@ourlove1001: Carrie Ann Inaba is pushing back against claims of favoritism on Dancing With the Stars, insisting that honest criticism does not mean a judge is targeting someone personally. The longtime judge recently reached out to content creator Abbey Bonadies after she faced online backlash for criticizing contestant Guillermo Rodriguez, Jimmy Kimmel’s longtime sidekick. Bonadies said viewers had called her an “online B\*lly” after she pointed out that Guillermo had advanced further in the competition than some contestants she believed deserved to stay. Inaba responded with a message defending her opinion and explaining the intense reactions within the show’s fan community. “Truth does not equal B\*llying,” she wrote, adding that receiving a lower score does not automatically mean another contestant is a judge’s favorite. But Inaba has also faced criticism herself. During Tuesday’s episode, she was loudly booed after questioning Rodriguez’s performance with professional dancer Witney Carson. The pair received a score of just 13 after dancing to Mariah Carey’s “Obsessed.” Inaba asked where Rodriguez’s usual joy had gone, saying she felt he was holding back during the performance. Despite the audience’s reaction, she explained that her job was to give honest feedback and encouraged him not to dim his light. The controversy highlights a growing challenge for reality competition judges: fans often develop strong emotional connections to contestants, making criticism difficult to separate from personal attacks. Inaba’s message was clear. Supporting a favorite should not mean every honest opinion has to be treated as an insult. \#DancingWithTheStars #CarrieAnnInaba #DWTS #CelebrityNews #realitytv

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Saturday 10 October 2026 15:40:00 GMT