DWTS pro Val Chmerkovskiy benched after ‘inappropriate' joke aimed at Carrie Ann Inaba

Kathleen O'Boyle Sat, October 17, 2026 at 8:50 PM UTC

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DWTS' Val benched for joke at Carrie Ann (Image: ABC)

Dancing With the Stars has benched professional dancer Val Chmerkovskiy after he sparked controversy with a social media post about judge Carrie Ann Inaba.

The BBC Studios production team confirmed on Saturday that Chmerkovskiy would not participate in next week's DWTS episode after his post referencing Will Smith's infamous Oscars slap drew criticism.

"The well-being of everyone who works on Dancing with the Stars is non-negotiable. Val's social media post was inappropriate and does not reflect the values or standards expected of anyone connected with the show," BBC Studios said in a statement on Saturday. "As a result, he will not participate in next week's show." This comes as Carrie Ann's controversial calls are resurfacing.

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Chmerkovskiy later addressed the decision in a statement shared on Instagram, admitting that he had made a poor judgment call while trying to defend his wife. "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 judgment, and I hate that she was."

He continued, "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 DWTS family lots of love during Dedication Night. I'll be watching and cheering everyone on!!"

Val will be forced to sit out of DWTS (Image: Getty)

The controversy began during the October 13 episode of the ABC competition, when Inaba critiqued Johnson's performance and pointed out a lift in her routine. Johnson, who is married to Chmerkovskiy, received an explanation from the judge about the definition of the dance move.

Following the episode, Chmerkovskiy posted a message to his TikTok Story that appeared to reference Smith's infamous confrontation with comedian Chris Rock at the 2022 Academy Awards.

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"You almost saw Fresh Prince enter the ballroom last night," he wrote, seemingly alluding to Smith's reaction to Rock's joke about his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, when the actor walked onstage and slapped the comedian. Smith then returned to his seat and shouted, "Keep my wife's name out of your fucking mouth."

Carrie Ann Inaba clapped back at Val's post (Image: Getty)

Chmerkovskiy's post was quickly deleted, but Inaba became aware of the remark and addressed the situation on her own Instagram account, thanking members of the media for bringing it to her attention.

The professional dancer subsequently issued a public apology on Thursday, acknowledging that his words had upset people beyond the show's immediate circle. "I want to apologize from the bottom of my heart for my recent post. 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 recognize that l 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 l 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."

Despite Chmerkovskiy's absence, his dance partner Jenna Dewan will continue competing during Dedication Night. According to Variety, Dewan will be paired with Alan Bersten, who was eliminated in week three, for the upcoming episode. Dewan is scheduled to perform a Viennese waltz to Unchained Melody, dedicated to her mother.

A source told Variety that Dewan remains committed to the competition despite the situation involving her usual partner. "Jenna Dewan is aware and has continued to be a true professional and respectful of the process," the source said. "Jenna is a beloved part of the Dancing with the Stars family, and we are grateful for the joy and positivity she brings to the show."

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Source: “AOL Entertainment”