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Dancing With the Stars contestants Guillermo Rodriguez and Jackson Olson said they are friends after Olson apologized for a social media comment that drew criticism. Rodriguez said they are enjoying the competition, and Olson said they had talked privately and wanted to clear the air.

Guillermo Rodriguez and Jackson Olson, contestants on Dancing With the Stars, said they are friends and have no bad blood after Olson apologized for a social media comment about Rodriguez’s dancing. Rodriguez told TV Insider on Tuesday that the two are competing while having fun together; Olson also described them as friends.

“We’re friends,” Rodriguez, known for his role on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, told TV Insider. “We’re competing against each other, but we’re friends. We’re having fun. He’s a good guy.” Olson, an infielder with the Savannah Bananas, likewise told the outlet that the two are “truly friends.” Their comments followed a public apology from Olson earlier Tuesday.

Olson posted the apology on Instagram alongside a video of himself and Rodriguez dancing to Hannah Montana’s “Nobody’s Perfect.” He wrote that he was sorry to Rodriguez and to others for a comment he had made “the other day” and for the negativity it caused. He added, “I love this guy,” and urged them to focus on dancing, ending with “ily G.”

The comment at issue was left beneath a TikTok video posted last week by the Banana Ball team Loco Beach Coconuts. The clip showed player Erik Ostberg recreating a dance Rodriguez and his professional partner, Witney Carson, had performed earlier in the season. Olson praised Ostberg’s version, writing, “how did you do this better than him with 2 hours of rehersal.” The comment was later deleted, and fans on social media took offense on Rodriguez’s behalf.

At a glance
updateWhen: Statements and apology reported Oct. 7,…
The developmentRodriguez and Olson publicly confirmed their friendship after Olson apologized for a comment about Rodriguez’s dancing that fans considered disrespectful.

How the Contestants Addressed the Dispute

The exchange matters because the comment became a public point of friction around two people competing on the same television show. The contestants’ statements give viewers their direct account: both say they are friends, and Olson says he apologized after his remark prompted criticism. That helps distinguish the pair’s own relationship from reactions by fans online.

Olson told TV Insider that he and Rodriguez had grown close during the show. He said he went to Rodriguez’s trailer, where they talked for about 30 minutes, and that they wanted to clear the air publicly so people would understand they were not acting maliciously toward one another. The account of that conversation comes from Olson; neither contestant described further details of what they discussed.

The apology and the two contestants’ comments do not establish how every viewer interpreted the remark, nor do they erase the social media response. They do make clear that Rodriguez has publicly characterized Olson as a friend and that Olson has apologized. The disagreement arose from a comparison of dance performances, rather than a reported change to the show’s competition or format.

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The Comment Behind Olson’s Apology

The episode began with a TikTok video from Loco Beach Coconuts featuring Erik Ostberg performing a version of a dance Rodriguez had done with Witney Carson on Dancing With the Stars. Olson’s reply compared the two performances, suggesting Ostberg had done the dance better despite having only two hours of rehearsal. The comment’s wording was read by some fans as disrespectful to Rodriguez.

Olson’s response came after that reaction. His Instagram apology used a video of the two men dancing together and addressed Rodriguez directly, while his later remarks to TV Insider described them as having become close on the show. Rodriguez’s response similarly emphasized their friendship and their ability to compete while having fun.

“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

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What the Public Statements Leave Open

The precise timing of Olson’s conversation with Rodriguez, beyond Olson’s account that they spoke in Rodriguez’s trailer, is not detailed. The contestants did not explain whether Rodriguez asked Olson to apologize or describe how Rodriguez responded to the original comment before the public statements. Olson’s deleted comment is reported in the wording provided, but the post itself is no longer available for readers to review.

There is also no reported indication that the exchange has affected either contestant’s status on the show. The available statements address their friendship and Olson’s apology; they do not provide further details about private discussions or the response of the show’s producers.

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The Competition Continues on DWTS

Rodriguez and Olson remain contestants on Dancing With the Stars, and their comments point to the competition continuing alongside their friendship. No additional joint statement or show-related response was reported. Any further developments would depend on what the contestants or the program say, while viewers can expect the pair’s on-screen performances to remain the next public focus.

Source: latimes.com

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Key Questions

What did Guillermo Rodriguez and Jackson Olson confirm?

Both said they are friends despite competing against each other on Dancing With the Stars. Rodriguez said they were having fun, and Olson called them “truly friends.”

Why did Olson apologize to Rodriguez?

Olson apologized for a social media comment comparing a dance by Erik Ostberg with Rodriguez’s performance. Some fans considered Olson’s wording disrespectful to Rodriguez.

What was Olson’s comment about?

Under a TikTok video of Ostberg recreating a dance Rodriguez performed with Witney Carson, Olson wrote that Ostberg had done it better despite having two hours of rehearsal. The comment was later deleted.

Did Rodriguez say he was upset with Olson?

Rodriguez’s reported public comments emphasized that the two are friends and that they are enjoying the competition. The available account does not detail how he felt when he first saw the comment.

What happens next for the contestants?

Both remain contestants on Dancing With the Stars. No further statement or change to their participation was reported.

Source: latimes.com

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