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Jackson Olson drew criticism after commenting that another athlete danced better than Guillermo Rodriguez despite only two hours of rehearsal. Olson apologized on TikTok and told E! News that he spoke with Rodriguez in person, who said he understood. Olson later joked about being “canceled” in a TikTok about a separate baseball loss and his dance partner leaving rehearsal.
Dancing With the Stars contestant Jackson Olson apologized after a since-deleted comment criticized fellow contestant Guillermo Rodriguez’s dancing, and said he later spoke with Rodriguez in person. Olson’s Oct. 11 TikTok then joked that he had been “canceled,” tying the backlash to other setbacks he described, including a baseball championship loss and his dance partner leaving rehearsal.
The comment appeared under a video of another athlete recreating a dance performed by Rodriguez and his professional partner, Witney Carson. According to Cosmopolitan, Olson wrote: “Seriously how did you do this better than him with 2 hours of rehearsal.” The comment was later deleted. The wording compared Rodriguez’s performance unfavorably with the athlete’s, prompting criticism of Olson’s remark.
On Oct. 6, Olson posted an apology on TikTok. He said he was sorry that his comment had caused “this much unnecessary negativity,” added that he had not intended that result and said he took full ownership. He also wrote that he cared about Rodriguez and wanted the show to return to its focus on dancing.
Olson told E! News the same day that he went to Rodriguez’s trailer and they talked for about 30 minutes. Olson said he told Rodriguez he had meant nothing by the comment, and recalled Rodriguez responding, “Dude, I know. It’s totally fine.” Olson described the two as friends throughout the show. The account of Rodriguez’s response comes from Olson; no separate statement from Rodriguez is included in the available reporting.
A Joke Became a Public Apology
The incident shows how a brief comment between contestants can become a public dispute when it is shared and interpreted as a personal criticism. Olson’s apology and his account of a face-to-face conversation are relevant because they indicate he addressed the reaction directly, rather than leaving the comment unanswered.
It also matters to viewers because both men are members of the same DWTS season 35 cast. The program centers on contestants learning and performing dances, making remarks about a fellow contestant’s ability particularly visible to fans. But the available details do not establish that the disagreement affected the competition, their partnership with other dancers, or the show’s plans.
Olson’s later use of “canceled” was framed as part of a joking list of troubles in a TikTok, not as a formal update about the status of the controversy. That distinction matters: his post shows he referenced the criticism, but does not by itself explain how widely the remark was received or whether public reaction had subsided.
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The Comment and Its Aftermath
Olson, a Savannah Bananas baseball player, is paired on the show with professional dancer Emma Slater. Rodriguez, known as a Jimmy Kimmel Live! personality, competes with Witney Carson. The disputed remark concerned a comparison between Rodriguez’s dancing and an athlete’s recreation of one of his performances; it was not a comment made during a broadcast, based on the reported details.
After the apology and conversation on Oct. 6, Olson posted another TikTok on Oct. 11. The clip showed Slater leaving the rehearsal studio with her boyfriend and fellow professional dancer, Alan Bersten, while the pair mouthed along to “Gotta Go My Own Way” from High School Musical 2. Olson captioned the situation as his dance partner leaving him for her boyfriend.
In the caption, Olson also referred to the Savannah Bananas’ loss to the Texas Tailgaters in the inaugural Banana Bowl championship, writing: “First I get canceled, then we lose the Banana Bowl and now this?!” The post connected the earlier criticism to unrelated events in a comic framing. It did not contain a new apology or a new account of his conversation with Rodriguez.
““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 an Oct. 6 TikTok apology
What Rodriguez Has Said Publicly
The available reporting does not include an independent statement from Rodriguez about the comment or the conversation Olson described. The reported reassurance comes through Olson’s recollection, so it is not possible from these details alone to establish Rodriguez’s full view of the incident.
It is also unclear how much criticism Olson faced, how long it continued, or whether it changed the contestants’ relationship after their conversation. The reporting does not identify a formal disciplinary response from the show, and it does not say that one occurred. Olson’s “canceled” wording is part of a social-media joke, not evidence of a specific professional consequence.
The Contestants Continue the Season
The immediate next step described in the reporting is the continuation of DWTS season 35, with Olson and Slater and Rodriguez and Carson competing as cast partners. No further statement, formal review or show response was reported alongside Olson’s Oct. 11 post.
Any later clarification from Rodriguez, the show or Olson could add detail about how the exchange affected them. Until then, the confirmed account is limited: Olson made a critical comment, deleted it, apologized publicly and said he and Rodriguez spoke and were on good terms. The final paragraph below links to Yahoo Entertainment’s report.
Source: Yahoo Entertainment
Key Questions
What did Jackson Olson say about Guillermo Rodriguez?
Olson wrote under a video of another athlete recreating a Rodriguez dance: “Seriously how did you do this better than him with 2 hours of rehearsal.” The comment was later deleted.
Did Jackson Olson apologize?
Yes. In an Oct. 6 TikTok, Olson said he was sorry his comment caused “unnecessary negativity,” said he took full ownership and expressed affection for Rodriguez.
Did Guillermo Rodriguez respond to Olson?
Olson told E! News that Rodriguez said, “Dude, I know. It’s totally fine,” when they spoke. The available reporting presents this as Olson’s recollection and does not include a separate public statement from Rodriguez.
Why did Olson mention being canceled?
In an Oct. 11 TikTok caption, Olson jokingly grouped the criticism with the Savannah Bananas’ Banana Bowl loss and his dance partner Emma Slater leaving rehearsal with Alan Bersten. The post did not provide a new account of the dispute.
Source: Yahoo Entertainment
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