"Dancing with the Stars" pro Val Chmerkovskiy will miss next week's episode after a controversial social media remark about Carrie Ann Inaba that seemed to reference Will Smith's Oscars slap.
The longtime choreographer, who joined as a pro dancer for the ABC reality competition series in Season 13 in 2011, has been suspended from Season 35, the show's production company BBC Studios announced Oct. 17. The statement confirmed he will not appear in the Oct. 20 episode, which is themed Dedication Night.
"The well-being of everyone who works on Dancing With the Stars is non-negotiable," BBC Studios said in a statement shared with The Hollywood Reporter. "Val’s social media post was inappropriate and does not reflect the values or standards expected
of anyone connected with the show. As a result, he will not participate in next week’s show."
His Season 35 partner Jenna Dewan will be paired with pro Alan Bersten in the Oct. 20 episode, according to The Hollywood Reporter, after Bersten was eliminated earlier this season alongside Giada De Laurentiis.
USA TODAY has reached out to ABC for comment.
What did Val Chmerkovskiy say about Carrie Ann Inaba?
After the Oct. 13 episode, Chmerkovskiy posted on his TikTok Story and seemed to imply he wanted to slap Inaba the way Will Smith slapped Chris Rock at the 2022 Academy Awards.
"You almost saw Fresh Prince enter the ballroom last night," Chmerkovskiy said, referencing Smith's character from the classic sitcom "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air." At the 2022 Oscars, Smith slapped Rock after the comedian made a joke about his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith.
Inaba addressed the remark on her Instagram, saying, "So this is what we are doing now?"
In an Oct. 15 Instagram story, Chmerkovskiy said he reached out to Inaba to apologize directly for the post.
"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," he said in the statement.
Val Chmerkovskiy's apology comes after Carrie Ann Inaba, Jenna Johnson lift drama
Chmerkovskiy added in his apology that he recognizes "that I am in a fortunate position to have a platform and to be a role model to some."
"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," he wrote.
Days earlier, during Super Bowl Night on "Dancing with the Stars," Inaba had a tense exchange with Chmerkovskiy's wife, fellow pro Jenna Johnson.
After Johnson and "Grey's Anatomy" actor Harry Shum Jr. danced a samba to Usher's "Yeah!", Inaba told the pro, "I think you need to put more content in your dances."
The judge also said the pair's routine included an illegal lift, which confused Johnson.
Inaba then read the definition of a lift out loud: "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."
She was apparently referring to a moment in the routine when troupe members helped Shum with a backflip. Before receiving their scores, Johnson responded to Inaba's critique.
"I totally understand. I thought it was if you lifted your partner, but totally hear Carrie Ann," she said.
'DWTS' lift controversy sparks debate
Inaba's criticism of the lift sparked widespread debate among fans and former stars alike.
Chmerkovskiy's brother, former "Dancing with the Stars" pro Maksim Chmerkovskiy said he disagreed with the criticism in an appearance on "The Viall Files" podcast.
He argued that the rulebook Inaba read from is "only applicable to a couple dancing," not additional dancers used in the background.
"There's no 'three other people' in the rulebook. The point is: Carrie Ann, get some consistency," he said.
Maksim Chmerkovskiy's wife Peta Murgatroyd, who is another former "Dancing with the Stars" pro, also agreed that the rule is unclear.
"I agreed with Jenna in the fact, like, ‘Oh, so even if it’s not me, he can't be lifted either.' I think maybe that would have been confusing for me too," Murgatroyd said on the podcast.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 'Dancing with the Stars' pro Val Chmerkovskiy pulled after Carrie Ann Inaba remark
