Dancing with the scandals. Welcome to MsMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the times that “Dancing with the Stars” created a storm with their contestant choices and divided their audience.
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00:00I wouldn't be standing here today doing what I'm doing if it hadn't been for
00:04all of those things that have happened over the course of my life.
00:08Welcome to Ms. Mojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the times that Dancing With
00:13the Stars created a storm with their contestant choices and divided their audience.
00:18I want to address the elephant in the room, you do have an ankle monitor.
00:21Number 20. Nicole Scherzinger.
00:24Nicole Scherzinger surprised almost no one when she took the Mirrorball trophy back in season 10.
00:30You actually seem surprised.
00:33Absolutely man, we don't take anything for granted. Everybody's been amazing and
00:38I'm so happy.
00:39Why? Well, because she's most famous for spending much of the 2000s fronting the
00:44pop burlesque group the Pussycat Dolls. Nevertheless, ask almost any dancer and
00:49they'll likely tell you that even for the best trained professionals,
00:52ballroom and Latin is like a whole other ballroom game.
01:00Yet no one can deny that having a dance background certainly gave Scherzinger an
01:06edge in the competition. The whole debate about celebs with dance experience always
01:11stirs things up, especially when they come from shows that have dance in the title.
01:23Number 19. Jamie Lynn Spears.
01:26Jamie Lynn Spears joining the season 32 lineup definitely got people talking.
01:31Her messy relationship with Britney Spears was already all over the headlines,
01:35especially with their very public feud.
01:37She also added Britney's posts made life very difficult for the family.
01:41Britney responded saying Jamie Lynn stooped to a new level of low.
01:45Spears lasted just two weeks, and some fans were side-eyeing the Britney Army for possibly playing
01:50a part in her early exit. The drama only grew when rumors swirled that she'd secured a payment
01:56usually reserved for finalists.
02:05Soon after she was cut, she joined the UK's I'm a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here,
02:09but quit after 10 days, reportedly on medical grounds.
02:13So some viewers were surprised to see her back on the dance floor during the finals a week later.
02:18Number 18. Rick Perry.
02:25The 2016 US elections were probably one of the most polarizing times of the 21st century so far.
02:31When we tuned into our favorite dance show, we just wanted to escape the chaos and get
02:36lost in the glitz and glamour. Sadly, that wasn't the case, with both seasons that year
02:40featuring figures who reminded us of the very thing we were trying to avoid.
02:48Marla Maples couldn't exactly distance herself from her infamous ex,
03:01but Rick Perry was arguably even more controversial.
03:11He had just been running for the Republican nomination. He may have hung up his campaign
03:15hat, but it felt like the series was dancing around the issues.
03:28Number 17. Olivia Jade.
03:30Remember the college admissions scandal? How could we forget,
03:34especially with some of the famous faces involved?
03:46So when social media influencer and vlogger Olivia Jade was announced for season 30,
03:51a lot of people weren't thrilled about her getting such a big platform,
03:55given her family's role in that mess. Olivia Jade denied using the show as the catalyst for
04:00her redemption story, but did say she hoped it would help the public see that she had grown up
04:05and deserved a fresh start. And, well, it seems like plenty of viewers were willing
04:13to give her that second chance as she danced her way to the quarterfinals.
04:26Number 16. Tom DeLay.
04:28When Tom DeLay joined season 9 of Dancing with the Stars, he was known for his role as the
04:32U.S. House Majority Leader and for being involved in a major corruption scandal.
04:37In 2005, he was accused of money laundering and conspiracy.
04:43Although he was convicted in 2010 and sentenced to three years in prison,
04:53his sentence was overturned in 2013 due to a lack of evidence.
04:57The scandal significantly damaged DeLay's political career. Still,
05:00that didn't stop him from being one of the loudest voices in the birther conspiracy
05:04theory against President Obama. On the show, DeLay was paired with
05:08Cheryl Burke, but had to withdraw after just three weeks due to injuries.
05:22Number 15. Tonya Harding.
05:25In 1991, Harding made history as America's champion and the first U.S. woman to land
05:30a triple axel at a world-level competition. But in 1994, her accomplishments were marred
05:35by her connection to an attack on fellow skater Nancy Kerrigan,
05:39who incidentally also competed in Dancing with the Stars.
05:41The attack plunged Kerrigan's Olympic dreams into doubt
05:46and focused suspicion on rival skater Tonya Harding.
05:49How are you feeling right now?
05:50It's been a long week.
05:51The rivalry between the figure skaters turned serious when Harding's ex-husband,
05:55Jeff Galuli, was accused of hiring someone to knock Kerrigan out of the competition.
06:00Although Harding wasn't directly involved in the attack,
06:03she was found guilty of conspiracy to hinder prosecution for withholding information.
06:07Harding later pleaded guilty to hindering prosecution,
06:11receiving three years probation and a $100,000 fine.
06:15Fans were mostly shocked to see Harding on the show just a couple of seasons after Kerrigan.
06:26Number 14. Kate Gosselin.
06:29The Gosselins rose to fame after the birth of their sex tablets led them to a life of
06:33reality television. Things seemed to start unraveling around the time Kate and John split.
06:38We decided to separate.
06:40I'm not very fond of the idea, personally, but I know it's necessary,
06:46because my goal is peace for the kids.
06:48After that, scandal seemed to follow this family almost everywhere. Roughly around the same time
06:53as her divorce, Kate joined the dance show, and controversy shadowed her there, too.
06:58She and her dance partner, Tony Dovolani, were no dream team. Despite the drama, they danced
07:03their way to week five, finishing with a foxtrot to Simple Mind's Don't You Forget About Me.
07:08Although it sounds like Dovolani would have preferred to forget it all.
07:19He told Anderson Cooper he sought professional help after their elimination.
07:23Did you have to take a long vacation after that experience, Tony?
07:27There was a lot of therapy involved.
07:30Number 13. Floyd Mayweather Jr.
07:33When the pro boxer joined Dancing with the Stars in season five,
07:36he came with a controversial history, including multiple assault charges and some convictions.
07:41Nevertheless, you had to do two months, right?
07:44Yeah, I did two months.
07:44For Mr. Mayweather?
07:45Yes.
07:46Despite his sizable fan base that might have boosted ratings,
07:49his past actions raised serious concerns about his casting.
07:53Even so, he and his dance partner, Karina Smirnoff,
07:55managed to evade elimination until week four.
07:58Still, his legal troubles didn't end there.
08:01The following year, he faced even more charges, and unfortunately, they weren't his last.
08:06This casting choice sparked a lot of debate about whether a star's past
08:10should be overlooked for the sake of entertainment.
08:13Number 12. Adrian Peterson.
08:16Peterson's casting in season 32 caused so much controversy
08:20that even former pro dancers expressed their shock and disgust.
08:23The former NFL player had been charged with severe crimes in 2014
08:27and continued to face legal issues afterward.
08:30Peterson posted $15,000 bond and was released,
08:33but his team, the Minnesota Fireflies,
08:35had to pay $15,000 in damages to get him out of the game.
08:38Peterson posted $15,000 bond and was released,
08:41but his team, the Minnesota Vikings,
08:43benched him for tomorrow's game against New England.
08:45Former pro dancer Sharna Burgess told iHeartRadio's Oldish podcast
08:49that she would have, quote,
08:51"...turned around and walked right out if she had been paired with Peterson."
08:54Cheryl Burke agreed, but noted that as professionals,
08:57sometimes you have to take the cards you're dealt.
09:09Executive producer Dina Katz defended the choice,
09:12stating they'd done their, quote,
09:14"...due diligence," and found him to be a, quote,
09:16"...lovely family man,"
09:17emphasizing that everyone makes mistakes
09:19and that they considered the broader picture when casting.
09:31Number 11. Andy Dick.
09:33During their time on the show,
09:35Andy and his partner Sharna Burgess
09:37cemented themselves as fan favorites.
09:51However, the actor's overall experience
09:54ended on a sour note when he returned for the finals.
09:56He caused concern due to his erratic behavior throughout the night,
10:00especially due to his history of substance abuse.
10:11It's said that matters escalated,
10:13with Andy lunging at and inappropriately touching a staffer,
10:16with security having to get involved and escort him out.
10:20Sadly, it seemed like the scandal would only get worse
10:22if Andy and Sharna Burgess' relationship
10:25Sadly, it seemed like the scandals were just beginning
10:27as more claims emerged of sexual harassment on movie sets,
10:31which he has denied.
10:33It's been the best.
10:36It's just been the best.
10:43Number 10. Mackenzie Ziegler.
10:45I'm going to be giving thanks to my big sister Maddie
10:48because she is my best friend and she's always there for me
10:51and she's a huge supporter in my life.
10:53If you're wondering why this young celebrity looks so familiar,
10:56you might have seen her on television or YouTube,
10:58perhaps you're familiar with her singing career,
11:01or maybe from where it all began on Dance Moms.
11:04My dance this week is acro. I'm good at acro.
11:07Yes, you heard us correctly. Dance Moms.
11:10Mackenzie is a trained dancer,
11:12which left some viewers skeptical over her participation in the show.
11:20Paired with Sage Rosen and mentored by Gleb Savchenko,
11:24she achieved the season's first perfect score
11:26and sashayed straight to the finals.
11:31She will do the edge with you,
11:33but we can both pull her in love.
11:37However, previous dance training
11:38doesn't necessarily win you the mirror ball,
11:41which she lost out on to professional skateboarder Sky Brown.
11:44From Team Allen, Sky and JT.
11:49Number 9. Geraldo Rivera.
11:52I think when you see how that thing spread,
11:55if you believe all of those charges are true
11:57and that nobody was evening old scores
11:59or getting back at bad bosses,
12:01then I think, Sonny, you're more naive than I know you really are.
12:04I think it's a movement and not hysteria.
12:07This former Fox News correspondent
12:09is never too far away from controversy.
12:17From victim blaming to shaming
12:19and bragging about his active social life
12:21in his 1991 memoir, Exposing Myself.
12:29Even after the show,
12:31during the rise of the Me Too movement in 2017,
12:34an old interview between Barbara Walters and Bette Midler resurfaced
12:37where the actress made some serious allegations
12:40against Rivera and a producer.
12:4127 years after that interview, it has come back
12:45and how much do I have to pay for writing that book 27 years ago?
12:49Fortunately, viewers didn't have to endure him for long
12:52as he was the first to be eliminated.
12:55Number 8. Bristol Palin.
12:57Sugar in your tea,
13:00what's all these crazy questions they're asking me?
13:03This was the first time Dancing with the Stars
13:05crossed into the political realm,
13:07which was a controversial move in itself.
13:14As the daughter of Sarah Palin,
13:16some believe the odds were against her.
13:17I'm a young gorilla,
13:20However, despite her consistently low scores,
13:23she still managed to dodge elimination
13:25and end up in the finals,
13:26raising quite a few eyebrows.
13:28I just wanna do that Eskimo for you
13:32Get my display of affection
13:36During the season, security had to be tightened
13:39after she received death threats
13:40and a suspicious white powder was delivered to the show,
13:43which forced her to leave the show.
13:45She was then forced to leave the show
13:47white powder was delivered to the show,
13:49which fortunately was tested as harmless.
13:51Still riding on the wave of controversy,
13:54Bristol finished in a very respectable third place.
14:02Number 7. Paula Deen.
14:04There's been some very, very hurtful lies said about me.
14:08Shortly after an ex-employee sued Paula and her brother
14:11for racism and sexual harassment,
14:13the TV cook joined the lineup in a bid for the mirror ball.
14:17So I'll ask it to you bluntly. Are you a racist?
14:19No. No, I'm not.
14:21While Deen had endorsement deals and contracts canceled,
14:24the show still seemingly didn't see any reason not to welcome her.
14:33Although the case was eventually settled out of court,
14:36this would not be the only time she'd be accused of racism.
14:39Deen said she felt the judges didn't want her there,
14:42and critics argued that her inclusion
14:44showed complete disregard for her behavior.
14:47Despite the growing anger from audiences,
14:54she was able to compete until elimination.
14:57Number 6. Heather Morris.
15:03Previous dance training does not make this contest a waltz in the park,
15:07with viewers often quick to point out the unfair advantage.
15:10While Jordan Fisher did manage to win despite his Broadway background,
15:14viewers struggle to warm up to Heather Morris,
15:16leading to her shock elimination in week six.
15:29While now she may be best known for playing Britney S. Pierce in Glee,
15:32she's also a trained dancer and choreographer,
15:35who at one point even danced backup for Beyonce.
15:38Her elimination surprised her critics as well as her fans,
15:42with some claiming she was robbed of the mirror ball.
15:52Number 5. Carole Baskin.
15:55In 2020, Netflix's documentary series Tiger King had the world gripped,
16:00introducing us to animal activist Carole Baskin.
16:24One of the biggest plot lines to emerge from the show aroused some suspicion
16:28that she may have been involved with the disappearance of her ex-husband, Don Lewis.
16:47Understandably, her inclusion in season 29 made headlines.
16:51And to add to the controversy,
16:53her ex-in-laws paid to run an advertisement during her dance debut,
16:57offering a substantial reward for anyone with information.
17:07However, audiences weren't wild about her dance skills anyway,
17:11and she became the second person to be eliminated.
17:18Number 4. Anna Delvey.
17:20While most people on our list are known for something beyond their controversies,
17:24Anna Delvey, or Sorokin, is famous purely for being a con artist.
17:38In fact, she was introduced as a scam artist in her casting announcement.
17:42She's even competing in season 33 with her ankle monitor still on.
17:50Anna was arrested in 2017 after it was revealed that she had been masquerading
18:02as a German heiress to swindle New York's elite, including the hospitality and art sectors.
18:07After being released from prison, she was placed under house arrest by ICE for visa violations.
18:13Although she's confined to New York,
18:14she received special permission to travel to LA for the series.
18:21Outraged fans feel the show is glamorizing crime.
18:34Number 3. Sean Spicer.
18:43As we mentioned earlier, in a country already divided by politics,
18:47we look to entertainment shows for a much-needed breather.
18:50But in season 28, this was not to be.
18:58Viewers were enraged by Sean Spicer's participation,
19:01and how he seemed to be trying to use this opportunity
19:04to distance himself from his involvement in the Trump administration.
19:13They objected to Dancing with the Stars giving him a platform for self-promotion.
19:17Even Tom Bergeron tweeted his disappointment.
19:20And stated that the show should be, quote,
19:22a joyful respite from our exhausting political climate.
19:25Despite all the outrage, however,
19:27Spicer somehow managed to survive elimination for eight weeks.
19:35Number 2. Bobby Bones.
19:40Due to their consistently average performances,
19:42fans were surprised when Bobby and his partner Sharna were announced as the season 27 winners.
19:51Considering that this pair's scores were consistently lower than their competitors,
19:55viewers questioned if the winners had been chosen due to popularity rather than talent.
20:06Some argued that his sportsmanship throughout the show wasn't great either,
20:09and that he was always quick to throw snide comments at the other celebrities.
20:14Until the finals, he had never even scored above an eight.
20:17And some thought that his freestyle routine to The Greatest Show was over-marked.
20:29Talk about a polarizing figure.
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20:52Number 1. Ryan Lochte.
21:01This Olympic champ fell from grace after fabricating a story
21:04about being held at gunpoint in Rio during the 2016 Summer Olympics.
21:11Despite admitting to over-exaggerating the incident,
21:20he lost all four of his major sponsors,
21:23and it seems the nation wasn't entirely ready to forgive either.
21:34His debut performance to Call Me Irresponsible was overshadowed
21:38when two protesters stormed the stage.
21:41Security had to get involved,
21:43and the pair was later arrested on suspicion of criminal trespassing.
21:47Lochte said he had come on the show to prove he had changed,
21:49and said he felt, quote,
21:51a little hurt by the incident.
21:53Which controversial Dancing with the Stars casting choice made you switch off?
21:57And did any pique your intrigue more?
21:59Let us know in the comments.
22:08Do you agree with our picks?
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