Dancing With the Stars co-host Alfonso Ribeiro has responded to one former contestant’s comments claiming that the hit ABC reality competition series is “rigged.”
Season 21 of the show — which pairs celebrities with professional ballroom dancers — saw Spy Kids star Alexa PenaVega and internet personality Hayes Grier among the contestants. On a recent episode of PenaVega’s LexLos podcast, she recalled a conversation with Grier in which he suggested the show might be fixed.
“Hayes is only like 15 years old, he's the sweetest kid,” PenaVega remembered of the season, which aired in 2015. “He's back there with us. And I just remember all of us, like one night after being in the bottom and he's just like, ‘Man, you know what? I think this show is rigged. I have more votes than anybody.’”
PenaVega recalled thinking, “I'm like, ‘You know, I know you have more votes than anybody here because of the millions and millions of followers. 100 percent, it's so easy for them to send in a little text.’”
Ribeiro, for his part, commented on a social media clip of PenaVega’s story, writing: “No chance. We want everyone who’s popular to stay on. It’s basic logic.”
PenaVega responded, writing that the clip “picks up mid story.” She added that she was “telling a story about sweet Hayes.”
She elaborated on her thoughts about the DWTS voting system during the podcast, saying, “This is what I always tell people, I think the votes matter, I do, but the show's also produced. It even tells you a disclaimer, like the producers get to choose at the end of the day who wins. All of it goes into account.
“The people like texting in and voting, that matters. The judges, what they say, that matters,” she added, while also noting that producers “know their demographic. They know the story they want to tell.”
The Independent has reached out to ABC for comment.
Now a co-host alongside Julianne Hough, Ribeiro was crowned champion of season 19 of DWTS.
The duo are in the midst of season 35 of the hit competition show, which features several A-list celebrities and internet personalities, including Julia Stiles, Jackson Olson, Jenna Dewan, and Harry Shum, Jr.
Last week’s Dedication Night ended with a twist when all couples were saved from elimination.
Ten couples remain in the hunt for the coveted Mirrorball Trophy. They’ll try to impress judges Carrie Ann Inaba, Derek Hough, and Bruno Tonioli when the competition resumes Tuesday night at 8 p.m. ET on ABC and Disney+, with streaming available the next day on Hulu.
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