9 Shocking Comments Maks Chmerkovskiy Has Made About the ‘DWTS’ Cast

Maks Chmerkovskiy is not holding back his thoughts on this season of Dancing with the Stars.

The DWTS alum, who is current pro Val Chmerkovskiy’s older brother, competed on the reality competition show for 17 seasons. He made a few guest judge appearances over the years and officially retired from the show in 2017 after competing on season 25. Though he is no longer vying for the Mirrorball Trophy, Chmerkovskiy has not shied away from sharing his thoughts on the competition series.

Most recently, he made a guest appearance on his wife, fellow former pro, Peta Murgatroyd’s podcast, The Penthouse with Peta, on Oct. 24, to discuss Week 6’s Wicked Night. While he gave his flowers to a few of the contestants, including social media personality Alix Earle and The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives star Whitney Leavitt, he shared several digs at some of the show’s pros, including Rylee Arnold and Jan Ravnik, who he said had “no business being a pro.”

Ravnik and his partner, Jen Affleck, seemingly responded with a TikTok in which she mimicked leaving comments while in rehearsal. “Take it down. Take it down. Take it down. We need it gone. Take it down,” Ravnik lip-synced, while the text on Affleck’s video read, “Me when anyone talks trash about Jan.”

“We don’t tolerate Jan slander in this house !!” The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives star captioned the post.

Here are nine of the most shocking things that Maks Chmerkovskiy said while appearing on his wife’s Oct. 24 podcast episode.

Chmerkovskiy believes Robert Irwin is not the “leader of the pack”

Before analyzing each dance, Murgatroyd asked Chmerkovskiy if he thought Irwin was still the “leader of the pack,” to which he replied that he was “never the leader of the pack.”

“As long as Whitney [Leavitt] is on the show, Robert is not the leader of the pack,” the former pro said, noting he predicts Irwin will continue to improve. “If he wins the show, he takes it out of Whitney’s hands.”

Chmerkovskiy later said he believed Irwin is the “leader of [the] men” on the show.

He claimed Scott Hoying was “undertaught” by Rylee Arnold

Chmerkovskiy was not impressed with Scott Hoying’s contemporary routine and said that the Pentatonix singer was “completely undertaught” by his partner, Arnold.

“This is not a dig at Rylee. … I believe it’s a matter of experience for Rylee,” he said, adding that the routine “wasn’t polished.”

“It wasn’t spectacular. You know what was spectacular? Rylee’s movement. She looked fantastic, this dress was incredible, she looked amazing from the first moment,” Chmerkovskiy continued. “But Rylee, sweetheart, it’s not your job to be that. Your job is to make sure he is that.”

He thought Val and Earle’s Wicked Night dance was “well executed”

Chmerkovskiy had some praise for his brother, Val, and his partner, Earle.

Although Chmerkovskiy noted that Earle might not be in the same “category” as Irwin and Leavitt, he said she is “damn near perfect” in her own.

He went on to say that his brother is “very good” at choreographing for the “overall perspective” of the routine.

“The number was fantastic looking,” Chmerkovskiy continued, adding that the routine was “well thought out” and “well executed.”

“He went for what she can look fantastic doing,” Chmerkovskiy said of Val’s choreography. “I don’t disagree with Val’s choices.”

He said Irwin delivered a “Broadway” performance

Reflecting on Witney Carson and Irwin’s jazz routine, Chmerkovskiy said that the wildlife conservationist “got in the zone” and delivered a “Broadway standout performance.”

“If he does this on Broadway, there’s a standing O at the end of this,” he said of Irwin.

Chmerkovskiy believes Daniella Karagach is “one of the best,” but her dance with Dylan Efron was a “let down”

Chmerkovskiy gave pro Daniella Karagach her flowers, saying that she is “insane.”

“One of the best. Virtuoso,” he said. “Through and through.”

However, Chmerkovskiy went on to say that her and Dylan Efron’s rumba was a “complete let down.”

He explained that a traditional rumba should be about the “woman,” with the male figure serving as a “foundation” in the back, helping to “present” his partner.

“I didn’t see choreography that made him look good. I saw attempts at making it this most traditional possible rumba,” the former pro said. “It didn’t land.”

“To me, it was too traditional,” he continued. “I have never criticized Daniella for anything, there’s nothing to. But this was way too traditional for this level of competition, for what this season is about, for that moment in time.”

He thought Elaine Hendrix was “unbelievable”

Chmerkovskiy is a big fan of actress Elaine Hendrix, whom he called “unbelievable.”

Although he said the “second half of the number was completely gone” with her aerial bit as Elphaba, Chmerkovskiy thought the dance was nearly perfect.

“If they continued dancing and finished the dance with a big bang and whatever, I would’ve been standing O, giving her a 10,” he said. “Damn, she is amazing.”

“I didn’t know that this was going to be even coming out,” Chmerkovskiy said of the actress’ talent.

He said Ravnik had “no business being a pro” on Dancing with the Stars

While discussing Ravnik and Affleck’s foxtrot from Wicked Night, Chmerkovskiy said that the former Eras Tour dancer had “no business being a pro” on Dancing with the Stars.

“There’s zero foundation, technique, quality, understanding of the partnership,” Chmerkovskiy said. “This is unreal, how blind we have to be, and, God forbid, say what’s obviously there — he had no idea what [a] foxtrot is supposed to look like.”

The former pro went on to say that he has “zero against” Ravnik, but called his casting a “missed opportunity” and said that Affleck is at a “major disadvantage.”

“She has no partner,” he said of Affleck, emphasizing that it is “not” Ravnik’s “fault.”

Later, Chmerkovskiy apologized for his comments about Ravnik in a video he shared on Instagram on Oct. 30.

“I want to apologize to Jan for the way my words hurt your feelings,” he said, adding, “I would love to meet, I would love to talk about this, bury the hatchet. Most importantly, I think, you know, walk away with knowing me feeling completely different. And, dare I say, we probably might even be friends.” 

Danielle Fishel is Chmerkovskiy’s “favorite”

When it came time to discuss Danielle Fishel and Pasha Pashkov’s Argentine tango from Wicked Night, the former pro called the Boy Meets World actress his “favorite.”

“Pasha did a fantastic job,” he said. “Seeing the way he put it together was excellent.”

Speaking of Fishel, he said she looked “excellent” and “fantastic.”

“She is back. She is one of my favorites from the beginning,” Chmerkovskiy said. “This is the experience for the type of celebrity like her.”

Chmerkovskiy commended Ezra Sosa for “putting in the extra effort”

Although Chmerkovskiy said he didn’t think Ezra Sosa and Jordan Chiles’ rumba deserved a 10, he commended the pro for “putting in work” behind the scenes.

“I commend Ezra for putting in that work, and coming back doing this type of rumba,” he said, acknowledging that the pro was “passionate about getting this job, having this job, keeping this job.”

“Flowers to Ezra for this rumba and the way that she was worked on in preparation for it,” Chmerkovskiy said. “I have no notes.”