Carrie Ann Inaba Speaks Out After Val Chmerkovskiy’s ‘DWTS’ Suspension, Requests Show to Add ‘New Lift Rule’ Next Season
Carrie Ann Inaba is speaking out about the recent drama surrounding “Dancing With the Stars,” including her controversial comments about lifts. “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 began in a comment on […]
“Dancing With the Stars” judge Carrie Ann Inaba addressed recent controversy over a lift in a dance routine, calling for new rules in her Instagram post. She criticized pro dancer Jenna Johnson for including a lift in her performance with Harry Shum Jr., which violated the show’s ballroom standards. Inaba read the lift rule aloud on national television during the Super Bowl Night episode, leading to Johnson’s husband, pro dancer Val Chmerkovskiy, escalating the controversy online.
Chmerkovskiy received a one-week suspension after making a remark that was seen as a reference to the 2022 Oscars incident involving Will Smith. Inaba, speaking out for the first time since the incident, clarified the media scrutiny, stating that she hugged Johnson after the Super Bowl show and that they worked through the situation professionally.
She also offered to discuss the lift rule and how she enforces it. Inaba suggested creating a new lift rule for future seasons and proposed sit-down conversations between dancers, judges, and the audience to better understand the limitations. She has given Dewan, who danced with interim partner Alan Bersten last week, a 10 during the season’s Horror Movie Night. “Dancing With the Stars” airs Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET on ABC and streams live on Disney+.
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