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Guillermo Rodriguez and Jackson Olson said they are 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.

Guillermo Rodriguez and Jackson Olson said they remain friends after Olson apologized for a social media comment that fans took as a slight against Rodriguez, their fellow “Dancing With the Stars” contestant. Rodriguez told TV Insider on Tuesday that the two are competing on the show but having fun, while Olson described them as “truly friends.”

“We’re friends,” Rodriguez, a star of “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 with the Savannah Bananas, separately confirmed to the outlet that their friendship was genuine.

The statements followed an apology Olson posted on Instagram earlier Tuesday. In the post, which included a video of the two dancing together to “Nobody’s Perfect” by Hannah Montana, Olson wrote: “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 added, “I love this guy,” and urged viewers to return their attention to dancing.

Olson had faced criticism over a since-deleted comment on a TikTok video posted the previous week by the Loco Beach Coconuts, a Banana Ball team. The video showed player Erik Ostberg recreating a dance Rodriguez and his professional partner, Witney Carson, had performed earlier in the season. Olson reportedly commented, “How did you do this better than him with 2 hours of rehearsal.” Fans on social media objected to the comparison on Rodriguez’s behalf. The post is no longer available, and the reported comment was deleted.

How the Two Contestants Cleared the Air

The exchange matters because a remark about a performance became a public dispute involving two people who are competing on the same television show. Olson’s apology addressed the reaction directly, while Rodriguez’s comments made clear that he did not describe their relationship as hostile. Their public response also offers viewers a clearer account than social media speculation alone: both men say they are friends, despite the competition and the criticism that followed the comment.

Olson told TV Insider that he and Rodriguez had grown close on the show. He said he went to Rodriguez’s trailer and that they spoke for about 30 minutes to clear the air. Olson described their goal as showing people they were friends and were not acting maliciously toward each other. That account is Olson’s description of their conversation; Rodriguez’s own public remarks separately affirm that they are on good terms.

The episode also illustrates how a brief online comparison can be read differently from its apparent intent. Olson’s comment praised Ostberg’s version of the dance, but viewers took its wording as disparaging toward Rodriguez. Olson apologized for the comment and the negativity it caused. The available reporting does not establish that he intended to insult Rodriguez.

The Comment Behind the Apology

The disagreement began with a TikTok video shared last week by the Loco Beach Coconuts. It showed Erik Ostberg performing a dance previously done by Rodriguez and Carson on “Dancing With the Stars.” Olson’s now-deleted comment compared the two performances and referred to Ostberg having had two hours of rehearsal. Social media users criticized the wording as disrespectful to Rodriguez.

Olson’s apology came on Instagram Tuesday, alongside a video of him and Rodriguez dancing together. He then spoke to TV Insider about the relationship, saying he had loved Rodriguez since they met and that the two had become close while appearing on the show. Rodriguez’s statement to the outlet followed the same day. The public comments thus came after the apology and were presented as a response to the online reaction, not as a new dispute between the contestants.

Rodriguez is known to television audiences for his work on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!”, while Olson plays for the Savannah Bananas, an entertainment-focused baseball team. Both are participants in the current “Dancing With the Stars” season, where they are rivals on the dance floor but, according to their statements, friends outside 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 Record Does Not Show

The original TikTok comment has been deleted, and the available reporting does not include a full record of the exchange or the surrounding discussion. Olson’s comment is reported as a comparison praising Ostberg’s performance; the reason fans found it disrespectful is their interpretation, not proof of Olson’s intent. Olson apologized for the remark and its effect, but did not describe it in the reported statements as an intentional attack.

There is also no detailed account from Rodriguez of the private conversation Olson said took place in his trailer. Rodriguez’s public comments indicate that he considers them friends, but the two have not provided a fuller account of how they discussed the comment. No further conflict or disciplinary action is reported.

The Competition Continues on DWTS

The immediate public response has been made: Olson apologized, and both contestants said they remain friends. The next development is likely to come through their continued participation in “Dancing With the Stars”, where they will keep competing while, by their account, maintaining a friendly relationship.

No additional statement, change to either contestant’s status, or formal action related to the deleted comment has been announced in the reported coverage. Viewers can distinguish what is confirmed from what is inferred: both men have publicly described themselves as friends, while the intent behind the original wording remains unestablished. The article ends with no claim about how the contestants’ relationship or competition will develop from here.

Source: Los Angeles Times

Key Questions

What did Guillermo Rodriguez say about Jackson Olson?

Rodriguez told TV Insider that they are friends, even though they are competing against each other on “Dancing With the Stars.” He said they are having fun and called Olson a good guy.

Why did Jackson Olson apologize?

Olson apologized for a since-deleted social media comment comparing a dance by Erik Ostberg with a performance by Rodriguez and Witney Carson. Fans viewed the comment as disrespectful to Rodriguez.

Did Olson and Rodriguez talk privately?

Olson told TV Insider that he went to Rodriguez’s trailer and they spoke for about 30 minutes to clear the air. Rodriguez’s public comments also said their friendship remained intact.

Did Jackson Olson say he meant to insult Rodriguez?

The reported statements do not establish that Olson intended to insult Rodriguez. Olson apologized for his comment and the negativity it caused; fans’ interpretation of the wording prompted the criticism.

Source: Los Angeles Times