Carrie Ann Inaba addressed recent controversies on “Dancing With the Stars” with one swift social media post.
Inaba embraced Jenna Johnson in one image captured during the Oct. 20 show, the same episode where Johnson’s husband, Val Chmerkovskiy, was suspended after sharing an inappropriate image online aimed at the judge.
During last month’s episode, Inaba criticized Johnson’s lifts, to which the dancer received a reading after she pushed back.
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“I have not spoken about what happened because of professional courtesy for those who are still competing, and we actually have standards and practices that keep us separated,” Inaba wrote on Instagram.
“I think it’s important for everyone to know that Jenna and I hugged it out after the Super Bowl show. Jenna was an absolute professional about it, and two women worked through the moment. It came to my attention later that Jenna was deeply hurt. So I also offered to speak with her at anytime.”
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She added, “I have also offered to discuss the lift rule and how I enforce it. @ sharnaburgess made a great video explaining lifts, assists and which dances allow and don’t allow them. I think in the future, a new lift rule should be created for next season.”
Inaba received criticism in the past for docking points over lifts, with fans claiming she picks and chooses when to apply her rule.
“I think in the future, a new lift rule should be created for next season,” she commented. “I think a session of with all the dancers and the judges in a room together to discuss the history of how and why Len Goodman, our original producers and I defined the lift rule and the what the purpose is which is safety and fairness. [sic]”
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“The show has evolved tremendously, the way the show is cast has also changed, and so has our audience and the way they consume the show.”
Inaba added, “So, working together to create a better understanding between the dancers and the judges and our audience is important to me, as we move forward and is something I have asked for.”
Chmerkovskiy was suspended from “DWTS” after appearing to reference Will Smith’s infamous Oscars slap in a since-deleted social media post defending Johnson.
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“The well-being of everyone who works on ‘Dancing with the Stars’ is non-negotiable,” BBC Studios said in a statement. “Val’s social media post was inappropriate and does not reflect the values or standards expected of anyone connected with the show. As a result, he will not participate in next week’s show.”
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Inaba called out a lift in Johnson and Harry Shum Jr.’s samba routine and even read the definition of a lift during her critique.
Later, Chmerkovskiy appeared to defend his wife in a TikTok post that read, “You almost saw the Fresh Prince enter the ballroom last night.” The comment was widely viewed as a reference to Smith slapping comedian Chris Rock during the 2022 Academy Awards.
The post was later deleted, and Val apologized to Inaba publicly and privately.
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“In a moment where my instinct was to defend my wife, I made a poor decision to reference a meme to ‘keep my wife’s name’ out of the conversation, without stopping to think through what else that reference could imply, which was genuinely never my intention,” he wrote on his Instagram Stories.
Fox News Digital’s Christina Dugan Ramirez contributed to this report.
