Carrie Ann Inaba, one of the judges on Dancing with the Stars, opened up about her visceral reaction to James Van Der Beek’s elimination, after it was revealed that his wife Kimberly had suffered a miscarriage. Carrie Ann called the decision “heartbreaking,” adding that after the show aired she went home and vomited.
On Monday’s episode of the reality show juggernaut, judges decided to save pair Ally Brooke and Sasha Farber, instead of James and his partner Emma Slater. The former Dawson’s Creek star had announced the shocking news earlier in the episode. Ally divulged that she initially tried to give her spot to the actor. However, James refused, giving the ex-Fifth Harmony singer a renewed sense of purpose in the competition. “For him to say, ‘Go shine,’ that meant the world. I’m gonna take that with me going into this week,” she said.
In a tearful interview on The Talk (via Us Weekly), Carrie Ann described the difficulty of sending home a fan-favorite such as James, particularly under the tragic circumstances. “I have so much sadness in my heart for them, and my prayers are with them,” she said. The former dancer expressed that while sending home the Don’t Trust the B— in Apartment 23 actor was a painful experience, it was necessary to fairly carry out her duties as a judge. “But at the same time, it’s like in the Olympics - if something happens to somebody before they get on the gymnastics mat, it doesn’t matter what happens in your personal life. I have to judge what’s happening on the dance floor.” She continued, saying that in the end the decision was based on who she thought had grown the most and was the better dancer.
James disclosed on the show that his wife Kimberly had miscarried over the weekend, a month after the couple announced that they were expecting their sixth child. He called it “every expectant parent’s worst nightmare." James revealed that he almost didn’t dance this week, when “Kimberly, from her hospital bed, said to me, ‘I am not done watching you dance.’’’ He then proclaimed that he would dance, for his wife and “for us.” James posted an Instagram message, along with a photo of his wife, detailing their devastation over the loss. He noted that they had experienced miscarriages in the past, but none that were as late in the pregnancy, and had posed such a risk to his wife’s health and well-being. James thanked their friends, co-workers and dance partners for showing so much support. Dancing with the Stars originally captured the couple’s first ultrasound on an October episode of the show, where James shared that he and his wife had suffered three prior miscarriages.
It is truly unfortunate that James’ elimination had to come on the heels of such tragic circumstances. Some might say that should have been enough reason to for him to remain on the show. However, Dancing with the Stars is a reality show that is still promoted as competition. And if the judges critique James purely on the merits of his dancing skills, and found he came up short, then that’s fair. What would be unfair to him is letting him through on the basis of a pity vote, undercutting all of his effort and hard work up to that point. The result may be disappointing, but it doesn’t sacrifice the show’s integrity.
Dancing With the Stars airs on ABC Mondays at 8 p.m. ET.
Source: Us Weekly