Why Val Chmerkovskiy is missing ‘Dancing with the Stars’ after controversial ‘Fresh Prince’ remark

Val Chmerkovskiy will not be present in the upcoming “Dedication Night” episode of Dancing with the Stars following a social media post referencing Will Smith’s 2022 Oscars slap that brought criticism. The professional dancer explained he made a poor decision while trying to defend his wife, Jenna Johnson.

In the Instagram story 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. Carrie Ann certainly didn’t deserve to get caught in the middle of my bad judgement, and I had that she was.”

Then Chmerkovskiy also added, “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. Please send Carrie Ann, Jenna, and the whole DTWS family lots of love during Dedication Night. I’ll be watching and cheering everyone on!!"


His statement followed a previous public apology earlier in the week. In that message, he said he had contacted Inaba personally and regretted making the reference. He also acknowledged that his words could affect people beyond the show’s own team.

BBC Studios said Chmerkovskiy’s social media post was inappropriate and did not meet the standards expected of people connected with the show. The company also confirmed that he would miss the following week’s episode. BBC Studios produces Dancing with the Stars, as per the People.

What did Val Chmerkovskiy post about Will Smith’s Oscars slap?

The controversy began after Chmerkovskiy posted a message on TikTok that read, “You almost saw the Fresh Prince enter the ballroom last night.” The post appeared after Inaba criticized a performance by his wife, Jenna Johnson, and her dance partner, actor Harry Shum Jr., during the October 13 episode.

Inaba questioned a lift in their samba routine. Lifts are not allowed in competitive samba, and the judge explained what counted as a lift during the discussion.The social media post was later deleted.

Inaba responded after the comment circulated online. She shared a post about Chmerkovskiy’s remark on Instagram and wrote, “So this is what we are doing now?”

Her response brought more attention to the post and the debate over what Chmerkovskiy meant by it.

Chmerkovskiy’s suspension also changes the lineup for his celebrity partner, Jenna Dewan. She will continue in the competition and is set to dance with Alan Bersten during “Dedication Night.” Bersten previously competed with Food Network star Giada De Laurentiis. Their pair was eliminated earlier in the season.