‘Dancing With the Stars’ Pulls Val Chmerkovskiy After ‘Inappropriate’ Carrie Ann Inaba Slap Joke: ‘The Well-Being’ of Our Staff Is ‘Non-Negotiable’
BBC Studios has benched Val Chmerkovskiy from next week’s “Dancing With the Stars” after calling his social media joke about judge Carrie Ann Inaba inappropriate. The decision follows a post that appeared to invoke Will Smith’s Oscars slap of Chris Rock, after Inaba criticised a lift in the routine performed by Chmerkovskiy’s wife, Jenna Johnson.
Chmerkovskiy said he meant to defend his wife but had made a poor decision and apologised to Inaba and viewers. Jenna Dewan, his dance partner, will still perform on Dedication Night, paired with Alan Bersten and dancing a Viennese waltz to “Unchained Melody” for her mother. Inaba has previously spoken about the impact of criticism and booing directed at her on the programme.
- Val Chmerkovskiy will miss next week’s show.
- He apologised for a joke about Carrie Ann Inaba.
- Jenna Dewan will dance with Alan Bersten.
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
BBC Studios can reasonably argue that a joke evoking violence towards a colleague crosses a professional boundary, even if it was meant as a defence of a family member. Benching Chmerkovskiy signals that staff welfare and respectful treatment matter, and sets a clear standard for public conduct connected to the programme.
The case against
A reasonable case against the decision is that Chmerkovskiy acknowledged his poor judgement and apologised, so a temporary removal may be seen as disproportionate to a remark he says was intended as a joke rather than a threat. A measured response could recognise the harm caused while allowing room for accountability, apology and return to work.