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Guillermo Rodriguez and Jackson Olson say they remain friends after Olson apologized for a social media comment that fans viewed as disrespectful. The two “Dancing With the Stars” contestants said they had cleared the air and were enjoying the competition.
“Dancing With the Stars” contestants Guillermo Rodriguez and Jackson Olson say they have put a social media disagreement behind them, with Rodriguez describing the pair as friends after Olson apologized for a comment fans considered disrespectful. The exchange matters because the two are competing on the same show, and their public statements have addressed speculation about tension between them.
Rodriguez, known for his work on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!,” told TV Insider on Tuesday that he and Olson were getting along despite competing. “We’re friends,” Rodriguez said. “We’re competing against each other, but we’re friends. We’re having fun. He’s a good guy.” Olson also told the outlet that they are “truly friends.”
Olson had apologized earlier Tuesday in an Instagram post addressed to Rodriguez and his followers. “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,” he wrote. The post included video of the two dancing together to “Nobody’s Perfect” by Hannah Montana, and Olson added that he loved Rodriguez and wanted them to focus on dancing.
The comment that prompted the apology was posted beneath a TikTok video shared the previous week by the Banana Ball team Loco Beach Coconuts. It showed player Erik Ostberg recreating a dance Rodriguez and professional partner Witney Carson had performed on the show. Olson wrote, “how did you do this better than him with 2 hours of rehersal,” praising Ostberg’s version. The comment was later deleted, and fans criticized it as a slight against Rodriguez.
Dancing With the Stars · Relationship Update
Guillermo Rodriguez and Jackson Olson Put Apology Behind Them
After a social media comment drew criticism, both contestants say they are friends and enjoying the competition. Olson apologized; the two have publicly addressed speculation about tension.
We’re competing against each other, but we’re friends.
GUILLERMO RODRIGUEZ · TO TV INSIDERThe reported reset includes Olson’s apology and his account of a private conversation with Rodriguez.
Competing on the same season
Posted by Olson on Instagram
Olson’s account to TV Insider
Statements and apology; exact date not specified
The sequence
From comparison to public reset
The statements clarify what the contestants say about their relationship. They do not settle how every viewer responded.
A dance recreation is shared
Loco Beach Coconuts posted a TikTok of Erik Ostberg recreating a routine Rodriguez performed with Witney Carson.
Olson compares the dances
He praised Ostberg’s version with a comparison that some fans viewed as disrespectful to Rodriguez.
Comment deleted; apology posted
Olson apologized to Rodriguez and his followers, saying the comment had caused negativity.
Both describe a friendship
They said they had cleared the air and were having fun competing on the show.
Their words
Two public statements, one shared message
Olson’s Instagram post also included video of the two dancing to “Nobody’s Perfect” by Hannah Montana.
“We’re friends. We’re competing against each other, but we’re friends. We’re having fun. He’s a good guy.”
Rodriguez said the two were getting along despite competing.
Rodriguez is known for his work on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” and performs on the show with professional dancer Witney Carson.
“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 apologized to Rodriguez and his followers.
Olson later called them “truly friends” and said he wanted the focus to return to dancing.
What the reporting establishes
Acknowledged impact, with limits
The available account documents the comment, the apology, and both contestants’ public descriptions of their relationship. It also leaves important details unconfirmed.
Olson’s comment compared Ostberg’s recreation with Rodriguez’s performance. It was later deleted, and Olson apologized.
Both men said they are friends. Olson said he went to Rodriguez’s trailer and they spoke for about 30 minutes.
The conversation details are reported through Olson’s account.The report does not establish Olson’s intent beyond his explanation, whether all fans accepted the apology, or whether online criticism has ended.
Quick answers
What viewers may want to know
What did Olson apologize for?
A social media comment comparing Erik Ostberg’s recreation of a show routine with Rodriguez’s performance.
What did the comment say?
“how did you do this better than him with 2 hours of rehersal,” praising Ostberg’s recreation. Some fans took the comparison as a slight.
Are Rodriguez and Olson still friends?
Both say they are. Rodriguez said they were having fun competing; Olson described them as “truly friends.”
Did they speak privately?
Olson told TV Insider that he visited Rodriguez’s trailer and they talked for about 30 minutes to clear the air.
Los Angeles Times. Statements and apology reported in October; the supplied account does not specify the exact date. Olson’s private-conversation details are attributed to his interview with TV Insider.
A Public Reset During Competition
The exchange gives viewers a direct account from both contestants after online reactions turned a brief comparison of dance performances into a broader question about their relationship. Rodriguez’s and Olson’s statements point to no ongoing dispute between the two, while Olson’s apology acknowledges that his remark caused negative attention.
The episode also shows how comments about contestants can attract scrutiny beyond the competition itself. Here, the comment compared a player’s recreation with Rodriguez’s performance, and fans interpreted it as disrespectful. The apology and joint dancing video offered a public response, but the available statements do not establish that every fan accepted the apology or that online criticism has ended.
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How the Comment Drew Attention
Rodriguez and Olson are among the celebrity contestants on the current season of “Dancing With the Stars.” Rodriguez performs with professional dancer Witney Carson. Olson is an infielder with the Savannah Bananas, a baseball entertainment team, and the TikTok video that prompted his remark was posted by Loco Beach Coconuts, a Banana Ball team.
Olson’s comment appeared to praise Ostberg’s quick recreation of Rodriguez and Carson’s routine, but its comparison to Rodriguez’s performance struck some viewers as insulting. After the backlash, Olson deleted the comment and apologized on Instagram. He later told TV Insider that he and Rodriguez had spoken privately, saying he went to Rodriguez’s trailer and they talked for about 30 minutes to clear the air.
““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 Public Statements Establish
The contestants have said they are friends, and Olson has apologized, but the details of their private conversation have not been independently described beyond Olson’s account. It is also unclear how widely the apology has changed viewers’ reactions or whether the deleted comment remains available elsewhere.
The reported comment and the response do not establish that Olson intended to insult Rodriguez. The available account confirms that fans took offense and that Olson apologized; his intent beyond his own explanation is not independently confirmed.
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The Competition Continues on Air
Rodriguez and Olson are set to continue competing on “Dancing With the Stars.” Their latest comments shift attention back to the show, with Olson urging viewers to focus on dancing. No further statement or specific next step from either contestant was reported alongside their remarks.
For now, the confirmed development is limited to Olson’s apology and both men’s statements that they are friends. Any change in their relationship or additional response from viewers may become clearer as the season continues.
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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 beneath a TikTok video and was later deleted.
What did Olson say about Rodriguez’s dance?
Olson wrote, “how did you do this better than him with 2 hours of rehersal,” praising Ostberg’s recreation. Some fans interpreted the comparison as disrespectful to Rodriguez.
Are Rodriguez and Olson still friends?
Both said they are friends. Rodriguez told TV Insider they were having fun competing, and Olson described them as “truly friends.”
Did the two contestants speak privately?
Olson told TV Insider that he went to Rodriguez’s trailer and they talked for about 30 minutes to clear the air. That account was given by Olson.
Source: Los Angeles Times
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