Robert Irwin may be one of the most beloved competitors in Dancing With the Stars history—but according to the Irwin family, his late dad Steve would never have set foot on that ballroom floor.
Over the weekend, I attended the Steve Irwin Gala, which was held at the gorgeous Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas. The annual event benefits Wildlife Warriors—the foundation Steve and Terri Irwin founded in 2002—and helps protect injured, threatened or endangered wildlife. I was so inspired when they told me about the incredible work they do—but given Robert's runaway success on DWTS, I just had to ask if his legendary dad would have ever considered competing for the mirrorball.
Read on to discover more about the family's vital wildlife conservation efforts—and the reason Steve Irwin would have had no shot on the show. (Russell Crowe already knows why.)
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Why Steve Irwin on 'DWTS' Would Be Pure Comedy
Terri Irwin and son Robert attend the 2026 Steve Irwin Gala at the Bellagio in Las Vegas.Photo by Ethan Miller on Getty Images
When I asked Robert and Terri whether Steve would have ever competed on DWTS, they immediately erupted in laughter and responded in perfect unison: "No!"
While it's hilarious to imagine the late, great and larger-than-life Aussie attempting a foxtrot or tango in the ballroom, they explained it all comes down to rhythm. "He would've not done any stars thing," Terri laughed. Robert joked that not even the best DWTS pro could have helped his dad! "Not even Witney [Carson] could've gotten any sense of rhythm out of [him], I don't think!"
The Night Steve Irwin Joined Russell Crowe's Band Onstage
Long before Robert was twirling across primetime television, Steve and Terri attended a concert together. "Russell Crowe has a band that used to be called 30 Odd Foot of Grunts," Terri told me. "I think I was pregnant with Bindi at the time. Steve got up on stage with him and they gave him a tambourine."
His tambourine performance was incredibly entertaining—but for all the wrong reasons. "The whole band still talks about Steve's complete lack of rhythm," Terri laughed. Robert jumped in with the band's verdict: "Only person they've ever seen to just not understand the concept of rhythm!"
As Terri put it, "Tambourine won the fight."
Russell Crowe and Steve Irwin appear on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno in 2003.Photo by Kevin Winter on Getty Images
"30 Odd Years of Grunt," Robert quipped. "It was a moment that's been remembered for nearly 30 years."
For a man who fearlessly wrestled crocodiles and scaled fences to escape charging cassowaries, the tambourine remains one of his most formidable opponents.
How Robert, Terri and Bindi Remember Steve—With Laughter
Photo by Handout on Getty Images
But the Russell Crowe story is one example of how the Irwin family chooses to keep Steve's memory alive and honor his legacy—by sharing the joy and laughter he brought to people all over the world.
"I have a bloopers clip of Steve," Terri said when asked about her favorite footage of her late husband. "That is my favorite, and it makes me tear up with laughter because he was always falling over a fence or out of a tree—or something! And to have captured that all on camera."
She continued: "He was the first person, as we say, in Australia to take the Mickey out of himself. Because he was just living his best life and having a great time, so he didn't mind. And I think that's what's so important to remember Steve with so much love and fun. That's who he was."
Robert echoed his mom's sentiment, recalling specific footage that he'll always remember—including the time Steve had to scale a fence to avoid being attacked by a cassowary, and another moment where he got stuck in a bus and had to crawl out the window!
Related: Robert Irwin Reveals the Powerful Way He Connects With Dad Steve Irwin
Robert Irwin Calls Continuing His Dad's Legacy 'The Honor of My Lifetime'
But there's one video in particular that resonates deeply with Robert. "There's footage of him talking about the importance of Bindi and I continuing the legacy that mom and dad created," he explained. "I feel like he was so ahead of his time in so many ways, but he also had a real vision for the future. Like he just knew that Bindi and I would gravitate towards this world of wildlife conservation. I think of it as not just what I do, but who I am—and it's the honor of my lifetime to continue a legacy that is so important."
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