Carrie Ann Inaba Reacts to Val Chmerkovskiy’s Oscars Slap Comment Over ‘DWTS’ Critiques
What To Know
- Carrie Ann Inaba critiqued Jenna Johnson’s choreography on the October 13 episode of Dancing With the Stars.
- Johnson’s husband, Val Chmerkovskiy, slammed Inaba in social media comments and even seemingly referenced Will Smith’s Oscars slap when discussing the situation.
- Inaba clapped back after hearing about Chmerkovskiy’s now-deleted comment.
Val Chmerkovskiy had a lot to say about Carrie Ann Inaba’s critiques of his wife Jenna Johnson‘s choreography on Dancing With the Stars. On one now-deleted TikTok Story, Chmerkovskiy even seemingly referenced Will Smith slapping Chris Rock at the 2022 Oscars.
“You almost saw Fresh Prince enter the ballroom last night,” he wrote, a reference to Smith’s The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air character, per The Hollywood Reporter.
Inaba caught wind of what Chmerkovskiy was saying and posted a screenshot of the quote to her Instagram. Along with it, she wrote, “So this is what we are doing now?” and thanked various news outlets for bringing the discourse to her attention.
On the October 13 episode of Dancing With the Stars, Inaba shared her critiques of Johnson and Harry Shum Jr.‘s dance, noting that she didn’t feel there was enough content in the choreography. She also included a note that there was an illegal lift in the routine. Johnson expressed her confusion, leading Inaba to read the definition of a “lift” off the paper in front of her.
Disney/Christopher Willard
Afterwards, Johnson told co-host Julianne Hough in the skybox that she “totally understands” where Inaba was coming from and noted that it’s her job as a judge to call it as she sees it. The “lift” in question involved two backup dancers swinging Shum Jr. off the ground so he could backflip.
“It’s hard because usually when someone’s called out for a lift, it’s when your partner lifts you,” Johnson explained to Extra after the show. However, she noted that Inaba is a “judge for a reason” and added, “She’s doing her job, I’m gonna do mine. I’m gonna take the feedback.”
She insisted that the lift was not intentional and explained, “I like to take risks but I also love rules.” Johnson revealed that she spoke to Inaba privately after the critique was given as well.
However, Chmerkovskiy seemingly didn’t get everything he needed to off his chest, as he left various social media comments about the situation. A TikTok user posted a video of Chmerkovskiy shaking his head as Johnson and Shum Jr. got their scores on Tuesday’s show, and he commented, “Puts [sic] some respect on her name. Shes trippin talking to her like that.”
Chmerkovskiy and Johnson will both have to face Inaba again on October 20 when the competition continues. Chmerkovskiy is partnered with Jenna Dewan this season.
Dancing With the Stars, Season 35, Tuesdays, 8/7c, ABC and Disney+
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She really is getting pretty nasty lately. If she thinks she could do better, go for it. That’s when I’ll tune in
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