Carrie Ann Inaba has spoken out publicly for the first time since “Dancing With the Stars” pro Val Chmerkovskiy was benched over a social media post targeting her.
The 58-year-old judge broke her silence Sunday in the comments section of her latest Instagram post, explaining she had stayed quiet until now out of “professional courtesy” to the remaining competitors still vying for the Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy. “We actually have standards and practices that keep us separated,” she wrote. “But I think a part of this ‘headline’ has missed a few important parts of what happened.”
Inaba revealed that she and pro Jenna Johnson, 32, had already privately resolved their on-air clash from the show’s “Super Bowl Night” on Oct. 13. “Jenna was an absolute professional about it, and two women worked through the moment,” Inaba wrote. “It came to my attention later that Jenna was deeply hurt. So I also offered to speak with her at any time,” She added that the pair “hugged it out” after the broadcast ended.
The original confrontation occurred when Inaba flagged a lift during Johnson and her partner Harry Shum Jr.’s samba. Johnson reportedly broke down backstage afterward, and her husband Chmerkovskiy, 40, who was described as “pissed,” comforted her.
Inaba also used her Instagram comments to advocate for a formal lift rule to be introduced next season. She proposed gathering all dancers and judges in one room to discuss “the history of how and why Len Goodman, our original producers and I defined the lift rule” and its underlying purpose, which she identified as “safety and fairness.”
“The show has evolved tremendously. The way the show is cast has also changed, and so has our audience and the way they consume the show,” Inaba continued. “So working together to create a better understanding between the dancers and the judges, and our audience is important to me as we move forward and is something I have asked for.”
She pointed followers to a video pro Sharna Burgess had made explaining the distinctions between lifts, assists, and which dances permit them.
Chmerkovskiy’s suspension stemmed from a now-deleted TikTok post he shared after Inaba’s critique of his wife. “You almost saw Fresh Prince enter the ballroom last night,” he wrote, referencing Will Smith’s infamous Oscars slap of Chris Rock. He later apologized as the post generated backlash, but producers still pulled him from “Dedication Night” last week.
His absence forced his partner, Jenna Dewan, to perform a Viennese waltz with substitute pro Alan Bersten instead. The suspension was officially lifted on Oct. 21, and a source confirmed Chmerkovskiy had reunited with Dewan at rehearsals ahead of his return.
Inaba’s comments come as Chmerkovskiy is set to return to the ballroom Tuesday for “Horror Movie Night.”
