"They wouldn't let me change it": Dancing with the Stars guest judge Flavor Flav on accidentally giving wrong scores to Alix and Val

Dancing with the Stars season 34's latest Tuesday episode, streamed on November 4, 2025, saw the contestants performing on the theme of Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Night.

Rapper Flavor Flav joined Bruno Tonioli, Carrie Ann Inaba, and Derek Hough as a guest judge, who received spotlight with his chaotic scoring pattern and pleasingly unclear remarks. 

Two pairs received the top score in week 8 of Dancing with the Stars, namely Whitney Leavitt and Mark Ballas, and the other one was Alix Earle and Val Chmerkovskiy, getting 39 out of 40 from the judges.

Whitney topped the leaderboard, though, due to consistent high scores throughout season 34 of Dancing with the Stars. 

However, Alix and Val could have been the first pair to receive a perfect score of 40 if rapper Flavor Flav had given them a 10.

Guest Judge now reveals that he accidentally gave them a 9 while he intended to give a score of 10 to Alix and Val, speaking exclusively to PEOPLE on November 4, 2025. He noted:

"I gave them a nine which was an accident. I really wanted to give them a 10, but they wouldn't let me change it."

Flavor Flav's accidental score prevented Alixe and Val from getting their perfect score for the first time in Dancing with the Stars season 34

Dancing with the Stars guest judge Flavor Flav opened up on the latest episode of the ABC show, celebrating the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Night, as he spoke to PEOPLE on Tuesday, saying that he did not mean to mess up Alix Earle and Val Chmerkovskiy's perfect score on the night.

He revealed that he gave them a nine by accident, he really wanted to give them a 10, but the show makers did not allow it as it was against the rules and format of the show, as he describes the moment as:

"I went, 'No. No, that was an accident. I don't want to give them a nine. I want to give them a 10.' But they was like, 'Flavor, it's already locked in. You can't change it.' I'm like, 'Oh man.'"

He later admitted that this is how the game goes, noting:

"That's how the game goes. You know what I'm saying?"

Flav said that he was looking for precision and preciseness and the perfect timing to give a perfect score, and Alix and Val's routine had it all. The musician further adds:

"You know what I'm saying? And I looked for the perfect teamwork. Each one of these couples tonight had all that and more."

Alix Earle and Val Chmerkovskiy performed a Paso Doble to the 1986 hit Livin’ on a Prayer by Bon Jovi.

Their performance was well received by the judges, with all three judges except Flavor giving them a 10, while Flavor gave them a 9, which made their total score 39 out of 40. 

Bruno Tonioli called the performance electrifying, while Carrie Ann Inaba complemented the couple’s teamwork, and Derek Hough appreciated how they aced the challenge of controlling such a high-energy routine.

Following the performance, Flav remarked, standing up, that:

'I was watching ya’ll moves. The unison, the timing was great. Ya’ll was so good,' he explained before getting cut off by the music. 

The eighth week of Dancing with the Stars' final group dance was joined by co-host Julianne Hough and Alfonso Ribeiro, who joined the two teams separately.

Team Chicago was made up of Alfonso Ribeiro (host), Danielle (captain) and Pasha, Whitney and Mark, Jordan and Ezra, and Dylan and Daniella.

While Team Kool consisted of Julianne Hough (host), Andy (captain) and Emma, Robert and Witney, Alix and Val, and Elaine and Alan.

Team Chicago won the group dance with a score of 40/40 while Team Kool earned a score of 38/40.

Stay tuned for more updates.