Erika Girardi’s performances on Dancing With The Stars have sparked their share of controversy, with the word “raunchy” even coming up in the conversation. But she has a message for her haters: too bad.
As anyone who has watching DWTS this season can tell you, Girardi, performing as her alter ego Erika Jayne, hasn’t been shy about bringing her blend of sexually explicit dance moves, complete with racy costumes, to the stage. And on last Monday night’s episode, the RHOBH star danced a sexy cha-cha to her own song “XXpen$ive.”
Hate her or love her @erikajayne looks INCREDIBLE at 45!!! #Q100DWTS #DWTS // @RachelRyanQ100 pic.twitter.com/gL9NXbUxHB
— Q100 Atlanta (@Q100Atlanta) March 21, 2017
In characteristic Erica Jayne fashion, the dance was full of sizzle and sexuality. And while it was a hit with the audience and two of the judges, the saucy routine fell short with judge Len Goodman, who called it “raunchy.” Bustle writer Lindsay Denninger calls that criticism “ unfair .”
“I know that Len can be a stick in the mud, and in some instances, he’s right — he is a stickler for lines and steps and all that, but to deny a woman her expression of sexuality is lame. He doesn’t have any right to judge her persona. He can judge her steps, and that’s about it.”
Goodman ultimately gave Erika’s performance a score of six out of ten, as did the other four judges, giving her a total score of 24.
Writing a guest column in People , Erika herself has responded to that criticism.
“As for the comments from head judge Len Goodman about the dance being ‘raunchy,’ he’s totally entitled to his opinion but I didn’t feel that was the case and I’m also allowed to disagree.”
Erika Jayne has message for anyone who thinks she was “raunchy” on @DancingABC : https://t.co/Tf4IbIENV2 pic.twitter.com/N33eM3p08c
— E! Online TV Scoop (@eonlineTV) March 27, 2017
She also believes that there are double standards in play when it comes to the way she was judged.
“Look at Bonner and Sharna’s routine! The crowd was going crazy for it. But that’s that’s the price you play for owning your sexuality and not being afraid and being fearless and being yourself as a woman. You’re held to a different standard and judged differently than men.”
However, one bad review is not enough to stop Erica. And, in fact, as she told Fox News a couple of weeks ago, she rejects the idea that you can be too sexy for television .
“I don’t know what to say about that, except perhaps [my critics are] a little boring themselves. No. You can never be too sexy for mainstream television.”
A post shared by Erika Jayne (@theprettymess) on
Despite the setback, Girardi says she’s still having fun on Dancing With The Stars and plans to ride the train as far as it will take her.
“I’m really having a great time. I wake up every day excited to go to the studio and rehearse and learn something new and continue to get better. I can’t wait for the show on Monday! I mean, every week we get to put on a different show! I’m totally into it. I feel like a little girl just having a blast getting to do the biggest show in the world!”
On Monday night’s episode, Erika toned things down just a bit, doing a foxtrot that she described as having a “sexy little twist.” It went over better with the judges, including stick-in-the-mud Goodman: all four judges gave her a score of seven out of ten, for a total score of 28.
Do you believe that Erika Girardi/Erika Jayne’s dances on Dancing With The Stars are too sexy?
[Featured Image by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for DailyMail.com]
