Dancing with the Stars treated viewers to quite a treat the night before Halloween, as two contestants were sent packing on Monday night.
Indeed, the ABC competition scared up a stunner when both Nikki Bella and Vanessa Lachey were eliminated.
The results were announced not long after Bella and partner Artem Chigvintsev earned 24 points for their Jive and after Lachey and Maksim Chmerkovskiy earned the same score for their Paso Doble.
Not great tallies.
But not terrible ones, either.
(This special Halloween installment also featured the first team dances of Season 25.
Team Monster Mash – including Jordan, Lindsey, Terrell and Nikki – scored 24 out of 30; and Team Phantom of the Ballroom – comprised of Victoria, Frankie, Drew and Vanessa – earned 30 out of 30.)
At the end of the episode, some viewers were left shocked that two stars got the boot – while others were left shocked over which two got the boot.
Specifically, a contingent of the Internet believes the gender of these stars played a key role in their elimination.
Yes, Dancing with the Stars is now facing accusations of sexism.
“An extremely sexist show!!!” someone with the handle @Mieczyslaw wrote after witnessing a pair of early-season favorites go home, adding:
“This protection with male artists must end!”
We had no idea such a protection existed.
Has Dancing with the Stars been under a sexism microscope in the past?
“I’m sorry but the two eliminated teams from #DWTS got screwed,” @kmf409 Tweeted. “I think there are two male stars who should have gone before either.”
It appears as if a number of fans think Terrell Owns and/or Drew Scott should have been eliminated long before either Lachey or Bella.
Especially when you consider that Scott took a tumble on stage last night.
“#DWTS really there is no way Terrell and Drew should of stayed over Nikki and Vanessa,” exclaimed @tylllah92, who believed the results to be “straight BS.”
The user @reneesbellas agrees:
“PLEASE do not try to come for me and tell me Drew Scott & [Terrell] deserved to stay over Nikki Bella & Vanessa Lachey That’s a damn lie.”
And while not every critic believes sexism was to blame for this outcome, some pointed to long-standing chatter that Dancing with the Stars is rigged.
“Never believed in the rumours of #DWTS being rigged until this season & I’m not just being petty…,” one Twitter user wrote of the latest elimination, while another chimed in as follows:
“Rigged. Nikki Bella was cheated. We know her fan base and scores.”
Who would rig the show?
Why would he or she rig it against Vanessa and Nikki? It’s unclear.
Are you buying any of these claims?
Do you think there was anything legitimately fishy about these eliminations? Sound off now!
