Entertainment · TV & Streaming · 1 hr ago
Alfonso Ribeiro Pushes Back on Claims Dancing with the Stars Is Rigged
Alfonso Ribeiro defended Dancing with the Stars after former contestant Alexa PenaVega discussed whether the competition is rigged.
PenaVega recalled that, during season 21 in 2015, contestant Hayes Grier suspected his votes were not keeping him safe from elimination.
She said viewer votes do matter, but added that judges and producers also influence the competition.
PenaVega said producers decide who wins and consider the story they want to tell.
Ribeiro argued popular contestants should stay because the show wants them to remain.
PenaVega said a social media clip left out context and that she was recounting Grier’s comments.
Season 35 is continuing, with the competition set to resume Tuesday on ABC and Disney+.
Dancing with the Stars co-host Alfonso Ribeiro rejected the suggestion that the show is rigged.
He said the show wants popular contestants to stay and that viewer votes count.
Former contestant Alexa PenaVega said votes matter but that producers also influence the competition.
PenaVega said a social media clip of her comments left out context and that she was telling a story about Hayes Grier.
The comments concern season 21, which aired in 2015.
- Who
- Alfonso Ribeiro and former contestant Alexa PenaVega.
- What
- Ribeiro pushed back on claims that Dancing with the Stars is rigged; PenaVega said votes matter but the show is also produced.
- When
- The podcast episode was dated October 22; the articles were published October 26 and 27, 2026.
- Where
- On PenaVega’s LexLos podcast and in comments on a social media clip.
- Why
- PenaVega recounted that contestant Hayes Grier had suspected the show was rigged; Ribeiro disputed the suggestion that audience votes do not determine eliminations.
Alfonso Ribeiro
Alexa PenaVega
Role of viewer votes
Alfonso Ribeiro
Ribeiro said popular contestants are meant to stay on, implying audience support counts.
Alexa PenaVega
PenaVega said votes matter, but other factors also go into the outcome.
Producers’ influence
Alfonso Ribeiro
Ribeiro rejected the suggestion that audience votes are not calculated into who goes home.
Alexa PenaVega
PenaVega said producers choose the winner at the end of the day and consider the story they want to tell.
Dancing with the Stars season 21, featuring PenaVega and Grier, aired.
PenaVega recalled Grier’s comments during an episode of her LexLos podcast.
Articles reported Ribeiro’s response and PenaVega’s clarification about the social media clip.
- Season
- 21
- Season year
- 2015
- Podcast
- LexLos
- Podcast episode date
- October 22
- Ribeiro’s response
- No chance. We want everyone who’s popular to stay on. It’s basic logic.
2 sources
What people are saying
No chance. We want everyone who’s popular to stay on. It’s basic logic.
No chance. We want everyone who’s popular to stay on. It’s basic logic.
I think the votes matter. I do, but the show’s also produced.
The people like texting in and voting, that matters. The judges, what they say, that matters.