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Dancing With the Stars contestants Guillermo Rodriguez and Jackson Olson say they are friends after Olson apologized for a social media comment that drew criticism. Rodriguez said they are enjoying the competition, while Olson said they had spoken privately and wanted to clear the air.
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, a contestant on Dancing With the Stars and a star of Jimmy Kimmel Live!, told TV Insider on Tuesday that the two are enjoying the competition together, while Olson said they are “truly friends.”
Olson, an infielder with the Savannah Bananas, posted an apology on Instagram earlier Tuesday. He addressed Rodriguez and the people upset by the remark, writing: “To G and to all of you, from the bottom of my heart I am so sorry about my comment I made the other day and that it caused this much negativity.” The post included a video of the two men dancing together to Hannah Montana’s “Nobody’s Perfect.”
Olson’s caption also said, “I love this guy,” followed by a red heart emoji. He encouraged them to return attention to the show and dance, adding that he loved Rodriguez. Rodriguez, speaking to TV Insider, said: “We’re friends. We’re competing against each other, but we’re friends. We’re having fun. He’s a good guy.”
Olson told the outlet that he and Rodriguez had grown close during the show. He said he went to Rodriguez’s trailer and the two talked for about 30 minutes, describing their conversation as a chance to clear the air and show that they were friends rather than acting maliciously toward each other. Their public comments came after fans reacted to a now-deleted post by Olson.
The Apology Settles a Contestant Dispute
The exchange addresses a dispute that had become a public talking point around the show. Fans interpreted Olson’s comment as belittling Rodriguez’s dancing, but the two contestants have now both described their relationship as friendly. Their statements provide a direct response from the people involved rather than leaving the disagreement to social-media speculation.
The clarification also separates the original comment’s reception from Olson’s stated intent and the contestants’ relationship. Olson apologized for the remark and for the negativity it caused; Rodriguez accepted the public reassurance by saying they are friends and are having fun. Neither statement suggests that the competition itself has changed, and the available account does not describe any formal action by the program.
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The incident began with a video posted last week on TikTok by the Loco Beach Coconuts, a Banana Ball team. It showed player Erik Ostberg recreating a dance performed earlier in the season by Rodriguez and his professional partner, Witney Carson. Olson commented on Ostberg’s version, reportedly writing: “How did you do this better than him with 2 hours of rehearsal.”
The comment was later deleted, but fans on social media objected on Rodriguez’s behalf. The available reporting characterizes the comment as one fans perceived as disrespectful; it does not establish that Olson intended to insult Rodriguez. Olson’s apology and the contestants’ remarks followed, including their account of a private conversation before their public effort to clear up the misunderstanding.
Rodriguez is known for his work on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, while Olson plays for the Savannah Bananas, an entertainment-focused baseball team. Both are competing on the current season of Dancing With the Stars, where their on-screen connection and the comment drew attention beyond their performances.
“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 Comment Was Meant to Convey
The reporting does not establish what Olson intended when he compared Ostberg’s dance with Rodriguez’s, beyond Olson’s later apology and account of wanting to clear the air. The original comment has been deleted, and its wording is reported as a remark praising Ostberg’s performance while comparing it with Rodriguez’s. Fans’ interpretation of it as disrespectful is a reported reaction, not proof of Olson’s intent.
It is also unclear whether the contestants discussed the comment before Olson’s reported 30-minute conversation with Rodriguez, or whether the show or its representatives addressed the episode. No further response from the program is included in the reported statements.
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The Competition Returns to Dance
For now, Rodriguez and Olson have presented the matter as resolved between them and are continuing as contestants on Dancing With the Stars. Olson’s Instagram post urged viewers to focus on dancing, and Rodriguez said the two are having fun while competing.
No further action or statement from the show has been announced in the available reporting. The next public development is likely to come through the contestants’ continued participation and any new remarks they make; whether the incident receives further attention remains unknown.
Source: latimes.com
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Key Questions
Are Guillermo Rodriguez and Jackson Olson still friends?
Yes. Rodriguez told TV Insider that they are friends and are having fun competing. Olson also described them as “truly friends.”
Why did Jackson Olson apologize?
Olson apologized for a social media comment comparing Erik Ostberg’s recreation of Rodriguez’s dance with Rodriguez’s performance. Fans interpreted the remark as disrespectful to Rodriguez.
What did Olson say in the deleted comment?
Olson reportedly wrote, “How did you do this better than him with 2 hours of rehearsal,” under a TikTok video of Ostberg dancing. The comment was later deleted.
Did Rodriguez respond to the apology?
Rodriguez told TV Insider that he and Olson are friends, that they are competing against each other, and that they are having fun. He also called Olson a good guy.
Did Dancing With the Stars comment on the dispute?
No response from the show or its representatives is included in the available reporting. It is not clear whether the program addressed the incident.
Source: latimes.com
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