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Jimmy Kimmel defended his sidekick Guillermo Rodriguez during his October 7 monologue after some viewers criticized Rodriguez’s progress on Dancing With the Stars and questioned the competition. Kimmel said the show is entertainment, not a professional dance contest, and Rodriguez joked that he enjoyed performing his latest samba.
Jimmy Kimmel defended Guillermo Rodriguez on his October 7 monologue after some Dancing With the Stars viewers criticized Rodriguez’s progress and alleged that the competition was rigged. Kimmel argued that the show is an entertainment competition, not a professional dance championship, and praised Rodriguez’s effort and the enjoyment he brings viewers.
Kimmel said that “some accusations” had suggested the competition was rigged, then rejected that characterization. He joked that “the competition isn’t rigged” but that “life is rigged in Guillermo’s favor,” framing Rodriguez as a popular contestant despite the negative comments. The monologue included clips and posts from viewers criticizing the performer.
Kimmel said viewers should not treat the program like the Olympics or a military operation, arguing that winning carries no broader responsibility. He also joked about the show’s prize and said the series is called Dancing With the Stars, not “Dancing With the Professionals.” His point was that entertainment value, rather than technical expertise alone, should count in judging the show’s appeal.
The host praised Rodriguez for continuing to work at dancing despite finding it difficult. Kimmel played footage of Rodriguez’s recent samba performance and teased him for spending much of it on the floor. Rodriguez took the jokes in stride, telling Kimmel, “Jimmy, it was so comfortable, I didn’t want to get up.”
The monologue • October 7
Jimmy Kimmel Speaks Out as Guillermo Faces ‘DWTS’ Criticism
Kimmel defended sidekick Guillermo Rodriguez after viewers questioned his progress on Dancing With the Stars. His case: the show is entertainment, effort matters, and a dance floor can be comfortable.
Entertainment counts, too
Kimmel pushed back on criticism by drawing a line between an entertainment show and a professional dance championship.
Not the Olympics
Kimmel said viewers should not treat the program like the Olympics or a military operation. Winning, he joked, carries no broader responsibility.
Stars, not pros
“Dancing With the Stars,” he quipped, is not “Dancing With the Professionals.” For Kimmel, entertainment value belongs in the conversation.
Keep showing up
He praised Rodriguez for working at dance despite finding it difficult, and for bringing enjoyment to viewers along the way.
Skill and appeal are different measures
The disagreement reflects a familiar tension in audience-voted entertainment: what should count most when viewers choose a favorite?
Personality · effort · enjoyment
Supporters may value a contestant’s presence and persistence as part of the show’s appeal. Kimmel argued that these qualities matter in entertainment.
Technique · progress · execution
Other viewers focus on dance ability and technical standards. Criticism of a performance, by itself, does not establish that voting is unfair.
The conversation sits between two kinds of appeal
One routine, plenty of jokes
Kimmel played clips of Rodriguez’s samba, teased him about spending much of it on the floor, and praised his willingness to keep going.
“Dancing does not come naturally to him.”
Jimmy Kimmel · On Guillermo’s effort
“Jimmy, it was so comfortable, I didn’t want to get up.”
Guillermo Rodriguez · After the samba clip
What the account establishes
Kimmel referred to accusations of rigging and rejected them. The available report gives no evidence or figures that resolve the claims.
Viewers criticize
Some online comments questioned Rodriguez’s progress and whether he should remain in the competition.
Kimmel responds
He defended Guillermo’s effort and framed the series as entertainment, not a professional dance contest.
Rigging claim disputed
Kimmel said the competition was not rigged. The account provides no supporting evidence for the allegation.
Results remain open
No vote totals, judges’ scores, producer response, or later placement are reported.
What to know
The monologue addressed the criticism without settling how the show’s winner should be judged.
What did Kimmel say about Guillermo?
He defended Rodriguez from online criticism, praised his effort, and said the show is entertainment rather than a professional dance championship.
Did Kimmel say the show was rigged?
No. He cited allegations that it was rigged and rejected them, joking that life was simply rigged in Guillermo’s favor.
What happened during the samba?
Kimmel joked about Rodriguez spending time on the floor. Guillermo replied that it was so comfortable he did not want to get up.
When and where does it air?
The schedule in the report lists Tuesday broadcasts at 8 p.m. Eastern on ABC and Disney+.
A Debate Over Entertainment and Technique
Kimmel’s defense reflects a familiar tension in audience-voted entertainment competitions: viewers may value a contestant’s personality and effort, while others focus more on performance skill or technical standards. Rodriguez’s run has drawn both support and online criticism, according to the account of Kimmel’s monologue, making the question of what the show rewards part of the conversation around his performances.
Kimmel’s comments are his view of the program, not a statement of the show’s formal voting rules. Still, his remarks make clear that he sees entertainment as a legitimate measure of a contestant’s appeal. The distinction matters because a contestant’s popularity and dance ability are not necessarily the same thing, and criticism of one does not establish that voting is unfair.
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Rodriguez’s Season 35 Run
Rodriguez is Kimmel’s sidekick and a contestant on Season 35 of Dancing With the Stars. The account describes him as a fan favorite while also noting that some viewers believe he should have been eliminated by now. It does not provide audience-vote totals, judges’ scores, or details about how widespread either reaction is.
The monologue followed Rodriguez’s performance of a samba. Kimmel’s remarks combined defense, jokes about the routine and criticism of people attacking Rodriguez online. The show airs Tuesdays at 8 p.m. Eastern on ABC and Disney+, according to the schedule included in the report.
“The competition isn’t rigged. Life is rigged in Guillermo’s favor.”
— Jimmy Kimmel
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Voting Claims and Audience Response
The account does not establish that the competition is rigged; it reports that Kimmel referred to accusations and then disputed them. No evidence supporting those allegations, voting figures, or official response from the show’s producers is provided. It is also unclear how many viewers share the criticism of Rodriguez or how the audience vote compares with judges’ assessments.
Nor does the information establish whether Rodriguez’s popularity will carry him further in the competition. His placement and future results depend on the show’s ongoing process, and no later outcome is reported here.
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The Competition Continues on ABC
Dancing With the Stars Season 35 is scheduled to continue with Tuesday broadcasts at 8 p.m. Eastern on ABC and Disney+. Rodriguez’s performances and competition results will show whether his audience support is enough to keep him in the running.
Kimmel’s defense addresses the criticism but does not settle disagreement over how the show’s winner should be judged. The available account gives no further details about upcoming routines, voting totals or any response from the program’s producers.
Source: Yahoo Entertainment
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Key Questions
What did Jimmy Kimmel say about Guillermo Rodriguez?
Kimmel defended Rodriguez from online criticism, praised his effort and argued that Dancing With the Stars is an entertainment show, not a professional dance championship.
Did Kimmel say Dancing With the Stars was rigged?
No. Kimmel said some people had made allegations that the competition was rigged, then rejected the claim, joking that “the competition isn’t rigged.”
What happened during Rodriguez’s samba performance?
Kimmel played footage of the samba and joked that Rodriguez spent more time rolling on the floor than dancing. Rodriguez replied that the floor was so comfortable he did not want to get up.
When and where does Dancing With the Stars air?
The schedule in the report lists the show on Tuesdays at 8 p.m. Eastern on ABC and Disney+.
Source: Yahoo Entertainment
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