During Dancing With the Stars Season 33, Carrie Ann Inaba continues receiving much criticism and backlash over how she scores various contestants.
Some viewers have demanded her removal from the show’s cast due to her particularly harsh critiques.
Monsters and Critics reported that Carrie Ann addressed her critics, even telling them to bring it on and that the feedback can sometimes be helpful.
And a co-star has her back amid the continued criticism she’s receiving.
Professional dancer Keo Motsepe recently defended the DWTS judge from some of the harsh feedback she’s getting.
Motsepe spoke about the difficult nature of Carrie Ann and her co-stars’ jobs on the dance competition show.
Keo Motsepe defended Carrie Ann Inaba: ‘I don’t think it’s easy’
According to Motsepe, the Dancing With the Stars judges are in a “tough spot” with the job they do as they have to critique a variety of celebrity contestants with and without experience.
He explained that someone who comes into the show with a lot of experience will be scrutinized even more as the judges try to help them improve.
On the other hand, he said judges need to find things they like about someone inexperienced with dance and help them improve along the way.
“I don’t think it’s easy for the judges. You see what I’m saying? Where with someone who does not have as much dance experience, you have to look for something that you like,” Motsepe told The U.S. Sun.
“Could be ‘I didn’t like how you transferred your foot from foot to foot.’ So it’s very detailed,” he added.
Motsepe’s comments arrive after rumors suggesting that producers were considering a replacement for Carrie Ann.
She’s appeared as a judge since the show’s debut season, but Season 33 has brought much backlash over how she’s critiqued various contestants.
That may have included a former DWTS contestant who indicated, after seeing a clip from Season 33, “the flashbacks are real.”
Motsepe ‘absolutely’ wants to return to DWTS
Motsepe also spoke to The Sun about fans criticizing DWTS for not bringing him back as one of the cast’s pro dancers.
“I think fans need to understand that as much as the pros have so much to do on the job with our partners, the producers have a lot of work, even more,” he explained.
“They deal with the crew, they deal with us, the pros, they deal with the PTs, and they deal with literally so much. Sometimes I look at them like, ‘How are you doing all of this?'” Motsepe said.
He suggested that “you have to give that credit to the producers” for making everything fit together and work.
Regarding his return, he said if it’s “meant to be,” he would “absolutely” appear in the cast “whenever” it happens.
Viewers last saw Motsepe in Season 29, partnering with actress Anne Heche. They finished 13th overall in the competition. Motsepe’s appeared in nine seasons, with his best finish third overall in Season 28 with actress Evanna Lynch.
Dancing With the Stars airs Tuesdays at 8/7c on ABC and Disney+.