Val Chmerkovskiy will miss the next episode of Dancing With the Stars after the show suspended him for one week over a social media post that appeared to reference Will Smith slapping Chris Rock at the 2022 Academy Awards. BBC Studios, which produces the ABC competition series, said Chmerkovskiy’s post was inappropriate and did not meet the standards expected of people connected with the show.
The controversy began after the October 13 “Super Bowl Night” episode. Judge Carrie Ann Inaba criticized a samba performed by professional dancer Jenna Johnson and her celebrity partner, actor Harry Shum Jr., saying the routine needed more traditional samba content and included what she considered an illegal lift.
Johnson questioned the lift call during the live broadcast. Inaba then read the show’s definition of a lift, describing it as a movement in which a dancer has both feet off the floor with assistance or support. The moment drew attention because Johnson believed the movement involved backup dancers rather than Shum directly assisting her.
Chmerkovskiy, who is married to Johnson, defended his wife on social media after the episode. In a since-deleted TikTok status, he wrote, “You almost saw Fresh Prince enter the ballroom last night,” an apparent reference to Smith, who starred in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air before his film career.
Smith slapped comedian Chris Rock onstage at the Academy Awards in March 2022 after Rock made a joke about Jada Pinkett Smith. Because Chmerkovskiy made his post while defending his wife from criticism, the remark was widely interpreted as an allusion to that incident and directed at Inaba.
Inaba later acknowledged the post on Instagram and questioned the tone of the response. The disagreement over her judging also spread beyond Val Chmerkovskiy. His brother, former Dancing With the Stars pro Maksim Chmerkovskiy, publicly argued that the judging needed more consistency, while other dancers discussed whether the show’s lift rules were clear enough.
BBC Studios announced the disciplinary action on October 17. The company said the well-being of everyone working on Dancing With the Stars was “non-negotiable” and confirmed that Chmerkovskiy would not participate in the following week’s show.
People reported that the action was the first suspension of a professional dancer in the program’s history. Chmerkovskiy has competed as a professional partner on the series since Season 13 in 2011 and has become one of its most recognizable longtime pros. He has won the Mirrorball Trophy three times, with Rumer Willis in Season 20, Laurie Hernandez in Season 23 and Xochitl Gomez in Season 32.
The suspension is unusual for a series that has dealt with cast changes for injuries, illness and other scheduling issues but has rarely used public disciplinary action against a professional dancer. BBC Studios did not describe the post as a direct threat in its statement. Instead, it focused on the post being inappropriate and inconsistent with the show’s standards.
Chmerkovskiy responded with an apology and said his instinct had been to defend Johnson. He said he made a poor decision by using the Oscars reference without considering what else it could imply. He also said he had apologized to Inaba directly and did not want the controversy to distract from the show or its cast.
His suspension affects his own celebrity partner, Jenna Dewan, not his wife Jenna Johnson. Dewan, an actress and dancer known for Step Up and The Rookie, remains in the competition and is scheduled to perform during the October 20 “Dedication Night” episode.
Professional dancer Alan Bersten will replace Chmerkovskiy as Dewan’s partner for that episode. Bersten had already been eliminated earlier in Season 35 with celebrity partner Giada De Laurentiis, making him available to return as a temporary substitute. His return allows Dewan to remain in the competition without changing her planned dance style, song or dedication.
Dewan and Bersten are scheduled to perform a Viennese waltz to The Righteous Brothers’ “Unchained Melody.” The performance will be dedicated to Dewan’s mother, Nancy. ABC announced the routine before Chmerkovskiy’s suspension, when he was still listed as Dewan’s partner.
The dispute that led to the suspension centered on Johnson and Shum’s samba to Usher’s “Yeah!” during Super Bowl Night. The couple received a score of 33 out of 40 and advanced in the competition. Johnson later said she understood Inaba’s role as a judge even though the two disagreed about how the lift rule applied.
The judging controversy also prompted discussion among current and former professionals about how lifts involving troupe dancers should be treated. Sharna Burgess said the rule could be clearer, while acknowledging that she could understand both Johnson’s and Inaba’s interpretations.
Chmerkovskiy’s absence is currently limited to the October 20 episode. BBC Studios has not announced any longer suspension or additional disciplinary action, and reports describing the decision have characterized it as a one-week penalty.
The episode will still feature both Johnson and Dewan in separate partnerships. Johnson is scheduled to perform with Shum, while Dewan will dance with Bersten in Chmerkovskiy’s place. “Dedication Night” airs live October 20 on ABC and Disney+, with next-day streaming available on Hulu.