Cheryl Burke has Carrie Ann Inaba’s back as the Dancing With The Stars judge continues to face backlash for her scoring on the show.
The former pro, 41, was asked by Variety in an interview published on Friday, October 24 about how she felt about the criticism aimed at Inaba for her judging feedback.
“I agree that they go hard on her vs. the two men sitting there,” Burke told the outlet, referring to DWTS judges Bruno Tonioli and Derek Hough.
Burke continued, “And I think that’s always been the case, and she has openly talked about it, how it’s harder for her. I’ve experienced it, but in a different way; I’m outspoken about something vs. somebody who is a man, I do see the difference. But you don’t do it for the outside reaction. At the end of the day, this is her job, and she’s doing her job, and she’s doing it well.”
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The dancer, who appeared on 20 seasons of the dancing competition, will return to DWTS as a guest judge on the Tuesday, October 28 Halloween episode.
She opened up to Variety about how she will approach judging the stars when it’s her turn to provide feedback.
“I hope to be empowering and encouraging, but of course, I’m going to be constructive. I have 15 seconds to talk! That’s going to be the hardest part for me. Ultimately, I want to help these people,” she told the outlet.
Burke added, “Yes, we’re going to compliment them if they did a great job. But I think for me, I really want to get into the technical aspect of things, regardless of the theme. I’m looking for authenticity between the two people dancing with one another, authenticity to the style of dance that was assigned.”
For her part, Inaba, 57, has been in the firing line for what some DWTS viewers have deemed “harsh” scoring and feedback.
Inaba addressed the criticism via a comment on her Instagram page on October 15.
“It’s okay to disagree about what we see. That’s what makes our show great,” she wrote at the time. “You have a say in the matter. We want you to vote for what you love and believe in. I appreciate your comment and the way you expressed your feelings. ❤️ thank you for your passion and your opinion.”
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In a 2023 interview with Parade, Inaba isn’t she didn’t take the backlash – or audience members booing her – to heart.
“The whole point is we want people to have their opinions. The reason why people get invested in this competition is because they have an opinion, and it matters,” she told the outlet at the time. “We are one of the few [shows where ] judges actually hold up scores. So, what we do matters, but also what everybody does at home matters. So, it’s good that they boo. I think it shows that they’re really supporting somebody.”
Dancing With the Stars airs on ABC and Disney+ Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET.
