TL;DR
Get the latest gadgets delivered free with Prime
- Fast, free delivery on millions of items
- Prime Video, Amazon Music and more included
- Member-only deals all year
Guillermo Rodriguez and Jackson Olson say there is no bad blood between them after Olson apologized for a social media comment that fans viewed as disrespectful. Both contestants described themselves as friends and said they want to focus on dancing.
“Dancing With the Stars” contestants Guillermo Rodriguez and Jackson Olson say they remain friends after Olson apologized for a social media comment about Rodriguez’s dancing that drew criticism from fans. Rodriguez told TV Insider on Tuesday that the two are competing but having fun, while Olson said they are “truly friends.”
The exchange followed a since-deleted comment Olson reportedly left beneath a TikTok video posted the previous week by Banana Ball team Loco Beach Coconuts. The video showed player Erik Ostberg recreating a dance Rodriguez and his professional partner, Witney Carson, had performed earlier in the season. Olson’s comment praised Ostberg’s version and asked how he had done it better than Rodriguez with only two hours of rehearsal.
Some fans took the remark as disrespectful to Rodriguez. Olson apologized on Instagram on Tuesday, addressing Rodriguez and those upset by the comment. His post included a video of the two men dancing together to “Nobody’s Perfect” by Hannah Montana. Olson wrote that he was sorry for his comment and the negativity it caused, added that he loved Rodriguez, and urged viewers to focus on dancing.
Rodriguez, known for his work on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!,” told TV Insider: “We’re friends. We’re competing against each other, but we’re friends.” He called Olson “a good guy.” Olson also told the outlet that he and Rodriguez had become close on the show and had spoken privately in Rodriguez’s trailer to clear the air.
DWTS • The story after the comment
What Comes After the Apology?
Guillermo Rodriguez and Jackson Olson say their friendship is intact after a social media remark drew criticism. Their message: they are competing, having fun, and ready to focus on dancing.
01 / How it unfolded
From comparison to clarification
A dance recreation prompted a comparison, fans objected to the wording, and Olson responded publicly. The reporting describes an apology and friendly statements—not a formal action by the show.
A dance is recreated
Erik Ostberg recreates a routine Rodriguez and Witney Carson performed on DWTS.
A comment compares
Olson praises Ostberg’s version and mentions his two hours of rehearsal.
Fans push back
Some viewers interpret the remark as disrespectful to Rodriguez.
Olson apologizes
He addresses Rodriguez and viewers, then shares a video of them dancing together.
02 / What each said
Competition, with friendship intact
“We’re friends. We’re competing against each other, but we’re friends. We’re having fun. He’s a good guy.”
Guillermo Rodriguez Speaking to TV Insider
03 / What is established
The public record—and its limits
The reported details support a clear but bounded account: Olson apologized, both contestants publicly described a positive relationship, and the show’s response was not reported.
A public apology
Olson apologized for his comment and the negativity it caused. The comment was reportedly deleted.
Friendship affirmed
Rodriguez called Olson a good guy. Olson said they had become close and spoke privately to clear the air.
No formal show action
The accounts describe no statement or action from DWTS producers related to the comment.
Exactly when the comment was deleted, how widely it circulated, and whether the show addressed it privately.
Some fans objected, but the reporting does not measure the extent of the online reaction.
04 / Where things stand
The competition continues
Both remain contestants on Dancing With the Stars and have said they want attention to return to dancing. No specific follow-up or separate resolution was reported.
A limited, clear outcome
Olson apologized. Rodriguez and Olson both described their relationship as friendly despite competing. Any further development depends on what they say or do next on the show.
Quick answers
Key questions
What did Jackson Olson apologize for?
A comment praising Erik Ostberg’s recreation of a dance by Rodriguez and Carson, saying Ostberg did it better with two hours of rehearsal. Fans criticized the remark as disrespectful.
How did Guillermo Rodriguez respond?
He told TV Insider that they are friends, are having fun, and are competing without bad blood.
Did they speak privately?
Olson said he visited Rodriguez’s trailer and they talked for about 30 minutes to clear the air.
Has DWTS announced any action?
No formal statement or action from the show was reported. The public responses were Olson’s apology and both contestants’ comments.
The Apology Moves Back Onstage
The dispute matters because the comment concerned two contestants competing on the same show, and online reactions risked framing their relationship as hostile. Their direct statements and shared dance video offer a public response: both say the friendship is intact, and Olson has apologized for wording that viewers interpreted as an insult.
At the same time, the episode shows how a remark about performance can travel beyond its original setting once it is circulated and discussed by fans. The available accounts establish that some viewers objected and that Olson apologized; they do not establish that the contestants’ relationship had broken down. Rodriguez’s own comments point the other way, describing a friendship alongside the competition.
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
How the Comment Drew Attention
The comment appeared under a video of Erik Ostberg recreating a dance previously performed on “DWTS” by Rodriguez and Carson. Olson’s wording compared the two performances by saying Ostberg had done it better despite having just two hours of rehearsal. It was reportedly deleted after being posted.
Fans’ responses prompted attention to the remark, but the reported details do not indicate that the show or its producers issued a statement. Olson’s apology and the contestants’ comments to TV Insider are the confirmed public responses described in the reporting. The focus now appears to be on their relationship and the competition rather than on any formal action.
““We’re friends. We’re competing against each other, but we’re friends. We’re having fun. He’s a good guy.””
— Guillermo Rodriguez, speaking to TV Insider
What the Public Record Leaves Open
The reporting does not provide the full exchange between the contestants beyond Olson’s account that they spoke for about 30 minutes in Rodriguez’s trailer. It is also not clear exactly when the TikTok comment was deleted, how widely it circulated before deletion, or whether the show addressed it privately.
There is no indication in the reported statements that either contestant is seeking further action. Their comments establish that both publicly describe the relationship as friendly, but they do not explain whether the apology changed how either viewed the original remark. The extent of the online response is not quantified.
The Competition Continues
Rodriguez and Olson remain fellow contestants on “Dancing With the Stars,” and both have said they want the focus to return to the show. No further statement or specific follow-up related to the apology was reported. The next visible development is likely to come through their continued appearances and performances, rather than a separate resolution announced by the show.
For now, the confirmed outcome is limited but clear: Olson apologized, Rodriguez accepted the public reassurance that they are friends, and both described their relationship as positive despite competing against one another. Whether the matter draws more attention will depend on any subsequent comments or developments.
Source: Los Angeles Times
Key Questions
What did Jackson Olson apologize for?
Olson apologized for a social media comment praising Erik Ostberg’s recreation of a dance by Guillermo Rodriguez and Witney Carson. Olson had written that Ostberg did it better despite having two hours of rehearsal; fans criticized the remark as disrespectful to Rodriguez.
How did Guillermo Rodriguez respond?
Rodriguez told TV Insider that he and Olson are friends, are having fun on the show, and are competing against each other without bad blood.
Did Olson and Rodriguez speak privately?
Olson told TV Insider that he went to Rodriguez’s trailer and they talked for about 30 minutes to clear the air. The account of that conversation comes from Olson.
Has ‘Dancing With the Stars’ announced any action?
No action or formal statement from the show was reported. The public response described consists of Olson’s apology and both contestants’ comments that they remain friends.
Source: Los Angeles Times
Halloween Picks
halloween
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
