‘I’m A Soft-Ass Bunny Sweetheart’: Maksim Chmerkovskiy On If He’ll Be The Tough Judge On So You Think You Can Dance After Developing ‘Bad Boy’ Rep On DWTS
Will he still be the 'Bad Boy of Ballroom'?
So You Think You Can Dance is going to look pretty different when the lights come up on Season 18. The dance competition has revamped its format to see how the contestants’ skills translate to real-world jobs like music videos or Broadway. We’ll also see some new faces behind the judges’ table, as Dancing with the Stars pros Maksim Chmerkovskiy and Allison Holker make their debuts alongside JoJo Siwa. It appears Chmerkovskiy’s reputation as the “Bad Boy of Ballroom” has followed him, and the dancer had some strong feelings about that nickname and the implication that he will fill the role of “tough judge.”
Judges on competition shows do generally fall into specific categories, be that more of a cheerleader type or one who tends to critique more harshly. However, Maks Chmerkovskiy seemed to reject the notion that his perceived “bad boy” persona from DWTS would be an indication of the type of judge he is on SYTYCD. He told Variety:
The 17-season Dancing with the Stars pro clearly takes issue with the nickname bestowed on him, claiming to be misunderstood when he was just trying to be himself. Maksim Chmerkovskiy gained that reputation in part for his sharp tongue and challenging the DWTS judges when he thought he and his partners received undue criticism. So how will he handle similar situations now that he’s on the other side of the table? Bring it on, he says! Chmerkovskiy continued:
I do love a judge who’s willing to tell it like it is, and it sounds like we might be in for some passionate exchanges this season.
The Season 18 Mirror Ball trophy recipient will join Allison Holker, who competed on So You Think You Can Dance before she herself became a DWTS pro, as a first-time judge. Holker, in effect, replaces her husband tWitch, who served as a SYTYCD judge in Season 17 months before he died by suicide at age 40. Holker said joining the show where her and Stephen Boss’ careers started is another step in moving forward from his death.
JoJo Siwa was a late addition to Season 18. After serving as a judge last season, she was not initially set to return but ended up replacing Nigel Lythgoe after his controversial exit. The series co-creator stepped down after Paula Abdul filed a lawsuit against him in December alleging sexual assault.
It will be interesting to see how the judges relate to one another and if Maks Chmerkovskiy will be the tough judge or if he is, in fact, a “soft-ass bunny sweetheart.” So You Think You Can Dance Season 18 premieres at 9 p.m. ET Monday, March 4, on Fox. Keep up with all of the upcoming premieres by checking out our 2024 TV schedule.
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Heidi Venable is a Content Producer for CinemaBlend, a mom of two and a hard-core '90s kid. She started freelancing for CinemaBlend in 2020 and officially came on board in 2021. Her job entails writing news stories and TV reactions from some of her favorite prime-time shows like Grey's Anatomy and The Bachelor. She graduated from Louisiana Tech University with a degree in Journalism and worked in the newspaper industry for almost two decades in multiple roles including Sports Editor, Page Designer and Online Editor. Unprovoked, will quote Friends in any situation. Thrives on New Orleans Saints football, The West Wing and taco trucks.