In a surprising twist on Dancing with the Stars, actress and Britney's sister Jamie Lynn Spears and her dance partner, Alan Bersten, faced elimination on Tuesday night, even though they didn't find themselves at the leaderboard's bottom. Their performance of the rumba earned them a respectable score of 16.
Judge Derek Hough, post-performance, commended Jamie on the significant improvement she showcased from her debut week.
However, the decision to send the duo home, especially when they weren't in the last place, left many in shock, including Derek himself.
He conveyed his astonishment to co-host Alfonso Ribeiro, while some fans shared contrasting opinions on social media. Comments ranged from "America finally voted the right way" to "Good choice."
On the same night, Barry Williams of The Brady Bunch fame, along with his partner Peta Murgatroyd, took to the stage with a cha-cha routine.
Barry, with his signature confidence, glided on the dance floor, displaying flair even though he missed a few beats. Despite the obvious efforts and a generally well-received performance, the judges' critique was perceived by many as overly harsh.
Carrie Ann Inaba praised Barry's confidence, yet hinted that this performance might not have been as commendable as his previous one – a statement that invited a chorus of boos from the audience.
Derek, while trying to offer some constructive feedback, also faced a similar reaction. Bruno Tonioli was more cautious with his words, but the damage was seemingly done. The duo was given a total score of 15 out of 30, which many fans believed to be undeservedly low.
Supporters took to social media platforms, defending Barry with comments like: "I definitely feel they are being super hard on Barry Williams" and "They're trying to get Barry out because he did so good!" Some also accused the judges of clear favoritism, pointing out that the feedback for other contestants seemed less stringent.
Fans of DWTS have long-held perceptions about judges playing favorites on the show. Earlier this season, Jason Mraz emerged as a favorite to win the contest, especially after his stellar performance of a cha-cha with partner Daniella Karagach.
They danced to I Feel Like Dancing, receiving impressive scores from the judges, with both Bruno and Carrie Ann showering praise on Jason. With such an outstanding start, Jason was only outpaced by Ariana Madix.
Interestingly, despite his evident talent, Jason, in a pre-recorded segment, mentioned that he has "faked his way through dancing" for the majority of his career.
Delving into his past, he shared that while he studied musical theater in college, he eventually chose to abandon dance due to feeling humiliated. Instead, he veered towards singing, a domain where he felt more confident. Yet, a part of him always yearned to return to dancing, making his current journey on DWTS all the more compelling.