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In the aftermath of Lauren’s elimination, devastating to some, the audience turned their wrath toward Hough. At one point, in an attempt to be light and cute, Derek Hough tried to make a little joke about feeling “lonely” on set while fans quickly jumped in to comment on what they considered unjust judging that cost Lauren of her rightful place in the competition.
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What began as a playful remark went on to stir a storm of resentment from viewers who felt the judging panel, with Hough in their midst, had unfairly scored Lauren’s performance. Trouble began when Hough said something playful to the official DWTS account and tagged his hairstylist Jill Buck. “So lonely over here @dancingwiththestars,” he posted. “Also…her name is actually Jill. @jillbuckhair.” The relaxed tone contrasted starkly with the anger brewing among viewers who felt the judging panel, including Hough, had unfairly scored Lauren’s performance.
The comment section quickly turned into a scathing attack on the judging and scores which caused Lauren’s exit. Many of the viewers found fault that Lauren had received the same score as Andy when in their view there was a glaring discrepancy in performance quality between the two. “You guys need to learn how to judge,” one of the passionate viewers commented. “It’s your fault Lauren got eliminated. How does Lauren get the same score as Andy? You need to judge everyone fairly.”
It grew further in a detailed critique of the opposing view as they turned to analyze their own comments. Another commenter pointed out the inconsistency between judges’ comments and their actual scoring. “You told her she was going to be in the competition for a long time and then gave her AND ANDY both a 6 and Robert a 7 for his ‘salsa’ that you critiqued the same way as Lauren’s cha cha?” Highlighting the contradictory feedback that many saw as detrimental to Lauren’s chances.
The emotions eventually were unleashed in the comment section. “Lauren and Brandon deserved better,” said a supporter. “If you movie their dances again you have to be honest and admit that they should not have had the same score!!!!!! So so so disappointing. Absolutely heartbreaking.” These remarks reveal the actual level to which the viewers were invested in the outcome and how patient they had been through the whole ordeal.
Some comments took a calmer approach while showing equal disappointment. “Please apologize to Lauren,” a user implored. “Giving her the same score as Andy set her up to go home. Yes votes, too, but she should have never been in that position. I don’t envy your job to judge in the moment, but that was a judges panel mistake.” This set of views accepts the hardship of judging live mid-performance but still holds the judging panel responsible.
The fallout, however, was far more profound, reaching the very core of the perceived integrity of the show. “Being Lauren back. This is ridiculous,” demanded a commenter, while another declared, “Yea sorry don’t post that “vote for your favorites” bs. We VOTED for Lauren. Y’all just wanted her gone. We want a recount.” The sentiment suggested some viewers believed the elimination was not merely a judging mistake but maybe something more deliberate.
Hough did still receive some support in the storm that ensued. “WE LOVE OUR FAIR JUDGE,” said a fan. It did not last though as his other adherent retorted, “not a fair judge,” highlighting the divisiveness of the judgment.
This uproar somewhat surprised a few veteran watchers of the show; one and outspoken observer confessed to “never being so disappointed in the judges” before arguing, “YOU HAVE TO SCORE FAIRLY. NO MATTER WHO GOES AT THE BEGINNING OR THE END. You’re telling me Andy’s dance was on par with this? Because you gave them the same score.” In essence, the problem for viewers was that it was the inconsistent judging and not the dance quality that determined elimination.
Somegoes more dramatic. One user warns, “We’re gonna have some words if you don’t score certain people correctly,” while another announces they’ll never movie the show again. “DWTS used to be my favorite show,” a former fan wrote. “I’ve been watching it for well over a decade. immediately I will not be watching because of this. Let’s see how much the ratings suffer when the entire show is based on favoritism, pity, and not who actually has ability and talent.”
This controversy might well be the toughest challenge facing Hough and the judging panel of Dancing With The Stars. A former professional dancer on the show himself and multiple champion, Hough brings much glory and weight to the panel in terms of experience. Because of this very presence, however, there are expectations in the eyes of the viewers about technical scoring and fairness.
The situation is a good example to illustrate the fine line these reality competition judges must walk between expert judgment and the expectations of the viewers. Technically and arguably, the judges score based on the technical expression, but the reality is that they maintain this scoring in an entertaining environment where the involvement of the viewers can turn out to be really important. When the drag and pull come from the contrary directions, as it seems to have here, it becomes a headache for not just what the judges try to articulate, but for the whole show itself.
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What began as a joke has gone on to expose just how deeply invested Dancing With The Stars viewers have become in the outcomes of the competition. A towering outpouring of that magnitude shows that audiences keep an eagle eye not only on the dancing but also on the integrity and fairness of the judging process. With the season still running, eyes are on whether the judging panel plows ahead with their scoring methods in defiance of this viewer feedback. Derek Hough recently shared an adorable moment with his dog Luna, which provided a lighter contrast to this professional controversy. Meanwhile, he also experienced a magical first swim with a giant manta ray and his daughter. On a more personal note, Hough celebrated his two-year anniversary with a heartfelt tribute to his wife and future family. Additionally, Ian Schrift recently celebrated Derek Hough and Hailey Bills’ epic dance collaboration.
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