Reality competition shows can be a lot of fun. They provide a spotlight to people and show off their talents. However, the most popular contestant doesn’t always win, which can cause controversy. And that’s what Dancing with the Stars (DWTS) is dealing with right now.
The finale of Season 33 of DWTS just aired, and Joey Graziadei and Jenna Johnson took home the win after an impressive season. They were one of the frontrunners, so it wasn’t all that shocking, but there was another performance that many fans felt blew theirs out of the water and didn’t get the recognition it deserved.
Chandler Kinney and Brandon Armstrong made history by being the first all-Black pair to make it to the DWTS finale, and to celebrate that, they performed a freestyle that honored their heritage. It blew not only viewers but the judges out of the water, earning the pair a perfect score. Fans were quick to take to social media to start a grassroots campaign to guide them to victory. Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough, as Chandler and Brandon ended up coming in third.
The initial reaction was that Chandler and Brandon had the cards stacked against them. For one, there were issues between Chandler and Carrie Ann Inaba. Viewers at home felt that Carrie Ann had been treating Chandler unfairly during the season, holding her to a ridiculous standard. The show tried to change the narrative by having Carrie Ann speak on Chandler’s journey prior to her performance in the finale, but it was too little, too late.
Once the results came in, things took a turn, though, with many on social media claiming that racism played a part in the DWTS Season 33 outcome. After all, it was clear to Chandler and Brandon’s supporters that they were at least the second-best pair, if not the best, yet they couldn’t crack the top two.
“let be honest. we know why chandler got 3rd and it was NOT because of her dancing. america hates women, but they hate black woman more,” said Kendal on X.
“america youāre dead wrong for voting chandler 3rd. failed every election this year,” added X user mk.
Despite coming up short of her goal, Chandler went on social media and took the high road, speaking positively about her experience on DWTS. “so unbelievably grateful to have been a part of this show and to have created a moment that the DWTS ballroom had never seen before. a moment that was really important to me and hopefully so many people out there. thank you endlessly for your love, it means so much,” she said on X.
The responses to the former Disney Channel star’s post have been overwhelmingly positive, with all of her followers coming to show support. However, despite Chandler’s kind words, fans of DTWS are unlikely to forgive a program that may need to look into its voting process and whether it’s fair.
Published: Nov 27, 2024 11:23 am