Val Chmerkovskiy Suspended From DWTS After Slap Remark; Carrie Ann Inaba Complained to HR
The "Dancing with the Stars" pro was suspended for an episode after a comment referencing Will Smith's Oscars slap prompted a human resources complaint from judge Carrie Ann Inaba.
Val Chmerkovskiy, a professional dancer on "Dancing with the Stars," has been suspended for one episode after a remark he made on social media led to a human resources complaint from judge Carrie Ann Inaba.
According to a report, Inaba complained to the show's production company, BBC Productions, after feeling "threatened" by Chmerkovskiy's comment. A source told TMZ that the HR investigation began after BBC Productions officials reviewed Chmerkovskiy's social media post.
Chmerkovskiy, 40, was informed that his suspension was a standard company procedure. He is expected to return for the following week's show.
The controversy originated on October 13, when Inaba critiqued Chmerkovskiy's wife, Jenna Johnson, and her dance partner Harry Shum Jr., for including a lift that Inaba deemed outside the samba's rules. Inaba defined the move as one where "one of the dancers has both feet off the floor at the same time with the assistance or support of their partner."
The following day, Chmerkovskiy posted a now-deleted TikTok video that said, "You almost saw Fresh Prince enter the ballroom last night." This was an allusion to Will Smith's 2022 Oscars incident, where Smith slapped presenter Chris Rock.
Chmerkovskiy also commented on another clip, stating, "Puts some respect on her name. Shes trippin talking to her like that."
BBC Studios confirmed Chmerkovskiy's suspension in a statement to The Daily Mail, emphasizing that "the well-being of everyone who works on Dancing with the Stars is non-negotiable." The statement continued, "Val’s social media post was inappropriate and does not reflect the values or standards expected of anyone connected with the show."
Pro dancer Alan Bersten will fill in for Chmerkovskiy, dancing with Jenna Dewan in the upcoming episode.
Following his suspension, Chmerkovskiy issued an apology on Instagram, addressing Inaba directly. "In a moment where my instinct was to defend my wife, I made a poor decision to reference a meme to 'keep my wife’s name' out of the conversation, without stopping to think through what else that reference could imply, which was genuinely never my intention," he wrote. "Carrie Ann certainly didn’t deserve to get caught in the middle of my bad judgment, and I hate that she was."
Chmerkovskiy stated that his intention was not to cause a distraction for the show. He added, "Please send Carrie Ann, Jenna, and the whole DWTS family lots of love during Dedication Night. I’ll be watching and cheering everyone on!!"
Sources close to the situation told TMZ that Chmerkovskiy has no prior HR complaints and has accepted the suspension. Colleagues have reportedly shown support for him in the aftermath.