Dancing with the Stars veteran Carrie Ann Inaba may be in danger of being replaced on the show because her fellow judges are “frustrated” with her “unpredictable” behavior, a source told The US Sun.
Fans have been clamoring for Carrie Ann to be fired throughout Season 33 but those cries intensified this week after many claimed she reserves her “harsh” scores and comments specifically for the contestants.
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Carrie Ann Inaba has been a DWTS judge since 2005Credit: Getty
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From left to right: Carrie Ann Inaba, Derek Hough, Bruno TonioloCredit: Getty
On Tuesday’s Halloween episode, chaos took over the dance floor as Carrie Ann, 56, was on a completely different page when it came to scoring goals like her fellow judges.
The former dancer handed out dozens to each contestant — except for Olympian Ilona Maher, 28, and Pretty Little Liars actor Chandler Kinney, 24 — despite both women receiving the most technically challenging numbers of the evening.
Viewers were angry that Carrie Ann’s scoring and the women’s “cruel comments” were incorrect compared to fellow judges Derek Hough and Bruno Tonioli.
Now, just one year shy of her 20th anniversary as a judge on the show, her DWTS run is likely coming to an end.
“Carrie Ann will always be part of the DWTS family but as with any family, dynamics change and things change.
“She’s very popular on set, but she’s not quite as out of place as she used to be. She’s not coping like she used to,” a source exclusively told The US Sun.
“That doesn’t mean she’s necessarily doing a bad job, but again, she’s not fitting into the show or the crew like she did before.
“This led to many awkward moments on set, some of which were caught on camera.”
The insider continued: “Her time seems to be over, and I think it’s only a matter of time before the show pulls the trigger and brings in someone the audience is excited about.
“Bruno and Derek love Carrie Ann, but they haven’t been on the same page as they have been all season.
“It was frustrating for them to try to manipulate her unpredictable behavior.”
As for who will replace Carrie Ann’s judges, the source claimed that fan-favorite pro Mark Ballas is “a name that comes up a lot.”
DWTS fans slam Carrie Ann for ‘cruel’ scoring of women, argue she ‘robbed’ contestant of perfect score
However, while everyone “loves the idea”, the source added that “the show would need another woman on the judging panel, it can’t be three men.”
After winning the Mirrorball Trophy with partner Charli D’Amelio in 2023, Mark announced his retirement from the show that made him famous last year.
However, he made a surprise appearance as a panelist this season – sitting alongside his childhood friend Derek – and left a positive impression on fans who begged him to return to the panel full-time.
Carrie Ann has served as a judge on DWTS since 2005 after decades of experience in the industry — most notably as Fly Girl on the 1990s Fox series In Living Color.
In the past, she has been praised for her “empathetic” nature, however, fans’ perception of Carrie Ann has taken a turn as they claim she is “tougher” with women than the male contestants.
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Julianne Hough and Alfonso Ribeiro host DWTS alongside the judgesCredit: Getty
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The DWTS judges dressed up for the Halloween episode, from left to right: Carrie Ann Inaba, Derek Hough, Bruno TonioloCredit: Getty
This week, Carrie Ann had some tough love for Chandler as well as her pro partner Brandon Armstrong.
The duo tackled the Viennese Waltz to Secret, by Denmark and Winter and received a 10 – the highest possible score – from both Derek and Bruno.
However, Carrie Ann angered fans when she raised her nine-row paddle.
Speaking about her analysis, she said of their dance: “It was really strong, but I wouldn’t call it perfection just because it’s a higher standard.”
Brandon looked noticeably puzzled by her comments – responding with a disappointed facial expression.
Viewers were quick to notice that she gave scores to the likes of Dwight Howard, Danny Amendola, Joey Grazadi and Steven Niedorocik – whose routines many claim are “easier” than the ladies’.
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Jen Tran and Sasha Farber were eliminated in this week’s episodeCredit: Getty
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Carrie Ann gave 10 to Dwight Howard and his partner Daniela Karajacredit: Getty
One took to Twitter to be outraged: “Chandler didn’t get the perfect score because Carrie Ann likes to emphasize women every season.”
“They give all the guys good grades when they don’t dance (they only do lifts) is my evil story,” another noted.
And a third point: “These judges are so hard on women but they praise men because they did the bare minimum… I don’t understand.”
After Bachelorette Jen Tran was fired this week, someone once again pointed out the imbalance in the recording and said, “The system failed Jen Tran.”
“Dancing with the Stars” will take a break from airing next week due to the presidential election, but will resume the following Tuesday at 8pm ET on ABC.
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Chandler Kinney and Brandom Armstrong perform on DWTSCredit: Getty
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The judges and host Alfonso smile during the Season 32 finaleCredit: Getty
