Jenna Johnson and Carrie Ann Inaba clash on Dancing with the Stars

A dispute has erupted on ‘Dancing with the Stars’ following a tense exchange between judge Carrie Ann Inaba and professional dancer Jenna Johnson during the ‘Super Bowl Night’ episode. Inaba penalized Johnson and partner Harry Shum Jr. for an illegal lift during their samba routine, reading a formal definition of a lift from a prepared document to justify the critique.

Johnson’s husband, professional dancer Val Chmerkovskiy, sparked controversy by defending his wife on social media. He posted a now-deleted TikTok referencing Will Smith’s 2022 Oscars slap, which some viewers interpreted as a threat toward Inaba. Inaba later responded to the situation on Instagram, questioning the nature of the comments.

Other members of the Chmerkovskiy family, including Maksim and Peta Murgatroyd, also weighed in, arguing that the rule regarding lifts was applied inconsistently because the move involved troupe dancers rather than just the primary couple. Despite the friction, Johnson stated she accepts the feedback and remains focused on the competition.