Judge: Bindi Irwin Can't Collect Her Dancing With the Stars Money Unless She Proves Her Dad Is Dead
Bindi Irwin, teenage daughter of the late Crocodile Hunter, Steve Irwin, is cleaning up on Dancing With the Stars, advancing to the ninth week of the show. That’s worth some serious prize money, TMZ reports—$230,000—but a judge won’t let her collect it until she proves her dad is actually dead.
According to L.A. Superior Court documents obtained by TMZ, Bindi’s mom Terri Irwin signed a release forfeiting any claim to her 17-year-old daughter’s DWTS earnings, but that wasn’t enough for the judge. To declare Bindi’s minor contract valid, she also needs a release form signed by her dad, who was tragically killed by a stingray in 2006.
Or she needs to prove he’s actually deceased. Presumably, that means producing a death certificate, but in a just world, she could submit one of the many, many news articles about her father’s passing, or the 2014 video of the Crocodile Hunter’s best friend and cameraman tearing up as he describes Irwin’s last words.
This seems like just a technicality, but a gross and morbid one. Lawyers for DWTS told TMZ they would “do what it takes” to get the judge to approve the contract so they can release Bindi’s money.
