As Dancing With The Stars Season 34 rolls on through the 2025 TV schedule, one judge has received more criticism than the rest of the lot. Carrie Ann Inaba has faced criticism from fans for her scoring, and even friends of competitors have taken aim at her. Now, she's speaking out about it and the challenges of being the only woman on the show's judging panel.
Amidst the criticism, Inaba appeared on the official DWTS podcast to discuss being the only female judge currently on the cast and how she feels like her opinion is "minimized" by the fandom. Here's what she had to say:
I feel that my role on this show is important, and it’s often minimized, and it’s because I’m a woman. I can say the same thing as men, and I will be hammered for it. I can give a higher score than men, and I will be hammered for it. And this is nothing against my fellow judges at all. This is the state of the world. So, this is why I take it so seriously because as a woman, who’s the minority, and also the minority in the room, it’s important for me to speak up and have courage.
While Julianne Hough had a short judging stint on Dancing With The Stars before she became a co-host, Inaba has consistently been a judge on the show since its beginning. She has long been fearless in expressing her opinions when it comes to routines, and since Len Goodman's passing, I think she has taken on his role of providing more constructive feedback to dancers.
As previously mentioned, criticism comes with controversy, but Carrie Ann Inaba won't change her views to appease the crowd. The judge talked about why she feels it's important to continue to speak her mind, even if she doesn't always have the most popular opinion:
I’m trying to teach people and young girls out there how to have their voice, even if it’s different. And, I think what’s great about the panel, and always has been, is we can have different opinions, and yet we still can be comrades and friends, and we’re still doing it together. That’s something that I’m really proud about.
It's good to see that Inaba remains steadfast in her mission, even if the criticism from Dancing With The Stars fans can occasionally get to her. The judge directly addressed the audience in the recent "Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Night" episode, dismissing the crowd as "mean" for booing over her comments as she tried to speak.
Carrie Ann Inaba is not the first woman on Dancing With The Stars to struggle with criticisms from the fans and others. Tyra Banks only lasted three seasons as host of the show, and she left after a lot of trolling and criticism came her way. This included an unfortunate elimination mistake in Season 29, in which she mistakenly announced a couple as safe when they had been eliminated.
All that being said, it doesn't seem like Inaba is at a point where she's considering stepping away from Dancing With The Stars. Her comments on the podcast make it clear that she feels it's essential to remain strong in her convictions, even if people don't always agree.
Dancing With The Stars continues on Tuesdays on ABC and Disney+ at 8:00 p.m. ET. We're getting really close to the season finale, and I can't wait to see who will end up winning this year's mirrorball trophy!
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