Cheryl Burke Defends Carrie Ann Inaba's 'DWTS' Judging Despite Backlash

Cheryl Burke is coming to Dancing With the Stars judge Carrie Ann Inaba‘s defense as she continues to face criticism from fans for her scoring.

“She’s not going in hard,” Burke, 41, exclusively told Us Weekly on Thursday, October 23, ahead of her own stint as a guest judge on season 34 of the ballroom dance competition. “But then when the judges are all full of compliments, [people] get mad at that too.”

Burke added that it’s “nothing new” for Inaba, 57, to get harsh feedback from viewers at home. “But this is also the beauty of the show, like, everyone has the right to their own opinion,” the former pro continued, “but don’t attack anybody.”

The ballroom isn’t the only place where opinions take over. “It happens in my personal life as well,” Burke reflected. “If you’re opinionated and you happen to be a woman, there is a little bit of that, right? Because, like, I’m pretty sure every judge has said the same thing at some point, but the reaction to them, to them as individuals, it’s very different.”

Burke was a DWTS fixture for 26 seasons before announcing her exit from the show in 2022. Inaba, meanwhile, has appeared as a judge for all 34 seasons — and she’s often sparked conversation with her commentary on contestants’ performances. This season has been no different, with Inaba being booed by the ballroom audience for her take on Danielle Fishel and Pasha Pashkov‘s Dedication Night jive earlier this month.

As the competition progresses, Inaba has brushed off the criticism. “It’s okay to disagree about what we see. That’s what makes our show great,” she wrote in a recent Instagram comment. “You have a say in the matter. We want you to vote for what you love and believe in. I appreciate your comment and the way you expressed your feelings. ❤️ thank you for your passion and your opinion.”

She clapped back again after Wicked Night on Tuesday, October 21, while singing along to Taylor Swift‘s new song “Actually Romantic” in a TikTok video. “My Wednesday morning anthem,” she joked in the clip.

Inaba previously opened up about being the longest-serving female judge on the DWTS panel, telling Variety at a 2023 event that she gets “a lot more hate than the men do.”

“The biggest misconception about me is that what I do is easy. I don’t know many people in this business who have kept a job for 32 seasons,” she added. “What I do is complex and it takes courage. I show up and speak my truth in front of millions of people, and then I am accountable for it.”

When it comes to receiving feedback on her choreography, Burke — a two-time DWTS champion — didn’t take anything personally.

“I’m pretty good with that stuff,” she told Us on Thursday. “I am all for constructive criticism. … I actually don’t want only positive feedback. I only want stuff I can take back.”

Burke will be handing out some constructive criticism of her own during Halloween Week on Tuesday, October 28, returning to the DWTS ballroom for the first time since season 31.

“I’m definitely going to be looking for authenticity,” she told Us of her approach to judging. “I think, you know, that can be a big word, but authenticity meaning to the style of dance, and especially when it comes to ballroom. I mean, I am the first to say that I am definitely not an expert in contemporary or jazz, but I am in ballroom, and I will be looking for technique that’s executed the right way that has been written in technique books, because that’s just what I know, right? So I’m going to focus and stay in my lane as far as that goes.”

Dancing With the Stars airs on ABC and Disney+ Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET.

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