Leah Remini's Co-Judges On 'SYTYCD' Sing Her Praises
By Fiyin Olowokandi on June 24, 2022 at 9:30 PM EDT
Being a judge on "So You Think You Can Dance" suits Leah Remini well, and her co-judges think so too, as they commended her prowess.
As you may know, Remini was named a judge on the seventeenth season of the dance show this month, replacing Matthew Morrison.
Speaking with E!, she gushed about her fun experience on the show, and her fellow "SYTYCD" moderators admittedly enjoy working with her.
Leah Remini Is Utterly Loved By Her Colleagues On "SYTYCD"
Remini confessed to the outlet about "SYTYCD" saying, "This show is not about the best dancer. It's about the best performer. It's about the audience picking their favorite, and that doesn't always come in the form of perfect technique."
As for what her co-judges have to say about her, JoJo Siwa said she loved her while also calling her "a hoot" and "a riot."
Siwa added that the 52-year-old brought the comedy and maintained the fun, keeping it light-hearted. She also noted that Remini introduced her knowledge of art, entertainment, and Hollywood to the panel, which was nice.
Stephen "tWitch" Boss called the "Kevin Can Wait" actress "amazing," and he believed her absence of dance experience contributed to her role as a judge.
He mentioned they had a "panel full of artists," which he loved, and said Remini knew "how to speak to performances that move."
Additionally, Cat Deeley stated regarding the actress, "You never know quite what's gonna come out of her mouth, and I love it and embrace it."
"The King of Queens" actress seems to be "having so much fun" in her new position as a judge on Fox's dance contest series.
She loves the show and called it a community where she wants to be entertained without worrying about the controversy of the previous judge she replaced.
Regarding the former judge, Morrison once announced that he would be exiting the show in May; however, it was later revealed that he was allegedly fired from the program.
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The rumored situation seemingly occurred because he made a contestant uncomfortable with "flirty" social media messages, but he denied every allegation, calling them false.
All the same, his substitute is filling his shoes perfectly with no concerns from her colleagues or the dance contestants.
Around the period Remini was named a judge on "SYTYCD," she shared her excitement about the gig to ET via an interview detailed by The Blast. She said:
"I love dancing, I love dancers, I love dance shows, I love artists. I got a dance studio. People don't know that I dance every day, but that doesn't matter."
The "Scientology: Fair Game" podcaster knew she had no dance background like the other judges; nevertheless, she was delighted about the chance to witness contestants grow and evolve over the contest's interval.
Despite not having formal dance background, her colleagues were not so bothered as they looked beyond the absent skills.
Speaking of which, Deeley previously called "Second Act" actress "brilliant" and added that it was "one of those things" where they needed "someone who is like everybody who sits on the couch at home."
Remini's stepping in comes shortly after former judge Morrison announced his exit from the show after just one month of being a judge.
Matthew Morrison Breaks Silence Following "SYTYCD" Dispute
As the seventeenth season of "SYTYCD" began, Morrison was removed from the judging panel for failure to adhere to the production's rules.
The Blast reported that he confirmed his leave in a lengthy statement, expressing remorse for his "unspecified" actions.
The "Glee" star was honored to have the opportunity to be a judge on "SYTYCD," and he attributed the reason for his departure to not following the show's protocols.
He believed that the insubordination prevented him from judging the competition fairly and could not "apologize enough to all involved."
Not long after he shared the apology statement, he tried to defend himself "against blatantly untrue statements made anonymously," indicating that he was falsely accused.
Morrison recalled a seemingly unharmful message he sent to a dancer on the show, noting that he sent the text because they shared a "mutual respect for a choreographer."
He added that he had known the said choreographer for over two decades and was trying to get the dancer a job as a choreographer on the show. Unfortunately, society believed otherwise.