Richard Cartwright/ABC; Andreas Branch/SIPAColor us not surprised that this season of DWTS has little to do with actual dancing. It's no secret viewers often don't vote for the contestant most skilled at the steps (otherwise Kristin Cavallari wouldn't have gotten the boot).
So on a show that prides itself on raising awareness, embracing all shapes and sizes and giving everyone a chance to dance, why are the judges suddenly adding negativity to their critiques?
And when did it become OK to call Chaz Bono a "penguin"?
News flash: never, because it isn't.
And if ya ask us, Bruno Tonioli's reaction to Chaz's performance was way outta line: "It was like watching a cute, little penguin try to be a big, menacing bird of prey," he remarked about Chaz's tango with partner Lacey Schwimmer.
Not only did some of Chaz's buddies tell us they found the remark "not cool," Lacey lashed out to People, saying: "They called you [Bono] an animal...We are both anti-bullying. And having the judges refer to him as animals or diss his personality, it's unnecessary. It's rude and it's going back on everything that people are trying to fix."
Bono himself said: "I've been called an Ewok, a cute and cuddly bear, now tonight a penguin. It's disrespectful to me."
A Dancing With the Stars show rep had no comment. But a source close to Bruno told us, "He uses animal references all the time."
Even still, we have to ask: How could a judge think it was OK to call a transgender man who has done wonders on the show to raise awareness over gender dysmorphia a cute penguin? Seems a pretty black-and-white issue to us (pun intended).
And while Schwimmer didn't lash out while on stage, fellow performer Maksim Chmerkovskiy couldn't hold back how friggin' pissed he was after Len Goodman called his performance with Hope Solo "the worst dance of the season."
Chaz has since said he was "upset" with the comments (after getting the boot from the dancing competition).
But we want to know what you think: what's with the sudden judge dissings, and do you agree the comments toward Chaz are outta line?