One week after Val Chmerkovskiy was suspended for a week from DWTS for comments he made which were reportedly directed at judge Carrie Ann Inaba, his brother, Maks Chemerkovskiy, has broken his silence.
The former ballroom pro offered a candid take on his younger brother’s controversial exit from the ballroom. Addressing the situation head-on, he shared his honest thoughts about how the family is moving forward.
Maks Chmerkovskiy is Standing By His Younger Brother Val
Maks Chmerkovskiy is a former mirrorball-winning DWTS pro, long known as the bad boy of the ballroom. He’s had his share of on-camera brush ups throughout the years, but was never suspended for his actions.
Therefore, watching his younger brother, Val Chmerkovskiy sit out a week of performances due to online commentary he made in defense of his wife and fellow pro, Jenna Johnson, brought a mix of sadness and understanding.
“I love him and he’s my brother,” Maks told E! News. “He’s been on the other side of my antics I guess in the past and we’re going to keep it moving.”
However, he added his brother is “going to handle it and he’s a big boy. He’s my brother no matter what.”
“We have difference of opinions and difference of actions but it’s not going to change the way I feel about him. I’m there for him. I’m with him.”
Maks concluded, “And we have spoken but there’s not something that I sort of let him know that he doesn’t already. I’m going to let him handle it.”
“It’s amazing that I got to do it and now I get to watch someone do it too,” he added. “I don’t mean get in trouble. I mean live the Dancing With the Stars life. I’m happy for him. It’s been amazing and he’s going to figure this out.”
Maks Chmerkovskiy Previously Addressed His Objection to Carrie Ann Inaba’s ‘Lift’ Call
Maks Chmerkovskiy previously weighed in on Carrie Ann Inaba’s critique of Jenna Johnson’s choreography during a night of dances dedicated to Super Bowl performers on DWTS. Johnson is married to his brother, Val Chmerkovskiy.
Maks shared his thoughts during an appearance on the Viall Files podcast. He used the platform to weigh in on the judges’ decision, making it clear that he disagreed with how the penalized element was handled on the broadcast.
“[Carrie Ann] goes and starts reading off the rulebook, but then that same rulebook that’s applicable in ballroom with lifts is only applicable to a couple dancing. You’re not talking about extra background dancers running out,” he explained.
“There’s no ‘three other people’ in the rulebook. The point is: Carrie Ann, get some consistency,” he added. “A lift is a lift if a partner lifted his partner. If you’re going to have [the] troupe run out and throw someone in the air, that’s not a lift. That’s DWTS creative direction, and you should complain to the creative director.”
DWTS airs Tuesdays, live on ABC, beginning at 8 p.m. ET. The series also airs live on Disney+ and the next day on Hulu.
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Maks Chmerkovskiy Breaks Silence On Brother Val’s Unprecedented DWTS Suspension