Val Chmerkovskiy Benched From Dancing With The Stars
Professional dancer val chmerkovskiy will sit out from the upcoming "Dedication Night" episode of Dancing With the Stars after sharing an offensive social media post. This marks the first professional dancer suspension in the history of the television series.
The controversy began when dwts val chmerkovskiy posted and later deleted an Instagram Stories statement referencing Will Smith's Oscars slap. The post was a reaction to judge Carrie Ann Inaba's critiques regarding a performance by his wife, Jenna Johnson, and her partner Harry Shum Jr.
The Apology and Production Response
In his deleted post, val benched dwts wrote that he attempted to defend his wife by referencing a meme to keep her name out of conversations, without realizing the implications. He also apologized directly to carrie ann inaba, stating that she did not deserve to be caught in the middle of his bad judgment.
BBC Studios released a statement emphasizing that the well-being of everyone working on the program is non-negotiable and that the post did not reflect the values expected from anyone connected to the show.
Next Steps in the Ballroom
With val dancing with the stars appearances paused for the week, his partner Jenna Dewan will perform with Alan Bersten, an eliminated pro returning for the episode. Chmerkovskiy stated that he wants to avoid being a distraction and will be watching and cheering everyone on from home.
Sources: People.com, Variety, Deadline.
