LOS ANGELES — BBC Studios has handed professional dancer Val Chmerkovskiy a one-week suspension from “Dancing With the Stars” after he published an online comment referencing the infamous Oscars slap in response to a judge’s critique, production officials confirmed Saturday.
The disciplinary measure marks the first known suspension of a professional dancer in the competition series’ history, according to ABC News. Chmerkovskiy, 40, will miss Tuesday’s live broadcast of “Dedication Night.”
“The well-being of everyone who works on Dancing with the Stars is non-negotiable,” series producer BBC Studios said in a statement. “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.”
Dispute Over Samba Critique
The controversy emerged following last Tuesday’s “Super Bowl Night” episode. During the broadcast, longtime judge Carrie Ann Inaba scrutinized a samba performed by actor Harry Shum Jr. and pro dancer Jenna Johnson, who is married to Chmerkovskiy. Inaba penalized the pair for including a forbidden lift, reading the official definition aloud from a note card and ultimately awarding them a score of eight.
Chmerkovskiy, who appeared visibly irritated during the live broadcast, later posted a comment to his TikTok Story reading, “You almost saw Fresh Prince enter the ballroom last night.” The remark was widely viewed by fans as an allusion to Will Smith striking comedian Chris Rock at the 2022 Academy Awards after Rock joked about Jada Pinkett Smith.
Inaba shared a screenshot of coverage of the comment on Instagram, writing, “So this is what we are doing now?” According to reporting by the Daily Mail, show insiders claimed the judge was deeply offended and felt the comment constituted a threat.
Chmerkovskiy Apologizes for ‘Bad Judgment’
Chmerkovskiy subsequently deleted the post and issued both private and public apologies. In a statement released through his representative, he acknowledged letting his protective impulses cloud his decision-making.
“In a moment where my instinct was to defend my wife, I made a poor decision to reference a meme to ‘keep my wife’s name’ out of the conversation, without stopping to think through what else that reference could imply, which was genuinely never my intention,” Chmerkovskiy stated. He added that Inaba “certainly didn’t deserve to get caught in the middle of my bad judgment, and I hate that she was.”
Chmerkovskiy noted that he did not want to detract from his celebrity partner, actress Jenna Dewan, as she prepares for the upcoming performance.
Dewan Gains New Partner for Dedication Night
Dewan, 45, will perform on the Oct. 20 broadcast alongside professional dancer Alan Bersten. Bersten became available after being eliminated earlier this season with his celebrity partner, Giada De Laurentiis.
The new pairing is scheduled to perform a Viennese waltz to the Righteous Brothers song “Unchained Melody,” which Dewan is dedicating to her mother, Nancy Bursch. BBC Studios noted that Dewan handled the last-minute adjustment with professionalism.
Dewan’s fiancé, actor Steve Kazee, also rallied to her side following the announcement. Posting on Instagram Stories, Kazee praised Dewan’s “grace,” “class” and resilience as she navigates the abrupt change in the ballroom.
Whether producers will address Chmerkovskiy’s suspension on the air during Tuesday’s broadcast remains unconfirmed. “Dancing With the Stars” airs Tuesday at 8 p.m. Eastern time on ABC and streams live on Disney+.
