Why DWTS Alum Antonio Sabàto Jr. Says Dance Competition Is ‘Rigged’

The actor competed on the ABC actuality dance competitors again in 2014, the place he completed in eighth place alongside dancing associate Cheryl Burke.

He not too long ago joined Burke on her Intercourse, Lies, and Spray Tans podcast to look again on his time on the present whereas additionally sharing some blunt opinions about manufacturing.

“To be trustworthy, I believe that the present is partly rigged in a way,” Sabàto advised Burke. “Yeah. It’s rigged, it is rigged on this method…”

The 52-year-old defined that he believed these with a dance background have an unfair benefit.

“To start with, when you’re not a dancer or you do not have dancing abilities from a younger age, you are not going to win. I believe that any person who’s by no means danced — as a result of the entire premise of the present could be celebrities who’s by no means danced — however the majority of winners are dancers.”

Burke did try and debunk Sabàto’s concept by mentioning that she received in Season 3 with former NFL star Emmitt Smith, who had by no means danced.

“Yeah, however he had strikes. He had soul. He was dancing at church, you already know what I imply? He had that factor going,” Sabàto insisted earlier than including that Mario Lopez was comparable when he competed

He additionally identified present DWTS co-host Alfonso Ribeiro — who received Season 19 — was “tap-dancing with Michael Jackson.”

“It is like me racing my entire life {of professional} automobiles, and also you simply raced in a monitor, I will beat you each time,” Sabàto stated.

He went on to recall how he was engaged on two completely different collection concurrently, internet hosting Repair It & End whereas additionally dancing on the present, so he was typically traveleing between jobs.

“If I did not have one other job and we have been simply in Hollywood and me driving 5 minutes, and we had on a regular basis on the planet and likewise the time on the planet to calm down in moments the place you are not touring as a substitute of taking red-eyes each single week, I believe I’d’ve in all probability lasted at the very least one other week or two,” he stated.

“If we might have been freed from all the opposite craziness,” he added, “I’d have had an opportunity of successful it.”

TooFab has reached out to ABC for a remark.

Dancing With the Stars airs Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET/PT on ABC