Jimmy Kimmel was not ready to let Guillermo Rodriguez and Witney Carson leave the ballroom quietly. Hours after the fan-favorite pair was eliminated from “Dancing With the Stars” on Tuesday, October 13, Kimmel used his late-night show to give his longtime sidekick a sendoff filled with jokes, praise and a little mock outrage.
Kimmel, 58, declared the result “an outrage” after Guillermo and Witney failed to earn enough viewer votes to survive Week 5. The pair finished at the bottom of the leaderboard with 22 out of 40 points despite earning their highest score of the season.
Why Was Jimmy Kimmel Upset About Guillermo Rodriguez’s Elimination?
Kimmel pointed to just how popular Guillermo, 55, had become with viewers during his unexpected run on the ABC competition.
He noted that a video of Guillermo and Witney’s previous performance had drawn 719,000 YouTube views, more than three times the 231,000 views earned by their closest competitors, Harry Shum Jr. and Jenna Johnson.
But online popularity did not translate into enough votes Tuesday night.
“What a kick in the Mirrorballs,” Kimmel joked after recapping the elimination on “Jimmy Kimmel Live.”
What Did Guillermo and Witney Dance on ‘DWTS’?
For Super Bowl Night, Guillermo and Witney performed a salsa to Bad Bunny’s “Tití Me Preguntó.”
Carrie Ann Inaba and guest judge Joe Buck each awarded the routine a 6, while Derek Hough and Bruno Tonioli each gave it a 5.
Their final score of 22 out of 40 was Guillermo’s best of the season, but it still left the duo at the bottom of the Week 5 leaderboard.
Kimmel had a different assessment. “In my book, that was an 11 out of 10 but let’s see what those radical, left wing judges had to say,” he joked.
What Did Jimmy Kimmel Tell Guillermo After His Exit?
Kimmel then spoke with Guillermo and Witney live from backstage. “This is an outrage. Will you accept the results or take legal action?” Kimmel asked.
“I think we should take legal action,” Guillermo replied.
Witney agreed, saying, “Absolutely.” Kimmel also praised Witney, 32, for transforming his longtime “Jimmy Kimmel Live” sidekick into a genuine ballroom contender.
“Witney, your choreography this season has been absolutely incredible. The situations you put Guillermo in, absolutely impressive,” he said.
Witney returned the affection, calling Guillermo “such a sweetheart” and telling Kimmel, “He’s so loved by everyone.”
What Did Guillermo Rodriguez Say About His ‘DWTS’ Experience?
When Kimmel asked whether he had accomplished what he wanted during the competition, Guillermo had a simple answer.
“Jimmy, I said I was going to lose weight and I did lost weight,” he said.
Kimmel closed the interview on a more heartfelt note, thanking Witney for looking after Guillermo and acknowledging the happiness his friend brought to the competition.
“Guillermo, you have brought such joy to so many and now we have nothing to look forward to ever again,” he joked.
The humor was pure Kimmel, but the affection behind it was unmistakable.
Guillermo may not be taking home the Mirrorball Trophy, but his five-week run turned one of late night’s most familiar faces into one of the season’s most unlikely fan favorites.
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Jimmy Kimmel Reacts to Guillermo Rodriguez’s ‘Dancing With The Stars’ Elimination: ‘11 Out of 10’