Carrie Ann Inaba Remembers Len Goodman A Year After Death
On April 22, 2023, ballroom legend Len Goodman succumbed to his battle with cancer, just a few days shy of his 79th birthday. And even after a year, his friends, family, and former colleagues sorely miss him.
On the first anniversary of his death, Dancing With The Stars judge Carrie Ann Inaba published a very touching tribute to her friend. Read on and see what she had to say.
Carrie Ann Inaba Loved Working With Len Goodman
The DWTS family honored Len Goodman by renaming the Mirrorball Trophy in his honor. Val Chmerkovskiy and Jenna Johnson also choreographed a beautiful tribute to Len last season. Several of the retired pros returned and participated.
According to Carrie Ann Inaba, it was a beautiful gesture that he would have loved. His world revolved around professional ballroom dance.
“Working with Len was always a pleasure. He was an elegant man with a mischievous smile who loved life to the fullest, and he lived his life to the fullest,” Carrie Ann Inaba’s sweet tribute in PEOPLE began. “Len was always doing something. He was making plans, attending social events, going out to dinner, playing golf with friends or getting a great manicure, and everything he did he loved. … He also loved to discover new music and always had the coolest playlists. He’d play songs you’ve never heard before that were wonderful. And I will always remember Len with a little skip in his step and a twinkle in his eye.”
The DWTS judge went on to recall specific memories she and Len shared together. Before each show, Carrie Ann, Len, and Bruno Tonioli would all hold hands to connect with each other and say “I love you.” That tradition happened before each show since 2005.
The DWTS Cast Truly Is Just Like A Family
Carrie Ann admits that she and Len butted heads over dancers quite often, but they would always hug it out during commercial breaks. They never parted ways angry.
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Carrie Ann also shared that Len Goodman would have adored the tribute the pro dancers performed in his honor last season.
“The tribute performance that Jenna and Val choreographed last season will always be one of the greatest moments in Dancing With The Stars history,” she continued. “By keeping it simple and straight to the point and so traditional, Len would’ve definitely given that a standing ovation. I could picture him giving a gentle nod of his head in appreciation. … We really are a family, and Len will always be the beloved patriarch. I miss him so much. I think we all do.”
What did you think about Carrie Ann Inaba’s tribute to Len Goodman a year after his death? Share your ideas in the comments.
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