Receiving harsh feedback on live television is one of the most nerve-wracking parts of DWTS. But two-time mirrorball winner Kym Johnson Herjavec always knew how to handle the pressure.
While contestants and OG pros sometimes clashed with judges Carrie Ann Inaba, Bruno Tonioli and Len Goodman during tense broadcast moments, Johnson reveals she operated under a strict personal boundary during her time on the show. The fan-favorite pro admitted that no matter how harsh the critiques felt, she promised to never talk back to the judges.
Kym Johnson Herjavec Says Judges Are ‘There to Do a Job’
Competing on DWTS means putting weeks of hard work for a single minute of live television. But Kym Johnson Herjavec never let the judges’ scores rattle her. Looking back at her time in the ballroom, the two-time champion explained that she viewed the judging panel through a purely professional lens.
The judges were hired to critique and improve each performance. Johnson accepted their feedback with grace and refused to argue on air, no matter how intense the moment felt.
She told Us Weekly, “The judges are there to do a job and they’re going to give their critique. I never spoke back, back in the old days.”
Herjavec continued, “If Len [Goodman] said something, I’d be like, ‘OK.’ But you know, if you do a lift and you don’t think you do, I think it was fine for Jenna to be like, ‘A lift?’ because she was probably confused about what it was. I think she said it in a very nice way.”
The Focus Was on the Celebrities During ‘Dedication Night’
Theme nights always bring extra drama to the ballroom. But Dedication Night carries a uniquely personal weight for every celebrity contestant.
Kym Johnson Herjavec tailored her coaching style to make sure the spotlight stayed on the stars themselves. Rather than getting caught up in tfeedback, the pro prioritized the personal stories being told on the dance floor, and that tradition continued as she sat among the judges that special evening.
Herjavec said, “I went into it and everyone was very positive and we were there for Dedication Night. Everyone was like, ‘Let’s make this about the celebrities and who they’re dedicating the dance to.’ Carrie Ann’s like, ‘Yeah, that’s what tonight is about.’ So it felt very joyous, and there was a lot of love in the ballroom that night.”
She added, “If I was on my couch, I would have been sobbing, but I had to keep it together a little bit. Although the first package with Ezra [Frech]’s mom, I was losing it at the desk, and then the dance … everyone was in tears.”
On reality TV, where clashing with judges can easily turn into viral drama, Kym Johnson Herjavec’s disciplined approach offers a reminder of what made early seasons so special. Accepting the scores with class while keeping the focus on her stars proved to be a winning strategy, earning her two mirrorball trophies and a lasting place in fans’ hearts.
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DWTS Fan Favorite Pro Admits She Had One Golden Rule for Judges’ Critiques