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“Dancing With the Stars” contestants Guillermo Rodriguez and Jackson Olson say there is no bad blood between them after Olson apologized for a social media comment that drew criticism. Olson said he and Rodriguez talked privately, and he posted a video of them dancing together.
“Dancing With the Stars” contestants Guillermo Rodriguez and Jackson Olson say their friendship is intact 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 friends despite competing against each other, while Olson described them as “truly friends.”
Olson, an infielder with the Savannah Bananas, posted an apology on Instagram earlier Tuesday. He addressed Rodriguez and those upset by his comment, writing that he was sorry for what he had said and for the negativity it caused. His post included a video of the pair dancing together to “Nobody’s Perfect” by Hannah Montana.
In the caption, Olson wrote, “I love this guy,” added a red heart emoji and urged them to focus on dancing. The post followed a since-deleted comment Olson left under a TikTok video shared last week by Banana Ball team Loco Beach Coconuts. The video showed player Erik Ostberg recreating a dance Rodriguez had performed with professional partner Witney Carson 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. Some fans interpreted the remark as disrespectful to Rodriguez. The comment has since been deleted; the available account of the incident does not establish that Olson intended to insult his fellow contestant.
Dancing With the Stars · Friendship update
DWTS Contestants Address Their Friendship After Guillermo Rodriguez’s Apology
After a social media comment drew criticism, Jackson Olson apologized. He and Guillermo Rodriguez say their friendship is intact, and both have turned attention back to dancing.
At a glance · The development
An apology amid the competition
Olson’s comparison became a public talking point, but both contestants have directly said they remain on good terms.
What happened
A comment drew criticism
Olson praised Erik Ostberg’s recreation of a Rodriguez routine, comparing it favorably despite limited rehearsal time. Some fans saw the remark as disrespectful.
Olson’s response
Public apology
He apologized to Rodriguez and to those upset by his comment, saying he was sorry for the negativity it caused. The original comment was later deleted.
Where they stand
Friends on the show
Rodriguez called Olson “a good guy.” Olson said they had grown close, spoke privately, and were “truly friends.”
In their words
Two accounts, one clear message
Their public comments affirm the relationship while leaving the full private conversation between them private.
“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
How the story unfolded
From dance clip to clearing the air
The reported sequence links the online reaction with an apology and a private conversation.
A routine is recreated
Loco Beach Coconuts shares Erik Ostberg performing a dance Rodriguez did with Witney Carson.
Olson comments
He asks how Ostberg did it better than Rodriguez with two hours of rehearsal.
Fans react
Some interpret the comparison as disrespectful. The comment is later deleted.
They reconnect
Olson apologizes and says they spoke privately for about 30 minutes.
What the apology said
“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.” Olson’s Instagram post also included a video of the pair dancing to “Nobody’s Perfect” by Hannah Montana and the caption “I love this guy.”
Key questions
What’s confirmed so far
The available account establishes the apology and their statements about friendship. It does not establish Olson’s intent behind the original comment.
What did Olson apologize for?
A social media comment comparing Ostberg’s recreation of a “Dancing With the Stars” routine with Rodriguez’s performance.
Are they still friends?
Yes. Rodriguez said, “We’re friends,” and Olson described them as “truly friends.”
Did they speak privately?
Olson told TV Insider he went to Rodriguez’s trailer and they talked for about 30 minutes to clear the air.
What happens next?
No further statement or specific next action was announced. For now, both say they are returning their focus to dancing.
An Apology Amid the Competition
The exchange drew attention because the comment placed a personal relationship inside the public competition around “Dancing With the Stars.” Fans reacted to Olson’s comparison of the two performances, while the contestants themselves say they are on good terms. Their statements offer a direct response to speculation that the remark had caused a lasting dispute.
Olson’s apology and the video of the pair dancing together also shift the focus back to the show’s performances. Rodriguez said they are competing but having fun, and called Olson “a good guy.” That account is consistent with Olson’s description of their relationship, though the contestants’ comments do not require fans to agree with every interpretation of the original remark.
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How the Comment Drew Attention
The incident began with a TikTok video posted last week by Loco Beach Coconuts, a Banana Ball team. It featured Erik Ostberg recreating a routine Rodriguez had performed with Witney Carson on “Dancing With the Stars.” Olson commented that Ostberg had done the dance better despite having only two hours of rehearsal.
Fans criticized the comparison, and the comment was later deleted. Olson then apologized publicly and, according to his comments to TV Insider, also spoke privately with Rodriguez. He said he went to Rodriguez’s trailer and that they talked for about 30 minutes to clear the air. The reported timeline connects the apology to both the online response and that conversation.
““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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Intent Behind the Remark
The details available do not show what Olson intended when he compared Ostberg’s recreation with Rodriguez’s performance. The comment was perceived as disrespectful by some fans, but Olson apologized and neither contestant has described the exchange as evidence of a continuing feud. The full private conversation between the two has not been made public.
It is also unclear whether the contestants or the show will make any further public comments. Their statements establish that both describe themselves as friends; they do not provide a broader account of how the online reaction affected either person.
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The Competition Continues
Rodriguez and Olson remain contestants on “Dancing With the Stars”, and the immediate public response from both has been to affirm their friendship and return attention to dancing. Olson’s post specifically called for the pair to focus on what the show is about. No further statement or specific next action was announced in the reported comments.
As the season continues, their performances and any new comments may provide more information about how the contestants interact on the show. For now, the confirmed development is limited: Olson apologized, Rodriguez said they are friends, and Olson also described their relationship as genuine.
Source: Los Angeles Times
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Key Questions
What did Jackson Olson apologize for?
Olson apologized for a social media comment comparing Erik Ostberg’s recreation of a “Dancing With the Stars” routine with Guillermo Rodriguez’s performance. The comment appeared under a TikTok video and was later deleted.
Are Guillermo Rodriguez and Jackson Olson still friends?
Both say they are. Rodriguez told TV Insider, “We’re friends,” and Olson described them as “truly friends.”
What did Olson say in the apology?
In an Instagram post, Olson said he was sorry to Rodriguez and to others for his comment and the negativity it caused. The post included a video of the two dancing together.
Did Olson and Rodriguez speak privately?
Olson told TV Insider that he went to Rodriguez’s trailer and they talked for about 30 minutes to clear the air. Rodriguez also publicly said the two remain friends.
Source: Los Angeles Times
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