Anna Delvey, in a fiery counterattack following her abrupt dismissal from Dancing With the Stars, lashed out at the reality show, accusing it of merely using her as a ratings booster. In a scathing interview with NBC News on September 26th, the 33-year-old convicted felon vented her frustration, claiming, "I feel the show blatantly exploited me for ratings, never intending to foster my growth but solely focusing on milking my notoriety for attention. Their predatory tactics aimed to undermine my confidence, making me feel incompetent and foolish, despite my gradual improvement, which they chose to overlook."
Delvey, who served a two-year prison term for grand larceny, second-degree larceny, and theft of services before being released on $10,000 bail and house arrest in 2022, lamented that her tainted reputation had unfairly hindered her chances on the show. Her story famously inspired the Netflix series Inventing Anna.
She complained bitterly to NBC News that Dancing With the Stars "was supposed to be a dance battleground, not a popularity pageant." Her elimination alongside her partner, 23-year-old professional dancer Ezra Sosa, on September 24th, only fueled her discontent.
When asked by cohost Julianne Hough, 36, about her takeaways from the experience, Delvey tersely replied, "Nothing," a blunt statement that left Sosa shaking his head in amusement while Hough chuckled it off. Alfonso Ribeiro, 53, chimed in with, "You had fun, stop it," trying to lighten the mood.
However, judge Carrie Ann Inaba, 56, expressed her dismay to Entertainment Weekly post-show, stating, "Her comment was dismissive of everything – the opportunity, her supportive partner Ezra in his debut season, and all of us who work tirelessly on the show. We gave her a fair chance, but she failed to see that. A touch of gratitude could've altered the narrative entirely."
Amidst the backlash, Delvey took to her Instagram Story on September 26th, thanking her supporters with a sassy caption over a selfie: "Grateful for all my brilliant backers who discern humor amidst the chaos. Obsessed with your messages and posts. Love and thanks for nothing, indeed!"
