TL;DR
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Psychology Today examines why Jimmy Kimmel sidekick Guillermo Rodriguez has attracted strong fan support on Dancing With the Stars despite low judges’ scores. It points to his underdog appeal and the social psychology concept of “basking in reflected glory,” while noting that audience voting, not judges’ scores alone, has kept him in the competition.
Psychology Today has examined Guillermo Rodriguez’s unexpected run on Dancing With the Stars, arguing that his appeal may reflect both his underdog image and a social psychology effect known as “basking in reflected glory.” Rodriguez, Jimmy Kimmel’s longtime sidekick, has continued in the competition despite a low score for a recent Samba, with the outlet pointing to audience support as a factor in his survival.
Rodriguez competes with professional dancer Witney Carson on the current season of DWTS. Psychology Today describes him as an unexpected hit and says his popularity builds on an existing public persona: he moved from working as a security guard to appearing as a comic sidekick on Jimmy Kimmel’s show. The analysis says fans have responded to his willingness to appear unpolished, take himself less seriously and acknowledge when a skill is not his strength.
The outlet highlights a recent Samba for which Rodriguez received 13 points out of 30 from the judges. After the dance, he opened his shirt to show the words “Dancing 4 The People,” a gesture Psychology Today interprets as acknowledging the role of audience enthusiasm in his progress. The article says viewers voted in sufficient numbers for Rodriguez and Carson to remain in the contest, though it gives no vote totals or comparison with other couples.
Psychology Today connects that support to basking in reflected glory, or BIRG: the feeling of sharing in the success of a person or group one supports. The concept was described by social psychologist Robert Cialdini and colleagues in a 1976 study of football fans. The analysis suggests that identifying with a popular contestant can make supporters feel connected to a positive outcome, but it does not establish that BIRG alone explains Rodriguez’s votes.
DWTS • Fan psychology • Explainer
A Closer Look at Reflected Glory and Guillermo Rodriguez
Why has Guillermo Rodriguez stayed in the competition after a low judges’ score? Psychology Today points to an underdog story, a familiar TV persona and the power of audience votes. “Basking in reflected glory” offers one possible lens on fan support—not a proven explanation for every vote.
01 / Why viewers connect
An underdog with a familiar face
The analysis frames Rodriguez’s popularity as a mix of personal appeal and an existing relationship with viewers—not dancing technique alone.
A memorable journey
Psychology Today describes his path from security guard to comic sidekick on Jimmy Kimmel’s show. That story gives audiences context before he takes the dance floor.
Comfort with imperfection
He is presented as candid about his limits and willing to look unpolished. Viewers may root for persistence and personality alongside technical skill.
“Dancing 4 The People”
After the Samba, Rodriguez opened his shirt to reveal the phrase. The article reads the gesture as an acknowledgment of audience enthusiasm.
02 / Score and support
One score, two parts of the contest
DWTS combines judges’ evaluations with audience voting. The supplied account gives the Samba score and survival outcome, but not vote totals or the voting formula.
This graphic shows the reported score against the maximum possible score. It does not compare Rodriguez’s vote share with other couples or measure how audience votes affected the result.
03 / A possible psychology pathway
From identification to reflected pride
BIRG describes sharing in the positive feeling associated with a person or group’s success. Here it is an interpretation, not a direct study of DWTS voters.
Recognize
Viewers already know Rodriguez from his television persona.
Relate
His underdog image and openness about his limits may invite support.
Identify
Some fans may feel connected to the contestant they are rooting for.
Share the glow
A favorite’s success may feel rewarding to supporters too.
Research context: Robert Cialdini and colleagues described BIRG in a 1976 study involving football fans. Later work examined distancing after group failure, known as cutting off reflected failure (CORFing). These studies do not establish why DWTS viewers voted for Rodriguez.
“Just like everybody else, I’m obsessed with you.”Derek Hough · DWTS judge, as quoted by Psychology Today
“I understand why you’re becoming a national obsession.”Bruno Tonioli · DWTS judge, as quoted by Psychology Today
04 / What the account establishes
Known facts and open questions
The source describes a reported outcome and offers a psychological reading. It leaves important voting details unresolved.
What is reported
- Rodriguez and Witney Carson received 13 out of 30 for a recent Samba.
- They remained in the competition after audience voting.
- Psychology Today connects support to familiarity, underdog appeal and BIRG.
- Viewers quoted in the article praised Rodriguez’s lack of pretense.
What remains unclear
- Audience vote totals, the vote formula and comparisons with other couples.
- Whether BIRG motivated any particular viewer’s vote.
- The season or episode date and the eventual competition result.
- Online claims that the contest was rigged; the account provides no evidence for them.
05 / Quick answers
Key questions
A concise guide to the claims and limits in the Psychology Today account.
Why is Rodriguez drawing attention?
The article points to his underdog appeal, familiar television persona and lack of pretension. It suggests these qualities may encourage viewers to root for him.
What does BIRG mean?
Basking in reflected glory is the feeling of sharing some positive emotion when a person or group one supports succeeds. It is offered as one possible explanation for fan support.
Has rigging been demonstrated?
No evidence of rigging is provided. The article mentions viewer accusations, which remain unverified claims rather than established findings.
Will he reach the final?
The supplied account does not say. Progress depends on future performances and voting; the size and durability of audience support remain unclear.
How Fan Loyalty Shapes the Contest
The analysis offers one explanation for a gap that has drawn attention on the show: Rodriguez’s low judges’ score alongside enough public support to keep him competing. DWTS combines judging with audience voting, so a contestant’s performance score is only one part of the outcome. The supplied article does not give the voting formula or specific vote counts, but it underscores how an established connection with viewers can matter alongside technical ability.
For viewers, the broader point is how entertainment competitions can turn a contestant’s personality and narrative into part of the appeal. Psychology Today describes Rodriguez as an underdog who is candid about his limitations, which may encourage viewers to root for his persistence rather than evaluate only his dancing. That is the article’s interpretation, not a measured account of why individual viewers voted.
The concept also has a less positive side. Psychology Today says fans who tie their self-image to a favorite’s success may distance themselves when that favorite loses, a response research has called “cutting off reflected failure,” or CORFing. The article notes that some DWTS viewers have criticized Rodriguez’s continued presence and alleged the contest was rigged, but provides no evidence that the show is rigged. Those comments should be understood as viewer reactions, not verified findings.
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From Kimmel Sidekick to DWTS Contender
Rodriguez’s television profile predates this DWTS season. Psychology Today says his path from quirky security guard to onstage sidekick helped build a following before he joined the competition. Its account presents that familiarity as relevant: viewers are not encountering him as an unknown dancer, but as a personality they may already recognize and enjoy.
The article also cites public responses to a Deadline headline, “Guillermo Rodriguez is finally getting his moment,” and reports that commenters praised his lack of pretense. One commenter wrote, “The world needs more Guillermos and especially now!” That is an individual reaction quoted in the analysis, not polling evidence about the wider DWTS audience.
The psychological framework comes from research on how people display affiliation with successful groups or figures. In a 1976 paper, Robert Cialdini and colleagues described BIRG in studies involving football fans. A 1986 paper by C.R. Snyder, M. Lassegard and C.E. Ford examined distancing after group success and failure, including the terms BIRG and CORF. Psychology Today applies those concepts to Rodriguez’s run; the studies cited do not directly establish why DWTS viewers voted for him.
“Just like everybody else, I’m obsessed with you.”
— Derek Hough, DWTS judge, as quoted by Psychology Today
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What the Voting Record Does Not Show
The supplied account does not identify the season or episode date, provide audience vote totals, or say how far Rodriguez’s support exceeded that of other contestants. It reports that he and Carson stayed in the competition after the Samba, but does not include enough detail to independently compare judges’ scores and audience votes across the cast.
BIRG is offered as a possible explanation, not proof of what motivated Rodriguez’s supporters. The analysis does not report a survey or other direct study of DWTS voters. It also mentions accusations of rigging in viewer comments but presents no substantiation for them; the claims remain unverified. The eventual competition result is not stated in the supplied material.
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The Next Elimination and Final Result
Rodriguez and Carson’s next step depends on the show’s upcoming performances and audience voting, alongside the judges’ evaluations. The Psychology Today analysis ends with the question of whether his support can carry him all the way to the mirror ball trophy; it does not predict a result.
Further episodes may show whether his audience backing continues despite the difference between his recent judges’ score and those of stronger technical dancers. Until vote totals or a final result are reported, the size and durability of his support remain unclear. The broader psychological explanation should likewise be treated as an interpretation of the pattern, not a confirmed account of individual viewers’ reasons.
DWTS audience voting support items
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Key Questions
Why is Guillermo Rodriguez drawing attention on Dancing With the Stars?
Psychology Today points to his underdog appeal, familiar television persona and lack of pretension. It says viewers may value his willingness to acknowledge that dancing is not his strongest skill.
What does “basking in reflected glory” mean?
BIRG describes people feeling some reflected pride or positive emotion when a person or group they support succeeds. Psychology Today applies the idea to fans of Rodriguez, but does not establish that it is the sole reason they vote for him.
How did Rodriguez do in the recent Samba?
Psychology Today reports that Rodriguez and Witney Carson received 13 out of 30 from the judges for the Samba and remained in the competition after audience voting.
Has DWTS been shown to be rigged in Rodriguez’s favor?
No evidence of rigging is provided in the account. Psychology Today reports that some viewers made accusations online, but those comments are unverified claims, not proof of manipulation.
Will Guillermo Rodriguez reach the final?
The outcome is not stated. His progress depends on subsequent performances and voting, and the supplied material does not include vote totals or a final result.
Source: psychologytoday.com
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