“Dancing With the Stars”pivoted fast this week after Val Chmerkovskiy was suspended by BBC Studios over a TikTok that referenced Will Smith’s 2022 Oscars slap. The post reportedly went up after judge Carrie Ann Inaba critiqued his wife, Jenna Johnson, and the studio called it inappropriate while stressing that workplace well-being comes first. With one pro sidelined, Alan Bersten got the call.
Bersten partnered with Jenna Dewan for a Viennese waltz on“Dedication Night.”He called the opportunity an honor, Chmerkovskiy publicly thanked him for doing an amazing job, and Dewan praised her new partner while dedicating the performance to her mom, Nancy Bursch. Not a bad night’s work for someone who probably had about five minutes to prep.
The whole situation is a reminder of how quickly a single post can reshape a live show’s plans, and how a well-timed substitution can turn chaos into a genuinely sweet moment. Reality TV keeps reality-ing.
What would you have done in Alan’s dance shoes? Sound off in the comments.
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Local Lawton
Local Lawton is a contributor to LocalBeat, covering local news and community stories.