Dancing With the Stars didn’t sweep it under the rug. On Tuesday’s“Dedication Night,”Alfonso Ribeiro confirmed at the top of the episode that Val Chmerkovskiy was absent because of a one-week suspension. Alan Bersten filled in, partnering Jenna Dewan for a Viennese waltz that scored 37 out of 40.
The suspension followed a since-deleted social media post from Val defending his wife, fellow pro Jenna Johnson, after judge Carrie Ann Inaba criticized her for an illegal lift. The post referenced Will Smith’s Oscars slap, and Val has since apologized to Carrie Ann directly, calling it a poor decision and saying she didn’t deserve to be caught in the middle.
Despite the controversy, the night belonged to Dewan’s performance, which she dedicated to her mother, Nancy Lee Bursch, who joined her in the ballroom. Dramatic week, emotional routine, and the show kept right on rolling. Do you think DWTS handled the situation the right way?
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Local Lawton
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