The night, which saw celebrities dedicate their dances to loved ones, should’ve been all heart. Instead, it turned into one of the most talked-about episodes of the season, largely due to the scores.
Fans Call Out Carrie Ann’s Scoring
Carrie Ann took to Instagram shortly after the episode aired, sharing a post celebrating the touching performances. But what began as a wholesome reflection quickly turned into a comments-section showdown, with fans calling her out over her numbers.
“You giving Robert [Irwin] an 8 though,” one fan wrote beneath her post. “You know he outperformed Dylan [Efron], as much as I love him.”
Rather than ignore the criticism, the 57-year-old judge chose grace over defensiveness.
“It’s okay to disagree about what we see,” she replied. “That’s what makes our show great. 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.”
Audience Boos After Harsh Feedback to Danielle Fishel
It wasn’t the only moment that put Carrie Ann under the spotlight. During the live show, she drew boos from the audience after critiquing Danielle Fishel and her partner, Pasha Pashkov — whose routine featured a surprise appearance from Fishel’s Boy Meets World costar, the legendary William Daniels, now 98.
“I love a throwback, but I have to say this,” Carrie Ann began. “Some of your dances are starting to feel like I’m watching the same dance over and over again.”
The crowd didn’t take kindly to her honesty, and jeers filled the ballroom. Still, she continued, urging the pair to “try to give a little bit more variety as far as dynamics,” adding pointedly, “This is also on you, Pasha.”
Pasha later responded to Variety, calling the critique “unfair.”
“Especially being that she said that the dances looked similar,” he explained. “The thing is, we did have a quickstep and we had a jive this week. These are two dances that [are] very, very similar.”
He added, “If we had dances that were drastically different and they felt the same, I’d understand. But, based on the dances that we had, that did not feel like it made sense to me. In my heart.”
Defending his partner, Pasha also noted, “I don’t think she deserved that comment. She’s been working hard.”
Alfonso Ribeiro Clears Up Scoring Confusion
It’s not the first time DWTS judging has stirred debate this season. Just last month, cohost Alfonso Ribeiro had to clarify how scoring works after confusion erupted when Bruno Tonioli’s paddle displayed a seven while the official screen showed an eight.
“Just to clarify something,” Alfonso said during the show. “Our judges key in their scores right after the dance and then they are locked regardless of which paddle they hold up. We go with their locked score. So Bruno keyed in an 8, so Whitney’s total was 15.”
Fellow judge Julianne Hough jumped in to remind viewers of the unpredictable nature of live TV:
“Oh actually, just came through my ear right now, Bruno actually put in an eight, so we have to correct it. It’s a 15… We love live television!”
No Eliminations on a Night of Emotion
Despite the drama, Dedication Night ended on a warm note — no eliminations. “We couldn’t send anyone home tonight on such a special night,” Hough announced as the credits rolled. “All of the scores and all of the votes from tonight will carry over to next week.”
For Carrie Ann, though, the night was a reminder of how passionately fans care about the show — and how much her words matter. Whether she’s met with cheers or boos, her message remains consistent: disagreement is part of the dance.
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