TL;DR
Get movie nights delivered free with Prime
- Fast, free delivery on millions of items
- Prime Video, Amazon Music and more included
- Member-only deals all year
Dancing With the Stars contestants Guillermo Rodriguez and Jackson Olson said they remain friends after Olson apologized for a social media comment about Rodriguez’s dancing. Olson said the pair spoke privately and posted a video of them dancing together.
Dancing With the Stars contestants Guillermo Rodriguez and Jackson Olson say they remain friends after Olson apologized for a social media comment that some fans viewed as disrespectful to Rodriguez. Rodriguez told TV Insider on Tuesday that the two are competing on the show but having fun together; Olson also described them as friends and shared a video of them dancing.
Olson, an infielder with the Savannah Bananas, posted his apology on Instagram earlier Tuesday. He addressed Rodriguez and people who had reacted to the comment, saying he was sorry it had caused “this much negativity.” The post included a video of the two contestants dancing to “Nobody’s Perfect” by Hannah Montana.
In the caption, Olson wrote, “I love this guy,” and urged them to focus on dancing, adding “ily G.” The apology followed a comment Olson had left under a TikTok video posted the previous week by Loco Beach Coconuts, a Banana Ball team. The video showed player Erik Ostberg recreating a dance performed earlier in the DWTS season by Rodriguez and his professional partner, Witney Carson.
Olson’s now-deleted comment praised Ostberg’s version, asking how he had done it better than Rodriguez with two hours of rehearsal. Fans on social media took offense on Rodriguez’s behalf. The reported wording and online reaction explain why Olson apologized, but the comment’s deletion means it is no longer available on the platform in its original form.
Dancing With the Stars · The Update
Guillermo Rodriguez & Jackson Olson Talk Through Their Apology
A social media comment drew criticism from some fans. After a private conversation and a public apology, both contestants say they remain friends while competing on DWTS.
in their private talk
they remain friends
shared with apology
reported
01 / What happened
From a dance clip to a cleared-air moment
The exchange began online, then moved into a private conversation and public statements from both contestants.
A routine is recreated
Loco Beach Coconuts posted Erik Ostberg recreating a dance Rodriguez and Witney Carson had performed on DWTS.
A comment sparks reaction
Olson praised Ostberg’s version and mentioned his rehearsal time. Some fans read the remark as disrespectful to Rodriguez.
They talk privately
Olson said he went to Rodriguez’s trailer. The two spoke for about 30 minutes to clear the air.
An apology goes public
Olson apologized on Instagram and shared a video of them dancing to Hannah Montana’s “Nobody’s Perfect.”
02 / The apology
They describe a friendly rivalry
Their public comments frame the disagreement as resolved, while acknowledging that the original wording upset some viewers.
“We’re friends.”
Rodriguez told TV Insider the pair are competing on the show but having fun together. He called Olson a good guy.
“I love this guy.”
Olson apologized to Rodriguez and those who reacted to his comment, saying he was sorry it had caused “this much negativity.”
03 / Their own words
What each man said publicly
The statements followed their private conversation and the online response to Olson’s now-deleted comment.
“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“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.”
Jackson Olson · Instagram apology“I love Guillermo, and I have loved him [since we met].”
Jackson Olson · TV Insider“Let’s clear the air and show people that we’re actually friends and are not malicious towards each other.”
Jackson Olson · TV Insider04 / What is established
The public record—and its limits
The available reporting gives a clear account of their public response, with some details still unknown.
They say the relationship is intact
Both contestants have said they are friends and that they cleared the air. The joint dance video and apology redirected attention to their performances, and no further fallout has been reported.
- The original TikTok comment was deleted.
- The private conversation is known through Olson’s account; further details have not been reported.
- Reporting describes fans reacting online but gives no figures for the scale of the response.
- No additional statement from Loco Beach Coconuts or Ostberg is included in the available account.
05 / Quick answers
Key questions
What did Jackson Olson apologize for?
A comment comparing Erik Ostberg’s recreation of a DWTS dance with Rodriguez’s performance. Some fans interpreted it as disrespectful.
What did Guillermo Rodriguez say?
He told TV Insider they are friends, are having fun on the show, and remain friendly while competing.
Did they speak privately?
Yes. Olson said he went to Rodriguez’s trailer and they talked for about 30 minutes to clear the air.
What accompanied the apology?
An Instagram video of the two dancing to Hannah Montana’s “Nobody’s Perfect,” plus a message of affection for Rodriguez.
The Apology Resets Their Show Dynamic
The exchange matters because the comment concerned two contestants competing on the same nationally televised dance show, and fan reactions had framed it as a personal slight. By speaking publicly after Olson’s apology, both men presented the disagreement as resolved rather than an ongoing feud. Rodriguez’s response also makes clear that he views the competition as friendly: he told TV Insider, “We’re competing against each other, but we’re friends.”
Olson’s apology and their joint dancing video gave viewers a direct account from the people involved, rather than leaving the social media dispute to be defined only by audience reactions. Still, their statements establish how they describe their relationship now; they do not change the fact that some fans interpreted the original remark as insulting.
Popular right now
Dyson V8 Cyclone Cordless Vacuum
Dyson Cyclone V10 Origin Cordless Vacuum
iRobot Roomba 105 Combo Robot Vacuum and Mop
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
How the TikTok Comment Started
The disagreement grew out of a short dance clip, not a reported dispute during a live DWTS broadcast. Loco Beach Coconuts posted a video of Erik Ostberg recreating a routine Rodriguez and Carson had performed earlier in the season. Olson commented on Ostberg’s execution and rehearsal time, wording that some viewers understood as putting Rodriguez down.
After the response online, Olson and Rodriguez spoke privately. Olson told TV Insider that he went to Rodriguez’s trailer and that they talked for about 30 minutes. He said they wanted to clear the air and show people they were friends, not acting maliciously toward one another. Rodriguez’s comments to the outlet and Olson’s Instagram post followed 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
What the Public Statements Establish
The contestants have said they are friends and that they cleared the air, but the details of their private conversation have not been reported beyond Olson’s account that it lasted about 30 minutes. It is also unclear how many people saw the original TikTok comment or how widespread the criticism was; the available reporting describes fans reacting on social media but does not provide figures.
The comment was deleted, and there is no further account here from the Loco Beach Coconuts or Ostberg about the exchange. The public record consists of Olson’s apology, the joint dance video, and statements from both men that they remain friends. No further fallout has been reported.
The Competition Continues on DWTS
Rodriguez and Olson remain contestants on Dancing With the Stars, where they will continue competing while presenting themselves as friends. The apology and video direct attention back to the show’s performances, but no additional joint statement or specific next step has been announced. Any further developments will depend on what the contestants or the program say publicly.
Source: Los Angeles Times
Key Questions
What did Jackson Olson apologize for?
Olson apologized for a social media comment comparing Erik Ostberg’s recreation of a DWTS dance with Rodriguez’s performance. Some fans interpreted the comment as disrespectful to Rodriguez.
What did Guillermo Rodriguez say about Olson?
Rodriguez told TV Insider that they are friends, are having fun on the show, and remain friendly despite competing against each other.
Did Rodriguez and Olson speak privately?
Olson told TV Insider that he went to Rodriguez’s trailer and the two talked for about 30 minutes to clear the air.
What did Olson post with his apology?
His Instagram post included a video of him and Rodriguez dancing to Hannah Montana’s “Nobody’s Perfect,” along with an apology and a message of affection for Rodriguez.
Source: Los Angeles Times
