Carrie Ann Inaba Speaks Out After Val Chmerkovskiy’s ‘DWTS’ Suspension, Requests Show to Add ‘New Lift Rule’ Next Season
Carrie Ann Inaba has addressed the dispute over her criticism of Jenna Johnson’s lifts on “Dancing With the Stars”, saying she and Johnson hugged after the episode and later offered to talk through the issue. Inaba also wants the show to develop a new lift rule for next season, arguing that dancers, judges and viewers would benefit from a shared understanding of how it is applied.
Inaba has traditionally deducted a point when dancers perform lifts, but has faced criticism that she enforces the rule inconsistently. The row escalated after Johnson’s husband, Val Chmerkovskiy, posted and then deleted a social media message that appeared to allude to Will Smith’s Oscars slap; BBC Studios called it inappropriate and suspended him from the following week’s show. Chmerkovskiy apologised to Inaba, saying he had acted while trying to defend his wife and had not considered what the reference could imply.
In short
- Inaba says she and Johnson worked through their disagreement.
- She wants dancers and judges to create a new lift rule.
- Chmerkovskiy was suspended after an inappropriate social media post.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
A clear lift rule could make judging more consistent and help contestants, judges and viewers understand when a lift merits a deduction. Inaba’s proposal may also give the show a chance to settle disputes through agreed standards rather than recurring personal rows.
The case against
A new rule may add complexity to judging a performance style where lifts can vary in form and context, and could constrain judges’ discretion. If the existing standard can be applied more consistently through clearer guidance, changing the rule itself may be unnecessary.
Explained simply
Dancing With the Stars is a televised dance competition in which celebrity contestants perform with professional dancers and receive scores from a panel of judges. Carrie Ann Inaba is one of the judges, while Jenna Johnson and Val Chmerkovskiy are professional dancers on the show and are married.
A lift is a move in which one dancer raises or supports another off the floor. Inaba has generally deducted a point when contestants include lifts, but viewers have questioned whether the rule is applied consistently. A clearer shared rule could affect how contestants choreograph routines and how judges score them.
Americas Celebrity Entertainment TV World