AIThis post was created with the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI).

TL;DR

Before you orderOffer from Amazon

Get your wardrobe favorites delivered free with Prime

  • Fast, free delivery on millions of items
  • Prime Video, Amazon Music and more included
  • Member-only deals all year
Start your free Prime trial Free trial for eligible customers · Cancel anytime
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.

Guillermo Rodriguez and Jackson Olson say they remain friends after Olson apologized for a social media comment that fans viewed as disrespectful. The two discussed the comment privately and then publicly stressed that their DWTS competition is friendly.

Guillermo Rodriguez and Jackson Olson say they have cleared the air after Olson apologized for a social media comment that fans considered disrespectful toward Rodriguez, their fellow contestant on “Dancing With the Stars.” Rodriguez told TV Insider on Tuesday that the two are friends despite competing against each other, while Olson also described their relationship as genuine.

Olson, an infielder with the Savannah Bananas, posted an apology on Instagram earlier Tuesday. He said he was sorry to Rodriguez and to others for a comment he had made “the other day” and for the negativity it caused. The post included a video of the two dancing together to Hannah Montana’s “Nobody’s Perfect.”

Olson captioned the video, “I love this guy,” adding that he hoped they could return to what the show is meant to be about: dancing. Rodriguez, the “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” star, told TV Insider, “We’re friends” and said they were competing while having fun. He called Olson “a good guy.”

The apology followed a now-deleted comment Olson reportedly left beneath a TikTok video posted the previous week by Loco Beach Coconuts, a Banana Ball team. The video showed player Erik Ostberg recreating a dance Rodriguez and professional partner Witney Carson had performed earlier in the season. Olson’s comment praised Ostberg’s version, asking how he had done it better than Rodriguez with two hours of rehearsal. Fans on social media objected to the remark on Rodriguez’s behalf.

At a glance
updateWhen: Apology and comments reported October 7…
The developmentJackson Olson apologized to Guillermo Rodriguez for a social media comment about Rodriguez’s dancing, and both men have since said they are friends.
Guillermo Rodriguez and Jackson Olson Reconcile After Apology on DWTS

Dancing With the Stars · Relationship Update

Guillermo Rodriguez and Jackson Olson Reconcile After Apology on DWTS

A deleted dance comparison sparked fan criticism. After a private conversation and a public apology, both contestants say their friendship is intact as the competition continues.

“

We’re friends. We’re competing against each other, but we’re friends. We’re having fun.

Guillermo Rodriguez · TV Insider
The update: Olson apologized, the two spoke privately for about 30 minutes, and both described the relationship as friendly.
Oct 7Apology reported
~30 minPrivate conversation
2Contestants reaffirm friendship
0Further action reported
01 / What happened

A comment, a conversation, and a reset

The dispute unfolded across social media and the show’s public spotlight. Both men say the matter is settled.

The remark

A dance comparison drew criticism

Olson reportedly praised Erik Ostberg’s recreation of a Rodriguez and Witney Carson routine, asking how it was done better with two hours of rehearsal.

The reaction

Fans read it as disrespectful

The comment appeared beneath a TikTok by Loco Beach Coconuts. Fans objected on Rodriguez’s behalf, and the comment was later deleted.

The response

Olson apologized publicly

On Instagram, Olson said he was sorry to Rodriguez and others for the comment and the negativity it caused. He shared a video of the two dancing together.

02 / How they cleared the air

From online criticism back to friendship

Olson said they wanted viewers to know they were not acting maliciously toward each other.

01Social post

The comparison circulates

A now-deleted comment about the dance recreation becomes a topic of fan discussion.

02Apology

Olson addresses the impact

He apologizes on Instagram and says he hopes they can return the focus to dancing.

03Private talk

They speak in Rodriguez’s trailer

Olson tells TV Insider they talked for about 30 minutes to clear the air.

04Public reassurance

Both say they remain friends

Rodriguez calls Olson a good guy; Olson says he loves Guillermo and values their bond.

03 / In their words

Two accounts, one shared message

Their statements describe a friendly relationship alongside a real competition.

“We’re friends. We’re competing against each other, but we’re friends. We’re having fun. He’s a good guy.”

Guillermo Rodriguez · TV Insider
04 / What is known

Relationship resolved, intent still unclear

Olson apologized, but the reported remarks do not explain what he intended by the comparison. The available account does not establish whether it was meant as a joke, criticism, or straightforward praise of Ostberg. For now, both contestants say they consider the matter settled.

Publicly stated statusFriends

They remain contestants on “Dancing With the Stars.” No effect on the competition or additional action related to the comment has been reported.

Quick answers

What to know next

The clearest update comes from the contestants themselves: an apology, a private talk, and mutual assurances of friendship.

Why did Olson apologize?

Fans viewed his deleted comment comparing Ostberg’s recreation with Rodriguez’s dance as disrespectful toward Rodriguez.

Did the two speak privately?

Yes. Olson told TV Insider they talked for about 30 minutes in Rodriguez’s trailer to clear the air.

Are they still competing?

Yes. They remain contestants on “Dancing With the Stars,” and no change to the competition has been reported.

Will the incident affect future episodes?

That remains unknown. No further public response or additional action related to the comment has been described.

Source / Los Angeles Times

Reported remarks and timeline summarized from the supplied account.

Powered by Thorsten Meyer AI

How the Dispute Was Resolved

The exchange is a small but visible moment in a competition that plays out both on television and across contestants’ social media accounts. Fans’ reaction gave the deleted comment a wider audience, while the apology and the two performers’ follow-up remarks offered a public response to speculation about their relationship.

Both men have characterized the disagreement as resolved, rather than describing an ongoing feud. Olson told TV Insider that they had become close on the show and spoke privately for about 30 minutes in Rodriguez’s trailer. He said they wanted to clear the air and show viewers they were friends, not acting maliciously toward each other. Their statements do not change the competitive format, but they make clear that, in their telling, the comment did not end their personal rapport.

Amazon

Dancing With the Stars dance costumes

As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.

As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.

The Comment Behind the Apology

The disputed remark referred to an earlier “DWTS” performance by Rodriguez and Witney Carson. In a separate TikTok posted by Loco Beach Coconuts, Erik Ostberg recreated the dance. Olson’s comment compared Ostberg’s effort with Rodriguez’s and mentioned that Ostberg had two hours of rehearsal. The wording was interpreted by some viewers as putting Rodriguez down, although the supplied account does not establish that Olson intended it that way.

Olson’s comment was later deleted. After fans criticized it, he apologized on Instagram and discussed the situation with TV Insider. Rodriguez’s response and Olson’s confirmation came in the wake of that apology, bringing the public exchange from criticism to both men’s assurances that they remain friends. No further explanation of the original comment’s intent was provided in the reported remarks.

““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

Amazon

professional dance shoes for women

As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.

As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.

What the Comment Was Meant to Say

Olson has apologized, but the reported remarks do not include a detailed explanation of what he intended by comparing Ostberg’s recreation with Rodriguez’s dance. The comment has been deleted, and the available account does not establish whether Olson meant it as a joke, criticism or straightforward praise of Ostberg.

It is also unclear how the incident will affect the contestants’ interactions in future episodes or whether they will address it on the program. For now, the public statements from both men indicate that they consider the matter settled and describe their relationship as friendly.

Amazon

dance competition performance microphone

As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.

As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.

The Competition Continues

Rodriguez and Olson remain contestants on “Dancing With the Stars,” where they will continue competing as the season proceeds. No further public response or additional action related to the comment was described in the reported account. Their next appearances on the show may give viewers a chance to see them together again, but there is no indication that the apology will become a formal part of the competition.

For now, the clearest update is the one the two contestants have given themselves: Olson apologized, they spoke privately, and both say they are friends. Whether the episode draws any further response online remains unknown.

Source: Los Angeles Times

Amazon

dance practice workout gear

As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.

As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.

Key Questions

Why did Jackson Olson apologize to Guillermo Rodriguez?

Olson apologized for a deleted social media comment comparing a dance by Erik Ostberg with a performance by Rodriguez and Witney Carson. Fans viewed Olson’s comment as disrespectful toward Rodriguez.

What did Jackson Olson say in the comment?

Olson reportedly asked how Ostberg had done the dance better than Rodriguez with two hours of rehearsal. The comment appeared beneath a TikTok video posted by Loco Beach Coconuts and was later deleted.

Are Rodriguez and Olson still friends?

Both say they are. Rodriguez told TV Insider, “We’re friends,” and Olson also described them as genuinely close after speaking privately.

Did the two contestants speak privately?

Olson told TV Insider that he went to Rodriguez’s trailer and they talked for about 30 minutes to clear the air.

Will the apology affect their DWTS competition?

No effect on the competition has been reported. Both men said they remain friends while competing, and no additional action related to the comment was announced.

Source: Los Angeles Times

FALL

Fall Picks

As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.

You May Also Like

Cashmere Sweaters, Tweed Vans, And All The New Launches Esquire’s Editors Loved This Week

Search interest in Esquire’s weekly editor-favorite launches, including cashmere sweaters and tweed Vans, is spiking. Here’s what’s confirmed and what isn’t.