After the tense exchange, Chmerkovskiy updated his TikTok bio the following day with a pointed message: “You almost saw Fresh Prince enter the ballroom last night,” according to screenshots circulated on social media.
The 40-year-old later removed the post and apologized for invoking the reference. He was subsequently suspended from DWTS, marking the first suspension in the show’s history.
In response to the suspension, Chmerkovskiy again acknowledged that his comments were inappropriate and offered his support to Dewan.
“In a moment where my instinct was to defend my wife, I made a poor decision to reference a meme to ‘keep my wife’s name’ out of the conversation,” he wrote on his Instagram Stories Oct. 17. “I didn’t stop to consider what else that reference could imply, and that was genuinely never my intention.”
“Please send Carrie Ann, Jenna, and the whole DWTS family lots of love during Dedication Night,” Chmerkovskiy added. “I’ll be watching and cheering everyone on!!”
For a closer look at the couples competing for the Mirrorball Trophy in season 35 of the dance competition series, keep reading…