As CBS announces its new show The Activist alongside Usher, Priyanka Chopra and Julianne Hough as judges, the latter is amongst the three facing intense backlash. Hough, however, went online to agree that she is not “qualified” to host a show about activism after infamously wearing a blackface in 2013. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Julianne Hough (@juleshough)The Dancing With the Stars alum posted on Instagram yesterday to discuss being inexperienced when it comes to activism.Meanwhile, the heavily criticized The Activist show will see the participants "compete in missions, media stunts, digital campaigns and community events" to "bring meaningful change to one of three urgent universal causes: health, education and the environment."Why is Julianne Hough being called out for judging The Activist?The 33-year-old dancer was heavily criticized in 2013 after wearing a blackface by dressing up as Netflix’s Orange is the New Black character Suzanne Warren, who was popularly called “Crazy Eyes" in the show. Julianne Hough was seen with darkened skin as she portrayed the character for Halloween.Uza Aduba, who played Crazy Eyes on the show, went on to react to Hough’s Halloween costume in 2013. She told E! News:"I think maybe it was an unfortunate event, but she (Julianne Hough) apologized and I feel like we can all move on." View this post on Instagram A post shared by Julianne Hough (@juleshough)Julianne Hough’s recent Instagram post read that she does not “claim” to be an activist and “wholeheartedly” agrees that she should not be playing the judge. She said that the judging aspect of The Activist “missed the mark.”She continued:“I’m not qualified to act as judge.”The Utah-native also recognized that many netizens were highlighting her past mistake “which only further added insult to injury”. Speaking of her regretful decision, Julianne Hough said:"Wearing blackface was a poor choice based on my own white privilege and white body bias that hurt people and is something that I regret doing to this day."As Julianne Hough reflected on her past mistake and “being committed to act differently”, she said:"Not perfectly, but hopefully with a more developed understanding that racism and white supremacy is harmful to ALL people."The professional dancer, who acted in Footloose, went on to explain why she decided to be part of the show. She also said that she was “really excited” to highlight the work of hard-working activists on a large platform.She wrote:"In doing so, I felt it would help educate, mobilize and inspire people around the world to get involved in activism because many worthy causes need attention, funding and most importantly, the power to effect real change.”The Activist is receiving online backlash from many. Hough acknowledged that the internet thought it was "performative, promoted pseudo-activism over real activism, felt tone-deaf."She went on to reiterate that the judges of the hosts were “celebrities and not activists.”Jameela Jamil 🌈@jameelajamilCouldn’t they just give the money it’s going to take to pay this UNBELIEVABLY expensive talent and make this show, directly to activist causes? Rather than turning activism into a game and then giving a fraction of the much needed money away in a “prize…?” People are dying. twitter.com/filmupdates/st…Film Updates@FilmUpdatesUsher, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, and Julianne Hough will host competition series ‘The Activist’.Activists go head-to-head in challenges to promote their causes, with their success measured via online engagement, social metrics, and hosts’ input.(deadline.com/2021/09/usher-…)9:00 AM · Sep 10, 2021107701450Usher, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, and Julianne Hough will host competition series ‘The Activist’.Activists go head-to-head in challenges to promote their causes, with their success measured via online engagement, social metrics, and hosts’ input.(deadline.com/2021/09/usher-…) https://t.co/HvaUaGTcl41:49 AM · Oct 11, 2018Couldn’t they just give the money it’s going to take to pay this UNBELIEVABLY expensive talent and make this show, directly to activist causes? Rather than turning activism into a game and then giving a fraction of the much needed money away in a “prize…?” People are dying. twitter.com/filmupdates/st…fatima bhutto@fbhuttoThe good news is that no actual activists would be caught dead on this show. twitter.com/FilmUpdates/st…Film Updates@FilmUpdatesUsher, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, and Julianne Hough will host competition series ‘The Activist’.Activists go head-to-head in challenges to promote their causes, with their success measured via online engagement, social metrics, and hosts’ input.(deadline.com/2021/09/usher-…)4:26 AM · Sep 10, 202155175Usher, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, and Julianne Hough will host competition series ‘The Activist’.Activists go head-to-head in challenges to promote their causes, with their success measured via online engagement, social metrics, and hosts’ input.(deadline.com/2021/09/usher-…) https://t.co/HvaUaGTcl41:49 AM · Oct 11, 2018The good news is that no actual activists would be caught dead on this show. twitter.com/FilmUpdates/st…Gina Martin@ginamartinuk1. Why the hell are they judging this2. Why the hell is there a TV show that turns activist into a competition when the whole *essense* of activism is solidarity and community. This is the absolute worst. twitter.com/FilmUpdates/st…Film Updates@FilmUpdatesUsher, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, and Julianne Hough will host competition series ‘The Activist’.Activists go head-to-head in challenges to promote their causes, with their success measured via online engagement, social metrics, and hosts’ input.(deadline.com/2021/09/usher-…)1:46 AM · Sep 10, 202164579Usher, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, and Julianne Hough will host competition series ‘The Activist’.Activists go head-to-head in challenges to promote their causes, with their success measured via online engagement, social metrics, and hosts’ input.(deadline.com/2021/09/usher-…) https://t.co/HvaUaGTcl41:49 AM · Oct 11, 20181. Why the hell are they judging this2. Why the hell is there a TV show that turns activist into a competition when the whole *essense* of activism is solidarity and community. This is the absolute worst. twitter.com/FilmUpdates/st…Mx. Amadi@amaditalksPublic disapproval made HBO cancel their deal with the Game of Thrones guys to make that show that imagined that the confederacy won.We can get this unholy neoliberal activist game show canceled the same way.6:16 AM · Sep 10, 20211389301Public disapproval made HBO cancel their deal with the Game of Thrones guys to make that show that imagined that the confederacy won.We can get this unholy neoliberal activist game show canceled the same way.RAFAEL CASAL@RafaelCasalWith love/ I hope @Usher @priyankachopra will sit with some activist elders and re-think the choice to make a competition activist tv show. This is poison in the well of meaningful progress by rewarding performative activism with celebrity. twitter.com/FilmUpdates/st…Film Updates@FilmUpdatesUsher, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, and Julianne Hough will host competition series ‘The Activist’.Activists go head-to-head in challenges to promote their causes, with their success measured via online engagement, social metrics, and hosts’ input.(deadline.com/2021/09/usher-…)9:54 AM · Sep 10, 2021763142Usher, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, and Julianne Hough will host competition series ‘The Activist’.Activists go head-to-head in challenges to promote their causes, with their success measured via online engagement, social metrics, and hosts’ input.(deadline.com/2021/09/usher-…) https://t.co/HvaUaGTcl41:49 AM · Oct 11, 2018With love/ I hope @Usher @priyankachopra will sit with some activist elders and re-think the choice to make a competition activist tv show. This is poison in the well of meaningful progress by rewarding performative activism with celebrity. twitter.com/FilmUpdates/st…Sankul Sonawane@Sankul333We're all laughing at the Activist show starring Priyanka Chopra, but that's what activism has been reduced to. Rich UC kids using their Instagram activist pages for getting into Ivy Leagues is the norm now. Activism is now only meant for making a career rather than making change1:58 AM · Sep 11, 20211868236We're all laughing at the Activist show starring Priyanka Chopra, but that's what activism has been reduced to. Rich UC kids using their Instagram activist pages for getting into Ivy Leagues is the norm now. Activism is now only meant for making a career rather than making changeDiana Bowers-Smith@infomartianhere's the thing about the activist competition reality show. this exact scenario is playing out irl in nonprofits across the country. non-famous rich people playing out their little drama of power and superiority to decide who gets a little money, as a treat. higher taxes now7:44 AM · Sep 15, 202171here's the thing about the activist competition reality show. this exact scenario is playing out irl in nonprofits across the country. non-famous rich people playing out their little drama of power and superiority to decide who gets a little money, as a treat. higher taxes nowJulius C.@juliusmotalhow the discussion went in the boardroom for the activist show:"who do we get to host this?""activists?""no."7:34 AM · Sep 15, 20211how the discussion went in the boardroom for the activist show:"who do we get to host this?""activists?""no."Julianne Hough also added in her lengthy Instagram note:"I heard you say there was hypocrisy in the show because at the root of activism is a fight against capitalism and the trauma that it causes so many people and that the show itself felt like a shiny capitalistic endeavor."She ended her note by saying:“I’m going to continue to listen, unlearn and learn and take the time to be fully present with everything that you have all shared because I don’t want to just react. I want to digest, understand and respond in a way that is authentic and aligned with the woman I am becoming.”