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Jackson Olson apologized to Guillermo Rodriguez for a social media comment that drew criticism from fans, and both contestants have since said they are friends. Rodriguez told TV Insider they are enjoying the competition, while Olson said they spoke privately to clear the air.
Jackson Olson and Guillermo Rodriguez have said 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 on “Dancing With the Stars” but are enjoying the experience together, while Olson said they had spoken privately to clear the air.
“We’re friends,” Rodriguez, the “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” star, 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, also told the outlet that he and Rodriguez are “truly friends.”
Olson posted an apology on Instagram earlier Tuesday. He addressed Rodriguez and people who had reacted to his comment, writing that he was “so sorry about my comment I made the other day and that it caused this much negativity.” The post included video of the two dancing together to “Nobody’s Perfect” by Hannah Montana. Olson added, “I love this guy,” and urged viewers to focus on dancing, which is the point of the show.
The deleted comment appeared beneath a TikTok video posted the previous week by Banana Ball team Loco Beach Coconuts. The clip showed player Erik Ostberg recreating a dance Rodriguez and his professional partner, Witney Carson, had performed on the show. Olson reportedly praised Ostberg’s version, asking how he had done it better than Rodriguez with two hours of rehearsal. Fans took the remark as disrespectful toward Rodriguez, according to the account of the incident.
DWTS • Friendship update
Jackson Olson and Guillermo Rodriguez Reaffirm Their Friendship After DWTS Apology
After a social media comment about Rodriguez’s dancing drew criticism, Olson apologized. Both contestants say they remain friends and are enjoying the competition together.
“We’re competing against each other, but we’re friends. We’re having fun.”
Guillermo Rodriguez · TV Insider
From criticism to clearing the air
The reported sequence moves from a dance comparison online to an apology and separate statements confirming that the contestants are on good terms.
A dance is recreated
Loco Beach Coconuts shared Erik Ostberg recreating a dance performed by Rodriguez and Witney Carson.
A comment draws backlash
Olson compared Ostberg’s version favorably with Rodriguez’s. Fans criticized the remark; it was later deleted.
Olson apologizes
He apologized on Instagram and shared a video of the two dancing together to “Nobody’s Perfect.”
Both confirm friendship
Speaking to TV Insider, each said they had talked and described their relationship as friendly.
What each contestant said
Their comments address the online reaction and the state of their relationship while they compete on the same show.
“We’re friends.”
Rodriguez said they are competing against each other, having fun, and that Olson is a good guy.
“Truly friends.”
Olson said they had grown close on the show and had spoken privately for about 30 minutes to clear the air.
“I am so sorry.”
Olson apologized to Rodriguez and others for his comment and the negativity it caused, then encouraged viewers to focus on the dancing.
The apology resets their competition
The available reporting supports a clear update on their relationship, while leaving the original intent of the deleted remark unresolved.
“Let’s clear the air and show people that we’re actually friends and are not malicious towards each other.” Jackson Olson · TV Insider
Confirmed by their statements
Olson apologized. Rodriguez said they are friends, and Olson described the friendship as genuine. Both indicated they are continuing to enjoy the show together.
What remains unclear
The reported details do not establish Olson’s intent when he made the comparison, how widely it circulated before deletion, or any further consequence from the show.
Quick answers for viewers
Are Olson and Rodriguez still friends?
Yes. Both told TV Insider they are friends and are having fun competing on “Dancing With the Stars.”
Why did Olson apologize?
Fans criticized his comment comparing Erik Ostberg’s recreated dance with Rodriguez’s performance alongside Witney Carson.
Did Rodriguez call the comment malicious?
No such statement was reported. Rodriguez said they are friends; Olson said they wanted to show there was no malice between them.
Has either contestant’s role changed?
No show-related consequence or change to either contestant’s role was reported.
The Apology Resets Their Competition
The exchange puts a public disagreement between two DWTS contestants in perspective: both men now describe their relationship as friendly, despite competing on the same show. Their statements address the online reaction directly and reduce uncertainty over whether the comment had caused a lasting rift between them.
The episode also shows how a short social media remark can be read beyond its apparent intent when it concerns a fellow contestant’s performance. Olson’s apology and the pair’s joint dance video offered a visible response, while their separate comments to TV Insider provided confirmation that they had spoken. The available details establish that fans criticized the comment and that Olson apologized; they do not establish that the comment was intended as an attack.
For viewers, the immediate takeaway is that the contestants say they are on good terms and intend to continue participating in the show together. Their public reassurance does not settle every question about how the original remark was intended, but it makes clear that both have rejected the idea of an ongoing personal feud.
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How the Comment Drew Criticism
The incident began after the Loco Beach Coconuts shared a TikTok video featuring Erik Ostberg recreating a dance Rodriguez had performed with professional partner Witney Carson earlier in the “Dancing With the Stars” season. Olson’s comment compared Ostberg’s performance favorably with Rodriguez’s and referred to the amount of rehearsal time.
The remark was later deleted, but fans had already objected to it on Rodriguez’s behalf. Olson then apologized on Instagram and posted a video of himself and Rodriguez dancing together. He also told TV Insider that they had become close on the show and had talked privately. The reported sequence is therefore a critical social media response, an apology, and public statements from both men that they remain friends.
““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
Intent Behind the Deleted Remark
The details available do not establish what Olson intended when he compared Ostberg’s dance with Rodriguez’s performance. The comment was deleted, and the account of it does not include a fuller explanation from Olson at the time it was posted. Fans viewed it as disrespectful, but that reaction does not by itself prove it was meant as a personal slight.
It is also unclear how widely the comment circulated before its deletion or whether the criticism prompted any further response beyond Olson’s apology and the two contestants’ remarks to TV Insider. The confirmed points are that Olson apologized, Rodriguez said they are friends, and Olson likewise described their friendship as genuine.
The Contestants Return to Dancing
For now, both contestants have signaled that they plan to move forward with their “Dancing With the Stars” participation without treating the incident as an ongoing conflict. Olson’s Instagram post called on viewers to focus on the dancing, and Rodriguez said the pair are having fun despite competing against each other.
No additional statement or show-related consequence was reported. The next public development may come through their performances or further comments, but there is no confirmed announcement of a change to either contestant’s role. Their current position is clear: they say the disagreement has been addressed and that they remain friends.
Source: Los Angeles Times
Key Questions
Are Jackson Olson and Guillermo Rodriguez still friends?
Yes. Rodriguez told TV Insider they are friends and are having fun competing on “Dancing With the Stars.” Olson also described them as “truly friends.”
Why did Jackson Olson apologize?
Olson apologized for a comment beneath a TikTok video in which Erik Ostberg recreated a dance by Rodriguez and Witney Carson. Olson’s remark praised Ostberg’s performance in comparison with Rodriguez’s, and fans criticized it as disrespectful.
What did Olson say in his apology?
In an Instagram post, Olson apologized to Rodriguez and to others who had reacted, saying he was sorry for the comment and the negativity it caused. He included video of himself and Rodriguez dancing together.
Did Rodriguez say the comment was malicious?
No such statement is reported. Rodriguez said the two are friends. Olson told TV Insider they had talked privately and wanted to show people they were not malicious toward each other.
Source: Los Angeles Times
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