‘DWTS’ pro Pasha Pashkov blasts Carrie Ann Inaba’s ‘unfair’ criticism of Danielle Fishel dance

“Dancing With the Stars” pro Pasha Pashkov slammed judge Carrie Ann Inaba’s “unfair” criticism of his dance with partner Danielle Fishel.

The dancing duo performed a jive for Tuesday’s “Dedication Night” in a tribute to William “Bill” Daniels, who played the beloved Mr. Feeny on “Boy Meets World.”

Inaba was not impressed with the routine though, saying she felt like she was “watching the same dance over and over again,” each week, while receiving loud boos from the audience.

She also specifically called out Pashkov, 39, for a lack in “variety as far as dynamics.”

“I was not happy,” Pashkov told Variety Tuesday following the critique. “I always get protective. For me, that comment felt unfair, especially being that she said that the dances looked similar.”

“But the thing is, we did have a quickstep and we had a jive this week. These are two dances that very, very similar,” he explained.

“If we had dances that were drastically different and they felt the same, I’d understand. But, based on the dances that we had, that did not feel like it made sense to me. In my heart, I’m overprotective because I know how hard Danielle is working. I don’t think she deserved that comment,” he concluded.

Fishel, 44, also argued that her and her partner’s series premiere dance was one of a more serious tone unlike the more upbeat ones since, so there has been some variety.

“My tango was a story about me overcoming breast cancer. It was also the first episode of ‘Dancing With the Stars’ where people were being introduced to me again,” she shared.

Fishel was diagnosed with ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) in August 2024 and is currently in remission having completed her treatment in January 2025.

“There was no way I was going to do my first week and not smile and show the way I was feeling,” she explained. “So I had a tango where I smiled, then I had a cha-cha where I smiled, then I had a quick step where I smiled, and now tonight, I had a jive where I was smiling.”

The “Girl Meets World” star — who has previously voiced her appreciation for the judges critiques — admitted that Inaba was “not wrong,” but teased that her assessment was the “perfect setup for [their] Argentine Tango” they are set to perform next week’s “Wicked Night.”

Despite the criticism from Inaba, the routine was loved by fans and meant a lot to Fishel, who took to Instagram prior to Tuesday’s episode to share a few sweet messages to Daniels, noting that she’s “still taking notes from Mr. Feeny” to this day.

“I don’t think I would have been the professional that I am today without being able to have watched him all those years,” Fishel gushed ahead of the dance. “It’s been over 30 years since we met, and I know how proud he is of me. He really means a lot to me.”

The routine, set to the “Boy Meets World” theme song, kicked off with 98-year-old Daniels standing in front of a school set that the “DWTS” production crew created just for the special evening.

He was also featured in the dance duo’s pre-taped interview package that aired before the performance, telling Fishel, “I’m very proud of Danielle for all she’s doing. It’s a pleasure watching you.”