Val Chmerkovskiy Returns to 'Dancing With the Stars' After Suspension for Will Smith Slap Joke
The professional dancer faced judge Carrie Ann Inaba for the first time since his suspension, earning praise for his performance.
Val Chmerkovskiy returned to the "Dancing With the Stars" ballroom on Tuesday following a one-week suspension for a controversial social media comment. The professional dancer, 40, and his partner Jenna Dewan, 45, performed an Argentine tango during the show's Horror Movie Night episode.
Chmerkovskiy came face-to-face with judge Carrie Ann Inaba after making an Instagram post that referenced Will Smith's infamous Oscars slap. The post was in response to Inaba giving his wife, Jenna Johnson, a low score on a previous episode, which led to his suspension. During rehearsals, Chmerkovskiy apologized to Dewan for the drama.
After their performance to a song inspired by the horror movie "28 Weeks Later," the judges, including Inaba, were impressed, awarding the pair 37 out of 40 points. "Incredible choreography, Val," Inaba told him. Chmerkovskiy thanked her after the praise.
Last week, Dewan was partnered with pro dancer Alan Bersten, who temporarily replaced Chmerkovskiy during his suspension.
Following the October 13 episode, Chmerkovskiy shared a now-deleted post on his TikTok Story that many interpreted as a reference to Smith slapping Chris Rock at the 2022 Oscars. Smith slapped Rock after the comedian made a joke about Smith's wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, and then yelled, "Keep my wife's name out of your f***ing mouth!" Chmerkovskiy later clarified that his comment specifically referred to the latter part of Smith's outburst.
Despite Chmerkovskiy's public apology, BBC Studios confirmed his one-week absence, marking the first suspension of a professional dancer in the show's history.
Inaba addressed the incident in a recent Instagram post, calling for a "new lift rule." She stated that she had not spoken about the situation earlier due to professional courtesy but felt it was important to clarify certain aspects. Inaba mentioned that she and Jenna Johnson had "hugged it out" after the show and that Johnson was professional. Inaba also offered to discuss the lift rule with Johnson and the other dancers, acknowledging that the show has evolved and suggesting a collaborative discussion between dancers, judges, and the audience to foster better understanding.