‘DWTS’ fans furious after Robert Irwin’s ‘Wicked Night’ performance falls short: ‘What does it take…’
Robert Irwin is certainly one of the most beloved contestants on 'Dancing With the Stars' Season 34. Partnered with Witney Carson, Irwin has been winning major hearts for his sleek dance moves, making fans root for him more than anyone else. However, his latest dance performance has ruffled some feathers. For his Wicked-themed routine, Irwin and Carson delivered another breathtaking performance, impressing judges, but fans were left fuming when the scores were announced.
Irwin and Carson delivered a daring jazz performance to 'Dancing Through Life' by Jonathan Bailey, featuring Ariana Grande, Ethan Slater, Marissa Bode, and Cynthia Erivo, with the wildlife conservationist portraying the dashing Fiyero, as per Gold Derby. Carrie Ann Inaba praised the performance, saying, "That was so ambitious." She noted that he took the challenge, Carson's choreography "showcased" him in the best way, and he "nailed it."
Derek Hough said, "We need to change out your hiking boots for dancing shoes. You were meant to be on stage. You're a performer," and called the performance "beautiful" and "well done." 'Wicked: For Good' director and guest judge Jon M. Chu remarked, "To see it in person is even better," and expressed that the difficult book props didn't hold Irwin back and he transitioned from last week's honesty to this week's joy." Bruno Tonioli raved, "You handle every situation...brilliantly," praising Irwin's commitment to every performance. The judges scored them 9 each, giving a total of 36 out of 40.
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However, fans felt that Irwin's performance deserved a perfect score, as many shared their opinions in the comments section under the Instagram post. A fan commented, "Nahhh this DESERVED at least one 10. I love Val but this choreography compared to his and Alix, felt way more advanced/more movement…how did they get basically the same scores," while another added, "How did he not get at least 1 ten??? He got no corrections or negative feedback? Like what does it take for a ten this season?" A third fan noted, "They did so good! They needed at least one 10! How did Whitney get 3 10’s and you could barely see her foot work. She’s the one person this season. I don’t wanna win."
The Tuesday, October 21 episode featured guest judge Chu, with pairs performing to hits from 'Wicked,' taking on roles of Elphaba or Glinda. Scores from this week were combined with last week's Dedication Night, leaving Andy Richter at the bottom and Whitney Leavitt at the top of the leaderboard, as per Variety. After tallying votes, which surpassed 100 million over the two weeks, Scott Hoying was eliminated.