Dancing With the Stars professional dancer Val Chmerkovskiy issued a public apology on October 15, 2026, after facing intense backlash for a since-deleted TikTok post that appeared to reference the 2022 Oscars slap involving Will Smith following a judge’s critique of his wife’s routine.
Val Chmerkovskiy Issues Public and Personal Apologies
Following online criticism over a controversial social media post, Dancing With the Stars professional Val Chmerkovskiy posted a lengthy statement on his Instagram Story on October 15, 2026, addressing judge Carrie Ann Inaba directly.
Fans and viewers quickly connected the remark to the 2022 Academy Awards incident where Will Smith walked onto the Oscars stage while Rock was hosting after he made a joke about his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, starring in a G.I. Jane sequel. Smith infamously yelled Keep my wife’s name out of your fucking mouth!
from the crowd after returning to his seat following the slap. One Reddit thread was flooded with theories that the dancer’s post was likely referring to the Oscars altercation, adding that they took his comment as an indication that he allegedly wanted to slap Carrie Ann for telling Jenna to step it up.
I want to apologize from the bottom of my heart for my recent post.
‘DWTS’ pro Val Chmerkovskiy apologizes to Carrie Ann Inaba for invoking Will Smith’s Oscars slap during dispute over her critique of his wife’s prohibited lift with Harry Shum Jr.:“I want to apologize from the bottom of my heart for my recent post. I have reached out to Carrie… pic.twitter.com/8UVNx4Qoic
The three-time DWTS winner stated that he reached out to resolve the tension personally before making his public statement. In his published remarks, he acknowledged that his platform carries responsibilities that require more thoughtful consideration before publishing online commentary.
I have reached out to Carrie Ann to apologize directly and personally, and I also want to apologize publicly as I understand my words affect so many outside of our internal DWTS family. I should have never made the reference that I did and I deeply regret it. I recognize that I am in a fortunate position to have a platform and to be a role model to some, and I need to treat that with more care by actively pausing to think before I post to ensure what I am sharing aligns with who I am, and who I want to be for you all. I am truly sorry to Carrie Ann, and everyone who I hurt with my careless post. I will do better moving forward.
Super Bowl Night Samba Routine Triggers Live Show Dispute
The behind-the-scenes drama stemmed from an eventful broadcast during Super Bowl Night on October 13, 2026. The judge specifically noted that the choreography included a lift, which is prohibited in competitive samba.
When Johnson, 32, questioned whether a lift actually occurred during the performance, the 58-year-old judge grabbed a piece of paper and read the strict competition definition live on air: A lift is — I just need to say it — any movement during which one of the dancers has both feet off the floor at the same time with the assistance or support of their partner. Yeah, lift.
Following the broadcast, Inaba responded to screenshots of Chmerkovskiy’s social media post by sharing a Page Six feature alongside an image of Will Smith, writing So this is what we are doing now?
on her Instagram account on Thursday.
Contrasting Reactions From Competitors and the Cast
While the professional dancer expressed heavy frustration online, his wife and her partner thought the assessment was valid. Johnson told E!
New episodes of the show continue to air live weekly on ABC and Disney+ beginning at 8:00 p.m. ET, with next-day streaming available on Hulu as the competition proceeds.