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The Shocking Semifinals Exit: Who Was Eliminated From Dancing With The Stars And Why Fans Are Furious

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The ballroom drama reached a fever pitch on November 18, 2024, during the intense Semifinals of the latest *Dancing with the Stars* season, culminating in one of the most unexpected and controversial eliminations in recent memory. The episode, which saw the remaining couples fight for a spot in the coveted Grand Finale, ended with a celebrity leaving the competition despite delivering one of their highest-scoring performances of the entire season. This shocking exit immediately sparked a massive backlash from fans, who took to social media to criticize the judges and the voting system.

The star who was sent home, just one week shy of the finale, was none other than media personality and reality star Whitney Leavitt, alongside her professional partner, the legendary Mark Ballas. Their elimination, which came after a night of dazzling and emotional dances, has ignited a fiery debate among the *DWTS* faithful about the fairness of the scoring and the power of the public vote, especially given the high caliber of her final performance.

Whitney Leavitt: TikTok Star, MomTok Leader, and Reality TV Personality

Before her controversial run on *Dancing with the Stars*, Whitney Leavitt had already established a significant presence in the digital and reality television space. Her journey from social media sensation to ballroom competitor is a testament to the new era of celebrity that the show embraces.

  • Full Name: Whitney Leavitt (née Ellis)
  • Date of Birth: May 12, 1993
  • Age (as of 2024): 31
  • Hometown: Utah, USA
  • Occupation: Media Personality, TikTok Star, Dancer, Actress, Reality TV Star.
  • Claim to Fame: Gained initial prominence through her viral TikTok videos, often featuring comedy, family vlogs, and dance content.
  • #MomTok Influence: She was considered a de-facto leader and original member of the controversial "#MomTok" group, a collective of Mormon mothers who became a social media phenomenon.
  • Reality TV: She is a main cast member on the Hulu reality television series, *The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives*.
  • DWTS Partner: Mark Ballas, a two-time *DWTS* champion and one of the show's most beloved and creative professional dancers.

Leavitt's appearance on the show brought a unique blend of online fame and reality TV drama to the ballroom. Her partnership with Mark Ballas was highly anticipated, with fans eager to see how her viral dance background would translate to the rigorous world of competitive ballroom dancing. She quickly became a polarizing figure, with a dedicated fanbase that consistently voted for her, balancing out the often-critical scores from the judges.

The Semifinals Showdown: High Scores, Low Votes, and a Scoring Flub

The Semifinals episode, which aired on November 18, 2024, was a double-dance night, demanding peak performance from the remaining couples. Whitney and Mark delivered what many considered their best routine of the season, a high-energy Cha-Cha set to a Prince hit for "Prince Night."

The Cha-Cha and the Judges' Divide

Their first dance, a Cha-Cha, was technically proficient and full of personality, earning them a near-perfect score. However, the performance sparked an immediate and public disagreement between the judges. Carrie Ann Inaba, known for her focus on technique and lifts, was critical of the routine's flow and some of the technical aspects. In contrast, Derek Hough and Bruno Tonioli were effusive in their praise, highlighting the routine's entertainment value, musicality, and Leavitt's significant growth throughout the competition. This split decision among the panel foreshadowed the controversy that would follow.

The Near-Perfect Score and the Bruno Blunder

Despite the judges' bickering, Whitney and Mark's combined score for the night was one of the highest of the season, a phenomenal 58 out of a possible 60 points (some reports suggest it should have been 59). This high score made her elimination even more difficult for fans to swallow. A notable moment of confusion occurred when judge Bruno Tonioli was meant to award the couple an eight but mistakenly held up a seven, a flub that was quickly corrected by host Alfonso Ribeiro but added to the night's tension and the feeling of a chaotic elimination process. This technical error, though corrected, became a point of contention for fans arguing that the couple was already being undercut.

The Semifinals is notoriously difficult, as the public vote holds immense power. Even with an impressive score, if a celebrity lands in the bottom two based on the combined judge and viewer votes, their fate is sealed. Leavitt and Ballas found themselves in the bottom two alongside another couple, and ultimately, the combination of the public vote and the judges' scores sent them home.

Fan Fury and the Carrie Ann Inaba Backlash

The elimination of Whitney Leavitt and Mark Ballas was immediately met with a massive wave of fan backlash across social media platforms. The reaction was so intense because the couple was eliminated despite having the second-highest score of the night, a position that usually guarantees safety. The primary target of the fans' fury was judge Carrie Ann Inaba.

The Accusation of Bias

Many viewers felt that Inaba had been overly critical and "biased" against Leavitt throughout the season, consistently giving her lower scores than the other judges. Fans argued that Inaba's harsh critiques and scores were disproportionate to Leavitt's actual performance quality, which they believed had been improving steadily. This long-simmering resentment boiled over when the couple was eliminated, with fans directly blaming Inaba's scores for pushing them into the bottom two, ultimately sealing their fate. The online vitriol was significant, with many calling for a review of the judging criteria and the voting system's transparency.

The 'Shocking' Nature of the Exit

The general consensus among many viewers and ballroom commentators was that the elimination was a "shocking" outcome. Whitney Leavitt was not only a fan favorite but had also demonstrated a genuine aptitude for the technical aspects of the dance, especially in her final week. Her exit highlighted the fundamental tension in *Dancing with the Stars*: the balance between the judges' professional scores and the emotional, popularity-driven public vote. In the Semifinals, the power of the audience vote often outweighs even a high score from the judges, a reality that Leavitt's fans learned the hard way.

The Legacy of Whitney Leavitt's DWTS Journey

Despite the controversial exit, Whitney Leavitt's time on *Dancing with the Stars* was a memorable one. She proved that a celebrity known primarily for social media could successfully transition to the demanding world of live ballroom competition. Her journey was marked by consistent improvement, a strong partnership with the charismatic Mark Ballas, and a dedicated, passionate fanbase that kept her in the competition until the very end.

Her elimination in the Semifinals paved the way for the remaining couples to compete in the Grand Finale, but her departure remains a significant talking point of the season. It serves as a stark reminder that in a competition driven by both artistic merit and popular appeal, even a near-perfect score is no guarantee of safety. The final couples to compete for the Mirrorball Trophy after Leavitt's exit included strong contenders like Robert Irwin and Witney Carson, among others, setting the stage for an explosive conclusion to the season.

The controversy surrounding the scores, the judge's critiques, and the final vote ensures that the Semifinals of the latest *Dancing with the Stars* season will be discussed for years to come, cementing Whitney Leavitt's place as one of the show's most talked-about, and arguably one of its most unfairly eliminated, contestants.

who was eliminated from dancing with the stars
who was eliminated from dancing with the stars

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