Season 33 of Dancing with the Stars has been amazing so far. Co-hosts Julianne Hough and Alfonso Ribeiro are in the ballroom and have even shown off their dance moves a couple of times. Plus, judges Carrie Ann Inaba, Derek Hough, and Bruno Tonioli are back to judge and offer their advice to contestants.
And let me just say that this season has some solid competition. Going into “Halloween Nightmares,” the remaining seven couples had some performance skills. And they all shine in different ways. Some are athletes, while other contestants possess artistry and great technique. Still, other celebrities have big personalities that make them fan favorites. For this reason, this season has been exciting.
However, there has been a bit of controversy about the judging. Some contestants and fans have been questioning Carrie Ann’s judging this season. It sometimes seems like her scores aren’t in the same realm as Bruno and Derek’s scores. Plus, gossip has also been swirling that Carrie Ann is harder on the female contestants than the males. So, is Carrie Ann Inaba in danger of losing her role on DWTS?
Should Carrie Ann Inaba be fired after her wild Halloween antics?
Carrie Ann, who has been a judge on DWTS since 2005, dressed as a leopard for the spooky “Halloween Nightmares” week. Not a 10-paddle had been spotted all season, but Carrie Ann ended the drought. However, it seemed like she was giving the highest marks to the easiest routines. She awarded a score of 10 to every contestant except for Chandler Kinney and Olympian Ilona Maher. Both ladies had the most complex and difficult routines of the evening.
“Carrie Ann will always be part of the DWTS family but as with any family, dynamics shift and things change,” an insider told The U.S. Sun. “She is very much beloved on set but she doesn’t have her place quite like she used to. She doesn’t fit in as well as she once did,” the source added. If true, the best possible example was the “Halloween Nightmares” show.
“Her time seems to be up. I think it’s only a matter of time before the show pulls the trigger and brings in someone who the audience is excited about,” the insider explained. “Bruno and Derek love Carrie Ann but they haven’t been on the same page as her all season.” The source added, “It’s been frustrating for them to try to play off her unpredictable behavior.”
During the show, Chandler and her partner Brandon Armstrong danced a Viennese Waltz. I thought it was fire! But Carrie Ann shocked the ballroom with her comments. “So it was really strong, but I wouldn’t call it perfection just because it’s such a higher criteria,” she stated. Chandler received a score of 10 from both Bruno and Derek, but Carrie Ann held up her 9-paddle. And Carrie Ann told Ilona that she threw herself “off-balance” during her Tango. She received a score of 8 points from each judge.
However, after Olympian Stephen Nedoroscik and Rylee Arnold’s Contemporary routine, Carrie Ann climbed up on the table. That is more of a Derek move, so it seemed strange. However, I still don’t feel like it is likely that Carrie Ann will lose her spot.
Does Carrie Ann Inaba fit in with the rest of the judges?
This season has featured three guest judges. Dancer and actress Rosie Perez joined the panel for “Soul Train Night,” while KISS member Gene Simmons picked up a paddle for “Hair Metal Night.” And finally, former DWTS pro Mark Ballas made his debut as a guest judge on “Dedication Night.”
One of these people didn’t belong there, and his name was Gene Simmons. He gave high scores to contestants that he felt were attractive. Then he tried to increase a score after he had locked in a lower score. Finally, he gave a contestant who deserved more points a mere 5-paddle. Sir, that was just … gross.
In contrast, Mark was magic in the ballroom. If Carrie Ann left DWTS, he would be a perfect addition to the panel. Since the death of head judge Len Goodman, the judges’ panel has been running with three judges and an occasional guest judge. However, I believe that the panel should have one female judge. So, getting rid of Carrie Ann and having Mark replace her wouldn’t make sense. After all, Carrie Ann has always been a positive and uplifting force with her comments.
Some DWTS contestants have fired back after receiving low scores
During Chandler and Brandon’s Contemporary routine, the judges noticed that the duo were out of sync and wobbled. While the criticism from the judges helped to fuel her fierce Paso Doble the following week, handling the criticism was hard for Chandler. “I think last week was super important for my journey here. I think I did have to look inside and see what was missing,” Chandler said. Still, the actress admitted that she took the feedback “really personally.” Plus, she shared, “I don’t know what their expectation of me was emotionally tonight.”
Another contestant who hit back at the judges’ scores was NBA star Dwight Howard. While he is a towering 6-foot-10, his partner Daniella Karagach is 5-foot-3. During “Disney Night,” Carrie Ann’s critique of Dwight and Daniella’s Tango upset him. The judge noted that the pair was at “such a disadvantage” because of their heights. “You did have a lot of mistakes and you went off time a lot this time. A little bit in the beginning. Maybe I’m wrong,” Carrie Ann added.
“Nah, what she said, I was like, ‘A misstep? No,'” Dwight explained. “I just think she saw I was going slow, and she thought I made a misstep – that was our part.”
It seems that DWTS pro Alan Bersten also took the judges to task over the way that they scored his partner, Ilona. He felt that the judges “were a little harsh with the scores, in my opinion, but they’re judges and that’s the point. We’re here to learn and we’re going to keep growing,” he added. Usually, every season, the judges get some comments from competitors or pros about their scores, and this season was no exception.
Is Carrie Ann giving the female dancers lower scores?
During an interview with Good Morning America, Carrie Ann discussed why she loves DWTS so much as the show gears up to celebrate its 500th episode. “Like we’re there, we’re telling our part, and then everybody at home gets to be involved,” Carrie Ann explained. “And we have different opinions. Sometimes people come after me for my opinion.”
When asked if that ever hurt her feelings, she responded, “Sometimes. Sure. Sure.” Carrie Ann added, “It’s okay. They can come after me. I’m a judge. I’m used to it.”
During the “Halloween Nightmares” show, Bachelorette star Jenn Tran and her partner, Sasha Farber, were sent home with a score of 31 points. They were tied for third place.
Earlier in the season, some fans felt that Jenn was being underscored. Jenn and Sasha’s Tango received a score of 19 points, which is what Jenn earned for her Week 1 dance. However, their choreography was complex. Plus, a technical snafu at the start of the dance caused the dancers to not hear the track.
While Jenn wasn’t given any consideration for the technical problems, other dancers were given special consideration for their age. Actors Reginald VelJohnson and Eric Roberts performed dances with far fewer moves and earned a score of 6 from Carrie Ann. She also explained that she was taking their age into account. The problem? Jenn also received a 6 from Carrie Ann for a complete routine with a musical track mishap.
It does seem at times that Carrie Ann expects more from the female competitors, and sometimes scores them lower than the male contestants. However, I don’t think that Carrie Ann is in danger of losing her judging role on DWTS. She is a beloved member of the series.
I do feel that adding a fourth judge, like Mark Ballas, would help to even out the scores a bit. Overall, losing Carrie Ann would be like losing the emotional center of DWTS.
TELL US – DO YOU THINK THAT CARRIE ANN INABA IS IN DANGER OF LOSING HER ROLE ON DWTS?
