Dancing with the Stars is a particularly specific kind of celebrity reality show. Yes, it pulls from every direction to create a dynamic cast, but when it comes to critiquing and judging the program, it's best to leave it to the experts. Literally. With 33 seasons under its belt, Dancing with the Stars is no stranger to a good old-fashioned themed night. To keep the excitement and energy alive, they may introduce a celebrity guest judge to sit behind the desk, whip out a panel, and offer their feedback. But following Season 33's Hair Metal Night, it might be best to retire the whole celebrity guest judge bit. Or at least reevaluate the qualifications necessary for the role.
To celebrate Hair Metal Night, Dancing with the Stars welcomed Kiss frontman Gene Simmons to sit alongside judges Carrie Ann Inaba, Derek Hough, and Bruno Tonioli. Simmons is an eccentric character in his own right, but his one-night tenure on Dancing with the Stars can simply be summed up as cringe-inducing. While Gene Simmons may be a pioneer of the musical genre, what are his qualifications regarding ballroom dance? Not to mention his out-of-pocket comments.
At the top of the broadcast, Gene Simmons was given a hero's welcome. With an opening number set to "Rock and Roll All Nite," the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer was about to set the room on fire. While speaking with hosts Alfonso Ribeiro and Julianne Hough, Simmons noted that he never misses an episode of Dancing with the Stars. He wanted to see the stars release the Kraken, and that was only a mild comment from the showman.
Bruno Tonioli is infamous for his boundary-pushing comments. He's often toeing the line of being overtly sexual and inappropriate and aligning with the intimacy of the art form he has studied for decades. So, when the Kiss frontman calls out a handful of the female dancers for their appearance, something doesn't feel right. Simmons called Witney Carson "one of the more beautiful women on the planet." Carson was taken aback by Simmons' comments, and even Julianne Hough mentioned that "a lot was happening." As Ribiero laughed, he said, "I get a feeling Gene's going to do that a lot tonight."
Throughout the evening, fans of the show related Simmons' commentary about the female dancers and celebrities to that of a "gross uncle." To Chandler Kinney, the young Disney actress, he said, "Chandler, you've fogged up my glasses. I don't know what to tell you. You move me, not just with your gyrations and so on, but your beautiful face and how you were into the emotion of it." Her partner, Brandon Armstrong, was none too pleased with the comments. Following the show, all Kinney could say was "LOL."
Jenn Tran and Sasha Farber are called a "steamy couple" but don't receive the exact same appropriateness from Simmons that Tonioli or Carrie Ann Inaba do when they make touchy comments. As Farber stated following the show, "Listen, he’s an icon. It’s rock ‘n’ roll night. It’s Hair Metal Night,” Farber commented. “And if you think icon, which icon would you think is bigger than Gene Simmons? No one. So to have him say that — I’ll take anything he says." But is this allowance out of respect? Perhaps it's about approach or earning the commentary, but how Gene Simons handled his critiques was just not what Dancing with the Stars needs.
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Gene Simmons' Behavior Isn't Surprising
Gene Simmons' guest appearance is not a complete shock, as the series has invited an assortment of non-ballroom personalities to hold up those coveted paddles over the years. There have been former contestants who have sat back and judged, including Joey Fatone, Zendaya, and Mel B. Other celebrities with some dancing training in their blood have been chosen, including Paula Abdul, Idina Menzel, and Baz Luhrmann. And there are some random strays who are there for entertainment, like Kevin Hart and Robin Roberts. They all knew their lanes and what they were there to do and provide. And most importantly, they didn't try to cross the line into the zone where Gene Simmons brought his appearance.
It's unfortunate that the examination of how to vet a guest judge has likely had to be reevaluated because of one messy night. But Gene Simmons is eccentric, and his personality isn't anything new — this could have been avoided by simply choosing a less risky guest star. Beyond the commentary, Simmons also went rogue with his scoring, causing Brooks Nader and Gleb Savchenko to receive a lower score. Fans of Kiss and Gene Simmons likely gave him grace because they've known his personality over the decades. For those newly introduced, their view of who can join the panel has been tarnished. Perhaps finding a wildcard is not the right direction in the future. Or, just let a perfect-themed guest stick to performance or cameo rather than judging.
Dancing with the Stars
TV-PG
U.S. reality show based on the British series "Strictly Come Dancing," where celebrities partner up with professional dancers and compete against each other in weekly elimination rounds to determine a winner.
- Release Date
- June 1, 2005
- Cast
- Carrie Ann Inaba , Bruno Tonioli , Len Goodman , Tom Bergeron , Cheryl Burke , Tony Dovolani , Derek Hough , Mark Ballas , Karina Smirnoff , Maksim Chmerkovskiy , Kym Johnson , Sasha Farber , Val Chmerkovskiy , Emma Slater , Sharna Burgess
- Main Genre
- Reality
- Seasons
- Studio
Dancing with the Stars airs live on ABC and Disney+ Tuesdays in the U.S. All episodes are available to stream on Hulu and Disney+.
