In The Media: DWTS

[realdancemom]

1 hour ago, crowceilidh said:

Julianne should go to Australia to replace Sharna who should judge here.

We don't need Derek AND Julianne play fighting in the judges' seats.

I would love Sharna to replace CarrieAnn. Cheryl could have been a judge but I think she would not be asked. I've never listened to her podcast but I guess it's mostly putting down DWTS from what I read.

[tv echo]

Amanda Kloots Says 'Dancing with the Stars' Partner Alan Bersten Left Her 'Raging Inside'
The talk show host says that the pro was 'very mean' during their time together on 'DWTS' Season 30, feeling the show was pushing her to have a breakdown.
Mike Bloom   Nov 24, 2024
https://parade.com/tv/dancing-with-the-stars-amanda-kloots-alan-bersten-partner 

[alexa]

22 hours ago, tv echo said:

Amanda Kloots Says 'Dancing with the Stars' Partner Alan Bersten Left Her 'Raging Inside'
The talk show host says that the pro was 'very mean' during their time together on 'DWTS' Season 30, feeling the show was pushing her to have a breakdown.
Mike Bloom   Nov 24, 2024
https://parade.com/tv/dancing-with-the-stars-amanda-kloots-alan-bersten-partner 

She makes a big to do about how he made her feel bad, and then she "clarifies" on instagram how much she loved him and all of the great things.  Well, then don't do an interview with the other stuff as the focus then....  

[tv echo]

Dancing with the Stars Crowns a New Winner! Find Out Who Took Home the Season 33 Mirrorball Trophy
By Dana Rose Falcone   November 26, 2024
People link

Dancing With The Stars 33 Recap: Finale Live Blog, Winner Revealed!
11/26/2024 Ashley Amber
mjsbigblog article link

Edited November 27, 2024 by tv echo

[tv echo]

You can see the returning celebrities in this opening number...

Dancing with the Stars Finale - Opening Number
Dancing With The Stars   Nov 26, 2024

DWTS's YouTube channel now has many of last night's performances:
https://www.youtube.com/@dancingwiththestars/videos 

Edited November 27, 2024 by tv echo

[LennieBriscoe]

So on GMA in the interview segment, #5 Danny got much more airtime/videos than #4 Stephen, and Rylee didn't speak at all. WTH??

Edited November 27, 2024 by LennieBriscoe

[DEL901]

6 hours ago, LennieBriscoe said:

So on GMA in the interview segment, #5 Danny got much more airtime/videos than #4 Stephen, and Rylee didn't speak at all. WTH??

At least Danny was self aware enough to admit he was a terrible d@nicer and they threw in as many tricks as possible as a distraction.  

[tv echo]

Ratings: DWTS Surges to 4-Year Highs With Season 33 Finale
By Matt Webb Mitovich   November 27, 2024 
https://tvline.com/ratings/dancing-with-the-stars-season-33-finale-viewers-joey-graziadei-jenna-johnson-winners-1235382787/ 

Quote

Facing originals on NBC (including The Voice), Fox and The CW, Tuesday night’s DWTS finale avearged 6.4 million total viewers, the dance competition’s largest audience since the Season 29 finale on Nov. 23, 2020.

And in the coveted-and-delicious 18-49 demo, DWTS scored a 1.14 rating, its best number since the Season 29 premiere on Sept. 14, 2020 — and marking the highest-rated regularly scheduled entertainment telecast in primetime since NBC’s This Is Us series finale (which posted a 1.28 rating on May 24, 2022).
*  *  *
The three-hour DWTS finale also swept additional key demographics including Adults 18-34 (with a 1.27 rating), Women 18-49 (1.61 rating), Women 18-34 (1.90 rating) and Men 18-34 (0.65 rating), among others.

Compared to its year-ago finale, DWTS was up 16% in viewers and up 70% in the demo. In fact, that 1.14 rating marked the best demo number for a finale in more than six years, since May 21, 2018.

'Dancing With the Stars' Season 33 afterparty on 'GMA'
Good Morning America   Nov 26, 2024

Edited November 28, 2024 by tv echo

[tv echo]

Will Way Home Wane in New Home? Did Blue Bloods Waste a Joint? Did Alfonso Make DWTS Awkward? Is Doomsday CGI Super? More TV Qs!
By Matt Webb Mitovich, Kimberly Roots, Ryan Schwartz, Charlie Mason, Rebecca Iannucci   November 29, 2024
https://tvline.com/features/superman-and-lois-doomsday-visual-effects-better-snyder-dc-movies-1235382418/ 

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10 | In Dancing With the Stars‘ finale, did Alfonso Ribeiro’s quick clarification about Danny Amendola’s “Strap it up” comment make the situation better, or so much more awkward? And were you fairly gobsmacked by how much Amendola resembled Barbie’s Ryan Gosling once he was in the full Ken get-up?

[twilightzone]

If this is true, it means that all 5 contestants in the Finale got paid the same - regardless of where they finished.  It also benefited the person who otherwise would have been eliminated from the semi-finals.  They would have lost out on $50k for not being in the Finale.

Quote

Salaries on Dancing with the Stars vary by role, with celebrities earning more than professional partners: 

Celebrities

The starting salary for celebrities is $125,000, which includes training. They receive additional bonuses for staying in the competition, including: 

$10,000 per week for weeks three and four 

$15,000 per week for week five 

$20,000 per week for weeks six and seven 

$30,000 per week for weeks eight and nine 

$50,000 per week for the semi-finals and finale 

The Mirror Ball trophy for the winner 

A maximum of $295,000 for the entire season 

Professional partners

Starting salaries are rumored to be $1,600 per episode. Salaries for more experienced partners can be negotiable and go up to $5,200 per episode. The reported cap for a professional dancer is $100,000 per season. 

DWTS has never confirmed these salaries. 

https://parade.com/1240167/paulettecohn/dancing-with-the-stars-salaries-celebrities-pro-partners/#:~:text=How Much Do the Stars,definitely still an impressive amount.

[Quickbeam]

2 hours ago, twilightzone said:

If this is true, it means that all 5 contestants in the Finale got paid the same - regardless of where they finished.  It also benefited the person who otherwise would have been eliminated from the semi-finals.  They would have lost out on $50k for not being in the Finale.

https://parade.com/1240167/paulettecohn/dancing-with-the-stars-salaries-celebrities-pro-partners/#:~:text=How Much Do the Stars,definitely still an impressive amount.

Wow, dancers really don’t pull in a lot of cash. I made more than that as a nurse. Plus their careers are limited by injury, aging. No wonder they go on tour. 

[DEL901]

3 hours ago, Quickbeam said:

Wow, dancers really don’t pull in a lot of cash. I made more than that as a nurse. Plus their careers are limited by injury, aging. No wonder they go on tour. 

They have to parlay this show into getting other work   Many teach dance and some own their own studios    Being popular on the show can increase their fees and gain them students   

[tv echo]

Val Chmerkovskiy Makes Bold Claim About 'Showmances' on 'DWTS'
Mike Bloom   Dec 5, 2024
https://parade.com/tv/val-chmerkovskiy-dancing-with-the-stars-showmance-romance 

Quote

"[A] long time ago, my first couple of seasons, I'd been given partners that I did have romantic exchanges with. Incredibly unprofessional to do so in my mind," he said on the Dec. 3 episode of the Lightweights Podcast. "Because I'm here as their teacher and as their partner. And I'm probably, in some way or another, in a position of authority to them. [A] don't shit where you eat kind of thing comes into play."

Val went on to clarify that he was fine with romantic activities between partners that happened ultimately after the season. After all, a number of celeb/pro pairings have found their "happily ever after" from the show, including Kym and Robert Herjavec and most recently Britt Stewart and Daniel Durant. The difference, in his opinion, comes from letting those advances take precedence while rehearsing non-stop to stay in the competition.

"Behind closed doors," he noted, "I undermined my own season by doing that."
*  *  *
“If it's genuine, it's awesome," he admitted. "When it's authentic and it’s two consenting adults enjoying their time together, I love that. But when it's two adults putting on a show, because they know they can manipulate the algorithm to give them more likes and more views, I just don't like anything that's inauthentic."

Edited December 6, 2024 by tv echo

[tv echo]

DWTS Alum Cheryl Burke Criticizes Show Judges, Says They Should 'Educate Themselves'
By TooFab Staff   12/6/2024
https://toofab.com/2024/12/06/cheryl-burke-slams-dwts-judges-ballroom-dancing/ 

Quote

Dancing with the Stars alum Cheryl Burke is calling out the judges of the reality competition series over their ballroom dancing expertise, or as she believes, lack thereof.

On Wednesday's episode of her Sex, Lies and Spray Tans podcast, the professional dancer slammed the show's judging panel -- which includes Carrie Ann Inaba, Bruno Tonioli, and Derek Hough -- for not being "experts" in ballroom dancing, saying they need to be more educated in the genre in order to be more "strict" in their critiques.

While answering fan questions on the episode, Burke -- who appeared on 26 seasons of DWTS before retiring in 2022 -- responded to a fan who asked if she believes the ABC series "should go back to being stricter as it pertains to true ballroom dancing." She said she does, before explaining why.

"You have to know what you're talking about, right?" she said. "They have to be able to back up whatever they say. ... If you're just saying things because you know it's the right terminology, and you can't explain yourself as to why it should be a certain way, then it's kind of hard -- unless they get judges that have more ballroom experience than some of the current ones that are seated there as of last season."

"You can't really be more strict in a genre that you're not an expert in is my point," Burke continued. "And maybe that is why the show isn't as strictly ballroom as it used to be because you got the majority of your judging panel [who are] not experts in the niche of ballroom dancing."

"I think that, just like the pro dancers have to continue to educate themselves on their craft, I also feel like the judges should do the same," she added.

The two-time DWTS champion went on to stress that she believes the judges should take the adjudicator's exam in order to further educate themselves and become an expert in dance.

According to the National Dance Council of America (NDCA), the purpose of the exam -- which includes written and theory review portions -- "is simply to assure that all of the Adjudicators of the NDCA, while having different ranges of careers and expertise, should all have a common base line of knowledge in all styles and a clear knowledge of what responsibilities they have as an adjudicator."

"Derek should take his adjudicator's exam. Carrie Ann should do it, so should Bruno," Burke said. "I think that's important, and why wouldn't you wanna do that? After all these years, if you weren't as familiar with the genre, why don't you familiarize yourself with it?"

"Or maybe they have, I don't know. I'm not them," she added.

Edited December 7, 2024 by tv echo

[LennieBriscoe]

Earth to Cheryl B.: 

This isn't "Strictly Ballroom." DWTS is amateurs paired with pros. Get over yourself. 

Edited December 7, 2024 by LennieBriscoe

[crowceilidh]

I like this idea of Cheryl's, especially if it was accompanied by a change in the range of score (say out of 10) so as to be more detailed. And it could be given as the reason to change the range.

I don't understand the Strictly comment above.  Strictly is def amateurs paired with pros.

[realdancemom]

I did like when Len would say what judges were looking for when judging standard and Latin ballroom. I think Derek does little educational tidbits too.

Cheryl is always bad mouthing DWTS now. I think she's bitter because she wasn't asked to be a judge. If the show is thinking of replacing CAI, I hope they ask Sharna instead. Anna and Karina are other choices. 

[SunnieDays]

Cheryl was one of the few former pros not invited to Lens tribute, if I recall.  I'm sure she is plenty salty. 

[DkNNy79]

I actually agree with Cheryl.  There is a reason most of the pros took Len’s criticism more seriously than the other judges - because he was an actual ballroom dancer.  

Carrie Ann and Bruno are not ballroom dancers.  They don’t know the technique like Len or Derek.  But hiring them to judge a ballroom competition is on ABC.  
 

 

[Andiethewestie]

I took time off of the show for a few seasons because it was getting to be too much of a celebrity coddle than a reality dance competition. When Mark took Ballroom and Latin to an exciting level with Charli I thought the show was coming back. Unfortunately  It's getting further and further away from ballroom and Latin so I doubt I'll watch next year. The social media trends bore me, they seem childish and unnecessary and they are mere fillers when the show used to be so good with better video packages like Dance Centre and the confessionals. Now the show just relies on TikTok with asinine lip syncing and viral moments instead of dance. The quality of ballroom and Latin is terrible amongst most of the contestants and it's just not worth my time 

[tv echo]

2024 in Review: The Scenes We Wish We Could Unsee!
By Matt Webb Mitovich, Kimberly Roots, Andy Swift, Rebecca Iannucci, Vlada Gelman, Nick Caruso, Dave Nemetz, Charlie Mason, Claire Franken
December 10, 2024
https://tvline.com/lists/most-shocking-tv-scenes-2024/dancing-with-the-stars-encanto-donkey/ 

Quote

Dancing With the Stars

Dancing‘s impressive hair and makeup team always outdoes itself on the traditional Disney Night episode… but maybe the prosthetic artists could have pulled back a bit on this Encanto look. We’re not even sure how poor Alan Bersten was breathing in his donkey getup, let alone performing a jazz routine with Ilona Maher. Couldn’t he have gotten one of the backup dancers’ cute donkey onesies instead?

[tv echo]

Stephen Nedoroscik Is 'Blind' in Bright Light and 'Scared' to Drive. How the Pommel Horse Hero Competes (Exclusive)
The Olympic bronze medalist and "Dancing with the Stars" finalist opens up to PEOPLE about living with limited vision — and not letting it stop him
By Rebecca Aizin   December 12, 2024
https://people.com/stephen-nedoroscik-pommel-horse-dwts-limited-vision-exclusive-8759232 

[boyznkatz]

On 12/12/2024 at 8:35 AM, tv echo said:

Stephen Nedoroscik Is 'Blind' in Bright Light and 'Scared' to Drive. How the Pommel Horse Hero Competes (Exclusive)
The Olympic bronze medalist and "Dancing with the Stars" finalist opens up to PEOPLE about living with limited vision — and not letting it stop him
By Rebecca Aizin   December 12, 2024
https://people.com/stephen-nedoroscik-pommel-horse-dwts-limited-vision-exclusive-8759232 

In the Olympics they said he can't wear his glasses during his routines, so he feels the bars since he can't see. Pretty amazing!

[tv echo]

DWTS got a Costume Designers Guild Award nomination...

‘Emilia Pérez,’ ‘Gladiator II,’ ‘Wicked’ Among Costume Designers Guild Awards Nominees
By Hilary Lewis   December 13, 2024
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/2025-costume-designers-guild-awards-nominations-nominees-list-1236086199/

Quote

Winners will be revealed at the 27th Costume Designers Guild Awards, set for Feb. 6, 2025 at The Ebell of Los Angeles.
*  *  *
Excellence in Variety, Reality-Competition, Live Television
The Boulet Brothers’ Dragula, “Killer Dolls – Gioffrè Vincenzo
Dancing with the Stars, “Soul Train Night” – Steven Norman Lee, CDG and Daniela Gschwendtner, CDG
The Masked Singer, “Who Can it Be Now?” – Steven Norman Lee, CDG and Luke D’Alessandro, CDG
Saturday Night Live, Ariana Grande Host – Tome Broeker, CDG and Ashley Dudek and Cristina Natividad
We’re Here, “Oklahoma, Part 3” – Diego Montoya and Marco Morante; Derek Anthony Purcell and Amber Watkins

Edited December 14, 2024 by tv echo

[tv echo]

Val Chmerkovskiy Has His Sights Set on Something Big
December 15, 2024
https://entertainmentnow.com/dancing-with-the-stars/val-chmerkovskiy-judge/ 

Quote

“I’d love to judge,” Chmerkovskiy said on the December 3 episode of the “Lightweights” podcast. “I don’t know. You know, again, I’m never going to count me out. I don’t know if I have the tone for it,I don’t know if I have the name for it, I don’t know if I have the look for it,” he said.

“We’ll see. I definitely have the knowledge for it, the rapport for it, the, you know, I’ve paid my dues for it, but, you know, there’s so many people that make those decisions that have nothing to do with our show on a higher executive level, network level, that, you know, if it happens, I’ll be grateful,” Chmerkovskiy continued.

“Just because I, like I said, this is my life, and I have a lot of passion for it. But, you know, my heart is not going to be broken if it doesn’t come to me,” he added.

DWTS VAL CHMERKOVSKIY on JUDGING THE SHOW, JENNA JOHNSON WIN, ZENDAYA, FATHERHOOD, and WHATS NEXT
Lightweights Podcast   Dec 3, 2024
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dwts-val-chmerkovskiy-on-judging-the-show-jenna/id1547670966?i=1000679134637 

Quote

... Val discusses this season on DWTS, his reaction to Jenna Johnson's win with Joey Graziadei, training with different celebrities over the years like Xochitl Gomez and Zendaya, and his journey from the competition world to working on this hit dance television show. ...

Edited December 15, 2024 by tv echo

[tv echo]

2024 in Review: Best Love Triangle, Lamest Cameo, Most Unnecessary Death and 80+ More TV Superlatives
By Rebecca Iannucci   December 29, 2024 
https://tvline.com/lists/tv-shows-2024-best-worst-moments/ 

Quote

WORST REALITY SHOW JUDGE
Gene Simmons as a Dancing With the Stars guest judge
*  *  *
BEST DANCE NUMBER
Stephen Nedoroscik and Rylee Arnold’s finale freestyle, Dancing With the Stars (watch it here)

[tv echo]

Midseason Ratings Report Card: ABC’s Most- and Least-Watched Shows
By Matt Webb Mitovich   December 26, 2024
https://tvline.com/ratings/best-worst-abc-tv-shows-viewers-2024-2025-1235392706/ 

Quote

5    Dancing With the Stars    5.9 million        0.86        Audience steady vs. Season 32, +23% in demo; TV’s #2-rated reality program

[tv echo]

Kellie Pickler and Derek Hough won that season...

Zendaya Leans Into the Chaos of Her Characters
Interview by Lynn Hirschberg   Jan 3, 2025
https://www.wmagazine.com/culture/zendaya-challengers-dune-part-two-cover-interview 

Quote

Do you have a favorite reality show, besides Dancing With the Stars? I watched you every week when you were on it in 2013.

I don't watch Dancing With the Stars, actually.

You should have won. It was ridiculous.

Listen, I'm still harboring a little animosity about that. I felt that loss. I was only 16 years old, and it was highly stressful. Being on live television every week? It’s so scary. I took it very seriously, which, in retrospect, I wish I didn’t. I wish I’d enjoyed it a little bit more and just was like, "Eh, whatever." You know what I mean? But I was stressing myself out. I really went through it on that.

Edited January 4 by tv echo

[Thalia]

Cheryl Burke is one of the contestants in the Celebrity edition of Worst Cooks in America, premiering on Sunday, 1/05 

https://www.msn.com/en-us/tv/news/big-brother-alums-rachel-reilly-and-frankie-grande-on-worst-cooks-in-america-check-out-the-teaser-footage/ar-AA1wS85Y?ocid=BingNewsSerp

[tv echo]

Dancing with the Stars won a MUAHS Award...

‘Wicked,’ ‘The Substance,’ ‘The Penguin’ and ‘Palm Royale’ Among Make-Up and Hair Stylists Guild Winners
By Beatrice Verhoeven   Feb 15, 2025
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/make-up-and-hair-stylists-guild-winners-2025-1236137030/

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The show was hosted by Val Chmerkovskiy and Jenna Johnson, the married dancing duo behind Dancing with the Stars. Frankie Grande returned as the host of “Live From the Red Carpet” for the sixth year in a row.
*  *  *
Best Contemporary Hair Styling
Dancing with the Stars (ABC, Disney)
Kimi Messina, Joe Matke, Marion Rogers, Amber Nicholle Maher, Florence Witherspoon

[Aaron4102]

 

Officially renewed. First cast member revealed for the new season is Robert Irwin, who is the brother of Bindi Irwin who won the show about a decade ago

https://deadline.com/2025/04/dancing-with-the-stars-renewed-season-34-robert-irwin-cast-1236374244/

Edited April 23 by Aaron4102

[tv echo]

Everything You Need To Know About 'Dancing with the Stars' Season 34 (Including the First Cast Member)
Mike Bloom   April 22, 2025
https://parade.com/tv/dancing-with-the-stars-2025-season-34 

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... It's a perfect time for the show to take up a larger spotlight, considering, in 2025, it will hit its 20th anniversary, and is sure to pull out all the stops for the occasion.
*  *  *
Though a season premiere has yet to be announced, we should expect it to come in mid to late September 2025.
*  *  *
At the inaugural "HULU's Get Real" event, the first celebrity cast member was revealed. Conservationist Robert Irwin is the first star to officially be announced, competing ten years after his sister Bindi Irwin won the Mirrorball Trophy. Check back closer to the premiere to find out which other celebs are in the cast of DWTS Season 34.

[tv echo]

Derek Hough, Mark Ballas & More DWTS Pros Announce New Tour: 'Two Worlds Collide'
Andrea Reiher   April 30, 2025
https://parade.com/news/derek-hough-mark-ballas-more-dwts-pros-announce-new-tour-two-worlds-collide 

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Dancing With the Stars professional dancers and judges Derek Hough, Julianne Hough, Mark Ballas, Val Chmerkovskiy and Jenna Johnson are teaming up for a new project with Ovation Dance.
*  *  *
The teaser video features all of the aforementioned Dancing With the Stars cast members plus professional dancers Talia Favia, Dom Kelley, Will Loftis, Comfort Fedoke, Robbie Blue and Nika Kljun. So You Think You Can Dance fans will definitely remember Comfort from season 4 of the dancing competition series.

The project is a nationwide tour that spans from Chicago to Phoenix, New Jersey to San Diego. Dates can be found on the official website. Along with each performance, there are also classes offered and even a competition that attendees can compete in, plus a live performance from the faculty.

Edited May 1 by tv echo

[tv echo]

ABC Unveils Fall 2025 Schedule: ‘9-1-1: Nashville’ Joins Its Mothership on Thursday; ‘Shark Tank’ Moves to Wednesday As ‘Celebrity Wheel of Fortune’ Takes Its Place
By Michael Schneider    May 13, 2025
https://variety.com/2025/tv/news/abc-fall-2025-schedule-9-1-1-nashville-thursday-shark-tank-1236395314/

Quote

TUESDAY
8 p.m. “Dancing with the Stars”
10 p.m. “High Potential”

ABC ANNOUNCES FALL 2025 PRIMETIME SCHEDULE
May 13, 2025
https://www.dgepress.com/abc/pressrelease/abc-announces-fall-2025-primetime-schedule/

Quote

... The network also boasts nine of the top 20 programs in the demo across platforms adding “Will Trent” (No. 10), “Grey’s Anatomy” (No. 11), “Dancing with the Stars” (No. 14) and “The Bachelor” (No. 17).*
*  *  *
After a record-breaking season where it ranked as the No. 1 entertainment series in Adults 18-49 in Live+Same Day ratings for the first time in its history, “Dancing with the Stars” returns to the ballroom on Tuesdays followed by the sophomore season of the No. 1 broadcast series of 2025, “High Potential.” The drama was ABC’s most-watched new series in seven years and was the most-streamed broadcast series of the season, more than doubling its nearest competition in both the key 18-49 demo and Total Viewers.

Edited May 15 by tv echo

[tv echo]

https://tvline.com/lists/fall-tv-schedule-2025-cbs-network-abc-nbc-shows-fox-cw/ 

[tv echo]

Second "star" revealed (the first was Robert Irwin)...

DWTS Fans Sharply Divided Over Latest Season 34 Contestant: 'Not a Star'
Andrea Reiher   May 22, 2025
https://parade.com/news/dwts-fans-sharply-divided-over-latest-season-34-contestant-not-a-star 

Quote

Social media influencer and podcast host Alix Earle, 24, was revealed to be the second celebrity to join Dancing With the Stars season 34 on Thursday morning. She has a huge following on TikTok and hosts the podcast Hot Mess with Alix Earle. She has also been dating Miami Dolphins wide receiver Braxton Berrios for a year and a half.

Edited May 25 by tv echo

[Soapy Goddess]

Big deal. So tired of the "influencers".

[tv echo]

‘Dancing With The Stars’ EP On Show’s Cultural Importance & Why Emmys Should Take Notice: “We’re Seeing A Resurgence That’s Unbelievable”
By Lynette Rice   May 27, 2025
https://deadline.com/2025/05/dancing-with-the-stars-producer-emmy-chances-2025-1236411683/ 

Quote

DEADLINE: Every year, there’s always a small contingent of fans who accuse the show of being fixed. Whenever you hear those complaints, what do you want to say?
O’DOWD: We take that very seriously. We have never, nor would we ever do anything to manipulate the votes. The show really needs to be credible. It needs to allow the viewers to have a voice and to really be the voice of who deserves to win. So we have never nor would we ever want to manipulate that in any way.
*  *  *
DEADLINE: What is your longterm hope for the judge’s panel? Would you like to see Bruno Tonioli and Carrie Ann Inaba stay to the absolute end?
O’DOWD: I think the panel we have now is one of the best mixes of everything you could want. And I think both Bruno and Carrie Ann have been such a huge part of growing the show over the years that I’m unbelievably grateful to still have ’em on the panel today.
*  *  *
DEADLINE: When it comes to casting, there are always reality stars, athletes, influencers, a Disney+ star, an oldie but goodie, and someone controversial. I want to zero in on the controversial. Why is it important to bring in the Anna Delveys, the Sean Spicers?
O’DOWD: As you went through that very well thought out ingredient list, I knew of course that you would want to delve more into the Delvey of it all! Indifference is our biggest enemy when it comes to casting. Deena Katz has cast our show from season one and has done an unbelievable job. And I think we’re always talking amongst ourselves about how to book people who are part of the ongoing zeitgeist conversation. And with Anna Delvey, yes, she was controversial, but people had an opinion. I remember many, many years ago listening to Howard Stern, and there was a promo that he used to have running that would say something to the effect of the average Howard Stern lover listens for 42 minutes a day. The average Howard Stern hater listens for an hour and 37 minutes. Why? Because they just want to know what he’s going to say next. And so I think that kind of encapsulates this idea that it doesn’t matter why people are tuning in, you’ve just got to get ’em there. And that was a bit of the logic behind the Anna Delvey of it all.
*  *  *
DEADLINE: You skipped over the Argentine tango featuring Derek Hough and Mark Ballas!
O’DOWD: Exactly. That’s another one.

DEADLINE: So you know what my next question will be. Will we ever get two male dancers together in the future? Can you see that happening?
O’ DOWD: It’s great to do a dance like that in general, with the motivation behind it. Many people said to me they had no idea about the origins of the tango. And I had no idea that it did begin with two males. And so you’ve got to see an unbelievable performance, right? As to your question, I would say we are constantly looking at the ways by which we can push the envelope and produce a show that reflects and represents society as a whole. So I wouldn’t rule it out. It’s something that we’re continuing to discuss.

[tv echo]

How much do Dancing with the Stars pros make per week? Detailed breakdown 
Bill Cyril Salasya   May 29, 2025
https://www.tuko.co.ke/facts-lifehacks/guides/590953-how-dancing-stars-pros-week-detailed-breakdown/ 

[tv echo]

'The Traitors,' DWTS' Stephen Nedoroscik Earn Top TV Awards Honors
'I am incredibly honored,' said 'Dancing With the Stars' breakout star Stephen Nedoroscik.
Andrea Reiher   May 29, 2025
https://parade.com/news/the-traitors-dwts-stephen-nedoroscik-earn-top-tv-awards-honors 

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The 2025 Critics Choice Real TV Awards winners were announced on Thursday, May 29, with Peacock hit reality competition series The Traitors topping all shows with three wins. Dancing With the Stars and Love on the Spectrum were right behind with two wins apiece, including a win for breakout star, Olympic gymnast Stephen Nedoroscik.
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Dancing With the Stars' Nedoroscik added in his speech, "Wow! Thank you so much! I am incredibly honored to be named Male Star of the Year. Dancing With the Stars is something that was so out of my comfort zone, and I think that's why I loved it so much...I want to give a special thank you to my dance partner [Rylee Arnold], the entire cast and crew at Dancing With the Stars, the team behind the scenes at ABC, and lastly, everybody who voted. Seriously, thank you all so much. This means the world to me."
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BEST COMPETITION SERIES: TALENT/VARIETY
America’s Got Talent (NBC)
American Idol (ABC)
Dancing with the Stars (ABC)
Roller Jam (Magnolia Network, Max)
Second Chance Stage (Magnolia Network, Max)
The Voice (NBC)
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MALE STAR OF THE YEAR
Jonathan Bennett – Finding Mr. Christmas (Hallmark Media)
Alan Cumming – The Traitors (Peacock)
Dylan Efron – The Traitors (Peacock)
Stephen Nedoroscik – Dancing with the Stars (ABC)
Antoni Porowski – No Taste Like Home with Antoni Porowski (National Geographic), Queer Eye (Netflix)
Stanley Tucci – Tucci in Italy (National Geographic)