Carrie Ann Inaba addresses claims she shows 'favoritism' to some DWTS contestants

Lauren DuBois Sun, October 11, 2026 at 8:48 PM UTC

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Carrie Ann Inaba is addressing claims she shows 'favoritism' on DWTS (Image: Getty)

Dancing With the Stars judge Carrie Ann Inaba is speaking out after fans have continued to claim she shows "favoritism" to certain celebrities on the show.

The longtime judge for the dance competition series, 58, frequently gets booed by fans of the ABC show for her critiques during episodes, and is frequently targeted by them as showing signs of favoritism with celebrities they think she prefers, while being overly harsh and critical of others.

Now, after she spoke out following some fans spreading "inappropriate" rumors about some of the show's current couples, she is addressing the continued attacks she has received for her alleged "favoritism."

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After an online creator, Abbey Bonadies, took to social media to share her opinions about Guillermo Rodriguez, she later revealed she was called an "online bully" for "simply mentioned that [Guillermo] has made it further than some contestants who should still be in the competition," Inaba hopped into her comments.

Taking to Instagram's Threads, Inaba shared that the show's passionate fandom could get intense.

Carrie Ann Inaba is addressing claims she shows favoritism on DWTS (Image: Getty)

"Sorry that's happening, but welcome to the dwts social media fandom," Inaba wrote.

"They are passionate. I know you are not bullying. Truth does not equal bullying. Just like a lower score doesn't mean someone else is a 'favorite.'"

"There is an interesting phenomenon where fans of dome stars take offense to anything that isn't what they want to hear or believe...there can be confusion that we are commenting about the person, as if it were a personal attack on the person they love. When in fact it is not," she concluded.

Inaba's remark comes after she was heavily booed by fans during Mariah Carey night, after she critiqued Rodriguez and Whitney Carson's performance, which earned a total of just 13 points.

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Inaba has long been accused of showing favoritism on the show and being inconsistent with critiques (Image: Getty)

"What was going on?" she asked Rodriguez while delivering the critiques. "No, I'm serious. Where is all your joy?"

She was then booed after saying she felt like he was "dimming your light a little bit in this dance."

Following the boos, Inaba snarked at the audience, "Look, this is what I get paid for, people. I want to tell you because I don't want you to ever dim your light. You're special, and you have a natural gift that we all need. Don't ever not smile in a dance, I need your light. We all do."

Inaba has often been accused ot being harsher on certain celebrities than others during her tenure on the show.

Inaba made the comments after being booed (Image: Getty)

In Season 34, she was forced to apologize to Danielle Fishel after saying she was a "tiny little woman" who needed to use the space better, which was criticized by her partner, Pasha Pashkov, as well as her former co-stars Ryder Strong and Will Friedel, who said she was making "unfair" critiques and accused her of having a personal vendetta.

She was also criticized in Season 32 for refusing to give Ariana Madix and Pashkov a 10 for their Paso Doble, and notably lost her temper with the live studio audience when they booed her.

Dancing With the Stars airs Tuesdays on ABC and Disney+.

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Original Article on Source

Source: “AOL Entertainment”