Dancing With The Stars is rolling strong on the 2026 TV schedule, and surprisingly, so is Guillermo Rodriguez. Despite many thoughts that the well-known sidekick of Jimmy Kimmel Live! would be a quick exit, he's on a run despite some of the lowest judges' scores the show has seen. It has made some fans mad and wondering how he keeps escaping each week.
The answer may be tied to Kimmel, who is putting in the work to keep him getting votes. While he may not be the defining factor in why Guillermo and partner Witney Carson keep surviving, there's no denying he's playing a part in the struggling dancer who is resulting in other people's favorites going home.
Why Are Some DWTS Fans Turning On Guillermo?
It's not uncommon for Dancing With The Stars fans to rally behind an underachieving dancer, provided they're likable and want to be there. Guillermo has a mixture, which has led to comparisons to how fans gravitated toward Andy Richter last year.
Unlike Andy, however, Guillermo is struggling even more with the dancing. So when Taylor Hanson is sent home in the same week he did his best dance yet, a chunk of DWTS fans feel upset that someone with actual potential to go far was sent packing due to an inferior dancer.
In fairness to Guillermo, this happens at various stages of Dancing With The Stars all the time. The fan voting makes the show just as much a popularity contest as it is a dance competition, and well-liked celebrities can last a very long time regardless of how they dance. It's just extra egregious when the performer staying is exceptionally bad at dancing, which is the case here.
How Jimmy Kimmel Is Helping His Sidekick
Is Guillermo staying because Dancing With The Stars fans genuinely want him there, or is Jimmy Kimmel helping his numbers with added promotion? He's been promoting Guillermo's performance on his social pages. He's even making offers to people who attend his shows in Brooklyn, offering a cash incentive should his sidekick end up winning:
Every vote counts. So vote for Guillermo. And this is my promise. If Guillermo wins ‘Dancing with the Stars,’ I will give every American in this theater a check for $5,000.
Granted, the this clip's statement was mainly a tongue-in-cheek jab at President Donald Trump, who made a similar remark related to the upcoming midterm elections. I'm also sure that Jimmy Kimmel is well aware that Guillermo's odds of winning Dancing With The Stars are low, despite his attempt to incentivize votes.
One simple fact is that stars who are already a part of the ABC network have historically done well when it comes to votes. As an example, out of 34 seasons of winners, four of them have come from The Bachelor franchise. I'm sure DWTS and Jimmy Kimmel Live! have some crossover in audience, which is a factor.
All this to say, I don't know if Jimmy Kimmel is the sole driving force keeping Guillermo on the show. I think it's fair to say his influence helps, as pros were even battling over the opportunity to work with him. Witney Carson won the bid and loves working with him, despite the internet thinking otherwise.
There's an argument to be made about Guillermo being a fan response to Dancing With The Stars' growing trend of inviting contestants who have professional dance training. There's an enjoyment in seeing celebrities become better dancers, but when someone is brought in who is all but assured to be there on finale night from the jump, it makes the competition seem a lot more pointless. That's not to say Harry Shum Jr. is to blame, but just something to add to the discussion of why Guillermo is still in this.
We'll see if his lucky streak continues, as Dancing With The Stars continues on ABC on Tuesdays at 8:00 p.m. ET. As a Guillermo lover, I'll still be cheering him on, but I do wonder how much longer this will go.
