Watch: DWTS’ Jenna Johnson, Harry Shum Jr. React to Carrie Ann Inaba’s “Lift” Critique
Val Chmerkovskiy is making it a pointe to take responsibility for actions.
The Dancing With the Stars pro issued an apology to Carrie Ann Inaba after he seemingly referenced Will Smith‘s infamous 2022 Oscars slap in response to the judge’s critique of wife Jenna Johnson‘s recent samba routine.
“I want to apologize from the bottom of my heart for my recent post,” Chmerkovskiy wrote on his Instagram Story Oct. 15. “I have reached out to Carrie Ann to apologize directly and personally, and I also want to apologize publicly as I understand my words affect so many outside of our internal DWTS family.”
“I should have never made the reference that I did and I deeply regret it,” he continued. “I recognize that I am in a fortunate position to have a platform and to be a role model to some, and I need to treat that with more care by actively pausing to think before I post to ensure what I am sharing aligns with who I am, and who I want to be for you all.”
The 40-year-old added, “I am truly sorry to Carrie Ann, and everyone who I hurt with my careless post. I will do better moving forward.”
Disney/Andrew Eccles; Disney/Christopher Willard
During DWTS‘ Oct. 13 episode, Inaba called out Johnson—who has been married to Chmerkovskiy since 2019—and her celebrity partner Harry Shum Jr. for implementing “a lift” into their routine, which is prohibited in competitive samba.
When Johnson, 32, questioned whether there was actually lift, Inaba, 58, grabbed a piece of paper and read the definition of the move as “any movement during which one of the dancers has both feet off the floor at the same time with the assistance or support of their partner.”
Following the tense exchange, Chmerkovskiy changed his TikTok status on Oct. 14 to read, “You almost saw Fresh Prince enter the ballroom last night,” according to screenshots circulating on social media.
Disney/Christopher Willard
His since-deleted status quickly raised eyebrows, with fans speculating he was referring to the moment when Smith—who starred on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air in the ‘90s—slapped Oscars host Chris Rock and told him to “keep my wife’s name out of your f–king mouth.” One social media user wrote in the comment section of one of his TikTok videos, “Sounds like a threat to me!!”
And while Chmerkovskiy may not had taken too kindly to Inaba’s feedback, Johnson and Shum thought the assessment was valid.
“I absolutely hear what they’re saying,” Johnson told E! News after the Oct. 13 episode. “This is a competition. There are judges for a reason. They do need to give feedback. So, yeah, we will take it.”
But, as the saying goes, it takes two to tango. Keep reading to get to know the rest of the DWTS season 35 cast.
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