14 DAY TRIAL // The second week of ABC’s Dancing With the Stars was not without celebrity casualties: Michael Bolton left the show. However, he still feels judge Bruno Tonioli needs to do some soul searching and see what his mission on the show is.
As we also informed you a few days ago, what (allegedly) got Bolton booted off the show was a comment from Toni, who called his dance the “worst… ever” in the show’s long history.
Also then, Toni gave Michael a 3 for his effort, which landed him at the bottom of the chart and eventually helped with his departure.
Minutes after he got the boot, the singer was saying Bruno owed him an apology for how he’d spoken to him, a thing that the show’s producers assured him would never happen.
Speaking with People magazine just recently, Bolton underlined that he understood why Bruno wouldn’t apologize to him – yet hoped he’d do some soul searching before going on the show again.
“I don’t wish to pressure the show… I don’t blame them. Nor do I wish ABC to put any pressure on him. I think it’s a personal epiphany [Bruno] may have to have,” Bolton says for People.
Indeed, he doesn’t blame producers in any way, even saying that the entire DWTS staff is extraordinary and well-meaning, going out of their way to make everyone feel comfortable both when the cameras are rolling and when they’re not.
Neither is Bolton thinking about asking for that apology from Bruno again: once is more than enough, he says.
“I asked for it in one interview and I felt he should express a public apology to me. I think asking once is enough, and I don’t want my friends, fans and supporters to ask for it. It is what it is,” the singer explains.
However, the fact that he’s speaking out again about Bruno doesn’t mean Bolton is trying to imply he would have won the show if it weren’t for the “rude” judge – far from it, actually.
“I own responsibility for not getting the scores that we needed the second week and I don’t want people to think I’m saying we would have won the show or something if it weren’t for Bruno,” Bolton says.
“I just think Bruno needs to remember what the spirit of the show he’s on is. The spirit of that show is lighthearted and inviting people to face something very, very scary and challenging and do something that enriches your life and the lives of the huge audience that is watching,” the singer concludes by saying.
To this moment, Bruno remains mum on the topic. After saying an apology for Michael Bolton was not coming (so there’d be no use expecting one), producers of the show have also refused all comment.