Corey Feldman pushes back on DWTS claim that Jenna Johnson had a difficult time with him

Corey Feldman pushed back on a claim by Maksim Chmerkovskiy that Jenna Johnson had a difficult time working with him on Dancing With the Stars, saying the opposite: he practiced hard and that the pair enjoyed their time together. Feldman and Johnson were eliminated from the competition on Wednesday after receiving low scores from the judges.

On Instagram, after Johnson thanked him for his hard work and for sharing life lessons and memories with her, Feldman replied: "I'm so sorry for any negativity the media is using to give the false narrative that our time together was anything less than enjoyable." He added, "And U know as well as i do that i was there 7 days a week for the past 3 weeks, doing everything in my power to give U my best, even if the judges couldnt see it. God Bless your family. Keep dancing the dream. ❤️🙌." Johnson, in turn, had previously expressed appreciation for Feldman's effort and partnership, and Feldman reiterated that sentiment in his own remarks.

Feldman later acknowledged on air that Johnson "deserved better." "Jenna’s amazing. I really enjoyed her," he said. "I feel really terrible because she deserved better, personally speaking." He reinforced his commitment by noting that he was there seven days a week for the past three weeks, giving his best even when the judges couldn't see it.

Before the elimination, Chmerkovskiy told The Daily Mail that Johnson was having a "difficult time" with Feldman and suggested her age and a learning style may have contributed; "Obviously, Jenna has a bit of an uphill climb with Corey, which is easy for everybody to say from [outside], but I know that she's having a much more difficult time with this entire thing and to the point that it is really difficult for her." He added that Feldman’s age might be a factor and that learning choreography may not be his comfort zone.

A source close to Feldman told Page Six that the accusations that he was lazy during rehearsals were unfair and noted Feldman was feeling "pretty defeated" after being booted following the second episode. The report also cited additional context from Daily Mail coverage that Feldman’s partner, Johnson, was facing pressure and scrutiny in the competition from public perception.

Sources also indicated Feldman was distracted by recent news surrounding Charlie Sheen and his Netflix docuseries, "aka Charlie Sheen." Feldman had previously alleged that Sheen raped his best friend, the late actor Corey Haim, which Sheen vehemently denied in the doc. "I should have taken legal action against Feldman but I didn’t feel like giving that clown that much more content," Sheen said.

The episode highlights the pressures and misunderstandings that can accompany reality television, where public narratives can quickly diverge from the behind-the-scenes realities. Feldman’s defense underscores a broader tension between on-screen performance and off-screen perception as DWTS moves forward with its season.

As the season continues to unfold, the case underscores how competing narratives can shape viewer perceptions, even as the participants try to maintain focus on their performances and personal relationships. Feldman’s statements offer a counterpoint to the characterization that his rehearsal approach was lackluster, and they emphasize a desire to honor the time he spent with Johnson and the experiences they shared on the ballroom floor.

The discussion around Feldman, Johnson, and Chmerkovskiy’s remarks adds to ongoing conversations in culture and entertainment about how media narratives develop around reality television, how much weight is given to publicly shared moments, and how the personal dynamics of a competition can influence public memory of a season. In the wake of their elimination, Feldman’s remarks and the surrounding coverage will likely be revisited as viewers reflect on what happened during the week of performances and how the show frames teamwork, effort, and critique.