Maksim Chmerkovskiy says this ‘DWTS’ star ‘wasn’t good’ enough to belong in the finale and you'll see why
Maksim Chmerkovskiy is dropping truth bombs! Chmerkovskiy joined 'Dancing with the Stars' in its very first season in 2005 and quickly became a fan favorite thanks to his fiery personality and stellar dance moves. Known for his outspoken and blunt personality, Chmerkovskiy bid farewell to the show in 2020, but that does not mean he is holding himself back. Exhibiting his straightforwardness once again, Chmerkovskiy made a bold statement about who he thinks does not deserve to be in the 'DWTS' finale.
On an August 2024 episode of retired 'Dancing With the Stars' pro Cheryl Burke's podcast 'Sex, Lies, and Spray Tans,' former contestant Bristol Palin said Chmerkovskiy, who wasn't her partner, "hated [her] so much" during her time on the show. For the uninformed, Palin and her partner Mark Ballas reached the Season 11 finale of 'Dancing With the Stars,' finishing third behind winners Jennifer Grey and Derek Hough and runners-up Kyle Massey and Lacey Schwimmer, as per Parade.
When asked about this on Page Six Radio, Maksim denied ever hating Palin but didn't hold back in criticizing her performance and attitude on 'DWTS,' offering a blunt explanation for why he saw her time on the show in a negative light. Chmerkovskiy said, "Bristol knows I didn't hate her." He explained his competitive mindset, saying, "My background is athletic in nature, not artistic... I came from competitive ballroom dancing. So for me, it was all about winning, and you win when you are in a certain position. So I treat dance competitively the same way people treat, I don't know, running... for me it was that it was an evaluation of dance."
Chmerkovskiy was blunt about Palin's dancing skills, as he said, "Sorry, Bristol was not a very good dancer. She was not good. She was not good at all. And so under that evaluation, there is no way that you are the frontrunner who ends up in the finale." Chmerkovskiy further added, "I was probably the loudest voice against Palin continually advancing in the competition, but somebody had to be." Chmerkovskiy also acknowledged the role of the audience in 'Dancing With the Stars,' saying, "That's the nature" of the show and "it is up to the voting public."
The pro dancer further explained, "The deserving part when it comes to votes is different... It wasn't really, 'Oh my God, she did an amazing cha cha and it's the best cha-cha on the show. I'm going to vote for that.' So it wasn't about that." He added, "But that's the nature of Dancing With the Stars. You know, the power is in the people's hands." Not only that, Chmerkovskiy also addressed the rumors about offscreen conflicts on former 'DWTS' contestant Harry Jowsey’s podcast, Boyfriend Material.
Chmerkovskiy said, "I mean, we all beefed at some point. You know it’s so cute, like people think that Derek and I were lethal enemies always." Chmerkovskiy even shared, "I literally texted today at 6:30 in the morning, like to me, Val [Chmerkovskiy], Mark [Ballas], and Derek, like, 'Yo, we should go play pickleball,'" as per Yahoo! Entertainment. Chmerkovskiy explained, "We were so consumed, we were so competitive, we were so [expletive] in it, you know? You got somebody winning mirror balls," and added, "I also want to win, you know what I’m saying, next season. I like you as a person but I [expletive] hate you as a competitor, you know?"