Danielle Fishel's Co-star 'Held Back The Anger' While Watching 'DWTS' Judges
Danielle Fishel's "Boy Meets World" co-stars have a bone to pick with "Dancing With The Stars" judges over their allegedly biased scoring.
Rider Strong and Will Friedle did not mince their words while calling out the judges for running what they saw as a "personal vendetta" against their friend. They slammed the group, particularly Carrie Ann Inaba, for their biased scores.
Danielle Fishel joined the beloved dance competition for its 34th season, partnering with professional dancer Pasha Pashkov. Although the actress has accepted the judges' criticisms with an open mind, her partner did not appreciate the "unfair" situation.
Danielle Fishel's 'Boy Meets World' Co-stars Blow Hot Over Judges' Favoritism
During Saturday's episode of the "Pod Meets World" podcast, Strong and Friedle slammed "DWTS" judges for picking on their friend. Strong stressed that he had held back his anger after watching the judges' blatant favoritism week after week until he could no longer endure it.
"I wanted to give them the benefit of the doubt. At this point, it's starting to feel like a personal vendetta," Strong said. He noted that the judges did not seem open to the idea of Fishel "working her ass off?" every week to bring the challenging choreographies to life.
Friedle echoed similar sentiments, directing his anger at Inaba for consistently scoring Fishel poorly, no matter how good her performance was.
"Carrie Ann has her favorites, and she'll have two or three that no matter what they do, they could walk on the stage, trip, hit their face, and she'd be like, 'You tried so hard, 9!'" he argued.
The Actress' Pals Aren't Alone In Their Criticisms Of The Judges
Strong and Friedle weren't the only ones to call out the judges' unfair scoring, particularly Inaba's ratings. Page Six reported that Fishel's pro dance partner slammed the TV personality for unfairly judging his partner in October.
The drama occurred during the competition's Dedication Night, where Fishel and Pashkov performed a jive as a tribute to the actress' "Boy Meets World" co-star, William "Bill" Daniels, who played Mr. Feeny on the beloved ABC sitcom.
Inaba was unimpressed by Fishel and Pashkov's performance, noting their routine made her feel like she was watching the same thing as their last performance. Her words sparked boos from the crowd, with Pashkov equally slamming her in an interview.
"I was not happy. I always get protective. For me, that comment felt unfair, especially being that she said that the dances looked similar," Pashkov confessed. He added that the routine was not similar to his last performance and tried educating Inaba on the differences.
The TV Personality Accepted The Judges' Criticisms
While Fishel's dance partner and friends disliked the criticisms she received from the judges, she had a different reaction to the situation. The actress previously voiced her appreciation for the judges' criticisms and even claimed Inaba wasn't wrong.
Instead of feeling upset like Pashkov was, Fishel took Inaba's words as motivation to do better during her next performance. She described the judge's same-old-routine comment as the "perfect setup" for her Argentine Tango during the show's "Wicked Night."
However, Fishel drew the line when Inaba commented on her body. During her critique, the judge had described Fishel as a "tiny, little woman," sparking backlash. Inaba eventually apologized for hurting the TV personality, noting she never meant to body shame her.
Why The 'Girl Meets World' Star Joined The Dance Competition
Fishel's positive reactions to the judges' low scores might stem from her decision to embrace this year with an open mind. The Blast covered the story, reporting in September that the actress had opened up about her decision to join the dance competition.
She explained that joining the TV show was the perfect way to cap off her breast cancer journey. Fishel explained that her health scare made her realize that she had spent a significant portion of her life prioritizing her responsibilities without having fun.
On that note, when "DWTS" showrunners came knocking on her door with an offer to participate in their 34th season, Fishel happily said yes. She claimed she had promised to say "yes to this year" and have new, fun experiences.
Danielle Fishel Reflected On Her 'Girl Meets World' Experience
Fishel's breast cancer battle began in 2024 when she was diagnosed with ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), an early form of the condition. She made her diagnosis public in August 2024 on her podcast, later revealing that she had undergone a lumpectomy and a margin revision surgery.
The TV personality treatment continued with 20 rounds of radiation, which caused painful reactions such as a rash and a "bad sunburn." Months later, The Blast shared in February that Fishel had opened up about her "Girl Meets World" experience on her podcast.
The sitcom was a reboot of the "Boy Meets World" series, but it allegedly lacked the fun, loving atmosphere of its predecessor. Fishel confessed that it was difficult working on the series for three years, as she often felt "ostracized" and "criticized" on the set.
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