America's Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders

Very interesting to see some sort of cult like group, that work incredibly hard to fight for a spot in a cheerleading team. Most of them dedicate their talent to God and Jesus instead of them working incredibly hard.

It's interesting to see American cheerleading culture to its finest. You have to look a certain way, act a certain way and put on (fake) smiles to be able to join this elite group, where you purposely injure your hips, back, feet, etc. They do this to please the coaches/judges, because they can be thrown out of the group whenever the coaches think it's time. Sometimes they don't even give a reason, but just because they like someone else a little bit more.

I respect their hard work and dedication, but it saddens me that these girls are ruining their body and self esteem for validation and (hopefully getting) minimum wage, sometimes less. They are being judged on everything, including: losing or gaining weight, feeling sad or less energetic, nervous or not limber enough.

It is filmed well and is an emotional rollercoaster.

This 7 part doco is a well funded story that looks good and does well. It has all the structure, flesh and hallmarks of what that old pamphlet "How to make a documentary for Netflix", required.

Thing is though - if this is what America is all about, then geez! We're doomed.

It would have been good if the producers could have shown some of the love and community that apparently they are famous for, but No. It was absent.

Not without content though - In the last reunion episode we had a lady that was an original 70 model, currently battling and surviving from ovarian cancer.

Would have been good to see how the DCC came together and supported this sister.

But no, there is no footage or record of that,...because it didn't and doesn't happen.

America and it's values take centre stage here. We're screwed.

My favorite documentaries are the ones that don't need to explain everything for you and just show you things as they are, letting you form your own opinion. "America's Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders" on Netflix does precisely that, peeling back the glittery facade to reveal a world teeming with misogyny, toxicity, and emotionless aliens in human form. We witness super talented women being worked to the bone, paid next to nothing, and yet being told this is a "privilege" and a "job." The stark contrast between the glamorous image and the harsh reality is jarring, and will leave you cringing and in awe at the exploitation masked as opportunity (ESPECIALLY if you're a feminist).

This documentary is both heartbreaking and infuriating, a bittersweet yet important watch. It touches on subjects of mental health, depression, toxic environments, generational trauma, eating disorders, and even suicide. The treatment of these women is a devastating reflection of the broader societal issues at play. "America's Sweethearts" doesn't just entertain; it forces a necessary conversation about the costs of maintaining a facade of perfection at the expense of human well-being.

It seems like a lot of viewers missed the point of this. It's as if some of you thought you were rating DCC directly. If you found the music tense instead of bright, it's because it's supposed to be. If you found the way the cheerleaders are spoken to in a toxic manner, you were supposed to. If you were disappointed this wasn't about hard working dancers loving their low pay part time job because it's "tradition" and was instead about toxic workplaces, impossible beauty standards, and the exploitation of women's bodies, you're a part of the problem. The DC as an organization has the money to pay these women a reasonable salary a hundred times over. At the VERY least bodyguards. Lastly the constant Jesus talk was meant to highlight how and why it's so easy to take advantage of a group of young women.

I really liked it, I love dance. It was an interesting insight into their universe. I understand that Texas is a conservative state but for me there was way too much God talk. It was not something I expected to come up so much. Didn't need to see them going to a super church. I watched the first show on Country Music TV and thought that was better.

I felt so sorry for Victora, I wanted to give her a big hug. I really liked that they put focus on mental health and showed that even girls who look perfect can have issues and be insecure.

The focus though on religion would put me off watching next season, I fast forwarded past the church scenes. Its too much.