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Dancing with the Stars 13

Maksim Chmerkovskiy stands by 'Dancing with the Stars' verbal slam

By Elizabeth Kwiatkowski, 10/25/2011

Maksim Chmerkovskiy is standing by his Monday night comments in which he verbally slammed judge Len Goodman and boasted that Dancing with the Stars was his show.

"I pride myself on the fact that I've never changed," the Dancing with the Stars professional partner told The Hollywood Reporter. "I think I got smarter... but the integrity is still there. I'm very clear in what I stand for."

After Chmerkovskiy performed a rumba with Hope Solo during last night's performance show on ABC, Goodman told the American women's soccer star it was her "worst dance" of the season, backing up his critique by explaining how he had 50 years of experience under his belt.

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Frustrated with Goodman's "judgmental" comments, Chmerkovskiy suggested "maybe it's time to get out" of the business -- sparking immediate reactions from fellow Dancing with the Stars judges Carrie Ann Inaba and Bruno Tonioli who reprimanded him for being "disrespectful."

"Len is the only one who comes from a ballroom background, and I really respect his opinion," Chmerkovskiy said. "[But] I've danced for 27 years, and I've won more titles than Len ever even participated in."

Chmerkovskiy also clarified that when he insisted Dancing with the Stars was his show and he "helped make it what it is" after he and Solo received their low scores from the judges following their dance, he did not intend to suggest the show was all about him but rather the other professional partners as well.

"I feel like it's my show, and together, with other pros, I dedicated six years of my life to this show. I've helped make it what it is, but I've never taken it away from anybody else who participated," Chmerkovskiy told The Reporter.

"Like I said, it's my show, and I didn't mean it in a selfish way."

(Photo credit ABC)

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