DWTS Season 35: Why Was Val Chmerkovskiy Suspended From Dancing With The Stars After His Controversial Will Smith Oscars Slap Reference To Judge Carrie Ann Inaba?

Dancing With The Stars Season 35 has hit an unexpected controversy after professional dancer Val Chmerkovskiy was suspended from the upcoming episode following an offensive social media post. The 40-year-old dancer will miss the show’s much-anticipated Dedication Night after making a reference to the infamous Will Smith Oscars slap while defending his wife, fellow professional dancer Jenna Johnson.

The incident has also led to a change in the dance lineup, with Jenna Dewan set to perform with professional dancer Alan Bersten instead of Chmerkovskiy. The decision marks the first suspension of a professional dancer in the show’s history.

Chmerkovskiy has since apologised to DWTS judge Carrie Ann Inaba and acknowledged that his post was inappropriate. Meanwhile, the show’s production company, BBC Studios, has stressed that the well-being of everyone working on the programme remains a priority. Here’s what happened, why Chmerkovskiy was suspended and what it means for the upcoming episode.

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Why Was Val Chmerkovskiy Suspended From DWTS Season 34?

Chmerkovskiy will not participate in the upcoming Dedication Night episode of Dancing With The Stars after sharing a social media post that referenced the infamous Oscars incident involving Will Smith and Chris Rock.

The now-deleted post came after judge Carrie Ann Inaba critiqued the latest performance by Chmerkovskiy’s wife, Jenna Johnson, and her celebrity partner, Harry Shum Jr.

In response, Chmerkovskiy wrote, “You almost saw the Fresh Prince enter the ballroom last night.”

The comment referenced Smith slapping Rock at the 94th Academy Awards in March 2022 after the comedian made a joke about Smith’s wife, Jada Pinkett Smith.

The incident became one of the most talked-about moments in Oscars history. Smith later apologised for his actions and was banned from attending Academy events for 10 years.

Chmerkovskiy’s reference sparked controversy because it invoked a widely condemned act of physical violence in the context of a judge’s criticism of a dance performance. The professional dancer later acknowledged that his attempt to defend his wife had been poorly judged.