Carrie Ann Inaba spoke out about the negativity and criticism she has dealt with since judging on Dancing with the Stars. It’s come to a point where it’s affected her mental health.
Key Takeaways
- DWTS fans have criticized Inaba’s scoring.
- Some also claim she doesn’t support women.
- Inaba admits the negative comments have affected her mental health.
- She also opened up about the new generation of stars who joined the show in recent years.
Dealing With Negativity
In an extensive interview with Variety, Inaba talked about the 20th anniversary of DWTS. Fans saw the return of former host Tom Bergeron. There are plenty of fun and memorable moments.
But judging the show isn’t all that it’s cracked up to be. There are times when Inaba and her fellow judges receive negative comments from the fan base. She admitted that it “used to really affect me.” Most of the negativity took place in chat rooms.
“Sometimes the things they say are cruel, and that has affected me. It’s made me scared,” Inaba said. “It’s not so much that I get hurt as I get afraid, because it feels like they’re attacking me verbally, so I shrink down a little during the season.”
The judge refuses to back down, even if it affects her mental health. She would rather stay true to her word. “When you’re true to yourself, it doesn’t matter as much what everybody is saying about you,” Inaba said.
Confusing Scoring and Judging Women
Most of the negative comments concern the confusing scoring system. Inaba said she also gets “confused” by the process. The scores are a combination of the judges’ scores and the audience scores, with each contributing half.
Inaba has also been slammed for not supporting the women contestants. Critics claim she’s harder on them than the men. Inaba has digested the comments and has taken them into consideration.
‘Because I support women so much, I let them know what I see, because they are working so hard, I always feel it’s my responsibility if I sense somebody hasn’t given it all their all, because I don’t want them to walk away with regret,” Inaba explained.
She’s also more vocal when she speaks to the women contestants. The former dance pro sees them as one of her girlfriends. She sometimes gets too candid with them, but she understands the criticism and is working on it.
The Next Generation
DWTS continues to attract a new generation of fans. It’s also created new stars, most of whom have made their start on TikTok. The dancing community is what brought them together and brought them to the show.
However, some fans claim they have an unfair advantage when it comes to winning. Inaba isn’t against the idea. “Dancing is a sort of way of coping with life right now. I think people need the release, and it’s a great coping mechanism for life, and so I’m not opposed to it,” she added.
What are your thoughts on what Inaba said about the negativity? Do you agree there’s too much of it this season? Sound off below in the comments section.
