Val Chmerkovskiy Apologizes to Carrie Ann Inaba for Will Smith Slap Reference

Val Chmerkovskiy, a professional dancer on "Dancing With the Stars," has issued an apology to judge Carrie Ann Inaba for a social media post that referenced Will Smith's 2022 Oscars slap. Chmerkovskiy stated that he reached out to Inaba personally to apologize and also offered a public apology, acknowledging the impact of his words.

"I want to apologize from the bottom of my heart for my recent post," Chmerkovskiy wrote in an Instagram Story post on Thursday. "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."

Chmerkovskiy expressed deep regret for the reference he made on TikTok, recognizing his role as a public figure and a "role model." He concluded his apology by stating, "I am truly sorry to Carrie Ann, and everyone who I hurt with my careless post. I will do better moving forward."

The post in question, which was subsequently deleted from TikTok, was made the day after the show's "Super Bowl Night." Chmerkovskiy had written, "You almost saw Fresh Prince enter the ballroom last night." This comment followed a tense exchange between Inaba and Chmerkovskiy's wife, fellow pro Jenna Johnson, during the episode, where Inaba delivered a critique of Johnson's performance with partner Harry Shum Jr.

Will Smith famously slapped comedian Chris Rock at the 2022 Academy Awards after Rock made a joke about Smith's wife, Jada Pinkett Smith. Smith was subsequently banned from Academy events for 10 years.

Chmerkovskiy's comment drew immediate criticism from some viewers who interpreted it as a threat. However, other fans suggested that the post was not intended as a threat of physical violence, but rather a reference to Smith's famous line directed at Rock: "Keep my wife's name out of your f--king mouth."

Inaba herself addressed Chmerkovskiy's post on Thursday via Instagram, writing, "So this is what we are doing now?" She thanked Page Six for bringing the comment to her attention.

The exchange between Johnson and Inaba occurred when Inaba pointed out a lift in Johnson and Shum Jr.'s routine that she claimed was not supposed to be included. Johnson appeared to disagree, leading Inaba to cite a definition from a sheet of paper as the audience fell silent.

"Dancing With the Stars" airs on ABC and streams on Disney+.