'DWTS' Host Tom Bergeron Says Ballroom Was in 'Shock' Over Ryan Lochte Protesters
Usually viewers see the kind of drama that occurred last night in the ballroom a little later in the season. But after Olympian Ryan Lochte's foxtrot, there was pandemonium when protesters rushed the stage during the live broadcast of "Dancing With the Stars."
'DWTS': Protesters Shout 'Liar,' Interrupt Ryan Lochte’s Debut
“It’s not uncommon for there to be a lot of noise here, a lot of cheering, a lot of jeering when people don’t like the judges’ comments," "DWTS" host Tom Bergeron said on 'GMA' today.
“It wasn’t really until I saw Carrie Ann [Inaba]’s expression change that I got the sense something more was going on and I turned and honestly, by the time I saw the two guys coming with their T-shirts, our security team had them sucking floor. So it all happened very quickly and then my main concern was how Ryan and Cheryl [Burke] were and to try to get some control of the show so we could move forward once I knew that that had been taken care of.”
Bergeron said everyone in the ballroom was surprised by the ordeal.
“We were shocked and we have a very good security system here," he said. "There are metal detectors, bags are checked, etc."
Bergeron added: “The mood in the room was definitely in Ryan’s corner after these guys were escorted out.”
According to the LAPD, the two men, Barzeen Soroudi and Sam Sotoodeh, said they were protesting Lochte because of the incident in Rio de Janeiro during the Summer Olympics, adding they felt it endangered Americans. They were charged with misdemeanor trespassing, the LAPD confirmed to ABC News today. It's not clear whether they've entered a plea, or retained lawyer.
Lochte and fellow swimmers have been heavily criticized for claiming they were robbed at gunpoint while in a taxi in Rio during the games. Brazilian authorities call the claim of a gunpoint robbery fabricated. Instead, authorities said one or more of the U.S. swimmers vandalized a bathroom at a gas station after leaving a party.
“I heard the audience members saying they didn’t know what to do because they thought it was part of the show," Bergeron said. “There are always skeptics about everything ... but look, it wasn’t a bit. It was really unnerving and again, I applaud our security team for making it very short.”
Some have questioned the legitimacy of the incident.
“I heard the audience members saying they didn’t know what to do because they thought it was part of the show," Bergeron said. “There are always skeptics about everything…but look, it wasn’t a bit. It was really unnerving and again, I applaud our security team for making it very short.”
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
