‘DWTS’ Alum Danielle Fishel Says Male Stars Get A Pass Female Contestants Don’t

Getty

Image Credit: Greg Doherty/Getty Images for iHeartRadio

Danielle Fishel believes “Dancing With the Stars” has a double standard when it comes to how male and female celebrities are judged. The “Boy Meets World” alum, who competed on Season 34 of the ABC competition, recently weighed in on the current season while discussing Horror Movie Night with former “DWTS” pro Kym Johnson.

Fishel argued that male contestants sometimes receive more leniency from the panel, while women can face tougher scrutiny for similar performances. Fishel’s claims come after several notably low scores during Season 35 and echoes criticism that has followed the ballroom competition for years.

Danielle Fishel Thinks Male ‘DWTS’ Stars Sometimes ‘Get A Pass’

Fishel made her comments while discussing Season 35 on her “Ballroom Breakdown” podcast with Johnson. Their conversation turned to guest judge Shirley Ballas, who joined the panel for Horror Movie Night and delivered some of the evening’s harshest scores.

Ballas gave Julia Stiles and Tatyana Ali 4s for their respective performances but later awarded “The Bachelorette” alum Tyler Cameron and professional partner Sharna Burgess a 5.

Johnson questioned the difference. “I was surprised that Shirley did give him a five because I thought the girls were better than that,” she said, according to Entertainment Weekly.

Fishel agreed, arguing that Cameron’s Viennese waltz did not appear stronger than the dances that had received 4s earlier in the night. “I also thought that a 5 was generous when she had given Tatyana and Julia a 4,” Fishel said.

She then broadened the criticism beyond that particular episode. “I do believe that the judges, all of them, have a tendency to be harder on the women than they are on the male celebs,” Fishel said.

“It could be wrong. But, in my opinion, I think sometimes the men get a pass that the women don’t get.”

Fishel Says The Double Standard Extends Beyond Contestants

Fishel believes the perceived imbalance is not limited to the celebrities performing on the ballroom floor. She also pointed to the way audiences respond to the judges themselves.

According to Fishel, male judges can offer criticism without receiving the same level of backlash directed at female judges. “The men get away with being able to give a constructive criticism here or there, whereas the women judges, Carrie Ann and the guest judges, they get booed,” she said.

Johnson agreed with that claim. Fishel concluded that she sees “a little bit of unfairness with how women are treated in multiple different ways on the show.” That argument has surfaced before, particularly around longtime judge Carrie Ann Inaba.

Inaba previously acknowledged that criticism suggesting she judges women differently is “partly true,” explaining that she sometimes gives female contestants more detailed notes because she understands their experience and wants to help them improve.

Danielle Fishel Had Her Own Complicated History With ‘DWTS’ Judging

Fishel’s comments carry additional weight because her own Season 34 journey included repeated debates over the judges’ scores. The actress competed with professional dancer Pasha Pashkov and gradually improved throughout the season.

During Wicked Night, the pair earned 36 out of 40 for their Argentine tango to “No Good Deed,” with Inaba calling it Fishel’s “breakthrough moment.” But her judging experience was not always as positive.

Fishel’s “Boy Meets World” co-stars Rider Strong and Will Friedle became increasingly frustrated with some of the criticism she received during the competition. At one point, Strong said the judging was beginning to feel like a “personal vendetta,” while Friedle argued that Inaba appeared more forgiving toward some other contestants.

Their comments came shortly before Fishel and Pashkov were eliminated during Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Night. Fishel later reflected on factors outside the judges’ scores that she felt may have affected her time on the show, including how her pre-dance package was edited.

She said important context about the meaning behind one of her performances, which centered on expectations placed on women, did not make it into the final broadcast.

Season 35 Scores Reignite An Old ‘DWTS’ Debate

Fishel’s comments arrive as Season 35 continues producing its own judging controversies. Horror Movie Night was particularly notable because Ballas did not shy away from using the lower end of the scoring paddle.

The differences between the scores awarded to Stiles, Ali and Cameron became an obvious talking point for Fishel and Johnson. Since then, both Stiles and Ali have shown improvement.

During Disney Night, each scored 33 for their individual performances, although Stiles and Ezra Sosa were ultimately eliminated after judges’ scores were combined with viewer votes.

Other female contestants, including Jenna Dewan, have also experienced conversations surrounding expectations placed on dancers with previous professional experience. Fishel’s argument suggests those individual debates may be part of something larger.

Fishel Is Still Watching ‘DWTS’ Closely

Although her own competition ended in Season 34, Fishel has remained closely connected to “Dancing With the Stars.” Her podcast gives her a platform to break down current performances and discuss the judging process from the perspective of someone who has experienced it firsthand.

That experience also means she understands how much a single point can matter when couples are fighting to survive each week. Fishel is not claiming every male contestant receives preferential treatment or that every female celebrity is underscored.

Instead, she believes there is a broader tendency that deserves attention. And after watching Cameron receive a higher score than Stiles and Ali during Horror Movie Night, the former contestant believes she saw another example of it.

For Fishel, the issue is bigger than one judge, one score or one episode. She thinks women on “Dancing With the Stars” are still being held to a different standard; both in front of the judging table and behind it.