Val Chmerkovskiy, one of the well-known professionals on the show “Dancing with the Stars”, will not take part in the upcoming episode of the famous dance competition. The news was announced on Saturday by the show’s producers, who said Chmerkovskiy, who is paired with actress Jenna Dewan, will be suspended for one week.
The decision follows a TikTok post by Chmerkovskiy last week, which appeared to refer to the well-known incident between Will Smith and Chris Rock at the 2022 Oscars ceremony. The professional dancer had reacted to harsh criticism that judge Carrie Ann Inaba gave his wife, Jenna Johnson, who is also a professional on the show and is paired with actor Harry Shum Jr.
“Almost saw ‘Fresh Prince’ walk into the ballroom last night,” Chmerkovskiy wrote in the post, now deleted, but viewed by NBC News. The post caused backlash and was deemed inappropriate by the show’s producers.
In a statement to NBC News, BBC Studios, the production company behind “DWTS”, stressed that “the wellbeing of everyone who works on ‘Dancing with the Stars’ is non-negotiable.” The statement added that “Val’s social media post was inappropriate and does not reflect the values or standards expected of anyone associated with the show.” As a result, it was decided that he will not take part in next week’s show.
Chmerkovskiy responded to the news of his suspension by posting an apology on his Instagram “story”. The dancer wrote that he had initially intended to “defend my wife.” He admitted that “I made a bad decision by referring to a meme about ‘keeping my wife’s name’ out of the conversation, without stopping to think about what else that reference could imply, which was honestly never my intention.” The reference was a clear allusion to Smith’s words directed at Rock during the Oscar altercation: “Keep my wife’s name out of your f***ing mouth.” Chmerkovskiy added: “Carrie Ann certainly did not deserve to be dragged into my poor judgment, and I am sorry that it happened.”
He also expressed his best wishes to everyone involved in the show. “Please send lots of love to Carrie Ann, Jenna, and the whole DWTS family during Dedication Night,” he wrote. “I will be watching and cheering for everyone!!” So far, Inaba has not publicly responded to Chmerkovskiy’s apology or suspension.
Instead of performing with Chmerkovskiy, Jenna Dewan will dance with professional Alan Bersten in a number dedicated to her mother. This changes the couple’s dynamic and brings a new partner for Dewan for the upcoming episode.
Tensions flared in Tuesday’s episode of “DWTS” when judge Inaba accused Johnson of including a “lift” in her samba routine with Shum. The Latin style of dance traditionally prohibits this move – something the judge has strictly enforced in the past. As Johnson, appearing confused, asked, “Lift?”, Inaba responded immediately. “A lift is, I just have to say it,” she said before reading from a sheet with the printed definition: “Any movement during which one of the dancers has both feet off the floor at the same time with the help or support of their partner. Yes. Lift.”
Later in the episode, Johnson seemed to take the criticism well. “I will accept that, of course,” she said. Chmerkovskiy had previously apologized for his TikTok post. On Thursday, he posted on his Instagram “story” that he had reached out directly to Inaba to apologize. “I acknowledge that I am in a privileged position to have a platform and to be a role model for some, and I need to handle that with more care by actively stopping to think before I post, to ensure that what I share aligns with who I am and who I want to be for all of you,” he wrote on Instagram “story”.
Taken from NBC News