Actress Danielle Fishel has questioned whether male celebrities receive preferential treatment from judges on Dancing With the Stars (DWTS). Fishel, who competed in Season 34 of the ABC dance competition, shared her thoughts during a 29 October episode of her Ballroom Breakdown podcast, focusing on the 27 October episode of the show.
She argued that female contestants are often held to a tougher standard despite delivering stronger performances. The former contestant raised the issue while discussing the show's latest season with professional dancer Kym Johnson, pointing to a controversial scoring decision during Horror Movie Night as an example of the perceived double standard.
Questioning the Difference
Guest judge Shirley Ballas awarded actresses Julia Stiles and Tatyana Ali scores of four for their respective performances. However, when it came to former The Bachelorette star Tyler Cameron, the judge gave him a five for his Viennese waltz with professional partner Sharna Burgess.
Johnson questioned the difference, suggesting that the women's performances were stronger than Cameron's. 'I was surprised that Shirley did give him a five because I thought the girls were better than that,' Johnson said during the podcast discussion.
Fishel agreed with her assessment, arguing that Cameron's performance did not appear to deserve a higher score than the two actresses had received. 'I also thought that a 5 was generous when she had given Tatyana and Julia a 4,' Fishel explained.
She added that if Ballas considered the women's performances worthy of fours, Cameron's routine should have received the same score. The actress then expanded her criticism beyond the individual judging decision.
'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.'
Female Judges Also Face Different Treatment
Comment
by u/mlg1981 from discussion
in popculturechat
Fishel's criticism did not stop at the contestants. She also questioned how audiences respond to female judges compared with their male counterparts. The actress specifically mentioned longtime judge Carrie Ann Inaba and guest judges, arguing that women on the panel receive more negative reactions when delivering constructive criticism.
'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,' Fishel said. Fishel also pointed out that male judge Bruno Tonioli sometimes delivers similar comments without receiving the same audience backlash.
Inaba Addressed Gender Bias Accusations
The debate surrounding gender differences in DWTS judging is not entirely new. In 2025, Inaba addressed similar criticism in an interview with Variety, acknowledging that there was some truth to the perception that she could be harder on female contestants. However, she explained that her approach came from wanting to help women improve.
'Because I support women so much, I let them know what I see,' she said. '[B]ecause they are working so hard, I always feel it's my responsibility if I sense somebody hasn't given it their all, because I don't want them to walk away with regret. I'm not saying I always know right [...] But I'm willing to risk that, and speak to them so that they have the opportunity to grow.'
Comment
by u/mlg1981 from discussion
in popculturechat
Her Own 'DWTS' Experience Adds Context
Fishel's comments carry additional weight because she experienced the competition herself.
The Boy Meets World actress competed with professional dancer Pasha Pashkov in Season 34. Their partnership attracted attention during the season, particularly when some of the judges' critiques prompted disagreement among viewers and her former co-stars.
Fishel and Pashkov were eliminated during Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Night, ending their run before the season's finale.
Her experience gives her a different perspective from viewers who only follow the competition from home. She has experienced the pressure of performing live, receiving scores and responding to judges' comments while competing for audience votes.
