Val Chmerkovskiy suspended from ‘Dancing With the Stars’ over Will Smith Oscars slap reference
Val Chmerkovskiy has been suspended from “Dancing With the Stars” for one episode after a social media post appeared to reference Will Smith’s 2022 Oscars slap. The suspension matters as the programme’s producer described it as a response to an inappropriate post, and ABC said it was the first known suspension of a professional dancer in the show’s history.
The post followed judge Carrie Ann Inaba’s criticism of Chmerkovskiy’s wife, Jenna Johnson, and her dance partner, Harry Shum Jr., over a lift in their samba. Chmerkovskiy wrote, “You almost saw the Fresh Prince enter the ballroom”, then deleted the post and apologised to Inaba, saying he had made a poor decision while trying to defend his wife. He will miss Tuesday’s Dedication Night, and his celebrity partner Jenna Dewan will dance with Alan Bersten.
- Val Chmerkovskiy will miss one episode of “Dancing With the Stars”.
- His deleted post appeared to allude to the 2022 Oscars slap.
- He apologised, and Alan Bersten will partner Jenna Dewan.
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
A one episode suspension can be defended as a proportionate way to uphold standards of respectful conduct on a widely watched programme. Chmerkovskiy’s reference to the Oscars slap could reasonably be seen as invoking violence to challenge a judge’s criticism, so a clear consequence may help protect the show’s workplace and public tone.
The case against
The suspension can be viewed as excessive given that the post was deleted, Chmerkovskiy apologised, and he said he was trying to defend his wife rather than threaten anyone. A private reprimand or other response could have addressed the lapse while recognising its context and avoiding a penalty that affects his partner’s performance.