Carrie Ann Inaba apologizes to Kelly Monaco 15 years after 'DWTS' series premiere
In June of 2005, The Sith were getting their revenge in Star Wars, Gwen Stefani was announcing she ain't no hollaback girl, and stars were dancing into our homes for the first time. 15 years and 28 seasons later, Dancing With the Stars is still Foxtrotting along with outrageous outfits, controversial stars, shocking moments, incredible dance moves, and some not-so-incredible dance moves. Host Tom Bergeron didn't see any of it coming. In an interview with Yahoo Entertainment, Tom said, "I thought, 'Well, it might be a fun summer show. Might, you know, show up a few weeks every summer. But no expectation that we'd be talking about it 15 years down the road." Even though Bergeron wasn't sold on the show at first, he quickly warmed up to the idea. "This is a self aware, kind of kitschy but exciting at the same time, competition of people coming out of their comfort zones." Back in that very first episode, judge Kelly Ann Inaba got her first taste of boos from the audience when she gave a slightly harsh critique to General Hospital star, and eventual winner, Kelly Monaco. Following Kelly's first dance, Carrie Ann said, "Kelly, I didn't enjoy your dancing. You looked very stiff and you looked very refined. I appreciated your carriage, but it was very stiff. And it wasn't enjoyable to watch." Looking back now, Carrie Ann explained that she might've come on a little strong, saying, "I was shocked at how abrasive the words sounded once they came out of my mouth because I was meaning them with, like, compassion, but they didn't come out with compassion. And that's been a huge lesson of being a judge is you really have to be careful how you wrap your words." Carrie Ann has since learned to carefully craft her critiques, and offered an apology to Kelly. "Kelly Monaco, I just have to apologize to you, I mean forgive me. What I did — what I said was horrible, but I was a baby judge and I was still learning how to do it." The DWTS judge then jokingly tried the critique again. In a very diplomatic tone, Carrie Ann said, "There's things we could work on here, but there's a lot of potential," before adding, "I love you, Kelly." The first season of the show only had six contestants — boxing legend Evander Hollyfield, supermodel Rachel Hunter, Bachelorette Trista Sutter, New Kids on the Block heartthrob Joey McIntyre, Seinfeld star John O'Hurley and Kelly Monaco. John and Kelly met in the finals, where Kelly Samba'd so hard her wardrobe malfunctioned. The strap on Kelly's top snapped off and she danced through most of her Samba while holding onto her top. It was an impressive performance that Carrie Ann admitted was the turning point for Kelly. "Suddenly she got into this, like almost like warrior princess mode and she, like, every move was stronger and harder, it was, like, making up for the fact that her wardrobe slipped and she wasn't insecure and that's what was so great," said the long-time judge. Tom was also amazed by Kelly's perseverance, saying, "She should have won on that alone. Um, you know, just in the midst of a live TV thing and to still dance really, really well while holding your wardrobe together. Uh, I thought that was pretty impressive." Kelly did end up winning after her final dance scored the only perfect 30 of the season, although there was some backlash following her victory because people felt John O'Hurly had danced better throughout the season. The controversy prompted a special rematch dance-off between the two, which Carrie Ann now feels was unnecessary. She said, "I don't think that was a good idea. I think the winner should always just be the winner. Good, bad, or whether you agree or disagree, too bad. That's the way it should be."
Video Transcript
CARRIE ANN INABA: Kelly, I didn't enjoy your dancing. You looked very stiff. And you looked very refined.
I appreciated your carriage, but it was very stiff and it wasn't enjoyable to watch.
TOM BERGERON: All right.
KYLIE MAR: It's been 15 years since Carrie Ann Inaba didn't enjoy Kelly Monaco's routine on the series premiere of "Dancing with the Stars." And even Carrie Ann was surprised by her somewhat harsh critique.
CARRIE ANN INABA: I was like, whoa! Damn, Carrie Ann! Damn!
KYLIE MAR: And now the longtime dancing with the stars judge has something to say to the "General Hospital" star.
CARRIE ANN INABA: Kelly Monaco I just have to apologize to you. I mean, forgive me. What I did was-- what I said was horrible. But I was a baby judge and I was still learning how to do it.
So if I could do a remake, I would say there's things we could work on here, but there's a lot of potential. So if I could remake that and redo it that's what I would say. And I love you Kelly.
KYLIE MAR: Oh good. Now that that's settled oh we can go back to the beginning.
In June of 2005, the Sith were getting their revenge in "Star Wars," Gwen Stefani was announcing she ain't no "Hollaback Girl," and stars were dancing into our homes for the first time. 15 years and 28 seasons later, "Dancing With the Stars" is still Fox trotting along with outrageous outfits, controversial stars, shocking moments--
CARRIE ANN INABA: Off. Off Excuse me.
KYLIE MAR: --incredible dance moves, and some not so incredible dance moves. And host Tom Bergeron didn't see any of it coming.
TOM BERGERON: I thought, well, it might be a fun summer show. I might, you know, show up a few weeks every summer. But no expectation that we'd be talking about it 15 years down the road.
KYLIE MAR: That first season of the fun summer show only had six contestants, Evander Holyfield, Rachel Hunter, bachelorette Trista Sutter, Joey McIntyre, John O'Hurley, and Kelly Monaco. John and Kelly met in the finals, where Kelly's sambaed so hard her wardrobe malfunctioned.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
- (SINGING) Nothing can stop us tonight. Bailamos. Let the rhythm take you over. Bailamos.
KYLIE MAR: Throughout the rest of the dance, Kelly did her best to keep the ABC show G rated. And Carrie Ann thought the distraction was exactly what Kelly needed.
CARRIE ANN INABA: What happened to Kelly in that moment, her strap broke and all she-- she forgot everything and she let her body take over and she was amazing. It was so incredible.
KYLIE MAR: And Bergeron thought the competition could have ended there.
TOM BERGERON: She should have won on that alone. You know, just in the midst of a live TV thing and to still dance really, really well while holding your wardrobe together, I thought that was pretty impressive.
KYLIE MAR: While Kelly avoided a Janet Jackson Super Bowl style controversy. The drama was just beginning.
[DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING]
Kelly really struggled the first few weeks, while the "Seinfeld" star shined. But in the finals, Kelly's samba sizzled and her freestyle scored the first perfect 30 in the show's history, which led to her being the first star to hoist the mirror ball trophy. But that wasn't the end of it.
- Well, we're waiting.
KYLIE MAR: Even though Twitter wasn't around yet, there were still angry people online who didn't think Kelly deserved to win. So a few months later, the two faced off in a dance off where the Seinfeld star got his sweet revenge. Although, looking back now, Carrie Ann doesn't think that that was a good idea.
CARRIE ANN INABA: I don't think that was a good idea I think the winner should always just be the winner, good, bad. Or whether you agree or disagree, too bad, that's the way it should be.
