Charlotte McKinney got booted from "Dancing with the Stars" on Monday, and the elimination stung for more reasons than one.
After dancing her rumba with pro partner Keo Motsepe, "DWTS" judge Bruno Tonioli told the model, "Listen my darling, you're never gonna win the Nobel Prize for quantum physics, but you are easy on the eyes," earning boos from the audience.
"I do believe it was uncalled for, especially after a week like the last week that we had… and throwing that in there just didn't make sense to me," Charlotte told Access Hollywood's Liz Hernandez after the show, when asked how she felt about Bruno's remark. "But everything the judges said, I learn from. To me, I thought it was better than last week, but this competition is very surprising."
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Adding, "We put in all our effort and I'm so grateful for everything. It's been an amazing journey for me."
Bruno's comment seemed especially harsh as it came after the revelation that Charlotte has been the subject of cyberbullying – so much so that she ran out of a rehearsal in tears.
"I just believe it was so uncalled for, especially because it had nothing to do with the dance. It didn't make sense," she said. "And after last week of making such a point about bullying and talking well about people, I didn't get it. But I took all the criticism to heart – it was what it was."
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Does the model have any regrets about her "Dancing" time?
"Looking back with the work I had going on during it all there wasn't much I could do," Charlotte – who was seen frequently checking her work e-mail during dance rehearsals on the show – said. "I have contracts before this to where I can't – I'm obligated. And of course I would have [given] more time and energy, but I didn't have that. I gave it my all and I've learnt so much."
-- Erin O'Sullivan
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