Dylan Efron, a former contestant on "Dancing With the Stars," has defended judge Carrie Ann Inaba amid recent controversy involving professional dancer Val Chmerkovskiy and his wife, Jenna Johnson.
Efron, who competed in Season 34 of the reality competition, stated in an interview with Page Six's "Virtual Reali-Tea" that Inaba was simply fulfilling her duties as a judge. "If they were all just saying how amazing everyone does each week, we would hate them for it," Efron explained. "They’re up there to judge."
His comments come after a contentious moment during an episode where Inaba called out Johnson for an "illegal" lift in her and partner Harry Shum Jr.'s samba performance. Reports indicated that Johnson was visibly upset backstage following the exchange. The following day, Chmerkovskiy posted a since-deleted social media message referencing Will Smith's Oscars slap, which led to his one-week suspension from the show. Efron noted that judging "emotion" in a dance is difficult and requires bravery.
Efron elaborated on the distinct roles of the "DWTS" judges, suggesting that Bruno Tonioli focuses on the performance aspect, Derek Hough emphasizes technique, and Inaba's strength lies in assessing the emotional connection to the dance. "I think when you talk about emotion, she either will hit it right on the head... and then sometimes it misses," Efron said. "But I think when you’re critiquing emotion, it’s hard. It’s brave of her to do that."
Following the incident, Chmerkovskiy was banned for a week, and his partner, Jenna Dewan, danced with alternate pro Alan Bersten. Chmerkovskiy has since returned to the ballroom, apologized to Dewan, and was seen reconciling with Inaba during a commercial break. Inaba also commented on Instagram that she and Johnson had resolved their differences, and proposed a new rule regarding lifts for future seasons.
Johnson and Shum Jr. later achieved the season's first perfect score for their contemporary dance. "Dancing With the Stars" airs Tuesdays on ABC and Disney+.