Robert Irwin Rips off His Shirt in Bold ‘DWTS’ TikTok Night Performance & It Has Fans Buzzing
During week three of “Dancing With the Stars,” the 21-year-old turned up the heat, putting followers online and the audience in a frenzy.
On Tuesday, September 30, during “TikTok Night” on “Dancing With the Stars” (DTWS), Robert Irwin and partner Witney Carson set the ballroom on fire. He daringly tore off his shirt halfway through their flaming dance routine, electrifying the audience and garnering accolades online.
This season’s first celebrity or professional to go entirely shirtless is the adored nature warrior-turned-heartthrob, and he did it with a sense of swagger and charisma.
The ballroom is in disarray due to shirtless shock.
Carson sat firmly atop Irwin’s shoulders as their performance began innocuously enough. But when Irwin daringly tore off his shirt and threw in a slick, crowd-igniting body roll, the two started a high-octane salsa that quickly turned sultry.
The ballroom trembled, applause broke out, and Irwin solidified his status as the evening’s most memorable performance. Throughout the remainder of the performance, he and Carson moved fluidly, maintaining the high level of enthusiasm.
Irwin and Carson received a score of 22 out of 30 for their salsa to Tommy Richman’s “Million Dollar Baby” despite their smoldering chemistry and smooth transitions. That put them in a three-way tie for third place with Hilaria Baldwin, Gleb Savchenko, Scott Hoying, and Rylee Arnold.
The ‘Rigged’ Scores Frighten Fans
Even while the judges’ scores were good, many spectators thought Robert Irwin should have received even higher marks, and they weren’t shy about expressing their feelings.
As one fan put it, “This dance wasn’t for the judges, this dance was for us.” Another acknowledged, “I’m pretty sure people 20 miles away heard me screaming when he took his shirt off,” since the atmosphere was that intense.
Another person expressed their admiration without holding back, saying, “I thought this was the best Dance of the night 🤷♀️🔥.” Another admirer described it as the “best dance by far.” Judging is clearly manipulated. “He was ROBBED,” said one individual, echoing the feeling. He should have received higher grades.
A startled viewer, meanwhile, posted, “Jaw was on the floor👀.” One person wrote, “I disagree with the judges, THAT WAS SPECTACULAR 🤩.” Others also criticized the scoring. Finally, someone said, “Still recovering from this,” to sum up the entire event.
“TikTok Night” Brings in Huge Scores
The “TikTok Night” featured a variety of scores and many noteworthy performances. Jordan Chiles and Ezra Sosa wowed with their routine at the top of the leaderboard, sharing the score of 24 out of 30 with Whitney Leavitt and Mark Ballas.
Alix Earle and Val Chmerkovskiy matched Dylan Efron and Daniella Karagach, who came in right behind them with impressive 23s. Then came the 22-point three-way tie.
Elaine Hendrix and Alan Bersten, together with Danielle Fishel and Pasha Pashkov, remained stable with 21 each.
While Emma Slater and Andy Richter, as well as Lauren Jauregui and Brandon Armstrong, ended with 18 points, Jen Affleck and Jan Ravnik were just behind at 19.
A Startling Removal
Jauregui and Armstrong received the lowest sum of votes from viewers and judges. The audience was clearly stunned by the outcome, as they were eventually sent home.
When Jauregui’s name was called for elimination, the audience let it be known how disappointed they were by booing loudly. Many were surprised by her departure because she had been in excellent form in previous weeks.
She continuously made an impression during the first two rounds, and by the end of “One-Hit Wonders Night,” she had risen to sixth position on the standings.
In response to co-host Julianne Hough’s question on her emotional state, Jauregui grinned and said, “Pissed.” She was “grateful” to have Brandon as her companion and immediately switched her tone to one of appreciation.
Irwin’s Electric First Dance Leaves Judges and the Internet in Awe
Irwin made a dramatic debut on “DWTS” this season, drawing attention from the first episode, as we previously reported. The TV personality had unquestionable star power when season 34 debuted on September 17. She took over the stage and immediately became the night’s main attraction.
Together with professional dancer Carson, the nature-lover performed a stunning jive to Steppenwolf’s well-known hit song, “Born to be Wild.” Irwin first positioned himself on a Land Rover parked in the middle of tall grass, creating a safari-themed scenario.
The charming TV personality used a pair of binoculars to aim at Carson, then leaped off the car’s hood and sprinted to his accomplice.
Every eye was riveted to the floor as the two danced, kicked, flipped, and dipped their way through a performance. The ballroom erupted in applause as Irwin and Carson, dressed in eye-catching matching outfits, performed with such accuracy and vigor.
Judge Derek Hough was overcome with wonder after he and Irwin’s sister shared the prized mirrorball trophy in Season 21. He lavished Irwin with compliments, even making a lighthearted inquiry about whether the 21-year-old had been training covertly for all these years.
Hough said, “That was one of the best first dances I’ve ever seen on this show,” and fans enthusiastically concurred online.
“Robert was hands down the best performance of the night #DWTS #robertirwin #minneapolisbct,” said one fan. Another added, “I feel bad for every other contestant ngl Robert’s gonna take the mirror ball no question 👏🏼.” “Excellent! According to another admirer, “He’s dancing like a pro.” One supporter extended the praise by exclaiming, “my [sic] winner.”
“Robert had the best dance of the night omg!!” said another admirer, echoing the feelings. #DWTS Whitney’s [sic] choreography was flawless. “The best ‘DWTS’ premiere in a long time was that one. One admirer exclaimed, “I’m betting on Robert & Whitney [sic] 🪩 #DWTS.”
One spectator even emphasized how wonderfully Irwin performed in spite of the fact that he had never danced before.
