The “Dancing With the Stars” elimination Monday night of favorites Maksim Chmerkovskiy and Heather Morris surprised and confounded viewers and hosts, and raised the question of whether "DWTS" is rigged.
The shocking elimination came after Chmerkovskiy and Morris put on a “jaw-dropping” performance to TLC’s “Waterfalls,” according to "Entertainment Tonight."
Not only did the performance garner a great reaction from the audience, but the judges were extremely impressed, and the pair earned a perfect score of 40 out of 40 — the first perfect score of the season.
That's what made the elimination that much more confusing for the live audience, hosts Erin Andrews and Tom Bergeron, and for those watching at home.
After the show, Fox News asked Peta Murgatroyd – the mother of Chmerkovskiy's child and fellow "DWTS" 10-year pro – if the odd outcome made her think it was rigged.
"You know, I don't think the show is rigged. I mean, we've gone over and over [it], like people ask us that all the time," said Murgatroyd. "I don't know. Maybe Nancy Kerrigan is America's sweetheart."
"Once you're out, you're out," she added.
Kerrigan's devoted partner Artem Chigvintsev, who Fox said has worked wonders with the 47-year-old Olympic ice skater, pointed out to reporters, "Any of us can go home."
"Nancy did a phenomenal job of improving. Whatever happens, happens. I feel really sad for Heather and Maks but it's just tough. The audience gotta vote. If they like you and they want to see you continue going forward, they're going to vote. That's the bottom line."
Fox News' Carole Glines suggested some shakey dancing by Morris in previous weeks contributed, noting that during last week's Disney night, Kerrigan received a higher score from the judges than Morris.
Despite the elimination, "Glee" star Morris said she was still very happy that she was able to compete in this season of "DWTS."
“I’m OK. It’s a hard competition, and I’m really happy that I got to do what I got to do. It was really fun,” Morris told Andrews and Bergeron.
“In 24 seasons, that is probably the most vocally unhappy reaction we’ve gotten about an [elimination],” Bergeron said about the crowd’s response.
Chmerkovskiy, who was out for the last four weeks with a calf injury, remained positive as well.
“I’m good,” he said. “I put in a lot of work to come back and give her the chance . . . I think Heather is my inspiration moving forward. What we’ve gone through together is unmatchable in my past seasons.”
Morris appeared on “Good Morning America” on Tuesday to discuss the “shocker,” according to Gossip Cop.
Asked if she was surprised by the elimination, Morris said, “It’s a weird thing because you know it’s reality television and so many things can go wrong.”
“I was trying to be helpful the whole time and just have a really great experience,” she said. “I was expecting it to go either way, I was happy to be there. When it happened, I was like, it is what it is, things will happen as they may. I had a great time.”