“Smiling doesn’t win you gold medals,” Olympian Simone Biles’ quirky reply to TV personality Tom Bergeron once made host feel like an ‘idiot’

Patrice Bergeron states how he was "put in my place" by Simone Biles during 2017 on-stage dance event due to a careless remark.

“Smiling doesn’t win you gold medals,” Olympian Simone Biles’ quirky reply to TV personality Tom Bergeron once made host feel like an ‘idiot’

Tom Bergeron and Simone Biles [Image Credit- CNN and Imago]

Tom Bergeron, previously known for presenting Dancing with the Stars, recently spoke about his widely-known dispute with Simone Biles. The incident occurred on live television during the 24th season of the program. The American edition of the renowned British dance competition Strictly Come Dancing in 2017 featured a 26-year-old participant who had garnered four gold medals in the Olympics.

During the event, she was accompanied by a skilled dancer called Sasha Farber for their dance. The judges’ predominantly critical remarks following their performance left Biles feeling disappointed. This incident orchestrated the infamous on-air clash of Biles and Bergeron later on in the series.

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Biles’ unexpectant expression surprised Bergeron, who had assumed she would wear a smile upon receiving kind words. In a recent episode of Cheryl Burke’s podcast called Sex, Lies and Spray Tans, Tom Bergeron, the 68-year-old, confessed that he doesn’t usually speak without considering his words.

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Carrie Ann Inaba stood by Biles and provided kind remarks, in contrast to the fault-finding done by Bruno Tonioli and Len Goodman. He recollected how she stood by Biles. Bergeron caught wind of a conversation backstage where it was mentioned that the person in question failed to smile, despite receiving compliments from Carrie Ann. Instead of inquiring about Biles’ reaction to the judges’ comments, Bergeron jumped the gun with the comments.

Rather than expressing it that way, the ex-presenter of America’s Funniest Home Videos clarified that he was considering the producer’s final notion and was quite ashamed of himself for his reaction. He questioned how Biles “didn’t smile“, to which the Olympian replied, “Smiling doesn’t win you gold medals.” 

“Now, what woman wants to hear a guy say, ‘Hey, sweetheart, smile!’. The moment it came out of my mouth, I thought, ‘Oh, you [idiot].’ I was so properly put in my place."
Tom Bergeron revealed in Cheryl Burke’s podcast called Sex, Lies and Spray Tans

Tom Bergeron realized his mistake after his comment on Simone Biles

Tom Bergeron admitted that Simone Biles’ reaction made him understand his mistake. The athlete chose to follow Bergeron’s suggestion and donned a T-shirt stating “Gold medals are not won with smiles.” They even took a picture together wearing the T-shirt. Bergeron mentioned feeling embarrassed while he stood next to her after the accidental mishap.

Simone Biles
Simone Biles [Credit-NBC]

However, there was a specific point in time where he felt remorseful for not taking a pause, comprehending what was being said, and articulating it in his own words. Biles made a comeback to international competition at the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships held in Antwerp, Belgium. To prioritize her mental well-being, she decided to step back from the sport for two years.

The American athlete’s exceptional performance was demonstrated through winning four gold medals and one silver medal. Her participation in the World Championships and Olympic Games led to a grand total of 37 medals under her belt.

With this achievement, she has exceeded the previous record set by Belarusian gymnast Vitaly Scherbo and now holds the title of the most decorated gymnast in history. Scherbothe was born in 1972. He stands alone as the only male gymnast who has achieved a world title in all eight events.

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