DWTS professional Val Chmerkovskiy suspended after joking about judge Carrie Ann Inaba's car
Val Chmerkovskiy was suspended from "Dancing With the Stars" after a joke about Carrie Ann Inaba's vehicle and a subsequent social-media post deemed inappropriate by the show's producers.
Val Chmerkovskiy, a professional dancer on "Dancing With the Stars," made a comment about judge Carrie Ann Inaba's car during an Entertainment Tonight interview on Sept. 29. While discussing Inaba's critique of his partner Jenna Dewan's performance, Chmerkovskiy said, "I know where [Inaba] parks her car," adding a quip about a different design. The remark preceded his temporary suspension from the series.
Two weeks later, after a tense exchange between Inaba and Chmerkovskiy's wife Jenna Johnson on the Oct. 13 episode, Chmerkovskiy posted a TikTok video referencing the 2022 Oscars incident involving Will Smith. BBC Studios described the post as "inappropriate" and announced a week-long suspension, stating, "The well-being of everyone who works on ‘Dancing with the Stars’ is non-negotiable. Val’s social media post … does not reflect the values or standards expected of anyone connected with the show."
Chmerkovskiy later apologized to Inaba via an Instagram Story, acknowledging he had "made a poor decision." He will be replaced for the upcoming "Dedication Night" episode by Alan Bernsten and will watch the show from home.