The latest season of "Dancing with the Stars" has become one of the most controversial, and it hasn't even started yet. Apparently a man who was once a woman is too much for many fans to handle. Every season there is controversy in some form or another. What fans have to understand is the show thrives on controversy.
Everyone wants to see how the underdog does. Everyone wants to see how the latest controversy goes. Think of how many people will be watching the "Dancing with the Stars" premiere just to see how Chaz Bono performs. Whether you love the stars or hate them, you find yourself watching. You want your favorites to do well and you want some of the more controversial ones to fail miserably.
For instance, last season, Kirstie Alley and Mike "The Situation" from "Jersey Shore" were both controversial stars. Both did better than anyone imagined. While "The Situation" went early, Kirstie Alley continued to beat the competition. Whether it was her already established fan base or talent, it doesn't really matter. Her fans kept watching to keep her on the show, and those who didn't think she deserved the scores she got kept watching hoping someone else would win. Once again, controversy made the season incredibly popular.
Any reality show looks for contestants that fans will connect with. Fans can relate due to some type of sob story or personal struggle. Fans also come together against the "bad guy." These are the people who stand out as always causing trouble or have no real talent. You can only watch the good guys so much before you get bored. You know what to expect. On "Dancing with the Stars," the talented ones stand out in the first few episodes. If you miss an episode, you know they were probably good and you can catch a recap during the results show or online. For the bad guys, you don't want to miss a minute. You don't want to be the only one who missed that controversial comment or the argument between the star and dancer. The bad guys get ratings.
The more fans argue, the better ratings "Dancing with the Stars" gets. Right now, the show is getting free publicity left and right. Most major news outlets have covered the controversy. Every entertainment news show has covered the stars' backgrounds to dig up potential dirt. "Dancing with the Stars" doesn't have to advertise as much as many other shows simply because of the contestants they choose. Controversy draws in viewers and gives them millions in free publicity.
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