Dancing With the Stars host Alfonso Ribeiro has addressed claims from a former contestant that the show is predetermined. Alexa PenaVega, who participated in Season 21 with dance professional Mark Ballas, talked about her experiences on the show during an episode of the LexLos podcast that she hosts with her husband, Carlos PenaVega. She mentioned that another contestant from Season 21, Hayes Grier, voiced doubts about the show being “rigged.” Alexa recalled that Grier expressed his belief that he received more votes due to his large social media presence. This part of the conversation was shared in a clip on their podcast’s TikTok account.
In response to these allegations of the show being rigged, Ribeiro stated that it is not true and emphasized that the intention is to keep popular contestants in the competition. Alexa and Carlos also clarified that the clip posted was taken out of context and encouraged viewers to watch the full episode to understand the complete story about Grier. During the discussion, Alexa acknowledged that she agreed with Grier’s belief that he had substantial support. However, she also noted that audience votes are just one aspect of how decisions are made on the show, explaining that judges’ scores and producers’ choices also play significant roles.
Alexa highlighted that the winner of Season 21, Bindi Irwin, gained popularity due to her compelling storyline. She mentioned that Irwin’s narrative was exceptional and hard to surpass. Additionally, Alexa shared her thoughts on competing against Carlos in the competition, admitting that his competitiveness affected her experience on the show. Carlos confessed to feeling a bit jealous of Alexa’s partner, and she responded by indicating that he was quite jealous, especially since they were newly married at the time. Carlos conveyed that he appreciated being able to compete alongside Alexa, uncertain if he could have managed the situation otherwise. Alexa humorously added that they successfully navigated the experience together.
What are your thoughts on the show’s voting process?
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Source: popculture.com, by Samantha Whidden