A beloved talk show tradition is getting a decidedly mixed reaction online after actress Emmy Rossum showed off her dance moves on The Jennifer Hudson Show.
Rossum, best known for her roles in Shameless and The Phantom of the Opera, appeared on the Thursday, October 22, episode of the daytime talk show, where she took part in the show’s signature Spirit Tunnel. The tradition features staff members lining a hallway to cheer, chant, and dance as celebrity guests make their way toward the stage.
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While the segment is designed to get guests energized before their interviews, not everyone watching is feeling the spirit.
A Reddit post featuring Rossum’s entrance sparked a lively discussion with many commenters questioning the tradition and admitting they would feel uncomfortable participating themselves.
“If I never see a spirit tunnel video again I wouldn’t mind that,” one commenter wrote, receiving thousands of upvotes.
Another called the videos “excruciating,” while someone else described the experience as a “humiliation ritual.”
Others focused on the awkwardness of being expected to dance while walking between two rows of people. One commenter wrote that the setup seemed particularly uncomfortable because guests have to keep moving down the hallway while figuring out what to do with their hands and feet.
Several people also admitted that the prospect of being asked to participate would make them anxious, even if they were never likely to find themselves in that situation.
The Spirit Tunnel, which has become one of the most recognizable features of The Jennifer Hudson Show, began during the show’s first season as a way to give Hudson an energetic welcome before she took the stage. It eventually expanded to include celebrity guests, with staff members creating personalized chants and musical tributes for the stars walking through the hallway.
Not everyone was focused on criticizing the tradition itself. One commenter pointed out the double standard guests can face, noting that some people admitted they would be too anxious to participate while others criticized Rossum for not doing enough.
“These comments are hilarious cuz you got half of them saying they’d be terrified to do this out of embarrassment or anxiety and the other half slagging on her for not doing enough,” the commenter wrote. “Like, people acting like she should be doing Cirque de Soleil for y’all damn.”