Overview
- In a recent interview summarized by People, Inaba said sustained negativity has led to mental‑health struggles and fear, noting she tends to “shrink down” midway through the season.
- She said serving as the lone woman alongside Derek Hough and Bruno Tonioli contributes to harsher scrutiny, adding that she rereads comments and reviews scores to understand the blowback.
- After viewers blamed her for Danielle Fishel and Pasha Pashkov’s Nov. 4 elimination, Inaba checked her own paddles and said her numbers “were not the lowest.”
- Addressing the narrative that she judges women more harshly, she said her detailed notes are meant to support growth rather than target female contestants.
- In a separate Extra interview, Inaba called fan criticism part of the job and referenced apologizing to Fishel as an example of owning mistakes and keeping disagreements respectful.