Anna Delvey Says Whoopi Goldberg Should 'Get Your Facts Straight' and Demands 'On-Air Correction' AfterDWTSSlam

Mar. 15, 2025

From left: Whoopi Goldberg and Anna Delvey.Photo:Roy Rochlin/Getty; Dominik Bindl/Getty

Roy Rochlin/Getty; Dominik Bindl/Getty

Anna Delveyis speaking out afterWhoopi GoldbergslammedDancing with the Stars’ decision to cast the convicted con artist.

“While you are entitled to your own opinions, you should at least get your facts straight,” Delvey said in a statement toPage Six.

Responding to Goldberg’s claim that she still owed people money, she said, “I served my time and paid everyone back in full three-plus years ago. Looking forward to your on-air correction.”

“Stay nasty ladies, but don’t forget to vote Sept. 17!” she concluded, referring to the premiere date ofDancing with the Stars.

Anna Delvey.ABC/Jose Alvarado, Jr.

ABC/Jose Alvarado, Jr.

Delvey, whose real name is Anna Sorkin, gained notoriety for posing as a wealthy German heiress and used her social standing to defraud wealthy people, banks and hotels. She was arrested in 2017 and convicted of grand larceny in the first, second and third degree as well as theft of services in 2019.

OnThe Viewthis week, Goldberg didn’t hold back her thoughts on Delvey being allowed to participate inDWTSwhile acknowledging that the dance competition show andThe Viewboth air on ABC and therefore, “we gotta support the network.”

Whoopi Goldberg attends FGI Night of Stars 39th Annual Gala at The Plaza on October 17, 2023 in New York City.Dia Dipasupil/Getty

Dia Dipasupil/Getty

“Well that’s a little bit of a piss-off, I have got to tell you,” Goldberg responded, connecting Delvey’s casting to the larger debate around immigration. “You know, I like pretty people too, but I gotta say, I’m listening to people bitch about what’s going on at the border and I’m listening to people bitching about who shouldn’t be here — well what the hell, man? How does this work?”

“This is a [f— you] in the face of a lot of people who have been trying to make their way back to this country and families torn apart,” the EGOT winner said.

When Behar pointed out that convicted felons had been on the show in the past — includingTeresa Giudice,Lil' KimandTommy Chung— Goldberg noted they did it while “not wearing an ankle bracelet.”

Anna Delvey.Disney/Andrew Eccles

Disney/Andrew Eccles

Alongside her partnerEzra Sosa, Delvey will compete under the condition she continues to wear her ankle monitor. She toldThe Hollywood Reporterthat her device wouldn’t hinder her ability to perform. “In what way would it affect my performance? It’s actually pretty light,” she said.

PEOPLE spoke to Delvey on Tuesday, moments after herDWTScasting was announced.

She alleged that it took her request to filmDWTS"10 days to get through the system and get everything approved" at ICE — so much so that when that approval came in, “it was very close to the starting day so I kind of flew to LA pretty much the next day and I just decided, ‘Why not?’ "

When asked about facing potential backlash for her controversial casting, Devley said, “It’s just not that serious. If someone is that upset about casting on a dancing show, I don’t know what to tell them.”

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Dancing with the Starsseason 33 premieres Tuesday, Sept. 17 at 8 p.m. ET on ABC and Disney+, with the episode available to stream the next day on Hulu.

source: people.com