“Dancing With the Stars” pro Val Chmerkovskiy apologized to judge Carrie Ann Inaba for posting a heated sentiment referencing Will Smith’s infamous 2022 Oscars slap.
“I want to apologize from the bottom of my heart for my recent post,” the choreographer began in and Instagram Stories upload Thursday.
“I have reached out to Carrie Ann to apologize directly and personally, and I also want to apologize publicly as I understand my words affect so many outside of our internal ‘DWTS’ family,” he continued.
Chmerkovskiy said he “deeply” regrets making the reference on his TikTok account and recognizes that he is a “role model” to many viewers and that he needs to “treat that with more care.”
“I am truly sorry to Carrie Ann, and everyone who I hurt with my careless post. I will do better moving forward ❤️,” he concluded.
In a since-deleted TikTok status, the day after the show’s first-ever “Super Bowl Night,” Chmerkovskiy wrote, “You almost saw Fresh Prince enter the ballroom last night.”
The comment came after Inaba’s harsh critique of his wife and fellow pro Jenna Johnson during that episode.
“Fresh Prince of Bel Air” star Will Smith, notably, slapped Chris Rock after the comedian made a joke about Smith’s wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, while hosting the 2022 Oscars.
The violent outburst got Smith banned from all Academy events for 10 years as punishment.
Many fans called out Chmerkovskiy’s ill-fated joke immediately after he posted it.
“Bro that joke ain’t it,” one warned, while another chimed in, “Sounds like a threat to me!!”
Inaba responded to his comment herself on Thursday via social media.
“So this is what we are doing now?” she wrote in an Instagram post before thanking Page Six for bringing Chmerkovskiy’s comment to her attention.
However, some fans on social media argued that Chmerkovskiy wasn’t referring to the slap itself, but rather when Smith shouted, “Keep my wife’s name out of your f–king mouth.”
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“Pretty sure he wasn’t saying he would slap anyone,” one fan commented on Inaba’s post.
A second added, “It clearly wasn’t about val threatening to punch you in the face… I think what he meant was that famous line.”
During Tuesday night’s episode, Johnson and Inaba faced off in an intense exchange while the judges gave their feedback on the routine she and her partner Harry Shum Jr. delivered.
When Inaba noted there was a lift in the routine that wasn’t supposed to be in the routine, Johnson voiced her disagreement.
“Yeah it was a lift,” Inaba insisted, proceeding to read the definition from a sheet of paper while the audience fell silent.
“Dancing With the Stars” airs Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET on ABC and streams on Disney+.
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