Val Chmerkovskiy will not appear in the next installment of Dancing With the Stars, scheduled for Oct. 20, after making a social media post that referenced Will Smith’s actions at the 2022 Oscars. The post came in response to comments made by judge Carrie Ann Inaba regarding Chmerkovskiy’s dance partner Jenna Dewan’s performance during the Super Bowl Night episode.
Inaba had critiqued Dewan’s technique and challenged her to elevate her choreography. In a TikTok Story posted on Wednesday, Chmerkovskiy made a reference to the Fresh Prince, which observers interpreted as an allusion to Smith’s conduct at an awards ceremony. The post remained visible for at least six hours before being removed. Inaba subsequently responded to the comment on Instagram, questioning the appropriateness of the reference.
BBC Studios, the production company overseeing the series, released a statement explaining the decision. The organization stated that Chmerkovskiy’s post was deemed inappropriate and inconsistent with the standards expected of those involved with the program. For the Dedication Night episode, Dewan will be partnered with Alan Bersten, another professional dancer on the show.
Chmerkovskiy issued two statements acknowledging his error. In his first response on Thursday, posted to Instagram, he expressed regret for the reference and apologized to Inaba directly. He later released an additional statement emphasizing that he should have exercised greater judgment before posting and acknowledged his responsibility as someone with a public platform.
Dewan and Chmerkovskiy had performed competitively during Super Bowl Night, placing near the top of the leaderboard. According to reports, Dewan is aware of the situation and maintaining professionalism as she prepares to honor her mother during Dedication Night.
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