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Chmerkovskiy Apologizes to Inaba After 'DWTS' Suspension
Confirmed
In Short: Val Chmerkovskiy apologized to Carrie Ann Inaba for the chaos caused by his comment on 'Dancing With the Stars,' following his one-week suspension.
Val Chmerkovskiy, a pro dancer on 'Dancing With the Stars,' apologized to judge Carrie Ann Inaba following his one-week suspension for making an inappropriate comment about her critique of his wife, Jenna Johnson, during a performance.
Chmerkovskiy's comment referenced the Will Smith and Chris Rock incident at the 2022 Oscars, drawing unwanted attention and criticism.
Inaba acknowledged the attention they were drawing, stating, 'We are coworkers and we are completely cordial. We are good, okay?' She emphasized the need for professional courtesy and the show's standards and practices.
Chmerkovskiy expressed his desire for Inaba's well-being, saying, 'I want nothing but love for her. I have nothing but respect for what she has to say.' He also apologized to Jenna Dewan for the chaos surrounding the controversy.
Inaba and Chmerkovskiy hugged it out after the show, as seen in a video obtained by PEOPLE. Inaba also addressed the controversy in a series of Instagram comments on Sunday, Oct. 23.
Chmerkovskiy returned to the ballroom for Tuesday night’s Horror Movie episode, but his return was acknowledged only in a video package before Dewan and Chmerkovskiy performed their Argentine tango.
No footage of Chmerkovskiy and Dewan from earlier rehearsals was shown, and there was no mention of why Chmerkovskiy wasn’t dancing.
Inaba emphasized the importance of creating a better understanding between the dancers and judges, stating, 'Working together to create a better understanding between the dancers and the judges and our audience is important to me, as we move forward.'
What this adds
Chmerkovskiy and Inaba appeared to clear the air in the ballroom, hugging and chatting after the show on Tuesday, Oct. 25.
Background
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What's confirmed
- “I think it was just really important for me to make sure that she feels safe and knows that, firsthand from me, I want nothing but love for her.” “I want nothing but joy for her and as much as the world might say otherwise, I want her to know how I feel, not how others want me to feel, but how I genuinely feel,” he continues.
- “It felt cathartic relief, you know?” Chmerkovskiy tells PEOPLE when asked what it was like speaking with Inaba after the show.
What's still developing
- 25, explaining that she had stayed relatively quiet out of “professional courtesy for those who are still competing” and because the show has “standards and practices that keep us separated.” The judge, who has been part of the series since its 2005 debut, emphasized that she and Johnson had already worked through their disagreement after the Oct.
- Inaba called out a lift during the pair’s performance on “Super Bowl Night,” prompting Chmerkovskiy to post a since-deleted comment on TikTok that read, “You almost saw the Fresh Prince enter the ballroom last night.” The remark referenced Will Smith slapping Chris Rock at the 2022 Oscars after the 61-year-old comedian made a joke about Smith’s wife, Jada Pinkett Smith.
- “We are back together,” Chmerkovskiy told the Step Up star in the pretaped segment.
- During Dewan’s video package ahead of her Dedication Night dance, a timestamp was shown for late Friday night, as she thanked Alan Bersten for stepping in to perform.
- “I have not spoken about what happened because of professional courtesy for those who are still competing, and we actually have standards and practices that keep us separated,” Inaba began.
- “ Dancing With the Stars ” pro Val Chmerkovskiy and judge Carrie Ann Inaba have made amends, concluding the hectic saga that has ensued since Chmerkovskiy made an “inappropriate” joke about Inaba earlier this month that resulted in his getting benched from the competition.
- “But I think a part of this ‘headline’ has missed a few important parts of what happened,” Inaba continued.
- Following Tuesday’s show, Chmerkovskiy and Inaba embraced one another, as caught on camera across social media.