Val Chmerkovskiy faces historic Dancing with the Stars suspension

Val Chmerkovskiy has reportedly received a historic suspension from Dancing with the Stars following a social media controversy that sparked widespread criticism. The professional dancer will reportedly miss one week of the popular competition, marking an unprecedented moment in the show’s history.

The controversy began after judge Carrie Ann Inaba criticized a dance routine performed by Val’s wife, Jenna Johnson, and her celebrity partner, Harry Shum Jr., during Season 35 of the reality competition. Her comments sparked a reaction from Val, who later shared a social media post referencing one of the most controversial moments in recent Oscar history.

The dancer’s post quickly attracted attention online, with many viewers questioning his decision to bring up the incident involving actor Will Smith and comedian Chris Rock at the 2022 Academy Awards.

Val Chmerkovskiy’s social media post sparks backlash

Val faced criticism after posting a remark that referenced the infamous Oscars incident in which Will Smith walked onto the stage and slapped Chris Rock following a joke about his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith.

The professional dancer wrote, “You almost saw Fresh Prince enter the ballroom last night.”

His comment appeared to draw a comparison between the Oscars incident and the criticism directed at his wife during the latest episode of Dancing with the Stars.

Although Val’s intention appeared to be defending his wife, the reference did not sit well with many viewers. The post triggered a wave of negative reactions, turning a discussion about the judges’ feedback into a larger controversy surrounding the dancer’s conduct.

The backlash eventually led to disciplinary action, with Val reportedly being removed from the ballroom for one week. The suspension has attracted additional attention because it is being described as the first suspension of a professional dancer in the show’s history.

The decision represents a significant development for the long-running dance competition, where professional dancers play a central role in helping celebrity contestants prepare for their weekly performances.

Val issues an apology and explains his decision

Following the controversy, Val addressed the situation through his Instagram Stories on Saturday, October 17. In his statement, he acknowledged that he would not be participating in the upcoming episode and expressed regret over his social media post.

“Hi everyone. As you may have seen in the news, I won’t be in the ballroom this week,” he wrote.

Val explained that his reaction came from an instinct to defend his wife. However, he admitted that he had made a poor decision by referring to a meme without fully considering the possible implications of his words.

“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 continued.

The dancer also acknowledged that Carrie Ann had been unfairly caught in the middle of the situation. He expressed regret that his actions had created an additional controversy surrounding the judge.

“Carrie Ann certainly didn’t deserve to get caught in the middle of my bad judgment, and I hate that she was,” Val said.

He added that he did not want the incident to distract viewers from an important week of the competition or from the work being done by the contestants and professional dancers.

Alan Bersten steps in for the upcoming episode

Val concluded his statement by sending love to Carrie Ann, Jenna, and the entire Dancing with the Stars family ahead of Dedication Night.

“Please send Carrie Ann, Jenna, and the whole DWTS family lots of love during Dedication Night. I’ll be watching and cheering everyone on!!” he wrote.

Despite Val’s absence, Jenna Johnson is expected to continue competing with a temporary partner. Professional dancer Alan Bersten, who was eliminated earlier in the season, will reportedly step in to dance with her for the week.

The change introduces an unexpected challenge for Jenna as she prepares for the next performance without her usual partner.

Meanwhile, Val’s suspension and subsequent apology have placed the spotlight on the consequences of his social media reaction. As the competition continues, attention will remain on Jenna’s performance, the judges’ feedback, and whether the controversy will affect the atmosphere surrounding the upcoming episode.