I want to glorify God': Christian Jennie Finch shuns Janelle Monae song on 'DWTS

[jwkelly]

BY LISA GUTIERREZ

lgutierrez@kcstar.com


May 09, 2018 11:37 AM

Updated 2 hours 2 minutes ago

Olympic softball player Jennie Finch refused to dance to a new Janelle Monae song on "Dancing With the Stars" this week in what some reviewers say was a first for the dancing competition.

The Christian athlete, who said she wants to "glorify God" on the dance floor, thought Monae's "Make Me Feel" wasn't a good choice for that, calling it a "little too risque."

The sexy song, with a strong Prince vibe, is from Monae's new album, "Dirty Computer." Music critics have called it a "bisexual anthem."

The "DWTS" broadcast Monday showed what happened behind the scenes as Finch struggled with the song in rehearsals and finally made a phone call to producers saying she couldn't do it. Finch, who helped lead Team USA to a gold medal at the 2004 Summer Olympics, speaks often in public about her faith.

Today's top news by email
The local news you need to start your day


Enter Email Address

“It’s not what I’m about. I need to follow who I am and stand up for what I believe in," she said on the show.

She later told reporters, according to Us Weekly, that "just as a mom, it’s not something we listen to in our house. And my fans, my audience, is young girls.

"I don’t know of anything more empowering than a man sticking by a woman, and following her gut and her heart, not feeling comfortable, and I wouldn’t be able to stand on that stage — I have a 5-year-old daughter — and be proud of what we’re doing in the song choice that we had.

“And there’s so many songs out there. Why even go that route even close?”

She added: “I want to glorify God out there, and that just wasn’t a great choice for me to do that.”

She said the plan had been to change the words to the song as she and pro dance partner Keo Motsepe danced. "And I was like, I just don't feel good about it," she told reporters.

She said Motsepe “had the whole choreography done” before they switched songs.

His reaction when she told him she wasn't going to dance to it: "Holy crap."

The professional partners, with input from the show's producers, choose the songs for the competitors. Reviewers suggested that this was the first time a competitor refused to perform to a chosen song.

“We had it done on Wednesday pretty much. Completely, the whole thing,” Finch told reporters. “So really, it fell on Keo’s shoulders, and that’s why I am so thankful for him stepping up to the challenge, because it wasn’t easy. We changed it all.”

So on Monday she and Motsepe performed a cha-cha to the Daphne Willis song "Do It Like This."

Finch paid for the late change with a mediocre performance.

“I applaud you for choosing what felt right to you, and I think that’s setting a great example,” judge Carrie Ann Inaba told her. “However, I do think that is also what maybe held you back a little back.”

Judge Len Goodman called it a “competent performance."

“I had fun, and that’s all that matters,” Finch told the judges. “It was a fun, upbeat song.”

She admitted to reporters after the show that she was "a little off. I knew I rehearsed better than I performed. I try to power through things and muscle through them. I’m a pitcher. I explode and so now I have to figure out how to turn that power into grace and elegance."

Her decision to dump the Monae song received mixed reaction on social media.


Emily
@DearElmLily
 Glad @JennieFinch stayed true to herself with the song choice. It takes a strong woman to stick up for herself like that... what a great role model #DWTS

8:31 PM - May 7, 2018
See Emily's other Tweets
Twitter Ads info and privacy

Kristyn Burtt 💃🏼
✔
@KristynBurtt
1 May
#DWTS@keodancer & @JennieFinch

Interview: http://bit.ly/2JKBK05

via @watchdancetv #TeamPitchPerfect pic.twitter.com/ePPrSMyT8I


Meagan Hanks
@MeaganHanks1
 I enjoyed their dance tonight and respect her so much for getting the song changed due to discomfort.

9:17 PM - May 7, 2018
2
See Meagan Hanks's other Tweets
Twitter Ads info and privacy

kyra
@kyrastauts28
 Jennie Finch thinks her song is too risqué but is cool with parading around the stage in sparkly black spandex? #DWTS

8:19 PM - May 7, 2018
13
See kyra's other Tweets
Twitter Ads info and privacy

Dancing with the Stars
✔
@DancingABC
7 May
.@JennieFinch and @keodancer do the Cha Cha like this! @DaphneWillis’ hit provides the soundtrack. 🎶🎶#TeamPitchPerfect #DWTS: Athletes pic.twitter.com/gCgFtPJ6b5


Dianne Lang
@DBHLang
 I’m sorry, @JennieFinch, but this is a dance competition, not a platform for your moral compass. #seeya #youregoinghome

8:27 PM - May 7, 2018
4
See Dianne Lang's other Tweets
Twitter Ads info and privacy
Monae hasn't said anything publicly about the incident. She's been in the news lately with her new album and her revelation last month to Rolling Stone that, after much public/obsessive speculation, she identifies as pansexual.

[jwkelly]

I think God  enjoys hot women dancing,disco.... as long as ppl aren't killing each other in God's name then God loves the fun of it all. Some ppl make life so serious it's sad.

[Nancy5]

I think God  enjoys hot women dancing,disco.... as long as ppl aren't killing each other in God's name then God loves the fun of it all. Some ppl make life so serious it's sad.

I don’t think God enjoys hot woman dancing disco, but if you are going to object to certain songs, but you have no objections to wearing skimpy clothing.  Maybe you should not have agreed to be on that show.

[alice44]

I applaud her for standing up to her principles .

[jwkelly]

I think God  enjoys hot women dancing,disco.... as long as ppl aren't killing each other in God's name then God loves the fun of it all. Some ppl make life so serious it's sad.

I don’t think God enjoys hot woman dancing disco, but if you are going to object to certain songs, but you have no objections to wearing skimpy clothing.  Maybe you should not have agreed to be on that show.

                               So sad that there are so many ppl who still think of God as Old Testament    God above all is love and God loves what's good and fun,problem is so many ppl with their agendas.

[hitch0403]

I think God  enjoys hot women dancing,disco.... as long as ppl aren't killing each other in God's name then God loves the fun of it all. Some ppl make life so serious it's sad.

I don’t think God enjoys hot woman dancing disco, but if you are going to object to certain songs, but you have no objections to wearing skimpy clothing.  Maybe you should not have agreed to be on that show.

                               So sad that there are so many ppl who still think of God as Old Testament    God above all is love and God loves what's good and fun,problem is so many ppl with their agendas.

You are quite the character.In some of your posts God doesnt exist.In this post you are speaking for him....LOL......

[jwkelly]

I think God  enjoys hot women dancing,disco.... as long as ppl aren't killing each other in God's name then God loves the fun of it all. Some ppl make life so serious it's sad.

I don’t think God enjoys hot woman dancing disco, but if you are going to object to certain songs, but you have no objections to wearing skimpy clothing.  Maybe you should not have agreed to be on that show.

                               So sad that there are so many ppl who still think of God as Old Testament    God above all is love and God loves what's good and fun,problem is so many ppl with their agendas.

You are quite the character.In some of your posts God doesnt exist.In this post you are speaking for him....LOL......

                                                       My first name means " God is gracious"   and I make lots of comments and God doesn't care if you question his existence when you're having a bad day,if God hated you then you'd wish to be non existent  rather than suffer wrath.

[sak4kat]

I think this woman is classy - brave and devoted.  She has this opportunity to participate in DWTS - cool for her.  With that platform she has the opportunity to voice her opinion which shares her character.  Just because your on a show doesn't mean they have the right to dictate what you will do.  It would interesting to see what she would have done had the producers objected to changing song.  We all have choices - and some still have morals and a conscience. So kudo's to Jennie for making a stand!

[linderlizzie]

Thanks for your comments and posts, jwkelly. You never cease to amaze me.

Isn't it strange and wonderful how God can actually love us all?

[yikes77]

Meh.  If she didn't want to dance to it, I'm actually surprised she was allowed to swap to something else so quickly.

[jwkelly]

Thanks for your comments and posts, jwkelly. You never cease to amaze me.

Isn't it strange and wonderful how God can actually love us all?

                                                                  If you read old Testament God then he doesn't,of course look at  paintings of the image of Jesus and he's white. Since God has never told me to kill for him and I have a good life because I'm the best I'm inclined to believe God is love not vengeance .  And God may love all but doesn't mean he like you. Vanity is a sin after all.

[hitch0403]

I think God  enjoys hot women dancing,disco.... as long as ppl aren't killing each other in God's name then God loves the fun of it all. Some ppl make life so serious it's sad.

I don’t think God enjoys hot woman dancing disco, but if you are going to object to certain songs, but you have no objections to wearing skimpy clothing.  Maybe you should not have agreed to be on that show.

                               So sad that there are so many ppl who still think of God as Old Testament    God above all is love and God loves what's good and fun,problem is so many ppl with their agendas.

You are quite the character.In some of your posts God doesnt exist.In this post you are speaking for him....LOL......

                                                       My first name means " God is gracious"   and I make lots of comments and God doesn't care if you question his existence when you're having a bad day,if God hated you then you'd wish to be non existent  rather than suffer wrath.

So you are saying when you are having a bad day its ok to think God doesnt exist?Otherwise you believe in him?

Not sure if you support bible or not but God told Moses in Exodus 34 who HE was,what HIS name was,what HIS name meant and what we should expect of HIM.

Hope that helps.

[jwkelly]

Bible made up by men with their own agendas just like all religious literature.  Also I have a great life despite never being baptised,never wasting time on prayer and all the ridiculous things you ppl do to in thinking you'll be saved. All that matters is being a good person and doing things right for the world. God is love,this planet is Eden,Bible quotes mean nothing.Listen to Spirit in the Sky every Sunday instead  instead of church bs and spend the time wisely doing not praying and God helps those who help themselves.

[hitch0403]

Bible made up by men with their own agendas just like all religious literature.  Also I have a great life despite never being baptised,never wasting time on prayer and all the ridiculous things you ppl do to in thinking you'll be saved. All that matters is being a good person and doing things right for the world. God is love,this planet is Eden,Bible quotes mean nothing.Listen to Spirit in the Sky every Sunday instead  instead of church bs and spend the time wisely doing not praying and God helps those who help themselves.

Well thank you for answering my question.Now we all know how u feel about bible.You have lots of company that feel just as you do in this world.Its exactly what Satan told Eve in Eden rebellion.You can decide for yourself whats good and bad and be independent of God.All you have to is look at 6000 yrs of mans history to see what a bad decision A&E made.But God knew some of mankind would love him and he sent Jesus to prove what Adam didnt do...obey and love him under a more trying situation and prove faithful to ransom his perfect life up to death.

I am really not directing this at you JW....but others read the forum and newbies always coming in.You helped with the witness.

[paints]

The spirit of the Pharisee is alive and well.  Seems we haven't made much progress.