Val Chmerkovskiy has been suspended from “Dancing With the Stars” for one week after a TikTok post drew fierce backlash.
The pro dancer, 38, will miss the upcoming Dedication Night episode after posting a video that appeared to reference Will Smith’s 2022 Oscars slap of Chris Rock, according to a statement from producer BBC Studios.
“The well-being of everyone who works on ‘Dancing with the Stars’ is non-negotiable,” the production company stated. “Val’s social media post was inappropriate and does not reflect the values or standards expected of anyone connected with the show. As a result, he will not participate in next week’s show.”
Chmerkovskiy addressed the suspension in a statement on Saturday.
“As you may have seen in the news, I won’t be in the ballroom this week,” he wrote.
“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,” the statement continued.
“Carrie Ann certainly didn’t deserve to get caught in the middle of my bad judgment, and I hate that she was.”
The controversy erupted after judge Carrie Ann Inaba delivered a harsh critique of Chmerkovskiy’s wife and fellow pro dancer Jenna Johnson during the October 15 episode. Inaba called Johnson’s rumba with partner Joey Graziadei “visually a little uncomfortable for me,” prompting visible distress from Johnson. Chmerkovskiy, who was eliminated earlier this season with partner Phaedra Parks, posted the TikTok video shortly after.
“The last thing I want is to become a distraction from an important week or from the incredible work my dance partner Jenna Dewan is putting in,” Chmerkovskiy concluded in his statement. Dewan had been paired with Chmerkovskiy for the current season following her casting announcement earlier this year.
“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 added.
The suspension marks a rare disciplinary action against a professional dancer in the show’s long history. Alan Bersten will step in to partner with Dewan for the missed episode, according to reports.
The Smith-Rock incident at the 94th Academy Awards became one of the most infamous moments in Oscars history when Smith strode onstage and slapped Rock across the face after the comedian made a joke about Jada Pinkett Smith’s shaved head. Smith later resigned from the Academy and was banned from attending its events for ten years. The moment has since been widely referenced and memed across social media, though Chmerkovskiy’s deployment of the reference as apparent defense of his wife against a television judge sparked immediate condemnation from viewers who noted the implied threat of physical violence.
Dedication Night is scheduled to air Tuesday on ABC.