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Dancing With the Stars contestants Guillermo Rodriguez and Jackson Olson said they are friends after Olson apologized for a social media comment fans viewed as disrespectful. Olson said the two spoke privately and posted a video of them dancing together.

Guillermo Rodriguez and Jackson Olson said they remain friends after Olson apologized for a social media comment that drew criticism from fans of the “Dancing With the Stars” contestant. Rodriguez, the “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” personality, told TV Insider on Tuesday that the two are competing but having fun together; Olson also described them as friends.

“We’re friends,” Rodriguez told TV Insider. “We’re competing against each other, but we’re friends. We’re having fun. He’s a good guy.” Olson, an infielder with the Savannah Bananas, separately told the outlet that he and Rodriguez are “truly friends.” Their comments followed Olson’s public apology earlier Tuesday on Instagram.

Olson apologized to Rodriguez and to people who reacted to the comment, writing, “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.” His post included a video of the two men dancing to “Nobody’s Perfect” by Hannah Montana. Olson captioned it, “I love this guy,” and called for them to focus on dancing.

The dispute began with a comment Olson left under a TikTok video posted the previous week by the Banana Ball team Loco Beach Coconuts. The clip showed player Erik Ostberg recreating a dance Rodriguez and professional partner Witney Carson had performed earlier in the season. Olson wrote, “how did you do this better than him with 2 hours of rehersal,” according to the Los Angeles Times. The comment was later deleted. Fans took offense on Rodriguez’s behalf; the available account does not indicate that Rodriguez had publicly criticized Olson before the apology.

A Public Apology, a Private Conversation

The exchange became a small but visible moment in the public competition around “Dancing With the Stars”: a remark about one contestant’s performance was interpreted by fans as a slight, and the contestants then addressed the reaction directly. Their statements give viewers a clearer account of their relationship than social media speculation did, while keeping the focus on their stated experience rather than assumptions about a feud.

Olson said he and Rodriguez had already spoken in private. He told TV Insider that he went to Rodriguez’s trailer and they talked for about 30 minutes, with the aim of clearing the air and showing people they were not acting maliciously toward one another. The apology and joint dance video also offered a public response to the criticism, although they do not change the fact that the original comment was deleted.

For viewers, the distinction matters: the comment prompted backlash, but both men now say their relationship is friendly. That does not establish how every fan interpreted the exchange or how the contestants will fare in the competition. It does make clear that, as of their Tuesday remarks, neither man publicly described the situation as an ongoing personal conflict.

How the TikTok Comment Started

Rodriguez is known to television audiences for his appearances on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” and is competing on “Dancing With the Stars” with professional dancer Witney Carson. Olson is a baseball entertainer and Savannah Bananas infielder, also appearing as a contestant on the program. The TikTok video that prompted the controversy showed another Banana Ball player, Erik Ostberg, recreating a dance from Rodriguez and Carson’s performance earlier in the season.

Olson’s wording compared Ostberg’s version with Rodriguez’s while noting that Ostberg had only two hours of rehearsal. Although the comment praised Ostberg’s execution, some fans read the comparison as a put-down of Rodriguez. The comment was subsequently deleted. The Los Angeles Times reported that Olson apologized on Instagram on Tuesday and later discussed the conversation with Rodriguez in an interview with TV Insider.

““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

What the Exchange Does Not Establish

The available reporting does not establish exactly how Rodriguez felt when he first saw Olson’s comment, or whether Rodriguez asked Olson to apologize. It also does not provide a complete account of the private conversation beyond Olson’s description that they spoke for about 30 minutes and wanted to clear the air. Neither contestant’s reported comments indicate that the disagreement has continued.

The specific details of how the comment spread, how many viewers objected, and how the show’s production responded are not reported. The comment has been deleted, so its wording is carried here as reported by the Los Angeles Times rather than as a currently visible post. The contestants’ public statements confirm what they say about their friendship; they do not speak for every fan who criticized the remark.

The Contestants Return to Dancing

Olson’s Instagram caption urged the pair to get back to the purpose of the show and dance, and Rodriguez described their competition as friendly. The immediate next step is their continued participation in “Dancing With the Stars”; the account does not specify a forthcoming performance date or announce any further response from either contestant.

For now, both have publicly said there is no bad blood. Any later developments—such as another statement, a new performance together, or further reaction from viewers—remain unreported. The exchange is therefore best understood as a resolved public apology and affirmation of friendship, based on what Rodriguez and Olson have said so far.

Source: Los Angeles Times

Key Questions

Are Guillermo Rodriguez and Jackson Olson friends?

Yes. Rodriguez told TV Insider, “We’re friends,” and 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 a dance with Rodriguez’s performance after two hours of rehearsal. Some fans interpreted the comparison as disrespectful to Rodriguez.

What did Olson say in his apology?

In an Instagram post, Olson said he was sorry for the comment and the negativity it caused. He included a video of himself and Rodriguez dancing together.

Did Rodriguez respond to the comment?

Rodriguez publicly addressed the situation by telling TV Insider that he and Olson are friends, are having fun, and are competing against each other. The reported account does not describe him making a public criticism of Olson.

What happens next on Dancing With the Stars?

Both contestants are continuing on the show, but the reported update does not give a date for their next performance or identify a further development related to the apology.

Source: Los Angeles Times