Sherri Shepherd didn’t waste a second. As soon as Val Chmerkovskiy got hit with a one-week Dancing With the Stars suspension, his former partner from season 14 texted him with a simple message: those who know you know you got a heart of gold. The two danced together back in 2012, and apparently that bond never expired.
The suspension came after Val posted a since-deleted comment referencing Will Smith’s Oscars slap while defending his wife, Jenna Johnson, over a lift dispute with judge Carrie Ann Inaba. He issued a public apology on Instagram on October 17, sat out Dedication Night while partner Jenna Dewan danced with Alan Bersten, and then shared a hug with Inaba at the end of Horror Movie Night that seemed to close the chapter.
Sherri isn’t shy about where she stands: Team Val, every day, all day. Now the debate is whether the show got it right, or whether a husband defending his wife deserved a little more grace. Whose side are you on? 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.