'DWTS' finale: 'Bachelor’ alum Kelsey Anderson's reaction to Carrie Ann Inaba sums up the entire show
The 'Dancing With the Stars' Season 33 finale had its fair share of drama, but one unexpected moment managed to steal the show — the moment Kelsey Anderson, fiancée of winner Joey Graziadei, called out judge Carrie Ann Inaba live.
During the Freestyle round, Joey and his partner, Jenna Johnson, delivered a high-energy tennis-themed routine to Jamiroquai’s “Canned Heat.” While fellow judges Derek Hough and Bruno Tonioli praised the performance, Carrie Ann called it “underwhelming” and criticized the choreography, particularly the use of the tennis racket. Her comment that “the energy dipped in the middle” sparked audible disapproval from the audience.
Kelsey, who was in the audience, didn't take it lightly. She loudly booed and gave a thumbs down as Carrie Ann criticized. The moment went viral on social media. Things only got heated when Derek Hough fired back at Carrie Ann, calling Joey's performance "phenomenal" and complimenting Jenna's choreography. While judges are supposed to provide constructive criticism, many felt that in this situation, Inaba crossed over into being overly critical of all the contestants, considering it was a high-stakes finale.
Carrie Ann Inaba gets criticized for her scoring on 'DWTS'
Carrie Ann Inaba has increasingly come under fire with regard to her scoring, especially following Halloween Night on 'DWTS'. In that particular episode, Danny Amendola and Witney Carson did a Viennese Waltz that left the audience in awe, as well as their fellow judges: Bruno Tonioli referred to it as "spellbinding," while Derek Hough said it was "absolute perfection." Carrie Ann disagreed and gave them a 9, which was the lowest score of the night.
The boos from the audience began to ring out after this decision, considering how Carrie Ann had given every other couple 10s that night with the exception of Danny and Ilona Maher. While Carrie Ann defended her score, explaining that the performance was "the most critical" to judge due to its complexity, many viewers felt it was unfair and inconsistent.
Kelly Anderson says she's 'proud' of Joey Graziadei's 'DWTS' journey
Ahead of the 'Dancing with the Stars' finale, Kelsey Anderson expressed her pride and admiration for her fiancé, Joey Graziadei. In a heartfelt TikTok posted on November 25, 2024, Kelsey praised Joey for his dedication and hard work throughout the competition. She shared that, beyond his dancing accomplishments, she is most proud of how Joey treats others and his unwavering commitment to everything he does.
Kelsey shared that after every show, Joey would text her, "I hope I made you proud," to which she always said yes, he has, as he has put in so much work and has continuously improved. She reflected on how their journey from 'The Bachelor' to now has been and how she will always be his biggest cheerleader. Joey, touched by her post, thanked Kelsey for being his rock through this crazy time.
