Jenna Dewan is heading into Dedication Night with a brand-new dance partner. Alan Bersten will step in for Val Chmerkovskiy on the Oct. 20 episode of Dancing With the Stars after Chmerkovskiy received a one-week suspension over a since-deleted social media post. The post referenced Will Smith’s Oscars incident and appeared to be aimed at judge Carrie Ann Inaba. Chmerkovskiy said he was defending his wife, fellow pro Jenna Johnson, after Inaba critiqued a lift in Johnson’s samba, and he has since apologized to Inaba both privately and publicly. BBC Studios called the post inappropriate.
For Dewan, the swap means a crash course with Bersten, who was already eliminated this season alongside Giada de Laurentiis. The new pair will perform a Viennese waltz to“Unchained Melody,”dedicated to Dewan’s mother, Nancy. A brand-new partnership, an emotional dedication, and only days to rehearse: it’s the kind of TV moment that tends to go viral either way.
The bigger conversation, of course, is about social media conduct and whether a one-week bench was the right call. Fans are split, and the debate is already flooding the timeline. What do you think: did the show get the punishment right, and can Jenna and Alan deliver on Dedication Night?
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Local Lawton
Local Lawton is a contributor to LocalBeat, covering local news and community stories.