostly lies about what they were hiding. I didn't know they'd have an actual scripted storyline with Tessa enacting the fantasy version of her sixteen year old self and Scott playing the gentleman stud his family wishes he'd been but never was.

      Delete
    3. Tessa is cast as clueless, somewhat flighty, innocent and lonely. We're to understand in the next episode drama queen having meltdowns is added to her character.

      Nothing at all to suggest she's a mother. And of course Scott is busy getting it on with his "new, hot and heavy' gf. Who would ever see him as a father? Nope. Not in this enacted fanfiction.

      Delete
    4. Anon at 2:04 pm - this is a team that has been praised by fellow competitors, coaches and previous ice-dancers. Naturally all of these people got in wrong. After seeing the first episode - would VM be considered mentor material to the outside world...no...oh well...

      Delete
    5. So will the Moir and Hilborn clan wear the yellow swearshirts at Nationals...perhaps just scratch out that Virtue name while your at it...

      Delete
    6. It's sad because Scott could actually be a pretty great guy and a father that every little girl would be glad to have. Alas he chose to follow his family's path instead.
      I remember how Marina once said he's a passionate reader bit that was never repeated again. Reading and studying is for Virtues; a Moir goes camping and listens to country music !
      Everytime Scott shows parts of his personality that aren't en par with the Moir status quo you can be sure it was the last time he mentioned it. Tessa is supposed to be the sophisticated one striving go academic achievements who wants to live in Paris and learn more about fashion design. Scott sits at Shoeless Joe's and watches hockey games.

      Delete
    7. The restaurant scene is hilarious. It's straight out of fanfic central. Tessa waiting by herself for Scott who is late. The awkward conversation. Tessa making sure her leg brushes against Scott's under the table. Scott saying there are 20 weeks left, and Tessa correcting him that there are 22 (guys, she's making sure not to cut those precious weeks short! She needs that time so hopefully Scott will fall in love with her!) Then she makes a terrible, awkward sort of joke about "or 6 periods." Scott reacts like he's 12. (Hilariously bad in so many ways, one of which being that back in real reality, the man saw her give birth 3 years ago. Well, I assume he was present for Little Moir's birth. He did have to cut the cord.)

      Delete
    8. 2:48, you posted while I was posting.

      My guess is that much like how Tessa and Scott are nice to people's faces, they're nice to the child. Being a good parent is more than playing with a kid, taking care of the child in terms of bathing, diapering, dressing, and feeding, etc. It's not just the everyday tasks of parenthood. It's the big things, first and foremost is protecting that child from harm. Rather than protecting Little Moir from harm, they're harming her with their choices.

      Delete
    9. Anon at 2:48 pm. I agree with your post. There is nothing wrong with camping, enjoying the great outdoors and country music. I just think there is more to Scott than what his family wants portrayed. He definitely has a strong work ethic and with the right guidance he can succeed in whatever he chooses to do after his skating career is over. And like any other elite athlete after retirement - he will need time to adjust to a new life etc. I think that's much harder to do in a smaller community where everyone knows you and is up your business.

      Delete
    10. I'm the anon from 2:48.

      @ 2:56
      ITA, they are definitely harming their child. What I meant was that I believe Scott would be a great father if he wouldn't follow his family and maybe Tessa. If they weren't famous and had no excuse to sham both Tessa and Scott would probably be decent parents with awful in laws but without a platform for MoirVille the child could make it rrelatively unharmed through puberty. Under the given circumstances that's completely impossible though. The girl will suffer from the low self-esteem and lack of confidence Tessa wants us to believe she has.

      @3:23
      I agree, camping and country music are perfectly fine but Moirville treats everything that doesn't fit their lifestyle ( or the image they want yo portray in public ) like it is a betrayal on the community. They seem to follow a rather strict " if you are not with us you must be against us " policy.
      I wonder how they treat Tessa.

      Delete
    11. They're outrageously insecure, have an enormous chip on their shoulder, and of course, arrogant and grandiose.

      I agree, Scott appears as if he could be many good things, but we only have our read on his personality to go by. He's chosen this path. He's chosen to be their bitch. If anyone were trying to control his skating against his (presumed) better nature he'd react like a viper, IMO. This goes to the core of who he is as a man and a father and it's a fail. He defers to people who are psychologically warped, and that includes his wife. That means he's weak.

      And that's all supposing he's not warped himself, a combination of insecurity, machismo, masochism and exhibitionism, and there's plenty of evidence in the public realm to suggest that.

      In many ways it appears as if their only skill set is their relationship with each other; they have no idea how to relate to anybody else or truly consider anybody else outside the prism of their own narrow concerns, and that includes their child. And Tessa seems to get some perverted thrill out of the sham - the more Scott is made to act out, the more serene and complacent she appears. It seems to be some sort of ego fuel for her.

      Delete
  5. Do we SEE Tessa's leg brush Scott's under the table? How retarded are we supposed to be with their pitch that the camera is just a fly on the wall? You have to actually stage shit like that in order for the camera to get it.

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    1. Yes. We see it.

      Delete
    2. And Tessa wears bright-coloured shoes (red?), making sure the leg brush can't be missed.

      The whole thing is awful.

      Delete
    3. We see everything. Every little "nuance" hits the audience over the head with a cement block.

      It's only one episode, but this had Tessa written all over it as the reason why it came to pass, not Moirville. You've said before, OC, that Scott never profanes the deeper meaning of his relationship to Tessa. Well, he does now. In this episode, he manages to be convincing that he doesn't even like her. It's like the crazy has spooked even him, and although I agree he's weak for going through with it, it's like he's acting out in it by being disgusted with her.

      And as for the skating, it's not just the incredibly icky session with JMG of learning to touch each other again. It's Tessa whining about how incapable she is, both doing lifts and as a performer. It's sickening.

      Delete
    4. Isn't it kind of pathetic that they've shaped the narrative of this "reality show" straight off message board fan fic and speculation?

      Delete
    5. It's totally pathetic the narrative follows all the fanfic and board speculations.

      Real and sincere...we didn't even notice the cameras....*our real lives.*

      Geez, who knew Tessa and Scott inhabit a real live fan fiction.

      Delete
  6. stfu about their show and read this http://www.nbcolympics.com/news/ice-dancings-hot-rivalry-davis-and-white-vs-virtue-and-moir

    “They are such different personalities,” says Tara Lipinski, the 1998 Olympic champion and an NBC Sports commentator. “When I watch Tessa and Scott it’s beautiful, classic, elegant ice dancing. I think Meryl and Charlie are all of that, but they give that extra edge and they’re not just dancing for themselves but they are dancing for everyone. I can’t take my eyes off Meryl and every nuance she displays; their attention to detail is incredible.”

    i wonder does tara trip on angel dust everytime she watches d/w skate? because they sure didnt have that "extra edge" at the gpf. there is no magic when they skate.

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    Replies
    1. *shrug*

      Certainly not true about DW, but VM sort of handed them all the talking points by undermining their own connection, etc., on the show.

      Delete
    2. Isn't that consistent with the message from this entire season? DW deliver everything VM deliver - PLUS.

      oc

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    3. "beautiful, classic, elegant ice dancing"

      these words to describe DW's ice dancing? really? I know we have heard these crazy things a lot already but they still boggle my mind. DW have fallen further behind their competitors this season and really should be struggling to make top 5. How a team like this can go into the Olympics as favorites to win and set a new WR, especially when one of the all-time greatest teams is peaking, is just beyond ridiculous.

      Delete
    4. See but what they do to get around this is they describe VM that way, and then just say - DW have it too, and more. They get around describing DW as beautiful, classic ice dancers. Even Tanith, when she discussed chemistry, used VM as her model and then piggybacked DW onto it. Nobody starts out talking about these qualities as if they have them in their own right, because then people would look at DW and go "You lie!" It's more - VM are beautiful and classic.

      DW have gotten there too, plus have that extra something else!

      It's a little verbal trickery, like the visual trickery in DW's choreography.

      oc

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    5. And then anyone who says no, DW don't have those qualities, is mean and attacking poor DW, who are very nice people, because after all, DW and their supporters have done nothing to disrespect VM!

      You can't challenge someone else's score. You can only challenge your own. That's why it's brilliant to give VM marks they deserve, and just give DW extra. Nobody has standing to challenge DW's scores.

      Delete
    6. Skaters and their teams don't have standing, but people in the sport ought to challenge their scores the way, as we remember, North Americans challenged Grishok/Platov's scores, complete with stop-motion analysis, and the way North Americans challenged B&S's scores. When B&S beat S&P at the Olympics, the outcry wasn't over how S&P were scored, but how B&S were scored in view of the fact that Anton had a shaky 2x landing on the sbs. Then S&P just rode the wake of that "injustice."

      Here, everybody is reading from the same prayer book.

      Delete
    7. funny that you mention that because this reminds me a lot of the SP vs BS situation. The judges suddenly decided SP were the top team and ignored everything that made BS superior, everything that used to matter in the marks, and the commentators contributed to this notion that SP were equal to or better than BS. SP, with their "Love Story" also had a more crowd pleasing number for the audience they were performing in front of, making it easier to ignore that the choreography was much easier than that of BS.

      The propping up of DW is even worse because they are so much more inferior to their 'rivals' (and other competitors) than SP were.

      Delete
  7. The episode opened with footage from VM at the carnival at the CNE in 2012.

    Does anyone else think this show was in the works far longer than we knew and that the show was part of the reason Jessica was ditched in 2012?

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    Replies
    1. Are we sure it wasn't from 2013?

      I will watch this thing, I promise.

      oc

      Delete
    2. It starts off, after the intro, with a screen that says "Toronto, Ontario, 1 year ago" and shows them on a midway. Then the next bit is August 2013 in Quebec.

      OC, try to watch it soon. The copyright police are out and about. Or at least get it downloaded and saved on your computer.

      Delete
    3. Sneak peak, OC: https://31.media.tumblr.com/3d266ffcc047d8f237fb536b9bb9342f/tumblr_myuzdrn9r41qcrozeo4_250.gif

      Delete
    4. Thanks!

      Man, that's embarrassing. Also, hilarious.

      I think I'm watching it today.

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    5. Although, I think I'm going to have to watch it in stages. First without sound, because I don't think anybody can handle the visual AND the VO/dialogue in one go, from what I've read.

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  8. Can I interest anyone in a new favourite team? There's still the overscored nemesis to deal with, but absolutely no shamming. They even share delightful things with their fans.

    http://youtu.be/bG0pFt3KTho
    http://youtu.be/06GOEqcnUrM

    While I concede that G/P's FD concept is original, and that Piper has made some marginal improvements, it is P/I's FD that should be receiving buzz this season. It is a master class on changing holds and how to stay in contact with one's partner. 17 SECONDS more in closed hold than G/P's FD. And they spend only 17 seconds skating while apart, compared with 32 seconds in Seasons.

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    1. Those statistics are eye-opening. Hold is not required for a program to be among the most difficult (like Carmen, obviously, included some incredibly difficult movement out of hold), but P/I's use of it here definitely showcases their ability to push themselves as well as their ability to manage choreo that a lot of other teams at this point can't. It's not like a team should be rewarded for choreography, but it would be nice to see the difficulty of what they do accorded more recognition than the imagined novelty of G/P.

      Delete
    2. I love that a team like this has integrity in ice dance even when the ISU is trashing what ice dance is meant to be. P/I remember it's ice DANCE even when the ISU does not and have remembered that since they were first paired.

      Furthermore, they are also dancing with bladework and complex changes of direction. That deserves tremendous respect above and beyond their considerable abilities as dancers and skaters.

      I, also, like this team, and I was very pleased this year to see that they have learned to skate full out and remain 100% committed to their program whether or not a glitch occurs somewhere. They have so much content and quality skating, it was very important they not give up on themselves if something didn't go perfectly, because like many top teams, there's enough there to get good points even if a glitch pops up. They seem to realize that about themselves and their skating now - know what it's worth.

      Delete
    3. I also want to clarify that those stats are based on transitions alone, and do not include step sequences. I haven't done the math yet, but what P/I execute in those is equally impressive.

      I definitely agree 7:09, it isn't the program itself that should be rewarded, but the exceptional skating skills it takes to pull off skating as one to this degree.

      As for their confidence, moving to DSC has done wonders for them. I remember Tracy said during Skate Canada that Krylova told her she screams at them whenever they start to doubt themselves.
      And even though I titled video #4 "Season's Worst score", they had a very strong skate at Nebelhorn Trophy. Not too far into the program, Alex goofs her twizzle (and they got absolutely nothing for it, which if in keeping with the rules shows a major flaw in the scoring guide - she executed most of the set very well), but they got it back together immediately, and having the programs cut up in this manner, you would never know they had a major error, and that is most definitely a difference from previous skates by them. I have been a big fan for quite some time, but the difference in quality in almost everything was especially evident to me in this comparison, perhaps because I was able to use HD throughout for the first time.

      (As an aside, the DSC seem to be doing many things right. They not only produce incredible skaters, but also seem to attract/support many likable and media-saavy skaters. They also have produced so many excellent dance programs this year - not only P/I's, but W/P's and Hawayek/Baker's. Aldridge/Eaton's FD this year has more authentic Middle Eastern movement than Scherz, that's for sure. And Hubbell/Donahue's SD this year is very strong in that respect as well. Oh, and in the annual December revue that DSC just put on, it appears that H/D have upgraded their FD twizzles, at least, to a set of three, even though she seemed to still be in significant pain dealing with her injury.)

      Delete
    4. thanks for the videos canadablue. PI are one of the best teams out there today.

      Delete
    5. I agree that Paul/Islam are a strong team in terms of skating skills. They may not be at VMs level but I think they have more potential than WP. I also think that the Detroit Skating Club has a strong dance program and that Krylova has a good head on her shoulders.
      Its funny how here we are going into Nationals for both the US and Canada and there is very few articles on actually skating. Even a New York Times article that basically featured DW does not take about skating. And we know that VM have basically botched an opportunity to once again make it about the skating with this so-called reality series. Right now - there is a lot of wrong with figure skating in particular with ice dance from the judging and the commentators that it's really hard to take this sport at face value.

      Delete
  9. Interesting quote from Meryl:

    “In Vancouver, Charlie and I were happy to look up at Tessa and Scott and say, ‘You very much deserved that top podium,’ ” Davis said.

    “Now I think the biggest difference between the teams is our artistic eyes and artistic inclinations. It’s what we desire to accomplish on the ice compared with four years ago, which was a difference in the style of actual skating.”

    http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/05/sports/olympics/ice-dancing-adored-and-mocked-could-give-americans-a-lone-gold.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1&smid=tw-share

    "...which was a difference in the style of actual skating." So in Meryl's mind, actual skating is just "style". Its all about "artistic inclinations".

    This is not a sport.

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    Replies
    1. Well that's what Tara is saying. That's what everyone is saying. Therefore, quality skating and blade work becomes a "style" that can be appropriated by anybody, or, when convenient, dismissed.

      Delete
    2. This kills me. And ice dance should be the discipline where skating skills matter most. There are so many teams outdoing DW in this respect , ones who can actually DANCE, and the judges continue to ignore it just to prop up DW.

      Delete
  10. Check this out. Scott has no imagination when it comes to GF-gifts. Another key necklace. Posted just for our benefit, I'm sure. What else shows more commitment than a key necklace. Loooool.

    http://ink361.com/app/photo/ig-625587679056171331_235080067

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. " What else shows more commitment than a key necklace. "

      In this case not so much "commitment' as "real." What shows it's *real* more than a key necklace? Bwahahahaha.

      Scott saying "she's my girlfriend RIGHT NOW" and "AT THE MOMENT things are hot and heavy" is akin to a slip of the tongue signaling doubt/something temporary. As far from "commitment" as you can get.

      What would be interesting to know is whether it was scripted that way on purpose or was it an accidental tell on Scott's part because in fact Cassandra is not a real girlfriend. She's a decoy.

      Delete
    2. It saus the picture is no longer available. Did anybody save it ?

      Delete
    3. Here you go:
      http://tinypic.com/view.php?pic=n3408w&s=5#.UsiByvQ2yjs

      Delete
    4. You can also see it here - http://ink361.com/app/users/235080067/photos

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    5. Thank you, anons 1:50 and 1:53 !

      At least he didn't give her another one of Tessa's old necklaces. Cass is special, she gets a new -almost identical - key !
      I can't wait to see Connor in action. Just to see if he comes across as unlikable on camera as he does on pictures.

      Delete
    6. Some time ago the blog made fun of Jessica's key necklace, comparing the price to what Tessa's key necklace cost. Jessica's was less expensive. This time Mr. Moir made sure to show his devotion with a *gold* necklace that costs more than the silver ones. Just in case anyone doubted the reality of his feelings. Or wait, didn't he say once Tessa gave him advice for the GF gifts? It was Tessa who made sure the necklace shows true and deep feelings!

      These people are more than pathetic, playing to the fans they hate but whose attention they crave.

      Delete
  11. jfc who cares if the show is fake. i dont blame tessa and scott wanting to profit from their image. they needed to find another way to make money considering the isu wont let them win any major gold medals anymore. people have capitalized on way worse. get over it.

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    Replies
    1. 12:47
      Fake is fine as long as it's advertised as fake -- "See Tessa and Scott having fun acting out some of the fanfiction their fans have written about them" -- a title along those lines would be acceptable.

      It is NOT OKAY to peddle this show as a sincere/true/real/all-access to the behind-the-scenes lives when in fact it's scripted fake drama.

      Some of the skating bits might be true but the problem is VM and the W Network didn't tell the public that only parts of it are true and many parts are just pretend. No, it's not okay.

      Delete
    2. who cares what w does they're just trying to make the show more appealing to those who havent got a clue about figure skating, and those who only watch it once every four years. i think everyone is distracted from the real problem at hand - that that D/W's recent gold medal wins are all because the competition is rigged.

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    3. 1:06, you ought to care what VM are doing.

      What DW are doing PR wise is incredibly smart given how stupidly VM are behaving right now. Yeah, the judging is whack and VM should be winning based on their skating, but this isn't a sport and the politics and pr are proving to be more important than the skating. VM have failed miserably in the PR and politics department this quad. They should have been grown ups and either admitted they were married and having a child or have cut out the social media shamming. They shouldn't have tried to come back in the latter half of the 2010-2011 season. They should have stayed home, enjoyed their new baby, and let DW take the medal at worlds that year. Instead of devoting PR resources to sham, they should have devoted them to talking about their skating and exactly what sets them apart. We arrive at this season and VM are doing a reality show while DW are sounding focused and hungry. Inside of skating knows the truth about VM. How do you think this show makes them look to those people? It makes them look like fools who spent their time acting out the worst of the most horrific fanfiction on television while DW were using their time to work hard.

      I didn't feel this way until recently, but for all the whining we do about the judging, VM are the reason they're not going to win that second OGM.

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    4. yes im pretty sure saying stuff like "What makes us stand out is not just our skating ability but our physical features." is good PR. so narcissistic.

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    5. "It is NOT OKAY to peddle this show as a sincere/true/real/all-access to the behind-the-scenes lives when in fact it's scripted fake drama."

      Anyone who thinks any tv show about another person is "sincere/true/real/all-access" needs to have their head examined. All shows, even the most "obvious" documentaries, are edited, presented with a particular view/bias, and don't show the complete truth.

      Delete
    6. There's a difference between an edited/curated version of the truth and an out and out hoax, which is what this reality show is.

      The Kardashians is edited, dramatized, curated, etc. It's not a hoax. The mother is the mother, the stepfather is the stepfather, the half-siblings are half siblings, the siblings are siblings. The mother was married to the stepdad and now they're separated. Is it the entire picture - no, no television show is.

      Scott and Tessa are a married couple with a child. They have been married four years. In this reality show they present themselves as platonic partners - Tessa presents herself as single and Scott claims Cassandra is his girlfriend. There is NO other show on television that is out and out fraud. There's a difference between limited disclosure and actual hoaxing.

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    7. Seriously, are you the one who keeps thinking Tessa and Scott are so much poorer than Meryl and Charlie? I think you're way off base.

      Delete
  12. if you thought t/s's show was cringeworthy read this especially the second page. is it so much more cringeworthy. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/05/sports/olympics/ice-dancing-adored-and-mocked-could-give-americans-a-lone-gold.html?pagewanted=2&_r=0&smid=tw-share charlie white seems like such a narcissist

    ReplyDelete