When Bristol Palin tangoed her way into the 'Dancing With the Stars' finale
I was in middle school when Sarah Palin announced her course correction from governor to VP nominee. She was smack dab in the middle of campaigning when news hit the tabloids that her teenage daughter, Bristol, was pregnant.
Bristol was on an episode of The Secret Life of the American Teenager, where she played a pregnant teen before slipping into the reality world. First, on Dancing With the Stars. She was paired with Mark Ballas in 2010. He's been a pro for 21 of the 34 seasons, and has claimed three Mirrorball titles, for 6 (Kristi Yamaguchi), 8 (Shawn Johnson) and 31 (Charli D'Amelio).
Bristol's really shy. She hasn't performed in front of anybody, and she's only in the public eye because of her mom, so we have to find a way to make her stand out, Mark said.
She turned 20 while filming season 11, where she quickstepped her way to the final three. Her first two dances were to "Mama Told Me Not to Come" and "You Can't Hurry Love" (the lyrics go: mama said you can't hurry love, no you just have to wait... because don't you forget!).
It's like Levi and my relationship, mama told me not to do it, but I did it anyway, she says to Mark during rehearsals. I've always listened to my mom growing up, but there have been times where I haven't – so this is kind of a play off of that.
Her trek to the finale was controversial. She received consistently low scores and was ranked lower by the judges despite how viewers voted. I found an ABC article from 2010, with the headline: Bristol Palin Backlash: Is the Tea Party Stuffing the 'DWTS' Ballot Box? which really just encapsulates how people felt at the time.
Right after the season wrapped, she appeared on her mom's TLC show, Sarah Palin's Alaska.
Two years later, she was on season 15 and paired with Mark again. Her title card was updated to say activist and author. Between 11 and 15, she published her book, Not Afraid of Life: My Journey So Far, just three months before her ex-fiancé's was released – Deer in the Headlights: My Life in Sarah Palin's Crosshairs.
Her one-season Lifetime series, Bristol Palin: Life's a Tripp, was also released less than two months before the All-Star show.
Before Bristol dances, they share a 45-second spot where Mark goes to Wasilla and meets her family. Mark says Bristol could shine if she just let some of that timidness go.
DWTS judge Carrie Ann Inaba said Bristol had improved the most since the last time she danced.
That was really fantastic, your leg lines were great, when you were doing your technique, great. Your legs were beautiful, your confidence, and you're sassy. It's great. I just think you need a little bit more pop when you hit your lines, just a little more core strength.
I think I took a lot of heat last time for making it to the finals, and I'm sure there's going to be a lot of heat with me being on the All-Star season, but I know that I do deserve to be here, because I do work just as hard as everyone else, Bristol said during her first week back.
Bristol, darling, is it really you? Refreshed, revived, refurbished, you were giving it, judge Bruno Tonioli said.
She definitely improved from her 2010 time on the show, but unfortunately it wasn't enough. Bristol and Mark were the fifth team out, and placed ninth for the season. Melissa Rycroft took home the W that fall.
After her DWTS run, Bristol had two more kids. She appeared on Teen Mom OG in 2018 (which is on my list, dear reader). She currently lives in Austin, Texas, and is a real estate agent.
(total watch time: 1 day, 3 hours, 40 minutes)
Why is Mr. Beast going to Kotzebue?
Everything I've learned against Jimmy Donaldson, AKA Mr. Beast, has been against my will. He has more money than God and hosts his own games on his channel, including his own version of Squid Game. Good thing Jimmy doesn't get to 100% accurately play the tv-show-version of the game and use capital punishment.
Slow down, Jimmy! According to Alaska's News Source, he's looking for Alaskans to participate in a new challenge video that he's planning on filming in Kotzebue.
We need three high energy adults with passports who are local to Alaska! Anyone above the age of 18 can apply, a casting team member said. This challenge may involve travel, so please ensure you are fully available from the 13th to the 16th.
The Facebook post said competitions would receive $100 a day, and paid travel for players who don't live in Kotz. I'm going to need someone to apply, for research purposes.
AK IRL on Chatter Marks 🎙️
I was recently on Chatter Marks, the Anchorage Museum's podcast hosted by Cody Liska. He did an amazing job of making me sound a lot smarter than I am. Thank you, Cody!