NEWSCarrie Ann Inaba: Natalie Coughlin Didn't Deserve The Boot
Oct. 21 2009, Published 12:59 p.m. ET
Last night's untimely exit of Olympic swimmer Natalie Coughlin from Dancing With The Stars had some twinkle-toe aficionados up-in-arms over the ouster.
And you can count DWTS judge Carrie Ann Inaba as one of them.
"I was a little disappointed," admitted Carrie Ann during a break from work at the Three Square food bank in Las Vegas, where she's volunteering as part of the iParticipate campaign.
"We haven't had a female dancer who moved with such strength and flexibility and fluidity in a while. And she hasn't had any performing experience — I was really excited to see how far she could grow throughout the ten weeks of our show."
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So why did the 11-time Olympic medalist get sent to the showers early?
"Unfortunately for Natalie, I think that people didn't know who she was," said the cheorographer, actress and dancer. "Maybe the fan base of her sport isn't watching our show or maybe it isn't as big as someone like Michael Irvin's fanbase, which is basketball."
Carrie chatted with OK! while taking part in her other passion in life — volunteering.
She had spent the day at Three Square Food Bank — which provides 8 million meals a year for under-privileged families in Vegas — on behalf of iParticipate, with 50 volunteers from UnitedHealthcare’s “Do Good, Live Well” volunteer campaign.
"Ever since I started volunteering, I'm hooked! I just want to find more ways to participate and give back," she gushed. "It just feels so good!"
And Carrie Ann says you can feel good too by visiting the Entertainment Industry Foundation's iParticipate site.
"You can type in your ZIP code and some of your areas of interest and it will tell you some of the ways to participate right in your neighborhood."
You may notice that volunteering features in some of your favorite TV shows over the next few weeks.
Dozens of hit shows like Grey's Anatomy, Desperate Housewives and 30 Rock will include storylines or segments in which their stars give up their time to help others.
