‘Dancing With the Stars’: JoJo Siwa & Jenna Johnson Chmerkovskiy React to Second Place
There was incredible buzz over JoJo Siwa and pro dancer partner Jenna Johnson Chmerkovskiy winning this year’s Dancing With the Stars competition as it would have been the first time a same-sex pairing not only competed on the dance competition reality show but also won the coveted mirror ball trophy. However, in a last-second shocker NBA player Iman Shumpert, who showed incredible growth over the season, and his partner Daniella Karagach were announced as the winners!
TV Insider was among a group of reporters who chatted with Siwa and Johnson Chmerkovskiy after the show. Read one for the couple’s reaction to coming in second place and why it’s still a big victory.
One of the most heart-warming comments during Siwa’s journey was DWTS judge Bruno Tonioli telling the singer/dancer that he wished she was around when he was growing up as LGBTQ+ role models were mostly non-existent. “A lot of people have said that to me and it never gets any less anytime I hear it,” Siwa shared. “It means so much it means that kids who are young today do have me and that’s something I really appreciate.”
Many had predicted Siwa and Johnson Chmerkovskiy to win but Siwa is not devaluing how much effort it took to make it to the finals and come in second place. “Out of 15 incredible couples, who are all talented in their own way, we got second,” Siwa enthused. “I will take it. [Being here has been] an honor since day one.”
Siwa and Johnson Chmerkovskiy weren’t the only same-sex pairing on the floor. The duo used same-sex duos in their freestyle routine. “I was so proud of that,” Siwa says. “I was crying in my little egg before I went out and I had a talk with myself and said, ‘Pull it together really fast!’ I was just so happy yet sad because I knew everything was going to be over in two minutes.” Siwa adds that in those 120 seconds she felt as if her life was “on fire and I’m so grateful for that.”
ABC/Eric McCandless
Asked if she were a little bit disappointed that she wasn’t going home with the mirror ball, Siwa paused and then, Johnson Chmerkovskiy jumped in and said with a good-natured laugh, “Yes! I’ll be the honest one for us.”
“Of course,” Siwa admitted, “no one’s going to be like, ‘YEAH! I got second!! Woo-hoo!!’ but…we got second — [so] it is awesome.”
Once host Tyra Banks announced that Shumpert and Karagach had won, confetti came down from the ceiling and cast members raced to the stage to congratulate the victors. “That’s really a testament to what the show is,” Johnson Chmerkovskiy says. “Win or lose — we’re a family. [We] all rushed to the floor to celebrate Daniella and Iman. It was amazing.”
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Conversation41 Comments
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I believe that out of the 2 finalist, the viewers Definitely got it right because Iman was the Underdog and the most Improved especially with NO dance experience whatsoever unlike JoJo who has been dancing since she was very very young. I would’ve liked to have seen Olivia and a few others in the Finals but Unfortunately they weren’t the Viewers Choices.
Congratulations Iman & Daniella!!
PLEASE REMOVE TYRA BANKS!
SHE DEFINITELY NEEDS TO GO BYE-BYE!!!!
57 8
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I did not know the winner should be based on who the under dog is. That is a strange way to select a winner
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I absolutely love that Iman won and thankfully it wasn't up to the judges it was up to the public. He showed the most improvement and did amazingly and deserves the win.
47 2
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O
The judges got it right, because he had no dance experience.
48 4
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Absolutely! They really need to stop putting celebs that are known dancers on as competitors!
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Why should individuals with no dance experience be judged the same way as a semi pro dancer. Iman was most improved amateur Glad he won.
42 1
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Jojo should have gone home when she was in the bottom two
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The basis of this show was to taje people with little to no dance experience and turn them into good dancers and show improvement over the course of season. Jojo was already a good dancer, so there wasn’t much improvement shown.
29 3
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I feel that the right couple won. I have been watching the show since day one & the object of the show was to take celebrities with ZERO dance experience & turn them into dancers. Naturally, the public & the judges have their favorites. It's not right, but there it is. It's not a professional ballroom competition. It's entertainment. Plus after 30 seasons, I'm sure it's difficult to find contestants without some dance experience. JoJo had contemporary dance experience & Amanda had ballet experience. Iman had none. This time the public got it right.
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Finally a true winner with no dance experience. Quit pushing lgbtq on public tv not right!
38 18
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I personally found myself rewinding and rewatching daniella and Iman for the past several weeks. Those lifts were effortless!!!! He worked very hard. While I can appreciate that Jenna and Jojo were good, I did not enjoy getting her sexual orientation shoved down My throat week after week. THE RIGHT PERSON WON
29 11
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Iman's last dance was flawless and totally enjoyable to watch.
Jojo's final set was wonderful too. Hard choice to make.
PS, as an LBGTQ person your " shoved down my throat" comment was offensive.
14 4
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I’m so happy America saw the best and voted. Iman conquered all the way through. He didn’t allow the fact that he wasn’t a dancer defeat him. He persevered and the outcome reflected that. Who won was who should of won. That’s what the show is all about. Taking celebrity status people and creating dancers. Well done to the winners!
19 2
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So happy for the winners. They worked hard and totally deserved it. The blonde, 18 year old can go home and play with her dolls. She's had years of dance training. She never should have been allowed to dance in the beginning.
13 2
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The final couples were both great contenders and worthy of winning the competition. No one can say this season was unfairly a popularity contest and not a dance contest. Jojo and Jenna were amazing..but Iman and Daniella created pure magic. So happy they won.
11 4
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Iman should have won. The network is trying to push LGBT on the viewers. Encourage them to host their own competition. Tired of having their agenda crammed down our throats. Your viewers aren’t pleased!
9 3
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I think Siwa is mad she lost.
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I’m sure jo jo thought she had it. First ever same sex partner. Lol. Glad someone with no experience and improved a lot won.
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It’s not about making a statement or proving your personal life to the world. It’s about being a non dancer that learns to dance. Jojo has won many dance competitions which again just proved the publicity stunt of her sexual preference and same sex partnership that no one really cared about. For once…the winners were accurately selected!
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This show has to have a format change. Each season should have a certain group dancing and competing, like all comedians or in this case all athletes! It's not a true and fair deal now,with the mixed dancers,Siwa was the best dancer not Iman! A true competition is the best not the most improved! Lost credibility with me and lose Tyra she is giving me a headache and too much about her,she is not a super model anymore!!
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They absolutely got it right! It was popular opinion that Heather Morris was eliminated early during her season because she was on a TV musical and had too much experience- but the same view wasn’t held to this year, or for others in the past who competed. Maybe the standards for being a competitor should be clearly stated so it’s more fair. I, for one, thought Heather was great.
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I think JoJo should have won she is a better dancer than Iman
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lots of internalized homophobia in this comment section 😂 …please don’t lecture anyone on “what the show is supposed to be about” — people with previous dance experience/ who’ve danced as a profession HAVE & WILL CONTINUE TO WIN (Nicole Scherzinger, Jordan Fisher, Amber Riley, Kaitlyn Bristowe etc) WHEN THEY ARE THE MOST POPULAR AND WELL LIKED…whether you realize it or not, you not wanting JoJo to win has more to do with you not liking her than it does that she has previous dance experience (which unless you’re under the age of 13 — you’re part of a demographic that incessantly bullies her for being a corny weird child star, so it’s a little ironic that the same thing that gets her made fun of is apparently the thing that gives her a leg up on everyone else?) ….no fuss over Amanda, a trained Broadway star, making it to the finale? Because as I mentioned, these things are overlooked when the audience likes the person/personality …I’m happy for Iman & Daniela, they peaked at the right time and had a great season…but I’m over the narrative that they deserved to win more than JoJo & Jenna — JoJo’s transformation into a more refined and controlled dancer was equally inspiring to watch & both couples made the season one of the best in recent memory.
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This reminds me of when Bobby Bones won.
6 9
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Bobby Bones winning was ridiculous. Iman was very good. I believe Jojo should have won with Iman second.
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Exactly just as bad as she Bones won.
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Biggest disappointment since Heather Morris was eliminated in DWTS. Judges scores nor Votes count in this show. #RIGGED
5 9
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Jojo should have won because she was the most consistent. It was huge that dwts introduced a same sex couple but it would have been too much to let them win. I don't think American is ready for that yet. I also believe American chose the lesser of the two evils, a black basketball player or a gay dance couple. Like I said American and dwts is not quite ready for a gay winner. Maybe next year or the year after.
5 10
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Jojo’s partner is not gay, she’s married to the oldest dancer, Chmerkovskiy( can’t think of his first name). They were just same sex.
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Lesser of two evils..?! What a horrific thing to say. Yikes
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My understanding is the winner has the total highest score. I felt jojo should have won
6 19
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It’s not just the Judges scores
It’s also up to the Viewers
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She was the winner! She is a winner!
7 22
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Jojo should have won. If you look at the scores for the past weeks Jojo had 314 followed slightly behind was Amanda with 305. The next 2 were Melora with 299 and Olivia with 296. IMan had the lowest score of the past eight contestants with 265 and Cody with
266. They should have never made it to the finals.
1) Its a Dancing Competition NOT a Popularity Contest.
2) Judges should have more say
3) Why should the professional come back when they put in all their time and work
And their partners who worked Hard and got sent home early
4) And when did it Become a Tyra Banks Show? SHE NEEDS TO GO
5) I don’t put the show on to see her wardrobe changes
If things don’t change I can’t see watching this show anymore.
You might even have trouble finding Professionals AND Celebrities to come on the show due to the way things are going.
13 38
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But it is a popularity contest when the general public vote.
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JoJo might have been the best dancer of the two, but she had a lot of dance training, yes not in ballroom, but it still gave her an advantage. Iman had never danced and got a 4 on his first dance from Len but 10s by the end. I thought he deserved to win over JoJo.
25 5
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I’m sorry that you don’t want it to be a popularity contest, but it is. And it has been all along. Maybe you can request to change the public from voting, but I doubt it’ll happen.I think it’s great that Jojo was making history but that’s all she talked about. It was like she was using the show instead of focusing on the dance competition. She went on talk shows to state her case and solicit votes.
12 5
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This whole thing was a mess, the winner should never have even made it to the finals it appears to me that when a show has a contest where the award should go to the BEST competitor JoJo clearly should have won, hands down. Once again DWTS has failed their public, last time I'll be watching this program as once again the fix was in to get ratings and it became a popularity contest and not a skills contest.
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How did it fail the public when the public is the ones who voted for the winner. Sorry to inform you but it is all about popularity. If you watch people have always chose by their favorite, whether they are the best dancer or not. And those that people don't like they have voted them off early. You must not watch the same show as the public.
7 1
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Iman had NO.dance experience. Jojo was a dancer and therefore shod not have won.
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Her dancing was gay AF, no way she was gonna win.....
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