‘Dancing With The Stars’ Judge Carrie Ann Inaba Calls Out ‘Low Energy’ During Convicted Felon Anna Delvey’s Performance

During Anna Delvey’s Dancing With The Stars performance, judge Carrie Ann Inaba pointed out that the energy in the audience shifted once Delvey stepped onto the dance floor. 

Last Tuesday, the convicted felon debuted on this season’s DWTS with dance partner Ezra Sosa. 

The pair were the last to perform with a Cha Cha, but upon completing their routine, Inaba cautioned the audience to focus on the dancing and to “give it a chance” once she noticed the energy in the room was low. 

Delvey’s life story was the inspiration for the Netflix series Inventing Anna, about a woman who pretends to be a Russian socialite to con her way into Manhattan society.

In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Inaba gave her two cents about Delvey’s appearance on the show. 

“And yes, her casting is controversial, maybe even upsetting for people. I can understand that. But my job is to score her performances, not her criminal past,” the DWTS judge said. 

While Inaba clarified that she was not trying to “make light” of Delvey’s criminal history, she noted the importance of respecting newcomers on the show. 

“I think when someone enters your house as a guest, we should treat them as such. I think that’s just being a good human,” she said. “It’s also Ezra’s first season, and I’m like the DWTS mom. I want to create a safe and welcoming space for Ezra to perform with his partner as well.”

Although Inaba stressed the importance of focusing on Delvey’s dancing ability and not her character, she emphasized that at the end of the day, it’s up to the viewers to choose who stays on the show:

“The beauty is that, as always, the fans can vote or not vote for whomever they choose, and they have the power to make their statement about it by the way they vote.”

New Dancing With The Stars episodes air on Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET/PT on ABC and Disney +.