The DWTS ballroom has turned into a full-on group chat this week. Val Chmerkovskiy is out for Dedication Night after being suspended over controversial comments directed at judge Carrie Ann Inaba, and Alan Bersten is stepping in to partner with Jenna Dewan. When a TikTok fan questioned the casting, Emma Slater, Alan’s girlfriend and a fellow pro, responded simply:“Yeah that’s what happens, we all step in for each other.”Clean, confident, and exactly the energy we’d expect.
But the plot thickens. Former pro Gleb Savchenko hopped on a livestream and took aim at Alan’s technical ability, saying he’s“a good dancer, I guess, for TV”but lacking when it comes to artistry. Gleb later told Page Six his comments were professional observations and nothing personal, while also expressing support for Chmerkovskiy and criticizing Inaba’s judging. Meanwhile, Chmerkovskiy has apologized for a social media post referencing the infamous Will Smith-Chris Rock Oscars slap, insisting he never intended to drag Inaba into the controversy.
So where does that leave us? With a lot of questions, a lot of opinions, and a Dedication Night that just became appointment viewing. Do the pros have each other’s backs, or is there real tension brewing behind the scenes? Either way, we’ll be watching.
Who do you think handled this the right way? Drop your take in the comments.
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Local Lawton
Local Lawton is a contributor to LocalBeat, covering local news and community stories.