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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 that fans viewed as disrespectful. Olson said he and Rodriguez spoke privately, and the two shared a video of themselves dancing.

Guillermo Rodriguez and Jackson Olson say they are friends after Olson apologized for a social media comment about Rodriguez’s dancing that drew criticism from fans of Dancing With the Stars. Rodriguez told TV Insider on Tuesday that there was no bad blood between the contestants, while Olson said they had cleared the air in a private conversation.

“We’re friends,” Rodriguez, known for his work on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, 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 for the Savannah Bananas, also described their relationship as a genuine friendship.

Olson apologized in an Instagram post earlier Tuesday, addressing Rodriguez and people who had reacted to the comment. “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 men dancing together to “Nobody’s Perfect” by Hannah Montana.

Olson added, “I love this guy,” and urged them to focus on the show and dance. His apology followed a comment he had since deleted from a TikTok video posted the previous week by the Loco Beach Coconuts, a Banana Ball team. The clip showed player Erik Ostberg recreating a dance Rodriguez had performed with his professional partner, Witney Carson, on DWTS. Olson’s comment praised Ostberg’s version in comparison with Rodriguez’s rehearsal time.

How the DWTS Dispute Was Settled

The exchange shows how a brief social media comment can be interpreted differently from its intended meaning, particularly when fans are following a public competition. Olson’s remark was reportedly meant as praise for Ostberg, but some viewers took it as a put-down of Rodriguez’s performance. Their response turned the comment into a public controversy before the two contestants clarified their relationship.

For DWTS viewers, the clarification matters because the pair are competing on the same show while also appearing to maintain a friendly relationship off the dance floor. Rodriguez’s comments and Olson’s apology both point to an effort to prevent the online reaction from defining their interactions. Neither statement changes the competition itself; they address the personal tension fans inferred from the comment.

The public apology and joint dance video gave Olson a visible way to acknowledge the backlash and show the pair together. Rodriguez’s response then supplied his own account rather than leaving fans to rely only on reactions to the deleted comment. Their statements support the conclusion that both men are presenting the episode as resolved, though they do not establish how every viewer interpreted the apology.

The Comment Behind the Apology

The disagreement began after a TikTok video showed Erik Ostberg performing a version of a dance previously featured on DWTS by Rodriguez and Witney Carson. Olson commented, “How did you do this better than him with 2 hours of rehersal,” according to the Los Angeles Times. The comment has since been deleted.

Fans on social media criticized the remark on Rodriguez’s behalf. Olson later told TV Insider that he had long liked Rodriguez and that the two had grown close while filming the show. He said he went to Rodriguez’s trailer, where they talked for about 30 minutes, and agreed to make clear that they were friends and had not acted maliciously toward one another.

The available account describes the comment as being perceived as disrespectful; it does not establish that Olson intended to insult Rodriguez. Olson’s apology addressed the effect of his words and the negativity around them, while Rodriguez’s remarks emphasized their friendship during the competition.

““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 Confirm

The two contestants have both described themselves as friends, and Olson apologized publicly. The reporting does not include further detail about what was said during their private conversation beyond Olson’s account that they talked for around 30 minutes and decided to show viewers they were on good terms.

Olson’s original comment is no longer available in the TikTok thread, so its wording is reported through the Los Angeles Times account. The exact reach of the criticism and whether the incident affected either contestant’s standing on the show are not specified. There is no indication in the reported statements that the apology changes the DWTS competition or its results.

The Competition Continues on DWTS

Rodriguez and Olson remain contestants on Dancing With the Stars, where they will continue competing while, by their own accounts, remaining friends. The immediate next step is the show’s ongoing competition and its future performances; no additional response or formal action related to the comment was reported.

For now, both men have publicly addressed the episode: Olson apologized, and Rodriguez said they were enjoying the experience together. Further developments would depend on any additional statements from the contestants or new details about the social media reaction.

Source: Los Angeles Times

Key Questions

Why did Jackson Olson apologize to Guillermo Rodriguez?

Olson apologized after fans criticized a comment he left on a TikTok video showing Erik Ostberg recreating a dance Rodriguez had performed on DWTS. Some viewers interpreted Olson’s comparison as disrespectful to Rodriguez.

What did Jackson Olson say in the comment?

Olson reportedly wrote, “How did you do this better than him with 2 hours of rehersal,” praising Ostberg’s performance. The comment was later deleted.

Are Guillermo Rodriguez and Jackson Olson still friends?

Yes. Rodriguez told TV Insider, “We’re friends,” and Olson also said they were genuinely friends. Olson said they talked privately to clear the air.

Did the apology affect the DWTS competition?

No effect on the competition was reported. Rodriguez and Olson remain contestants, and their statements addressed their relationship rather than the show’s results.

Source: Los Angeles Times