This most recent season of Dancing with the Stars has been full of very talented celebrities. And Harry Jowsey, who I don’t know if I would say is talented, or a celebrity.
Harry Jowsey found fame by starring in the 2020 Netflix hit, Too Hot to Handle. After being a part of a long and tumultuous public relationship with his co-star, his reputation took quite a hit.
Labeled as a liar and a cheater, Harry Jowsey embarked on his journey to Dancing with the Stars in an attempt to save his public image and career.
Since its first series broadcast in 2005, Dancing with the Stars has aired 31 seasons full of celebrities and professional dancers taking on the ballroom.
Dancing with the Stars runs on a scoring system of 50% judges scores, and 50% audience votes, giving each pairing the opportunity to stay another week depending on their performance in both categories.
Harry Jowsey and his partner, first-time pro and sister to former champion, Rylee Arnold, have been riding the bottom of the leaderboard since week one, but have escaped elimination every week due to their high amount of audience votes.
Jowsey and Arnold average around a maximum of 20 out of 30 points per week, whereas other more competent celebrities like Jason Mraz and Ariana Madix average 27s and 28s out of 30, therefore showcasing their progression and success in the ballroom.
While Jowsey and Arnold are flopping with judges scores, videos of the pair have gone viral all over TikTok and Instagram, with social media users learning their dances and making fan accounts.
The audience has truly fallen in love with them and their chemistry, despite how shockingly bad they are dancing on screen.
Jowsey and Arnold are smart in the way that since their pairing has gone viral, they are capitalizing on the attention by playing into the rumor that they are “together” or in a “secret relationship.” This has only aided them in moving along in the competition.
My housemates and I, who are all obsessed with Dancing with the Stars, have watched week after week as different couples who are more proficient in dancing are sent home, and Jowsey and Arnold stay in the competition.
I have watched some of my housemates text “HARRY” 10 times to the Dancing with the Stars voting number to push them along in the competition and disregard the other celebrities who actually have a real shot to win based on their improvement in technical ballroom dancing.
While I also find the pair to be cute, I prefer watching impressive dancing on my screen instead of Harry Jowsey stumbling around while Rylee Arnold beautifully dances around him.
Throughout the season, besides the dancing itself, viewers are able to get to know the celebrities better through the different themed weeks like their most memorable year and dances dedicated to loved ones.
Harry Jowsey has opened himself up to the public where they can now see a more sensitive and sentimental aspect to his character instead of his womanizing and scandalous side, which is something the public has never seen before.
He truly is revitalizing his image and saving his career, and while I wouldn’t consider myself a fan, I am also happy to see it.
My qualm, however, is that the show was created with the intention of watching different celebrities improve and grow on the dance floor, and that is something the audience simply has not gotten, and probably will never get from Harry Jowsey.
While the duo has gained fans and the hearts of America, they have to get off the show for Dancing with the Stars to maintain and uphold its goals and values dedicated to the pursuit and love of ballroom dancing.
So, wake up America! We have to stop voting for Harry Jowsey. Love him all you want — but let’s leave the ballroom to those who actually have the skills and drive to bring home the Len Goodman Mirror Ball trophy.