‘DWTS’ makes a major decision following Val Chmerkovskiy’s controversial social media post
“You almost saw Fresh Prince enter the ballroom last night.” Val Chmerkovskiy’s since-deleted TikTok post followed Carrie Ann Inaba’s criticism of his wife, Jenna Johnson, on ‘Dancing With the Stars’. The reference appeared to invoke Will Smith’s 2022 Oscars slap. It prompted a response from Inaba and an apology from Chmerkovskiy before the show’s producers addressed his conduct.
Chmerkovskiy has received a one-week suspension and will miss the October 20 Dedication Night episode. In a statement BBC Studios said, “The well-being of everyone who works on ‘Dancing with the Stars’ is non-negotiable. Val’s social media post was inappropriate and does not reflect the values or standards expected of anyone connected with the show. As a result, he will not participate in next week’s show.” The announced action covers the upcoming episode.
His celebrity partner, Jenna Dewan, will continue competing in Season 35 despite his absence. Alan Bersten will temporarily take Chmerkovskiy’s place alongside Dewan. Bersten previously competed with Giada De Laurentiis before their elimination earlier this season. Dewan’s Dedication Night performance will be a Viennese waltz to ‘Unchained Melody’, honoring her mother.
The dispute began during the October 13 Super Bowl Night episode. Johnson, a fellow professional dancer, performed a samba to Usher’s ‘Yeah!’ with her celebrity partner, Harry Shum Jr. Inaba called for more dance content and flagged a lift in the routine. When Johnson questioned the lift critique, Inaba read its definition aloud. Chmerkovskiy posted his Fresh Prince comment the following day.
Inaba subsequently addressed the post on Instagram on October 15, writing, “So this is what we are doing now?” Chmerkovskiy apologized on his Instagram Story that day and said he had contacted her personally. “I should have never made the reference that I did and I deeply regret it,” he wrote. His apology also acknowledged the responsibility that came with his platform and included a commitment to think before posting.
Following the suspension announcement, Chmerkovskiy issued another statement addressing the reference and Dewan’s upcoming performance. “Carrie Ann certainly didn’t deserve to get caught in the middle of my bad judgment, and I hate that she was,” he said. He also asked viewers to support Inaba, Dewan and the ‘DWTS’ team during Dedication Night. “I’ll be watching and cheering everyone on!!” he added. ‘Dancing With the Stars’ airs Tuesdays at 8 pm ET/PT on ABC and Disney+.
