Overview
- On Tuesday, October 13, judge Carrie Ann Inaba told Jenna Johnson and Harry Shum Jr. their samba included an illegal lift after troupe members assisted Shum into a backflip and she read the show’s definition of a lift on air.
- Jenna Johnson appeared upset after the critique and a source reported she cried backstage and was comforted by her husband Val Chmerkovskiy.
- Val posted a now-deleted TikTok Story referencing Will Smith’s 2022 Oscars slap while defending his wife, which Carrie Ann flagged on Instagram and which drew public backlash.
- Val issued a public apology on October 15, saying he reached out to Carrie Ann directly, regretted the reference, and vowed to be more careful with his platform.
- The couple kept a combined judges’ score of 33 out of 40 and remained in the competition while the broader debate over troupe-assisted lifts, rule consistency, and possible disciplinary steps for cast social posts continues with no formal action announced by ABC.