‘DWTS’ pro Val Chmerkovskiy made startling remark about Carrie Ann Inaba pre-suspension

Val Chmerkovskiy joked about keying “Dancing With the Stars” Carrie Ann Inaba’s car weeks before his remarks about the judge got him temporarily suspended from the show.

The “DWTS” pro, 40, brought up Inaba’s vehicle while chatting with Entertainment Tonight on Sept. 29 about the 58-year-old criticizing his partner, Jenna Dewan, for going “too hard” onstage.

As Dewan, 45, shared her plans to “work with” Inaba’s advice and apply it to her future performances, Chmerkovskiy interrupted to say, “I know where [Inaba] parks her car.”

He quipped, “I’m just saying, like, if she doesn’t want a different design…”

Dewan laughed before doubling down on her intention to learn from Inaba’s critique of their samba to “Africa.”

Chmerkovskiy noted, “[Dewan] is not wrong. Carrie Ann is right. I guess I was frustrated only because we did address that this week. … I thought that [Dewan] did it. So the feedback is correct — last week.”

Reps for Chmerkovskiy, Inaba and ABC did not immediately respond to Page Six’s requests for comment.

Two weeks after Chmerkovskiy’s startling remark about Inaba’s car, the dancer took aim at the latter on social media over a tense exchange she had with his wife, Jenna Johnson, during the Oct. 13 episode.

At the time, Inaba called out Johnson, 32, for incorporating a lift into her and partner Harry Shum Jr.’s performance.

Johnson pushed back in an awkward moment — and reportedly cried backstage afterward.

Chmerkovskiy subsequently took to Tiktok to tell his followers they “almost saw Fresh Prince enter the ballroom last night.”

His since-deleted upload was seemingly a reference to “Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” alum Will Smith infamously slapping Oscars 2022 host Chris Rock and telling him to “keep my wife’s name out your f–king mouth.”

BBC Studios dubbed Chmerkovskiy’s post “inappropriate” over the weekend while announcing his week-long suspension.

“The well-being of everyone who works on ‘Dancing with the Stars is non-negotiable,” Saturday’s statement read. “Val’s social media post … does not reflect the values or standards expected of anyone connected with the show.”

Chmerkovskiy, for his part, issued an apology to Inaba on his Instagram Story and admitted to “making a poor decision.”

He will be replaced during Tuesday’s “Dedication Night” show by Alan Bernsten.

We hear Chmerkovskiy has handled the setback “gracefully” — although it took him “by surprise” — and he will be watching the episode from home.