From left: Stephen ‘tWitch’ Boss, Leah Remini and JoJo Siwa.Photo: Adam Rose/FOX
JoJo SiwaandStephen “tWitch” Bosshave nothing but love for their fellowSo You Think You Can Dancejudge,Leah Remini.
The judges of the Fox dance competition series recently appeared onE! News’Daily Pop, where they explained why Remini, 52, is a great addition to the judges' panel.
“She’s a hoot. She’s a riot. I love her,” Siwa, 19, told the outlet of Remini. “She brings the comedy, she keeps it fun, she keeps lighthearted.”
TheDance Momsalum added, “She’s very educated in art and in entertainment and in Hollywood, and so she brings that knowledge to the panel, which is really nice.”
Boss, 39, also had kind words to share about Remini, noting that she’s “amazing” in the role.
“I love it because we really do have a panel full of artists,” he said. “Even though her background is not in dance, she knows how to speak to performances that move.”
Remini recently replacedMatthew Morrisonas a judge onSYTYCDafter he was removed from the series after allegedly contacting one of the dancers on social media and asking for her phone number.
Asource told PEOPLEthe messages were “flirty” in nature, though Morrisondeniedhis motivations were inappropriate when he sent the messages.
“It’s really unfortunate that I have to sit here and defend myself and my family against blatantly untrue statements made anonymously, but I have nothing to hide,” he said in a video posted toInstagramearlier this month. “So, in the interest of transparency, I will read to you the one message I wrote to a dancer on the show.”
He then read the alleged message: “Hey, it’s Matthew. If you don’t mind, would love to get your number and talk you through some things.”
Morrison explained, “I sent this because this dancer and I both share a mutual respect for a choreographer that I’ve known for over 20 years and I was trying to help her get a job as a choreographer on the show.”
RELATED VIDEO: JoJo Siwa Claps Back at Critics Who Call Out Her Place as a Judge on SYTYCD amid Matthew Morrison Exit
Though Remini has the support of Boss and Siwa, not everyone has been in favor of her taking over the gig, with some social media users claiming that she has “no place on this show” because she “doesn’t have a dance background.”
Remini has sincehit back those claims, tellingEntertainment Tonight, “Makes sense, why wouldn’t I be judging? I love dancing, I love dancers, I love dance shows, I love artists. I got a dance studio.”
TheKing of Queensalum also said she dances often, even if she’s not a pro. “People don’t know that I dance every day, but that doesn’t matter. I’m not trying to, like, make myself like, ‘Oh duh, I’m a dancer, I should be a judge.’ I’m not a dancer, but I’m a fan of the show. I love dance,” she said.
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Remini isn’t the only judge whose qualifications have been questioned. Siwa alsodismissed social media criticswho claimed she doesn’t have the résumé to back up her place onSYTYCD.
After receiving backlash to her new gig, Siwa quote-tweeted one user’s complaint and asked, “literally why tweet this?”
So You Think You Can Danceairs Wednesday at 9 p.m. ET on Fox.
source: people.com
