The Big Picture

Harry Jowsey has faced both praise and criticism on Dancing With the Stars, with some fans wanting him eliminated. Despite receiving low scores from the judges, Harry has stayed in the competition thanks to the support of his fans’ votes. The audience’s votes carry equal weight to the judges’ scores, creating controversy and frustration among die-hard fans.

Harry Jowsey came to reality TV fame on Netflix’s Too Hot To Handle, where he won alongside several of his fellow cast-mates. Since then, he has made his rounds and has most recently found himself as a contestant on ABC’s Dancing With the Stars. He and his partner, Rylee Arnold, are one of seven couples still left in the competition despite being in the bottom two almost every week. The interesting aspect of Dancing With the Stars is that the judges do not have the final say in who stays in and who is eliminated. Their input contributes to the final outcome, of course, but the audience also plays a powerful role in who stays and who goes.

Season 32 of Dancing With the Stars is the first season without the Judges’ Save element since it was first introduced in season 26. The Judges’ Save allowed the DWTS judges the opportunity to save one couple from elimination per season. Without that save, the competition has only gotten more intense, both on and off-screen. This season has been particularly intense, primarily thanks to controversy and fans getting fed up with the power that’s being given to the audience.

‘DWTS’ Harry Jowsey Is Popular With Most Fans, Hated By Others
Image via ABC Studios

Harry Jowsey has enjoyed the highs and lows of Dancing With the Stars. When asked about his favorite dance so far, he said it’d have to be the dance to “It’s Gonna Be Me,” despite the low scores they received. Harry shared that the experience was made by having a member of *NSync work with him on the dance, sharing, “It was amazing to have [Lance Bass] there in the room,” he told Collider. That part of the experience alone is why that particular dance stands out to him the most. He and Rylee received the lowest score in that episode, with straight 6s across the board. Despite this fact, they survived another week in the competition, primarily thanks to audience votes.

Die-hard fans of the series have become more upset by the weight that audience scores carry in the competition. People like Harry, who have had less than sparkling scores from the judges, have managed to stay in the competition thanks to his fans. When asked about the biggest challenge he’s faced in the competition so far, his response had more to do with the pressures of the fans rather than the actual dancing itself. “I keep getting blamed for things I’m not in control of. It’s not my fault,” he insisted. And while many viewers are frustrated by his presence in the competition, he is right. It is not his fault that he’s not been eliminated in the competition. He’s simply doing what he’s there to do. The power that’s keeping him in Dancing With the Stars is held in the hands of the viewers. The judges’ scores represent only 50% of the final scoring, while audience votes represent the other 50%. Despite low marks from the professionals, it’s clear that Harry’s fans want to see him get as far as possible. This week, he and Rylee will tackle a Viennese Waltz to Whitney Houston’s “I Have Nothing.”

Dancing With the Stars airs on Tuesdays on ABC at 8 PM.

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