‘Dancing with the Stars 21’: Carrie Ann Inaba responds to Kim Zolciak petition to return

At this point in time, it feels fairly safe to assume that Kim Zolciak, despite whatever her fans may want to see happen, is not going to return to “Dancing with the Stars.” This is not meant as any sort of attack against the “Real Housewives of Atlanta” alum, but it just feels like confirmation that the show is not going to change its rules: If you cannot have a routine scored by the judges, even if it is just rehearsal footage, then you have to be sent home.

Of course, we do feel like many associated with the show do care about Kim and are happy she is okay after a series of mini-strokes sent her to the hospital. Unfortunately, that doesn’t mean that they want to see her back like a recent petition suggested she should. Carrie Ann Inaba has no say ultimately on such decisions, but she did recently tell E! News her thoughts on the whole matter:

“I think that it would not be fair, because the rules are the rules and she didn’t compete. It doesn’t feel right for me for her to come back … The best part of this situation is she’s OK, she had a stroke and she survived and she’s doing well.”

We figure that by the time the next new episode rolls around, most of this gossip and chatter is probably going to be dead in the water. The only reason that it is still getting attention now is because we are in the middle of the week.

We would be remiss in this article to also not mention Alek Skarlatos, who is currently hurting after a shooting yesterday at Umpqua Community College in his home state of Oregon. He was enrolled there prior to being a part of this show, and is traveling back there to be with the community. Our heart is with him. (Photo: ABC.)