The Most Controversial DWTS Contestants

What makes a reality TV show like Dancing With the Stars so great is the wide array of celebrity contestants that compete for the coveted Mirrorball Trophy. With the show having announced its Season 33 celeb cast, which will consist of the latest The Bachelorette, Jenn Tran, it’s certain to be yet another glorious season of seeing celebrities with two left feet showcase their dance moves.

With a new season airing this fall, it makes fans think about all the controversial contestants of previous seasons. DWTS isn’t all about the footwork, as it’s had its fair share of drama since airing back in 2005. The show has faced backlash for allowing contestants from the political sphere to compete. In addition, viewers have also complained about former contestants who have disturbing arrest records. Despite this, it looks like Season 33 is also moving forward with a controversial figure.

7 Floyd Mayweather

Professional boxer Floyd Mayweather has a huge following, but the announcement that he would be a contestant on Season 5 of Dancing With the Stars was met with mixed reactions. For one thing, Floyd has a troubling history of domestic violence.

According to The US Sun, the boxing champion pleaded guilty to two counts of battery against the mother of his daughter, Melissa Brim in 2001. The following year, he was convicted of battery for punching two women at a nightclub.

6 Paula Deen

Celebrity chef Paula Deen came onto Season 21 of DWTS just two years after she was caught using racial slurs. Paula faced a ton of backlash and several companies and networks cut ties with the Southern chef, including the Food Network, Walmart, and QVC.

Paula had apologized profusely for her actions, with even former President Jimmy Carter coming out with a statement in which he believed she should be forgiven. It seemed that Paula’s appearance on DWTS was a way for her to regain trust in her former fans.

5 Ryan Lochte

In August 2016, Olympic swimmer Ryan Lochte found himself in hot water when he and his fellow USA teammates lied about being robbed at gunpoint in Rio de Janeiro, which was where the Summer Olympics were being held. Ryan stated that he “over-exaggerated” the story, and he was suspended from swimming for the USA team competitions for 10 months.

That same month, Ryan was announced as one of the celebrity dancers on Season 23 of DWTS. After dancing the Foxtrot with his partner, Cheryl Burke, two men rushed the stage to protest his performance. The men were arrested and individuals who were spotted wearing protest shirts in the audience were escorted out of the venue.

4 Sean Spicer

ABC faced a ton of criticism when they announced political figure Sean Spicer was a cast member of Season 28. Spicer worked under former President Donald Trump as White House Communications Director and also served as the White House Press Secretary. At the time, former host Tom Bergeron was adamant that there would be no person in the political sphere since there was so much tension after Trump’s election. However, the producers went ahead with casting Sean.

But Sean hoped that people would look past his political affiliation when he competed. Speaking to Variety, about the backlash he had received, he shared:

“Look, I’m used to that, you’ve got to zone it out, enjoy yourself. I did this to have some fun, enjoy myself and hopefully show what a great opportunity this show is for the country to bring people together…”

3 Carole Baskin

Carole Baskin was best known for starring in Netflix’s Tiger King, which was one of the most-talked about documentaries of 2020. When she was named as one of the celebrity contestants for Season 29, people were in an uproar because they strongly believed she played a part in the disappearance of her former husband, Don Lewis.

In fact, the family members of Don released a commercial during the premiere episode in which they ask about his whereabouts and, for any information, to call the number on the screen.

2 Olivia Jade Giannulli

Two years before Olivia Jade Giannulli would put on dancing shoes for Season 30, the YouTuber’s famous parents, TV star Lori Loughlin and fashion designer Mossimo Giannulli, made headlines when they were accused of paying half a million dollars in a nationwide college bribery scandal. The bribes were to make sure their daughter got admitted into the University of Southern California.

1 Anna “Delvey” Sorokin

In September, ABC announced the brand-new cast for DWTS Season 33, with controversial “fake heiress” Anna “Delvey” Sorokin set to be partnered with professional dancer Ezra Sosa. In her promotional photo for the show, Anna is seen wearing an ankle monitor.

In 2019, Anna was found guilty of theft and grand larceny after conning several luxury hotels and banks into believing she was a wealthy heiress. As ABC reported, she was sentenced to 12 years in prison, fined $24,000, and ordered to pay $200,000 in restitution. She was released from prison in February 2021 and has to wear a monitor.

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