Top 10 Times Dancing with the Stars Judges Were Savage

#10: David Hasselhoff

“Week 1: First Dances”

The Hoff, alas, can only hop. In his very first and last cha-cha with partner Kym Johnson, Hasselhoff mostly poses, his moves stiff and ungainly compared to the professional Johnson. Don’t get us started on his hip action. Hasselhoff accepted his early elimination with good-natured grace, but not before the judges gave their verdicts. Judge Carrie Ann Inaba called it “very bizarre.” Judge Len Goodman was more generous, calling it “entertaining.” But Judge Bruno Tonioli called it “a potpourri of insanity disguised as dance.” At least Hasselhoff took the departure in good humor, returning for the Season 11 finale for a “Baywatch Theme” dance. All’s well that ends well.

#9: Wynonna Judd

“Week 3: Prom Night”

This country music singer was a bust. With her partner Tony Dovolani, she danced a samba to Def Leppard’s “Pour Some Sugar on Me.” By “dancing,” of course, we mean waddling a little bit while Dovolani showed off some pole dancing skills. The lackluster choreography didn’t help matters either. Judge Inaba was diplomatic with her “whisper comment.” Judge Tonioli gave a zesty demonstration of his constructive criticism that was honestly better than Judd’s dancing. But nothing beats Len Goodman’s testy zinger, saying Judd was “like Mount Rushmore.” She had no rhythm or hip action. Now that’s a deep cut indeed.

#8: Kellie Pickler & Derek Hough

“Week 8: Trio Night”

For Season 16’s trio dance, Pickler, Hough, and Tristan MacManus gave a dramatic paso doble, depicting what looked like a love triangle gone wrong. This cinematic performance pleased two of the judges, with Tonioli calling it “masterpiece theater” and “so engrossing.” Inaba even hugged Pickler in excitement. But Len Goodman, true to form, was not so impressed. Goodman criticized the use of flashing lights and smoke, calling the performance a “hodgepodge of moves.” Above all, he took issue with the lack of paso doble spirit, even descending to yelling over boos and the other judges. Who knew paso dobles could be very serious business?

#7: Shawn Johnson

“Week 8: Veterans Day/Trio Week”

Another Trio Week fiasco, this Season 15 dance inspired another major meltdown. Shawn Johnson with Derek Hough and Mark Ballas gave a performance to “Jungle Jazz” by Les Tambours du Bronx. It’s electric, athletic, and elegantly wild, and the crowd was absolutely ecstatic. The problem for the judges? It wasn’t much of a samba. Goodman was the most critical, calling it “self-indulgent.” While otherwise raving about the performance, Tonioli had to agree. Carrie Ann Inaba, however, went against her two fellow judges in full-throated approval. Johnson et al. were not eliminated, but boy, was their dance controversial.

#6: Kenny Mayne

“Week 1”

There have been tons of bad celebrity dancers on this show, but this ESPN anchorman was by far the most puzzling. Dancing with pro Andrea Hale in a lively cha-cha to Donna Summer’s “Hot Stuff,” Mayne’s stiffness and lack of grace in movement is glaring. The judges especially thought the performance was lacking. It was Tonioli, though, who delivered the most savage critique, calling the dance “demented” and describing Mayne as like “Pinocchio chasing Jiminy Cricket across the room.” It isn’t every day that Goodman is the voice of reasoned feedback, but even he was kinder to Mayne. Either way, Mayne definitely needed some water after that burn.

#5: Kate Gosselin

“Week 3: Storytelling Week”

For Season 10’s Storytelling week, this reality TV personality danced an unconventional paso doble with Tony Dovolani to Lady Gaga’s “Paparazzi.” It was an interesting conceit, but a very underwhelming execution. The judges were particularly unenthusiastic. Len Goodman called it “too pedestrian,” feeling that it lacked passion. Tonioli felt Gosselin looked as if she were walking more than dancing. Even the usually generous Inaba called it “odd” and “hard to watch.” Perhaps the most devastating critique, though, came from Gosselin’s partner himself, who once joked that he wouldn’t call what they did “dancing.” Reality hurts.

#4: Hope Solo & Maks Chmerkovskiy

“Week 6: Broadway Week”

Granted, dancing a rumba to “Seasons of Love” from “Rent” feels like a doomed proposition. While Inaba and Tonioli were measured in their criticisms, with the latter saying the dance didn’t “quite gel as well as it could have,” Len Goodman didn’t mince words. He bluntly told Hope Solo, “This is your worst dance.” When Goodman’s critiques were met with boos, Chmerkovskiy also came to Solo’s defense. It escalated to the point where Chmerkovskiy even told Goodman it was time to retire! Chmerkovskiy said he was not sorry for his comment to Goodman, although he took back his “my show” statement. What a mess.

#3: Michael Bolton

“Week 2: Top 11”

Singer Michael Bolton proved he was very much just a singer, dancing a slow, hipless jive to Elvis Presley’s “Hound Dog.” The contrast between him and his partner Chelsie Hightower was glaring, and the judges were not impressed. It was Tonioli’s turn to deliver the harsh feedback, calling Bolton’s dance “a doggy mess of a jive” and the “the worst” he had ever seen “in 11 seasons.” Even Len Goodman came to Bolton’s defense. Bolton was so offended, he demanded an apology from Tonioli, claiming his dance was “hilarious.” This hound dog was put down and hard.

#2: Steve Wozniak

“Week 3”

This Apple co-founder bit off more than he could chew with this dance. Dancing a samba with Karina Smirnoff to Harry Belafonte’s “Jump in the Line” proved too much for a wobbly Wozniak to handle. Wozniak’s hamstring injury also impeded much great dancing, although he managed to do the Worm. The judges weren’t pleased and gave Wozniak and Smirnoff a combined 10 points for the faulty samba. Ouch. Only audience support managed to keep the pair from elimination. Former showrunner Conrad Green even said that Tonioli still shudders at the memory of Wozniak’s Worm. Get this insect far away from us.

#1: Master P

“Week 4”

By far the worst case of judge disappointment has to be this rapper’s dancing debut with partner Ashly DelGrosso. His dances were excruciating to watch, but it was his lumbering paso doble to the Animals’ “Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood” that really broke poor Tonioli for good. He called Master P like “a child looking for his mother, lost.” Goodman was similarly unsympathetic, and even Inaba could barely give a positive comment. Master P and DelGrosso got a combined score of 8, the lowest in the show’s history. That is, indeed, the bitterest cut of all.

Which of these terrible performances made you cringe in your seat? Let us know in the comments down below!