Ryan Lochte Was Attacked On ‘Dancing With The Stars.’ Yes, Attacked.
The unaired footage is making its way around the internet.
Well, that’s a way to kick off season 23 of “Dancing With the Stars.” Ryan Lochte was ambushed on stage by two men following his performance with Cheryl Burke.
While the incident wasn’t shown on live TV, the unseen footage is making its way around the internet. Judge Carrie Ann Inaba was giving Ryan and Cheryl feedback when two hecklers wearing anti-Lochte T-shirts interrupted the show. The men, identified as Sam Sododeh and Barzeen Soroudi, stormed on stage and threw something at the Olympic swimmer.
A security guard then tackled one of the men and the other was escorted off stage with his hands behind his back.
While ABC originally kept the cameras on Carrie (below is the clip that was aired), you can visibly see judges Len Goodman and Bruno Tonioli look shocked, while Julianne Hough looks terrified. As if that wasn’t enough, Derek Hough reportedly came out from backstage and yelled at female protestors in the audience who were also sporting anti-Lochte shirts.
After the men were taken away by security, Ryan said that he was “hurt” over the incident. “So many feelings are going through my head right now,” he told host Tom Bergeron. “A little hurt. I came out here and I wanted to do something I was completely uncomfortable with, and I did.” Cheryl added that she was “hurt for Ryan.” “He’s working his butt off,” she said. “I hope people give him a chance.”
Ryan initially claimed that he was robbed at gunpoint in Rio, but later admitted that the story was embellished. Rio authorities reportedly said that he falsely used the robbery story to cover up vandalism.
Let’s just hope that no other hecklers make their way onto live television!
