DWTS 2011 – Carrie Ann Inaba Talks About Judging Dancing With The Stars and More
Carrie Ann Inaba talked with Better TV about what’s it’s like to judge one the top ratest shows in America. Carrie Ann talks of how she still gets nervous before every show. She wasn’t nervous to dance in front of 80,000 people screaming on stage, but, it’s the opposite when “judging” in a small studio setting on TV. “Throwing up” has become a rutual before every show. She says Bruno and Len are like her “husbands”. More below on the judging dynamics. Carrie Anne also talks a little about her acting background, why she likes comedy versus drama, and her future aspirations. I think this is an older video, but, it’s still fun for those suffering from Dancing With The Stars withdrawals and anything will do. Well, I think?
I’m so glad I discovered you few...
Does she have a formal ballroom dance background? Wiki isn’t too clear on that. I know she did back up dancing (hip hop, etc) and choreography. But what makes her qualified to judge a “ballroom” dance.
Good question Madeline. I think Carrie Ann’s biggest claim to fame is her back up dancing in Madonna’s Girlie Show Tour. Here she is in the “Bye Bye Baby” performance in the red teddy;
Other than her stint with Madonna which I forgot about. She was also a Fly Girl on In Living Color with Jennifer Lopez. I still don’t know what her expertise is in ballroom dancing.
So it would seem that Ken is the most qualified judge then. Bruno and Carrie Ann are just hacks. Why should judges scores be weighted 50% then?
I don’t know either Josie.
And good question Jill! Though if you weighed in on the two, I’d say Bruno is more qualified to judge than Carrie Ann. He’s danced and done a lot of choreography for stage shows and various artists in his time atleast.
Voguerista, if you find out CAI’s ballroom credentials please post. I think Bruno is more qualified then CAI but I don’t know by how much. CAI scores the celebs more like a fan than a judge. If DWTS doesn’t replace any of the wonder trio then maybe it is time to change how the judges score the performance. Perhaps judges could base the scores on level of difficulty, technique, and artistry. Just a thought!
@Vogue – I couldnt even finish watching Carrie Annes performance in Bye Bye Baby. Was her head shaved short? The entire routine was kind of skanky…ick!!!
Im not a prude but if I was her I would be hoping that video would go away and never return. Locked away in the dancing vault forever.
I mean “Len”…
Josie, you are right. Carrie Ann doesn’t have any ballroom credentials that I know of (which might be why we see the pros get upset with her at times). Good idea for how they should base the scores.
LOLLLL SANDY!! Yep, her head was completely shaved.
@Josie good suggestion. As an example, figure skating routines are given an artistic score and a technical merit score. The system could be applied here where the judges could give a score out of 10 for both components and then average them. The favoritism/cheating was so obvious this past season and the WTF cha cha still makes me angry. I wish something about the judging could be changed, but then again it can’t be too complicated since the show is still entertainment.
I agree Jill. Whatever they do, just please don’t take away our votes or find ways to over ride them. Everyone has a role to play on this show which includes the viewing audience. Please don’t take that away or it won’t be Dancing With The Stars. They won’t have a show left if fans to the show give up. The bonus dance week was the ultimate worst thing they did and there was no excuse for it.
Good grief!! I’m with @Sandy. I couldn’t finish watching that video either. How embarassing for CAI. And we’re supposed to consider her a reputable judge?
The most qualified person to judge on the show might have been Donnie Burns, and he gave Kirstie a 9 on what was possibly her worst dance (technically, anyway) – her “La Bamba” jive.
Maybe he just really wasn’t used to the format of the show or something, but I agreed more with CAI for that. Maybe being qualified doesn’t mean you’re going to be the kind of judge the show needs. Just sayin’.
Yeah, you can be a good judge (in this format anyway) without having a long list of credentials. I often agree with the judges, at least more than I don’t – although the times I disagree seem to really stick out – such as with Ralph and Kurt.
It’s funny cause I actually realized that I met CAI years ago when she was with Madonna on tour. I’ve been backstage at several of her concerts because of the guy I was dating at the time, and we hung out with all the dancers and singers and Madonna, etc. It never occurred to me until a few months ago that it was the same person. I don’t see what she has to be embarrassed about – she did that routine well and she was typically Madonna’s favorite “go to” dancer. Sure it’s risque, but so what? That’s not embarrassing in and of itself. She performed just fine according to the choreography, and being Madonna’s back up dancer is a huge fucking deal, considering that Madonna herself was a dance major and puts on fantastic performances.
what a coincidence, there are times when CAI comments/scores that I feel like *throwing up*
I get that she doesn’t tend to judge on ballroom/technique so much – I think she became the lift police because that one was easy for her to judge on, but her comments tend to be more about performance, connection. You tend to hear technique comments (Feet placement, body contact, heel/toe) from Len and Bruno. I’ve always seen her as the old Paula role on AI – more about the overall performance, not the detail on what make it work or didn’t.
Oh Fig, what I had given to have been backstage with you at the time!!!
Sue, good comparison to Paula. So true!
I have always thought of CAI as the Paula Abdul judge. Len is like Simon and Bruno is just Bruno. I never really got CAI’s role as the lift police especially since the other two judges never seemed to care. I much rather prefer Len pointing out heel/toes leads rather than Cheryl’s rocky mountains. Bruno needs to be reigned in big time. I thought he was brutal to Michael Bolton but what he said to Ralph and Karina was just over the top. ABC either needs to replace or reprimand him. Even Fox made Steven Tyler apologize. This season all judges lost creditability.
Jill, I totally agree about how obvious the favoritism/cheating was this season. The judges have played favorites in the past, but I have never seen it so obvious and manipuated. Ditto about the stupid WTA dance. I so wish they had never used it. Worst idea ever, in my opnion.
Josie, I totally agree about Bruno. He was way out of line withMichael Boltion and Ralph/Karina. They really need to stick to constructive criticism about the dancing.
At the risk of repeating myself, I will say again-the judges are just as entitled to do what they like with their share of the total score as we are to vote however we like. After all, not everyone votes for the technically best dancer. By the same token, they are entitled to score based on more than just the best execution. It ALL counts as part of the dance. EVERY season their have been complaints of bias or rigging or unfairness, usually from those whose favorite LOST. To bad, so sad. It happens, fans (me included) complain and so on.
Where the judges (and producers) are flat out wrong, is in instituting the bonus dance -AND in how they treat some celebrities in their critiques. They have NO right to speak to some of the celebs the way they do. It’s awful, and coming from the likes of CAI and Bruno, who don’t have a fraction of the talent and credentials that the pro dancers do…well, it’s even worse. As for the bonus dance – they impacted the balance of the show. It is no longer 50-50 and to claim it is, like they did, is disingenuous. combine usurping the viewer vote with a couple of the judges lack of credentials, AND how they speak to people – it’s just very distasteful. THAT is the part that is wrong.
@princess heidi, good point about the judges being entitled to do whatever they want with their scores. That being said though, if the judges are going to be so arbitrary with the marks, they shouldn’t count for 50% or the total. If they are going to vote for their favorites like a viewer does, they should count less. The premise for their presence is to provide some dance input/critique that a layman viewer does not have. Why should each judges’ score count 16% and mine only a fraction if we use the same criteria to vote? If the 3 if them are sitting up there so glorified, I want them to say more than “that was the worst jive ever, you’re wearing a diaper, don’t be so rough with your pu$$y, or booyah”. That is why I am in favor of cutting the judges influence to only 25-30%.
Well, Jill, I don’t think I agree – them “getting it wrong” is in the eye of the beholder. For example – I thought their love for Hines was totally understandable AND I think their initial apathy toward Chelsea was entirely understandable. Their “favorites” are based on valid factors most of the time – it’s when they dislike someone strongly that it’s hard to understand, sometimes. They DO judge on specific criteria, they just don’t always get it right – neither do the viewers, so why should they get more weight?? That would make it MORE of a popularity contest than it already is. And the judges scores get the exact same weight as the viewers do – your individual percentage can’t be compared with theirs realistically. The audience has to be counted as a whole because no individual can swing the vote. Just like one judge can’t usually swing the outcome.
Hmmm…I see your point. What about having one of the pro dancers be a guest judge every week (one who is not competing during the season)? They more than anyone would exceed all qualifications.