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This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Tampa chapter.

Spoiler alert! The 33rd season of Dancing With The Stars has already seen its first scandal and viewers sent her home on Tuesday night. Controversial con artist, Anna Delvy (33) and dance pro, Ezra Sosa (23) were one of the two couples to be kicked off the show in a double elimination. 

When Delvy’s casting in the reality TV series was first announced, backlash flooded the press and social media. Delvy posed as a German heiress in the upper-class New York landscape and was convicted in 2019 for grand larceny and theft. Many found the show to be a privileged position she was undeserving of. Furthermore, the show played into the controversy by decorating Delvy with a bedazzled ankle monitor. A promotional play that viewers and voters alike disagreed with. Viewers were also unsettled by her attitude as she left the show declaring that she had learned “nothing” from her experience.

However, Delvy is not the first scandal to hit the dance floor. Those who have been watching the show for as long as I have know that this storyline is nothing new. DWTS is still a reality TV show and every season has to have 1) the showmance 2) the redemption story and 3) the controversial contestant.

Prior to Delvey’s placement, Olivia Jade was the story of season 30. Her casting quickly following the college admissions scandal could not be a coincidence. The show intentionally fought her through week after week and attempted to give her a redemption edit. However, not many fell for it despite her natural fluidity and talent.

The COVID lockdown years remember Carole Baskin and the trend of Tiger King. Baskin frolicked on the dance floor in season 29. Her time on the show was complete with tiger-inspired dances and several jokes about the crimes she was accused of. Baskin was sent home week three.

Season 28 got political as Sean Spicer tried to salsa onto American’s screen. Having worked under the former president, Donald Trump, those who rejected his policies were fired up. On the other hand, those who supported his policies supported him and kept him in the competition despite his poor technique and low scores.

On Season 21 Paula Dean, the disgraced celebrity chef was a contestant. The TV personality was caught using racial slurs on her set and fired from several jobs. After struggling to keep a job, the show brought her on to give her a second chance. The Audience didn’t buy it and she finished in ninth place.

At the end of the day, a reality show thrives off the depictions of its characters. Controversy gets people talking and tuning in. That is how the magic and wholesome stories within the show are often clouded by an alleged affair or allegations of favoritism towards contestants. And that is the cost of reality TV and inauthenticity. If it was a fair competition, the show never would have reached the big 33 years.

Casey LaPlaca has been a member for the Her Campus at Tampa chapter since coming to the University. Her articles chronicle her consumption of art and media; also her occasional observations about injustices and inconsistencies. Beyond Her Campus, Casey is a Junior at the University of Tampa, specializing in Design with a double minor in Writing and Advertising. Her passion for art and expression lies in her lived experiences, which she writes about here and reflects on as a member of the Diversity Advisory Board at her University. Casey believes in both keeping a positive attitude and practicing the art of decompressing through rewatching a sitcom. She invites readers to sit back and enjoy a cold milkshake while we get nostalgic and/or enlightened.