Bobby Bones is opening up about the “amount of hate” he still receives for his 2018 “Dancing with the Stars” win – and revealing he returned the trophy.
The radio personality and podcast host, 45, posted a TikTok Nov. 12 responding to comments from Tom Bergeron, a former judge on “DWTS,” who told an interviewer from Parade that Bones’ 2018 win had been the one he was most surprised by. Bones won alongside partner Sharna Burgess, beating out Milo Manheim and pro Witney Carson.
“Bobby Bones was the first time I kind of … it was like ouch,” Bergeron said, making a face.
Though he was a host during Bones’ tenure, the 70-year-old television personality was let go from the show in 2020. Bergeron returned this month for a guest spot to celebrate the show’s 20th anniversary.
“I try not to get my feelings hurt, especially about stuff like this, but this was hurtful,” Bones said before playing the clip in his TikTok, adding it was less “because of what was said, but really who said it.”
“I didn’t even want to be on the show,” Bones continued. “I had no intention of being on ‘Dancing with the Stars.’ I was working on a different show at the network, they asked me to go on the show to promote. Am I supposed to not show up and work hard?
“It’s crazy the amount of hate I get, even from people I respect like Tom Bergeron there, and Julianne Hough,” he said, adding that he didn’t know Hough, who is now one of the hosts of the show.
Blistered ankles. Teased hair. My weekend on ‘Dancing with the Stars’
“Like what did I do?” Bones said. “I had a great attitude. I worked hard, and here we are, like six years later, I’m still catching strays out of nowhere.”
Revealing he had since sent the coveted Mirrorball back to ABC, Bones cautioned listeners to go where you’re wanted, not “tolerated.”
“So, I sent the trophy back. They don’t want me to be a part of the show, obviously. So I don’t want to be somewhere that doesn’t want me to be there,” Bones said.
Bergeron later apologized, posting a screenshot to his Instagram stories Nov. 12 of a DM he sent to Bones on the app.
“Bobby, it wasn’t my intention to hurt your feelings. My ‘ouch’ was based on my honest feeling that your win spoke to a need to address the balance between judge and viewer voting,” he wrote. “I always felt bad that you & Sharna had to deal with the aftermath of that win & I certainly regret pouring any salt into that old wound.”
The Beverly Hills glam bubble surrounding Dorit Kemsley has finally burst. For years, the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star has perfected an image of globe-trotting glamour and financial stability, courtesy of her husband, Paul “PK” Kemsley. But as the couple’s separation turns into an aggressively hostile divorce, sources confirm the financial façade has spectacularly collapsed, revealing a reality riddled with millions in alleged debt and vicious personal attacks.
The latest bombshell dropped this week, when insiders revealed that PK has allegedly initiated a sweeping and retaliatory financial maneuver, designed to cripple Dorit’s immediate cash flow and assets.
Multiple sources confirm that PK, known for his own tangled history of bankruptcy and high-stakes debts, has successfully moved to freeze all joint bank accounts, leaving Dorit in a sudden and frantic scramble for liquid funds. This action comes amidst reports that the couple already faced the risk of losing their $8 million Encino home due to missed mortgage payments and a suspended LLC.
A financial source close to the proceedings revealed: “This isn’t just leverage; it’s a financial chokehold. PK knows Dorit operates on appearances. By freezing the money, he is forcing her hand and cutting off her ability to maintain the high-end lifestyle she claims is her own. The message is clear: he controls the purse strings.”
Legal experts suggest this move is directly tied to the community property laws in California, where the couple resides, and PK’s alleged attempt to limit his financial liability stemming from their various lawsuits and outstanding debts—some of which have been reported to exceed the $30 million mark across their history.
In what is being called a shockingly petty and cruel act of vengeance, sources claim PK has also moved to seize control of Dorit’s famous and extensive style archive, which includes countless designer gowns, bags, and accessories that have become her signature on and off RHOBH.
“The clothes are her armor; they are her brand,” a friend of Dorit’s lamented. “PK knows how much that archive is worth—both financially and professionally. By taking it, he’s not just taking property, he’s taking her identity and her primary source of income outside of Bravo, which relies on her image. He’s deliberately stripping her bare.”
The source suggests PK is using the archive as leverage, arguing that the luxury items were acquired using community funds accumulated largely through his (often dubious) past dealings and not Dorit’s individual earnings.
Perhaps most devastating for the image-conscious Dorit are the alleged verbal assaults. Insiders have detailed PK’s appalling commentary, reportedly mocking Dorit to mutual acquaintances and even in public settings.
PK has reportedly been overheard labeling his estranged wife a “STUPID, BANKRUPT WIFE” and acidly claiming she “NEVER EARNED A DIME” during their marriage—a brutal attack on the narrative she has meticulously built on reality television.
As one Bravo insider summed up the chaos: “Dorit always insisted she and PK were a team, but now he is burning the whole stadium down to ensure he escapes the financial wreckage alone. This divorce is less about love lost and more about the ultimate betrayal of a deeply toxic business partnership.”