Val Chmerkovskiy Suspended From Dancing With the Stars After Oscars-Slap Threat Aimed at Judge Carrie Ann Inaba

Dancing With the Stars has been rocked by an unprecedented controversy after two-time Mirrorball champion Val Chmerkovskiy was suspended from the show for one week over a social media post that appeared to threaten judge Carrie Ann Inaba. It is the first time in the show's history that a professional dancer has been barred from dancing with their celebrity partner.

The drama unfolded on Tuesday's Dedication Night episode, when Chmerkovskiy's celebrity partner Jenna Dewan took to the ballroom with a substitute pro while he sat out his punishment. The suspension has split fans and sparked a fierce debate about where the line sits between playful banter and unacceptable behavior.

How the Feud Started

The dispute traces back to last week's "Super Bowl Night" episode, when judge Carrie Ann Inaba criticized an alleged illegal lift in the samba performed by Chmerkovskiy's wife, fellow DWTS pro Jenna Johnson, and her celebrity partner, actor Harry Shum Jr. Chmerkovskiy, 40, took the critique personally and fired back on TikTok with a now-deleted post.

"You almost saw Fresh Prince enter the ballroom last night," he wrote — a clear reference to Will Smith's infamous Oscars slap, when the actor struck comedian Chris Rock on stage at the 2022 Academy Awards after a joke about his wife.

The post set off an immediate backlash. Inaba responded on her own Instagram with a pointed message: "So this is what we are doing now?" The show's production company, BBC Studios, then stepped in and announced that Chmerkovskiy would be suspended for one week, apologizing online to Inaba and the show's audience.

A First for the Ballroom

For Tuesday's Dedication Night, Dewan was paired with Alan Bersten, the pro who had been eliminated earlier in the season alongside celebrity chef Giada De Laurentiis. Despite the awkward circumstances, the pair delivered a Viennese waltz to "Unchained Melody" by The Righteous Brothers, dedicated to Dewan's mother Nancy, who even appeared in part of the routine.

The judges praised the performance, and Inaba herself gave Dewan a 10 — her first perfect score of the season. The pair finished the night with 37 out of 40, just behind leaderboard-toppers Amber Glenn and Pasha Pashkov, who earned 38.

No Elimination Twist

In an unexpected twist, no couple was eliminated on Dedication Night. Instead, all scores will carry over to next week, when the competition resumes and the next elimination takes place. It gives Chmerkovskiy time to return — and gives the show a week to let the dust settle.

What's Next

Chmerkovskiy is expected to be back in the ballroom next week, but the incident has left a mark. Fans remain divided: some say defending his wife was understandable, while others argue that invoking the Will Smith slap — one of the ugliest moments in awards-show history — crossed a line no contestant or pro should cross. All eyes will be on Inaba and Chmerkovskiy when they share a room again.