'Dancing With the Stars' Benches Val Chmerkovskiy Over Slap Joke

· Entertainment · United States

"Dancing With the Stars" has pulled professional dancer Val Chmerkovskiy from next week's episode after a social media post that referenced Will Smith's 2022 Oscars slap, reportedly aimed at judge Carrie Ann Inaba. Producer BBC Studios said the well-being of everyone who works on the show is "non-negotiable" and that Val's post was inappropriate and did not reflect the show's values. His suspension runs for a week, and Jenna Dewan will dance with Alan Bersten in his place. Chmerkovskiy responded that his instinct was to defend his wife. The incident puts a spotlight on how broadcast producers police cast members' social media behavior.

Why it matters：It is a visible case of a major unscripted franchise enforcing conduct rules on talent, a precedent that affects how reality shows manage cast members' personal posts.

Key points

  • The post referenced Will Smith's 2022 Oscars slap and reportedly targeted judge Carrie Ann Inaba.
  • BBC Studios called the post inappropriate and said staff well-being is 'non-negotiable.'
  • Jenna Dewan will partner with Alan Bersten in his absence.

Sources (original reporting)

More stories from this day