Fallout Continues After 'Dancing With The Stars' Outburst At Judges

Little by little, "Dancing with the Stars" veteran professional dancer Maksim Chmerkovskiy is gaining a following among his peers on the show for the tirade he levied against judges Bruno Tonioli, Len Goodman and Carrie Ann Inaba.

If you missed it and haven't caught up via recaps today, some dams finally burst last night between contestants, a certain contestant's beligerant mother, one brassed-off pro and the three judges. Incidents happened separately, but they've been united by the thread of Chmerkovskiy's tantrum at Goodman following his harsh critique of Maks and partner Hope Solo's rumba to "Seasons Of Love" from the hit Broadway drama "RENT."

The most surprising was probably that it wasn't Solo that bore Chmerkovskiy's wrath. The notoriously outspoken, competitive and sometimes stubborn Solo has rubbed Maks the wrong way seemingly throughout the 13th season's first six weeks.

And so far, it's paid off . . . kind of. Tensions have flared because the duo seemingly can't nail down just what the judges want. If it hasn't been the three bitching that Solo doesn't give the pair's dances enough feminine grace and sparking sexuality, it's fussing over Solo's technique. And through it all, the applause after each and every dance has told the pair's story.

Rather than recap it verbatim, I'll just once more post the pair's routine and critique, so that you can watch Maks start his rant midway into Goodman's critique and continue it atop the balcony as co-host Brooke Burke interviewed the two after receiving their scores.

Now, I'm strictly speculating, but I have to wonder if it wasn't another "controversial" remark that had already stoked a fire underneath Maks' ass that Goodman just spilled gasoline onto.

Earlier in the show, we witnessed another touchy moment between a pair that's been on the bubble more than once this season but hadn't really shown any wear and tear yet: Lacey Schwimmer and Chaz Bono.

It's been six weeks of Bono being coddled with kid-glove critiques that ignore the fact he simply hasn't danced up to par with other competitors, but continually instead praise his "heart" and "courage" and "likability." And for six weeks, the plucky-underdog schtick got fans to vote off far stronger dancers like Kristin Cavallari, Elisabetta Canalis and Chynna Phillips largely because he started off the season as a sympathy case after right-wing groups threw ridiculous temper-tantrums over putting a transgender male on a primetime dance competition.

And before anyone even begins commenting about how untrue that supposedly is, don't do it unless you can explain convincingly to me why it's understandable that the far more charismatic and very openly gay Carson Kressley was not only voted off a week earlier than Bono (and didn't receive a trace of heat for being included as a cast member), but displayed equally lacking technique as Bono every week and yet received far, far less coddling remarks every time.

But this week, Schwimmer had to bring the hammer down.

“At this stage in the game, I can’t make something super-basic, which is what we’ve been doing,” she very bluntly told Bono. “You’ve been filling it up with your personality and that’s great, but the problem is with the tango, we’re in a hold the entire time.”

“What I want to do every week is show that I’m improving and doing my best,” Bono said. “You cannot rely on me to get you through this anymore. ”

Believe me, there's a reason I point all this out.

Come performance time, Bono showed that he either ignored Schwimmer's frustrated warning, or just finally couldn't dodge the bullet anymore.

Now, Tonioli has a colorful way with simile on the best of days. But this time, he said something that made me openly chuckle, and it was funny because it was true.

"It was like watching a cute little penguin trying to be a big, menacing bird of prey," he said. "Some roles fit certain characters, and some roles don't."

And of course, Bono and Schwimmer - it's worth adding, voted off the show Tuesday night, which will no doubt ignite new waves of controversy - were among the first jumping to Maks' defense. I can't speak regarding past seasons, how certain other pairs have fared and however this judge or that judge has affected which pair's ultimate finishing place. But speaking strictly about this season, Schwimmer apparently believes that six weeks spent coddling the pair and giving as soft-touch critiques as possible while Schwimmer essentially danced deftly around a stiffly walking-about Bono just wasn't considerate enough.

"A lot of us wish we would say stuff and we never do — we're afraid of it," Schwimmer told Us Weekly today. "Regardless of what Maks said, and if he hurt people's feelings, he had the courage to stand up for him and his partner, and I think that is amazing. It's hard to hear your friend bullied by three people who we're supposed to respect. It's unnecessary and rude, especially with all the bullying going on in the world. I'm not going to speak poorly of the [judges'] profession or what they have done in their careers, but they have no business saying the things that they do."

Then Bono chimed in, and like his mother, he clearly completely misunderstood what Tonioli meant with his "penguin" remark.

In case you missed it earlier Monday, Cher went off babbling on a Twitter tirade of her own toward Tonioli.

"That guy has no room 2 (to) talk 'Little penguins'… I find it disrespectful that Bruno refers to Chaz as a 'little penguin'…Is it Dwts or Looking Perfect Wts (what the s**t)?" Bono's pissed-off mama bear babbled. "Its easy 4 (for) him 2 (to) take cheap shots at chaz! Let him come 2 (to) 'my' stage. I could teach his little arm waving a** some manners! Critique Chaz's dance style, movements etc, but don't make fun of my child on nat.tv (national television). It's not about Chaz winning! He's doing his best & he will stay as long as he stays! Thats 'show business' but, dont b (be) unkind 4 (for) no reason. Mean is not funny… Bruno's reason, pure selfishness! His only concern was 2b (to be his) usual funny animated self, at Chaz's expense!"

Bono's been thick-skinned and admirably composed up to this point, but then came his own Us Weekly remarks.

"It's a bit insulting," Bono said. "One judge in particular week after week paints me as this… I don't know… chubby, cuddly little Ewok, little penguin. That's not about my dancing. If you want to talk to me about my dancing and how I can improve, I have no problem with that. That would be fine!"

Chaz, make like a Bud Light cap and screw off. Those were knocks at your dancing.

Here's the dance that earned him the "Ewok" remark.

He's wearing a fur vest, moving somewhat awkwardly and stiffly, while his partner dances gracefully and he tries to keep up. It's an apt comparison.

The penguin thing? He was wearing a tuxedo and that stupid mask that hides the only thing that's carried him this far - his personality - and he was once more waddling about stiffly in a tango that has the inherent characteristic of being a very intense dance. Maybe Schwimmer should've translated, but those were dance-related critiques.

And besides - Schwimmer warned him! She told him the judges would "murder" him if he danced this week the way he has, and it came to pass. So in a way, Maks did have a point, though he made it unintentionally: the judging has been woefully inconsistent, but whereas he's complaining about the excessive emphasis on technique and biting remarks, it has more to do with the fact that if this show had f***-all to do with who dances the best, Kristin Cavallari, Elisabetta Canalis and Chynna Phillips would all still be in the running. Bono has no grounds for complaint after the repeated coddling he received by the judges overall. His luck just ran out.

Meanwhile, Derek Hough has also jumped to Maks' defense, though the judges have called his routines with partner and top contender Ricki Lake straight down the middle. But even then, Hough acknowledges the pros should all be very familiar with the judges by this point, even Tonioli's eccentricities and Goodman's notoriously nit-picky remarks.

"I was personally extremely surprised. I feel like the judges have been incredibly generous, but we're all very emotional," Hough said to People. "Being a seasoned professional, we know how the show works. We understand the ins and outs. Even last week, I pretty much told Ricki [Lake] exactly what the judges were going to say, literally verbatim. You know what to expect."

Though I just spent 1,463 words setting up all the evidence, I still couldn't have said it better myself. So long, Bono, probably a few weeks too late.

Oh, and Maks? In a round-about way, thanks for being the one from the show to come right out and prove the point I've been trying to make for six weeks now.