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Jackson Olson apologized after a deleted comment comparing Guillermo Rodriguez’s dancing with another performer drew criticism. Olson said he spoke with Rodriguez in person and that the two were fine; a later TikTok joked about the backlash alongside other setbacks.
Dancing With the Stars contestant Jackson Olson has responded to criticism over a deleted comment about fellow contestant Guillermo Rodriguez’s dancing, apologizing publicly and saying the two spoke in person and were on good terms. In a later TikTok, Olson joked that he had been “canceled” as he described a series of setbacks, including a loss by his baseball team.
The criticism followed a comment Olson left under a video of another athlete recreating a dance performed by Rodriguez and his professional partner, Witney Carson. Cosmopolitan reported the since-deleted comment as: “Seriously how did you do this better than him with 2 hours of rehearsal.” The wording compared the athlete’s performance with Rodriguez’s and prompted a backlash, though the available reporting does not specify how many people criticized Olson or the scale of the response.
On Oct. 6, Olson addressed the reaction in a TikTok apology. “To G and to all of you, I am truly sorry that my comment I made the other day caused this much unnecessary negativity,” he wrote. He added that he had not intended to cause that reaction, said he took full responsibility and expressed affection for Rodriguez. Olson ended the post by calling for the focus to return to dance.
Olson also told E! News on Oct. 6 that he went to Rodriguez’s trailer and spoke with him for about 30 minutes. Olson said he explained that he had meant nothing by the comment. According to Olson’s account, Rodriguez replied, “Dude, I know. It’s totally fine.” The conversation and Rodriguez’s response are reported through Olson; no separate statement from Rodriguez is included in the available account.
DWTS • BACKLASH & RESPONSE
Jackson Olson Responds After His Guillermo Rodriguez Comments Draw Criticism
Olson apologized for a deleted comment comparing dance performances. He said he spoke with Rodriguez in person and described their conversation as friendly.
THE STORY IN THREE BEATS
What happened
The reported sequence moves from a comparison online to a public apology, then a private conversation described by Olson.
A comparison drew criticism
Under a video recreating a dance by Rodriguez and Witney Carson, Olson reportedly wrote that the other athlete did it better with two hours of rehearsal. The comment was later deleted.
Olson took responsibility
In a TikTok post on Oct. 6, he said he was sorry his comment caused negativity, that he had not intended that reaction, and that he took full responsibility.
He said they spoke directly
Olson told E! News that he visited Rodriguez’s trailer and spoke with him for about 30 minutes. Olson described the exchange as friendly.
TIMELINE
From comment to follow-up
Dates and details below reflect the accounts included in the reporting.
Dance video posted
An athlete recreates a dance performed by Rodriguez and Carson.
Comment is criticized
Olson’s comparison prompts backlash. The number of critics is not reported.
Oct. 6: apology & talk
Olson apologizes publicly and says he spoke with Rodriguez in person.
Oct. 11: joking caption
Olson jokes about being “canceled” while mentioning other setbacks.
IN THEIR WORDS
Apology and response
These quotes show Olson’s public apology and his account of the conversation.
“To G and to all of you, I am truly sorry that my comment I made the other day caused this much unnecessary negativity.”
JACKSON OLSON • OCT. 6 TIKTOK
Olson also said he took full responsibility and wanted the focus to return to dance.
“I went to his trailer, we talked for 30 minutes.”
JACKSON OLSON • E! NEWS, OCT. 6
Olson said he explained that he had meant nothing by the comment.
“Dude, I know. It’s totally fine.”
RODRIGUEZ’S REPORTED RESPONSE
This response is recounted by Olson; no separate statement from Rodriguez is included.
“First I get canceled, then we lose the Banana Bowl and now this?!”
JACKSON OLSON • OCT. 11 TIKTOK CAPTION
The caption grouped the online reaction with a Savannah Bananas loss and a rehearsal-room moment.
EVIDENCE CHECK
What the reporting does not establish
The available account describes Olson’s apology and his version of the conversation. Several details about the reaction and its effects remain unreported.
- —The volume and duration of criticism, or how viewers and castmates responded.
- —A direct statement from Rodriguez confirming Olson’s account of their conversation.
- —Any formal consequence or change to Olson’s role on the show.
- —When the comment was deleted, who removed it, or whether the pair discussed it again.
QUICK QUESTIONS
What to know
Olson and Rodriguez are both part of the season 35 cast, according to the reporting provided.
Why did Olson receive criticism?
A since-deleted comment compared another athlete’s recreation of a Rodriguez and Carson dance with Rodriguez’s performance. Cosmopolitan reported the wording.
Did Olson apologize?
Yes. In an Oct. 6 TikTok, he said he was sorry his comment caused negativity and that he took responsibility.
Did the two speak afterward?
Olson told E! News they spoke at Rodriguez’s trailer for about 30 minutes. Rodriguez’s reported response comes through Olson’s account.
Was “canceled” a formal consequence?
No formal action is reported. Olson used the phrase jokingly in an Oct. 11 caption alongside other setbacks.
Source: Yahoo Entertainment; comment wording reported by Cosmopolitan; Olson’s Oct. 6 interview with E! News.
How the Castmates Addressed the Backlash
The episode matters because it involved two public figures sharing a televised competition, where remarks about a contestant’s performance can quickly become part of the show’s broader conversation. Olson’s apology acknowledges that his comment caused negative reaction, while his account of speaking directly with Rodriguez suggests the two addressed it privately as well as publicly.
That does not establish how viewers or other cast members have responded, or whether the criticism has affected either contestant’s standing on the show. What is confirmed in the reporting is narrower: Olson apologized, said he took responsibility, and described his conversation with Rodriguez as friendly. His later joke about being “canceled” signals that he was referring to the backlash, but does not quantify its reach or establish that the criticism has ended.
The Comment and Olson’s Apology
Olson, a player with the Savannah Bananas, is competing on Dancing With the Stars with professional dancer Emma Slater. Rodriguez, known for his appearances on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, is also a contestant, partnered with Witney Carson. The comment at issue concerned a video recreating one of Rodriguez and Carson’s dances, rather than a reported exchange during a live broadcast.
Olson’s follow-up TikTok appeared on Oct. 11. It showed Slater leaving a rehearsal studio with her boyfriend and fellow professional dancer, Alan Bersten, while the pair mouthed along to a song from High School Musical 2. Olson captioned the situation as his dance partner leaving with her boyfriend, then added: “First I get canceled, then we lose the Banana Bowl and now this?!”
The caption also referred to an Oct. 11 loss by the Savannah Bananas to the Texas Tailgaters in the inaugural Banana Bowl championship. Olson’s “canceled” wording was part of a joking caption that grouped the online criticism with the team’s loss and the rehearsal-room moment. It should not be read as evidence of a formal consequence or a separate announcement about his role on the show.
“To G and to all of you, I am truly sorry that my comment I made the other day caused this much unnecessary negativity.”
— Jackson Olson, in a TikTok post on Oct. 6
What the Reporting Does Not Establish
The available account does not include a direct statement from Rodriguez confirming Olson’s description of their conversation. It also does not detail the volume of criticism, how long the reaction lasted or whether the comment led to any consequences within the show. Olson’s use of “canceled” appears in a joking social-media caption; there is no reported formal disciplinary action or change to his participation.
The comment was deleted, but the account does not say when it was removed or whether Olson deleted it himself. There is also no further information about whether the contestants discussed the incident again after Oct. 6. Those points remain unreported, rather than evidence of continuing conflict.
The Competition Continues on Air
Olson and Rodriguez remain part of the season 35 Dancing With the Stars cast in the reporting provided. The next developments to watch are their performances and any further comments from either contestant, but no additional statement or specific follow-up about the apology is reported here. Olson’s Oct. 11 TikTok instead returned attention to rehearsal and the Savannah Bananas’ Banana Bowl result.
For now, the clearest account of the resolution is Olson’s own: he apologized publicly, said he took responsibility and described Rodriguez as understanding when they spoke. Whether Rodriguez chooses to comment independently, or whether the incident resurfaces during the competition, is not established.
Source: Yahoo Entertainment
Key Questions
Why did Jackson Olson receive criticism?
A since-deleted comment under a video of another athlete recreating a dance by Guillermo Rodriguez and Witney Carson said the athlete did it better than Rodriguez with two hours of rehearsal. The comment was reported by Cosmopolitan.
Did Olson apologize to Rodriguez?
Yes. Olson apologized in a TikTok post on Oct. 6, saying he was sorry his comment caused negativity and that he took responsibility.
Did Olson and Rodriguez speak after the comment?
Olson told E! News that he went to Rodriguez’s trailer and spoke with him for about 30 minutes. Olson said Rodriguez told him, “Dude, I know. It’s totally fine.” That response is reported through Olson’s account.
What did Olson mean by saying he was “canceled”?
He used the phrase jokingly in an Oct. 11 TikTok caption, alongside references to the Savannah Bananas’ Banana Bowl loss and his dance partner leaving rehearsal with her boyfriend. The report does not describe any formal consequence for Olson.
Source: Yahoo Entertainment
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