Viewers Slam ‘DWTS’ Judges After Joey Graziadei & Jenna Johnson’s Samba – Here’s Why

Dazzling the audience with a riveting rendition of the Samba, Hollywood star Joey Graziadei and his professional dancing partner Jenna Johnson had all eyes on them during the show’s “Disney Night” episode. However, the scores they received from the judges have been widely contested online.

​​For their performance, Graziadei and Johnson embodied the beloved Disney characters Tarzan and Jane. With his wild, shoulder-length curls and shirtless, toned torso, Graziadei channeled the rugged essence of the main character.

He wore earthy brown trousers adorned with a leopard-print sash. Meanwhile, Johnson donned a daring outfit, perfectly suited for the jungle adventurer Jane becomes in the movie.

Like Graziadei’s pants, her two-piece ensemble featured earthy tones of brown, with a structured, tasseled top and matching skirt that added movement to her steps.

The stage set design transported the audience into the heart of the jungle, with thick, towering tree backdrops evoking the wild atmosphere of Tarzan’s home.

As another nod to the Disney classic, the stage also featured props reminiscent of Jane and her father’s scientific exploration — a desk cluttered with glass bottles, beakers, and various research tools.

As soon as “Trashin’ The Camp” from the movie’s soundtrack began playing, Graziadei and Johnson emulated the vibrant rhythms of the Samba. The energetic Brazilian dance is known for its twists, turns, quick footwork, and hip-shaking moves.

Their performance was a whirlwind of energy, with Graziadei spinning Johnson into high-flying kicks, and matching the tempo with precise dips and swings. The duo’s chemistry was palpable as they maintained eye contact and smiled while they powered through the routine.

After their performance, the judges delivered their scores, which online viewers were quick to scrutinize. Many felt Graziadei had been seriously underscored. “He deserved at least all 9s! I was shocked that he didn’t get a 10,” penned one observer.

Another viewer shared their disbelief and compared Graziadei to another contestant, “Definitely deserved higher than 8s. Even though I love Stephen, he rushed his steps throughout the entire dance, and he got 8s as well. I am doubting the accuracy of the judges’ scores each week!”

On the other hand, a fan expressed confidence that Graziadei and Johnson were destined for victory. They remarked, “Joey and Jenna deserve to win that was an outstanding dance Tarzan and Jane. They did incredibly great. I’d be disappointed if they weren’t the number one winners.”

Keeping their focus on the judges, a viewer fumed, “Once agin the judges need eye glasses [sic]!! […] This upsets me when they do this kind of stuff!!” The same commenter went even further to declare that the judges appear to be playing favorites.

Criticism didn’t stop at just this episode, as some viewers believe that the judges’ scoring has been inconsistent from the start of the season. “They messed up on the first episode, giving such high scores,” asserted a spectator.

Another fan questioned the criteria used by the judges, “I feel like I just don’t know what the requirements for scoring are, because to me Jenn and Joey’s dance were [sic] much better than Phaedra and Dwight, so not sure why they all got the same scores?”

“They need to hide the ‘8’ paddles from the judges lol. I’m kidding but it really just seemed like the default score for nearly everyone,” quipped a social media user, while another added, “i’m [sic] extremely disappointed with the judging this season.”

This particular fan also criticized the repeated 8s handed out, arguing that Graziadei should have received 9s from all the judges.

While many were up in arms over the scoring, some netizens took a more measured view and agreed with the judges’ assessments. “The samba is a difficult dance. I didn’t expect Joey to be perfect. He didn’t do too bad, but he lacked the bounce. This wasn’t my favorite dance from him. I agree with judges and give this dance a [sic] 8,” reasoned a viewer.

Another was more critical of Graziadei’s technique, writing, “People whining about Joeys scores when he’s been over scores all season is a joke [sic]. This is a samba, he lacked hip action and rotation. He didn’t have bounce.”

They continued, “Jenna’s choreography was INSANE, and she’s been putting petal to the metal since day one. I love this couple and love they’re finally getting scores based in reality [sic].”

Ahead of the dancing duo’s performance, Graziadei took to Instagram to share his excitement about “Disney Night” with his followers. In a playful video, the TV star and Johnson recreated a charming scene from “Tarzan.”

They mimicked the moment when Tarzan and Jane were getting to know each other by name, which they did so by featuring the actual audio from the movie.

The moment gave fans a sneak peek into their preparation for the big night, with Graziadei captioning, “Really getting into character for this one! So excited for ‘Disney Night.’ Remember to text JOEY to 21523 at the top of the show 🙏🏽.”

Weeks before the episode aired, Graziadei had expressed how he is rooting for fellow Bachelor Nation alum Jenn Tran, who is competing alongside him this season (season 33).

During a press line interview in September (2024), Graziadei divulged, “It’s amazing. I’m just going to support Jenn fully. I know a lot of things have come from all this, and I think she’s just really excited for her next opportunity, and I’m going to support her fully.”

His words showed not only camaraderie but also genuine care for Tran, who had competed for Graziadei’s heart on “The Bachelor” earlier this year (2024).

After her time on Graziadei’s season, Tran ventured on her own romantic quest as “The Bachelorette.” However, her road to love took a heartbreaking turn, as she revealed on the show’s live finale that her fiancé had called off their engagement shortly after filming wrapped.