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“Dancing With the Stars” judge Carrie Ann Inaba reflected on her career on “The Jennifer Hudson Show” Monday and spoke about being hired as a backup dancer for one of Madonna’s tours when she was just 23 years old.
And although Inaba had pretty positive things to say about her experience working with the “Vogue” singer, she did say that Madonna had one outrageous rule that would make many want to express themselves to the HR department.
“Back in the day she was very strict,” Inaba said. “She gave us this one rule — which I’m so grateful she did. It was, for every minute you’re late, you have to pay her $100 out of your paycheck.”
“I ain’t going to lie, I’d be broke,” Hudson said exasperated. “Cause I’m always late.”
Inaba then shared how following that costly rule affected her the rest of her life — and she doesn’t sound traumatized at all.
Eric McCandless via Getty Images
“I’m never late,” Inaba said. “I’m always early, in fact so much so, that I waste half my day … showing up too early.”
Despite the rule, Inaba told Hudson that it was a dream come true to work for Madonna.
“There was like Michael [Jackson], Prince, and Madonna at the time. Right?” Inaba said. “I got on Madonna’s tour, and I was like, ‘That’s all I need!’”
In fact, after Inaba was done with the tour, she said she “retired” from dancing and went back to school.
“As a dancer, you’re kind of put out to pasture when you’re 25,” Inaba said.
Madonna is currently embarked on her Celebration Tour, so fingers crossed that her current and likely very young backup dancers have plenty of emergency funds in their savings accounts.