DWTSChamp Xochitl Gomez on Val Chmerkovskiy's 'Sexy Dad Era,' Corniest Taylor Swift-Inspired Joke (Exclusive)

Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic, Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty, Eric McCandless/Disney via Getty

Xochitl GomezandVal Chmerkovskiy’s time on the “Dancing with the Stars Live” tourwas equal parts work and play. When the season 32DWTSwinners weren’t performing their trophy-winning moves, they were bantering backstage like good pals do.

“Just because someone’s a little older (sorry Val) doesn’t mean that they don’t know how to crack jokes,” theMarvelactress tells PEOPLE exclusively of the pro dancer.

By that, Gomez is referencing Chmerkovskiy’s “insane” amount of dad jokes, which came along when he welcomedson Rome, 1, with wifeJenna Johnsonin January 2023.

“I asked him, ‘What era are you in?’ and he so quickly, while unbuttoning his shirt, [said] ‘I’m currently in my Sexy Dad era,'" Gomez says while impersonating Chmerkovskiy with a cool smirk.

Gomez waits for a beat, letting the line sink in, before slapping her forehead with her hand and smiling in response to the corniness of it all. “It was basically like a Val comedy show," she says.

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Gomez has also learned a couple of life lessons from her friendship with Chmerkovskiy 37, despite their 20-year age gap. The biggest takeaway? “There is no age limit to being friends.”

“I think that’s what he’s taught me the most besides dance, that there’s good people out there that have good intentions,” she says, “and he definitely is one of those people.”

Xochitl Gomez and Val Chmerkovsky.Eric McCandless/DISNEY via Getty Images

Eric McCandless/DISNEY via Getty Images

Chmerkovskiy. meanwhile, previously told PEOPLE that Gomez, also aTikTokerwith 8.6 million followers, helped him find joy in social media again.

“She definitely reintroduced me to… I definitely fell out of love with social media for a long time,” he said. “And then with Xochitl and this experience, she definitely kind of brought some joy back into that relationship.”

source: people.com