'Dancing With The Stars': Dancers & Contestants Respond To Maksim Chmerkovskly's Outburst
Could Season 13 of "Dancing With the Stars" be professional dancer Maksim Chmerkovsly's last? Well, it might.
We all know that "DWTS" can be a bit of a popularity contest, but Maks, 31, thinks the judges should be held responsible for their rather confusing -- and definitely not standard -- judging system. During Monday (Oct. 24) night's live performances, the hot-tempered dancer had a serious fallout with judge Len Goodman after Len harshly criticized Maks' celebrity partner Hope Solo, calling her rather dull rumba, "her worst dance of the whole season."
Well, Maks didn't quite like that criticism and riled up the already cheering crowd, interrupting Len's critique. That's when Len snapped.
As he explained to Maks, Len gets the reputation for being the most critical -- and technical -- judge for a reason. He judges for technical skill, and as he pointed out, he's been doing it for quite some time. And that's where Maks decided to tell Len that maybe it was time for him to quit. "Maybe it's time to go!," Maks offered with a cheeky smile.
Shocked at Maks' disrespect toward Len, judge Carrie Ann stepped in and told the dancer to quit being disrespectful, rather forcefully, but the damage had already been done -- and now the fallout has begun. Let's just hope it doesn't lead to an early elimination.
However, Maks felt that something had to be done, regardless of the fallout.
After his outburst, it looks like Maks has finally had enough of the show that made him a household name. "I've had it. I've had it a long time ago. I just kind of kept it cool but, look, she doesn't deserve it. That's all it is," Chmerkovskiy told OnTheRedCarpet.com backstage after the show, before joking, "Look, whatever helps the ratings. You're welcome show!"
Maks has been a professional on the show since Season 2, and it seems like his resentment for the flip-flopping judging style of the show has been growing long before this current season. Last season, Maks was paired with Kirstie Alley and had a similar outburst with Len when the judge thought his shirtless routine was inappropriate.
"I want them to be on the same page with everybody. What I've had of, I've had enough of being kind of separated -- Why isn't Carson (Kressley) here? Why no Kristin (Cavallari? Why did it happen to Sabrina Bryan?" Chmerkovskiy asked the website, referring to celebrity contestants who he felt were booted too soon. "They were told that you should be better. You look like you should be better, and then there were others that could barely walk and they were told, 'Well, you know what? I love your effort. I love your dedication. You really want to be here. I'm rooting for you.' A judge is supposed to judge."
Meanwhile, the other professionals seemed divided by Maks' comments, some feeling that he crossed a line and was disrespectful, others commending him on speaking up.
Derek Hough, who regularly sits at the top of the leaderboard with partner Ricki Lake, told the website, "Truthfully and honestly, I don't [agree with what Maksim did] because, you know, we're seasoned professionals. We've been on the show a long time and we know kind of know what to expect. We know the ins and outs. I think that to disrespect them, I think, is a little crossing the line."
Fellow top scorer of the night, J.R. Martinez, told E! News, "He did go a little too far with it, but it is what it is."
Meanwhile, Lacey Schwimmer, who is partnered with controversial contestant Chaz Bono this season, felt that Maks was courageous for standing up to the judges. "Generally speaking, Maks has the courage to say a lot of what a lot of the people on the show don't have the courage to say. So, good for him," Schwimmer told OnTheRedCarpet.com.
But perhaps Maks' biggest support came from prosecutor and television host Nancy Grace, who's had to go toe-to-toe with more than a few judges. "One of the hardest things I had to learn was when I appeared in front of judges for 10 years, was whether you agree with them or disagree with them, they are the judge," Nancy Grace told the red carpet website. "I found, in my life, that sometimes you have to be just as strong to fight back as to hold your tongue. It's a very very fine line and Maks did what he thought he had to do."
Watch the drama unfold below.
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First Posted: 10/25/11 11:17 AM ET Updated: 12/25/11 05:12 AM ET