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Dancing With the Stars contestant Jackson Olson addressed criticism after a remark about fellow contestant Guillermo Rodriguez’s dancing prompted backlash. Olson apologized publicly and said the two spoke in person and were fine; he later joked about being “canceled” in a TikTok about a string of frustrations.
Jackson Olson joked that he had been “canceled” in an October 11 TikTok, days after apologizing for a dig at fellow Dancing With the Stars contestant Guillermo Rodriguez. Olson said the two had spoken in person and were fine, following criticism of his comment about Rodriguez’s dancing.
In the TikTok, Olson filmed his dance partner, professional dancer Emma Slater, leaving a rehearsal studio with her boyfriend and fellow pro, Alan Bersten. The clip used “Gotta Go My Own Way” from High School Musical 2, while Olson’s on-screen caption joked, “When your dance partner has to leave you for her boyfriend.”
Olson’s caption added two other setbacks: the Savannah Bananas’ loss to the Texas Tailgaters in the inaugural Banana Bowl championship on October 11, and the criticism he had received. “First I get canceled, then we lose the Banana Bowl and now this?!” he wrote. The post was framed as a joke; it did not indicate that Olson had been removed from the show.
The dispute began after Olson commented on a video of another athlete recreating a dance by Rodriguez and his partner, Witney Carson. According to Cosmopolitan, Olson wrote, “Seriously how did you do this better than him with 2 hours of rehearsal.” The comment was later deleted. Olson apologized on TikTok on October 6, saying he had not intended to cause negativity and took responsibility for the remark.
A Comment Put the Spotlight on Showmanship
The episode shows how a brief remark between contestants can become a public issue on a reality competition, where performers’ work is judged by audiences as well as on the dance floor. Olson’s October 11 post kept the controversy in circulation, even as its tone appeared self-deprecating rather than a new attack on Rodriguez.
For viewers, the distinction between online criticism and the contestants’ reported private relationship matters. Olson said he apologized directly, and Rodriguez, in Olson’s account, accepted the explanation. That account offers evidence of a conversation, but does not establish how every viewer or participant interpreted the original comment.
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How the Dance Comment Escalated
Olson and Rodriguez are both part of the show’s season 35 cast. Olson, a player with the Savannah Bananas, is paired with Slater; Rodriguez, known for appearing on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, is partnered with Carson. The comment concerned a video featuring another athlete recreating a routine by Rodriguez and Carson.
On October 6, Olson addressed the reaction publicly. “To G and to all of you, I am truly sorry that my comment I made the other day caused this much unnecessary negativity,” he wrote on TikTok. He added that he “never meant for it to do that,” took “full ownership,” and said he loved Rodriguez. Olson then encouraged viewers to focus on the show’s dancing.
Olson also told E! News on October 6 that he had gone to Rodriguez’s trailer and spoken with him for about 30 minutes. He said he explained that he had not meant anything by the remark. Recalling Rodriguez’s response, Olson said: “Dude, I know. It’s totally fine.” The description of that exchange comes from Olson; Rodriguez is not quoted directly in the account.
“I am truly sorry that my comment I made the other day caused this much unnecessary negativity.”
— Jackson Olson, in an October 6 TikTok apology
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Rodriguez Has Not Spoken Here
The available account does not include a direct public statement from Rodriguez about the original comment or the reported private conversation. Olson’s description is the basis for saying Rodriguez accepted his explanation. It is also unclear how widely the comment circulated or whether the criticism had any effect on the contestants’ work or standing on the show.
Olson’s use of “canceled” appears in a joking social-media caption. No reported detail indicates a formal disciplinary action, a change to his participation, or a separate official response from the show. The exact extent of the reaction should not be inferred from the wording of the post alone.
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The Competition Continues on Screen
Olson, Slater, Rodriguez and Carson remain identified as members of the season 35 cast in the reported account. The next developments that may clarify the story are any further public comments from Rodriguez or the contestants, and how the cast’s interactions play out in upcoming episodes.
For now, Olson has apologized and says he and Rodriguez cleared the air. The report does not describe another planned conversation, a production decision, or a specific next step tied to the dispute. The October 11 TikTok’s other reference—the Savannah Bananas’ Banana Bowl result—was a separate event, not an update on the disagreement.
Source: Yahoo Entertainment
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Key Questions
Why did Jackson Olson face criticism?
Olson commented on a video recreating a dance by Guillermo Rodriguez and Witney Carson, asking how the other athlete had performed it better after only two hours of rehearsal. The comment was later deleted.
Did Olson apologize to Rodriguez?
Yes. Olson apologized in an October 6 TikTok, said he took responsibility for the comment, and told E! News he had spoken with Rodriguez in person.
What did Rodriguez say in response?
In Olson’s account to E! News, Rodriguez told him, “Dude, I know. It’s totally fine.” The reported account does not include a direct statement from Rodriguez.
What did Olson mean by saying he was “canceled”?
He used the phrase jokingly in an October 11 TikTok caption alongside references to the Savannah Bananas’ loss and Slater leaving rehearsal with Bersten. The report does not indicate that Olson was removed from the show.
Source: Yahoo Entertainment
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