‘DWTS’ judge Carrie Ann Inaba says Anna Delvey was ‘dismissive’ of what show had to offer

Each week during Dancing With the Stars, judge Carrie Ann Inaba will answer our burning questions about the season 33 contestants and their race to win the Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy. Here, Carrie Ann shares her thoughts via email about the show’s first (double!) eliminations, Anna Delvey’s exit, and what was going on with that music malfunction in Jenn Tran and Sasha’s number.

ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: Anna Delvey and Tori Spelling were the first two contestants to go home. Did either of those results surprise you?

CARRIE ANN INABA: The first eliminations always bring a mix of emotions. This week, we said goodbye to Anna and Ezra, and Tori and Pasha.

Tori’s departure caught me off guard. She wasn’t at the bottom of the leaderboard, and I felt she had a real breakthrough during her performance last night. I hope she will continue to dance, and I want to thank her for sharing her story and taking the leap of faith into the unknown with all of us, in our magical ballroom. 

As for Anna, I was taken aback by her comment when asked what she learned from being on the show, and she flatly said, “Nothing.” That was dismissive not only of the opportunity she was given, of her wonderful and supportive partner Ezra in his debut season, but also of all of us who work on the show-from the dancers to behind the scenes to the creative team. We all put in the effort to give her a fair opportunity. But I don’t think she could see that and it’s a shame. A little gratitude could have changed the narrative. 

You urged viewers to give Anna a chance on the premiere. Do you feel like this result means they did not?

I think our audience did what felt right to them. And that’s the beauty of DWTS for our fans. Our fans are passionate and engaged and they vote for who they want to win the Mirrorball trophy. But I’d like to point out something important. Our fans don’t vote people off. That is not our format. Unlike Survivor we don’t vote people off. Our fans vote for who they want to win.

You told Jenn Tran that she’s a surprise. What about her is surprising to you?

It’s exciting to see how good she is. She isn’t a trained dancer, that I know of, and she’s really good! It’s hard to believe that she came right off The Bachelorette finale episode where she had to relive a really painful moment, and then that night, got on a plane and flew to GMA to do the cast announcement and hasn’t stopped since. She has a spark that is refreshing. 

We couldn’t hear the music malfunction in her and Sasha’s routine at home. How long did it last and how disruptive could it have been to the performance?

Ahh.. yes. LIVE TV! I love it. In Jenn’s performance, the music did not play to the house in the beginning, which made it very difficult for them to perform. Quite honestly, for me, it was confusing to watch because it looked like they were not in sync. We could hear our incredible vocalist singing and a very muffled click track, but that’s about it and they weren’t quite in sync. I’m so glad to hear that the audience at home could hear the track. It looked like a mistake.

But this brings me to an interesting point I’m not sure the viewers at home realize. The judges see the dance from a completely different angle than the viewers at home. We sit at that desk, and what we experience in the ballroom is slightly different than what you experience at home. We can see things that the audience can’t because the audience at home views it through the director’s eye. Our director chooses the camera shots to create a beautiful and dynamic entertaining experience for the viewers at home. 

Side note: We now have monitors on the table because we realized the home viewers had a different experience so we get the live feed, or the “line cut” and sometimes when a set piece is blocking our view, or they are starting a number off stage it helps!

You asked Danny a few times if he was okay right after your remarks. What was happening and what were you worried about?

I thought he was having trouble catching his breath after the dance, and I wanted to offer him water. His eyes were a bit glazed over, and he wasn’t making eye contact with the judges while we were speaking. I’ve experienced many health challenges and I just wanted to check and see if he needed to sit down for a moment, or have some water. Dance is quite a physical experience and after a dance performance, I’ve seen many people get dizzy and almost “black out.” His performance was sooooo high energy and he may have been surprised at how much it took out of him. That’s why they call it “DanceSport.”

You told Reginald that everyone’s 10 looks different. But as a judge, are you evaluating everyone by the same standard?

Yes, this can be complicated to understand. But here it is: From day one, I have judged the same way. I believe everyone has the ability to get a ten. And that ten will be the ten they can achieve with their ability.  That is what makes it fair. For example, Amy Purdy — the talented and beautiful para- olympian who was partnered with Derek Hough in season 18 — was dancing on prosthetic legs. So, how could I expect her to point her toes? Her perfection would have to be one without pointed toes or certain movements that might be impossible for her to achieve due to the way her body moves. And her unique abilities. 

There are so many areas to look at when we judge. I judge the performance as a whole. I’m less concerned about the exact details of each dance style, and more concerned with the way it all comes together as a performance, how they are growing as a dancer, how entertaining it was. 

Of course, everyone’s ten is different and I’m judging everyone by the same standard. I can’t speak for Bruno and Derek. We each look for different things. It’s always been that way. And from day one, I’ve always judged this way.

You spoke to your own chronic pain and Eric’s challenges. How is that making his job harder?

Dancing with the Stars is about pushing your own personal boundaries through these beautiful art forms of dance. It’s really a competition with oneself. And it’s really about growing. Since I, along with many other people in this world struggle with chronic pain, I know that people don’t often take that into consideration ,and I really wanted to make it a point that that is taken into consideration because it’s not something he can bypass. I’m not gonna call it a disability — because it’s not a disability — it’s his unique ability that we have to play to. And that’s what I encourage for all of the contestants, that they find their unique abilities and expand their possibilities through dance.

Steven keeps throwing off his glasses. Who is out of frame catching them?

I’ll have to find out for you… but I love that he’s got a signature move. His charisma or “rizz” as the kids call it is really fun to watch. He’s just pure joy with great skills to match.

NOTE FROM PRODUCTION: No one catches it because it goes in a different direction every time, including the band stand. But a costumer picks up the prop ones he’s throwing, and Alfonso has his real ones waiting for him.

You joked about the “missing” kiss in Gleb and Brooks’s routine. Do you think something is going on there? Are you worried they’re trying to sell a showmance for audience buy-in?

Hmmm… not sure what’s happening there. I definitely don’t think they are trying to “sell” a romance. I don’t think that’s a great strategy. I think they have great chemistry and that can work to their advantage. Brooks has so much potential; she’s a really good dancer and has the stature. They are a great pairing height-wise and they move well together, so I think they could do well in this competition. What happens to them off the floor is their business.

Ilona and that beautiful lift. Can you expand on why those lifts were so meaningful?

We live in a really exciting time for women and people who have felt “left out” or “outside the lines.” I too have felt like I’m outside the box. My whole life, my doctors told me I was too heavy. Yet I was a gymnast and a dancer and I was physically fit, so I loved the way she lifted Alan in the exact same way he lifted her. And then added one more just for fun. Her strength and her musculature expand what being feminine is for all who witness her grace, joy and natural sensuality. That moment will be remembered, and it will leave an imprint on all of us in subtle ways. 

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Dancing With the Stars airs Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET/PT on ABC and Disney+. Read EW’s full recap of Oscars night.