Bristol Palin opens up about her tumultuous time on 'Dancing with the Stars', shedding light on behind-the-scenes tensions and personal struggles that marked her journey.
- August 27, 2024
AceShowbiz - Bristol Palin has reflected on her time on "Dancing with the Stars", recalling tension with pro dancer Maksim Chmerkovskiy. On Cheryl Burke's "Sex, Lies, and Spray Tans" podcast, Palin revealed that Chmerkovskiy expressed disdain towards her and partner Mark Ballas after they survived elimination in season 11. Palin stated, "Oh, Maks? He hated me so much."
When asked why, Palin speculated, "Probably just because we kept going through." Despite Chmerkovskiy's initial friendliness, Palin said, "I definitely felt the tension from him... The further we went along in it, the more it was like, 'Oh gosh, okay.' "
A representative for Chmerkovskiy denied Palin's claims, stating, "Maks doesn't hate anybody and he's never hated Bristol. His bad boy reputation was overblown by the media at the time."
Chmerkovskiy's representative explained that he was disappointed by his and partner Brandy's elimination in season 11, despite being frontrunners. They noted Chmerkovskiy's competitive nature and his belief that he and Brandy had a strong chance of winning.
Palin's experience on "Dancing with the Stars" was marked by controversy and scrutiny. Her presence was criticized by fans and competitors alike, who questioned why she and Ballas continued to advance despite low scores.
Despite the challenges, Palin says the show taught her to step out of her comfort zone and put herself out there. She returned for the first and only all-star season in 2012, where she placed ninth alongside Ballas.
