Key Points
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DWTS‘ Gleb Savchenko is weighing in on the news that recently eliminated pro Alan Bersten will sub in for Val Chmerkovskiy on Oct. 20’s episode.
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“He’s just not up to the level of dancing, like, period,” Savchenko said on a TikTok live. “He’s a good dancer, I guess, for TV. But if we talk about art? Creating art? He’s like, eh.”
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Bersten was tapped as a single-episode replacement for Chmerkovskiy after the latter pro made online comments about judge Carrie Ann Inaba that sparked a widespread backlash.
Gleb Savchenko is the latest DWTS-lebrity to weigh in on the controversy unfolding around pro Val Chmerkovskiy.
The wide world of Dancing With the Starshas been in tumult ever since judge Carrie Ann Inaba and pro Jenna Johnson engaged in a minor tiff over a particular move in Johnson’s week 5 choreography on Tuesday. Even though Johnson noted moments after the exchange that she appreciated Inaba’s note and respected her authority as a judge, Chmerkovskiy — Johnson’s husband and fellow DWTSpro — did not feel the same way.
After a series of online comments about Inaba were met with broad blowback, Chmerkovskiy was benched by the show for Tuesday’s upcoming episode. Alan Bersten, who was eliminated on season 35’s second week alongside celeb partner Giada De Laurentiis, was picked to sub in for Chmerkovskiy to dance with his partner, Jenna Dewan.
Reactions have rippled throughout the extended web of DWTSpersonnel and alums, and the latest to weigh in is Gleb Savchenko, a seasoned pro who sat out this entire season after his own share of controversy.
On a recent TikTok live that was recorded and reposted by fans, Savchenko mused, “Alan, I think he’s Alan. I mean, he’s just not up to the level of dancing, like, period. Like, quality, technique — he’s a good dancer, I guess, for TV. But if we talk about art? Creating art? He’s like, eh.”
Savchenko then provided the caveats that he doesn’t “want to talk s— about people,” is “just like being honest,” and doesn’t “have anything against the guy.” But for him, the question remains: “Why Alan? Who else is there? Give like — what‘s his name? Who’s on troupe? Remind me.” Several fans then commented the name “Brandon,” a reference to Brandon Armstrong, who was eliminated alongside Summer Housestar Ciara Miller two weeks back.
“Yes, B would probably… because Jenna is small and Val is a little smaller than Brandon and Alan, so who would I put… Carter. Carter? Yes! Carter,” Savchenko continued, referring to troupe dancer Carter Williams.
Entertainment Weeklyhas reached out to representatives for Bersten and Chmerkovskiy for comment.
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Savchenko competed as a pro on 13 seasons of DWTS, and has yet to snatch the Mirrorball Trophy. He most recently competed on season 34 with Hilaria Baldwin, but was not asked back for season 35, following a messy breakup with his season 33 partner, Brooks Nader, that entailed allegations of cheating.
For his part, Chmerkovskiy first shared his belief that Inaba should “put some respect” on Johnson’s name, and was “trippin talking to her like that” in the comment section of an online clip of Johnson and her partner, Harry Shum Jr., receiving their week 5 scores.
He then claimed that the DWTSaudience “almost saw Fresh Prince enter the ballroom last night” — a comment widely interpreted to reference Will Smith slapping Chris Rock at the 2022 Oscars after Rock made a joke about Jada Pinkett Smith. It was a comment Chmerkovskiy promptly apologized for.
“I want to apologize from the bottom of my heart for my recent post,” he wrote on Instagram. “I have reached out to Carrie Ann to apologize directly and personally, and I also want to apologize publicly as I understand my words affect so many outside of our internal DWTS family. I should have never made the reference that I did and I deeply regret it.”
Dancing With the Stars airs Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET/PT on ABC and Disney+.
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