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Dance, cowboy, danceFor the past several weeks I've been doing something I swore I would never do--I've been voting for a reality show contestant. But then again, he's not the typical contestant, plotting against his teammates to win at any cost to his conscience and pride. He doesn't need any more shiny bling--he already has world titles and plenty of gold trophies, thank you. He's not in it for the money--the man's earned more than $3 million in his career. And, he's not likely to be shown breaking down on camera, whining about how hard this competition is--he's faced far uglier opponents in his daily commute. So, just who is this reality show contestant? He's your favorite cowboy and mine, Ty Murray, and he's competing in Season 8 of ABC's "Dancing with the Stars." Hollywood hasn't seen a cowboy like him since Gene Autry and Roy Rogers rode off into the sunset. Do the producers know just what they've gotten themselves into by bringing a cowboy to prime time? After all, here's a guy who's chosen career is to pit himself against big, nasty and dangerous rough stock, just to see if he can ride them. He willingly sits on top of 1,500 pounds of snorting TNT, anchoring himself with a little rope, and then tries to stay on for eight seconds with just a chest protector and a bull fighter to keep him safe. Somehow, I don't think a panel of three snobby judges, doing all they can to break his spirit, is going to intimidate him. Murray's won nine world titles in rodeo. They don't just hand those out like participation ribbons, you know. Here's a cowboy used to scoring in the 90 to 100 point range, with a partner who, for all intents and purposes, is trying to kill or at least maim him during their "cha-cha." I'm guessing that twirling a petite woman in a slinky dress and heels for a score of 30 points could be a little easier. Most importantly, he has accomplished all of this without turning into some self-promoting, whiny, stuck-up star. Watch him on the show--he doesn't trash his fellow contestants and he plays fair. He treats his dancing partner with respect. He doesn't throw a fit when he can't get a move, but gets back up and tries again. He doesn't sass the judges, but takes their criticism with a nod and a smile and puts it to work for the next week. And, he does it all with quiet, dignified determination. Mr. and Ms. Hollywood Producer, let me introduce you to the cowboy way. You've simply never seen a contestant like him in reality TV. Just how did he get roped into this? I'm guessing his lovely wife, the singer/songwriter Jewel, had something to do with it. She was set to be another dancer on the show, but an injury had her canceling before the season even began. Still, Murray's cowboy instincts wouldn't let him break his word, and so he's traded his boots for dancing shoes and is stepping up to the challenge. Even if that challenge is coordination and rhythm. Now, if there's one thing Murray is, he is a cowboy. Sadly, though, true cowboys have little to no rhythm. (And, those of you in outrage right now can just stop your cards and phone calls. You know it's true.) Take, for example, the typical cowboy mating ritual of the honky-tonk two-step. Really, I've said it once, I've said it many times, if you can walk with some semblance of timing to the music and in a giant circle, you can two-step. If you can hold a woman and your beverage and navigate a crowded dance floor through a smoky haze without dropping either, you can two-step. The Argentine Tango it ain't. So, maybe our favorite cowboy is more familiar with a dance floor covered in sawdust, with a local band hacking through "Whiskey River." And, maybe he has to work harder and longer than everyone else to get his steps down each week. Maybe he has to dig deeper for his inner Fred Astaire than the others. The odds are stacked against him, sure, but it's not like he hasn't been there before. Murray's a cowboy--he knows that life throws things at you every day. It rains when you need it to be sunny, and it's dry when you need it to rain. Livestock are unpredictable, and the markets even more so. There are no guarantees in life, but what you make for yourself. And that includes dancing on a reality show. So, Mr. Murray, on behalf of all of us out here on the High Plains--from feedlots, ranches, and all manner of small town rodeo arenas--you go get 'em cowboy! You keep showing those Hollywood types the cowboy way. We'll be back here voting for you. Jennifer M. Latzke can be reached by phone at 620-227-1807, or by e-mail at jlatzke@hpj.com.
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