Jimmy Kimmel is standing firmly behind Guillermo Rodriguez after online critics urged Dancing with the Stars viewers to stop voting for his longtime sidekick. Following another week of unexpected success for Rodriguez and his professional partner, Witney Carson, the late-night host called out those trying to get the fan favorite eliminated.
Rodriguez, 55, has continued to survive on Season 35 of DWTS despite regularly receiving some of the lowest scores from the judges. With no dance background and plenty of competition from trained dancers, professional athletes and younger celebrities, his journey has surprised viewers. Still, his cheerful personality, gratitude and willingness to give every performance his best have earned him strong support from fans.
On Wednesday, October 7, Kimmel devoted nearly 10 minutes of his Jimmy Kimmel Live! monologue to discussing Rodriguez’s latest routine, a playful performance to Mariah Carey’s Obsessed. The dance included Rodriguez dramatically falling face-first onto the floor, adding to the comedy of the performance.
“Your scores are going down… you got 13 (out of 30),” Kimmel said as the audience reacted. But the low score did not stop Rodriguez from advancing once again, thanks to the votes of viewers at home.
“The people once again turned out in massive numbers to vote him through to the next round!” Kimmel said, before turning his attention to the online critics campaigning against his friend.
The host played several social media videos from viewers asking DWTS fans to stop voting for Rodriguez, arguing that his continued success could send stronger dancers home. After showing a video of one critic urging people to withdraw their support, Kimmel fired back with a blunt response.
“Save that whining for when your mom comes down to the basement. … We don’t want to hear it,” he said.
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Kimmel also addressed a social media post claiming Rodriguez should feel ashamed for continuing in the competition despite struggling with the physical demands of dancing.
The late-night host argued that some viewers were taking the competition too seriously and losing sight of its purpose.
“I think some people might be losing sight of what this show is, and maybe their lives overall,” Kimmel said. “Let me explain something. This is not the Olympics, okay? This is not SEAL Team Six. There are no responsibilities that go along with winning this.”
He then joked about the prize, describing the Mirrorball Trophy as a collection of small mirrors attached to a $40 piece of Styrofoam. Kimmel continued by pointing out that DWTS is an entertainment program, not a professional dance contest.
“This is also not a professional dance competition,” he said. “That’s why it’s called Dancing with the Stars and not Dancing with the Dancers. This is an entertainment show. The winner should be whichever team is the most entertaining.”
To support his argument, the show aired a montage of fans of different ages cheering for Rodriguez and Carson, practicing their routines at home and expressing their determination to keep voting for the pair. Kimmel described the footage as an example of what the show is really about.
The host also joked that asking Rodriguez to compete on DWTS was like “asking a pigeon to win a swim meet.” Still, he praised his sidekick for taking on the challenge and bringing so much joy to viewers.
Kimmel ended his monologue with a passionate defense of Rodriguez, highlighting how hard he has worked and how much entertainment he has brought to the competition.
“The fact that he has been out there working so hard, rolling around on the floor, sweating, panting, shaking that adorable little ass, dancing like a star,” Kimmel said.
He then delivered one final message to those attacking Rodriguez online, suggesting that anyone so bothered by the fan favorite’s success should reconsider their priorities.
“Because if you want to get to this guy, you’re going to have to go through all of us!” Kimmel declared.
Rodriguez and Carson’s continued run has become one of the season’s talking points, with strong audience support helping them advance despite their scores. Dancing with the Stars airs live on Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET/PT on ABC and Disney+.