Andy Richter isn’t staying quiet about one of the most surprising eliminations of “Dancing With the Stars” season 34. After Whitney Leavitt was sent home during the semifinals, despite high scores, amazing judge feedback, and improving all season long, the comedian is calling her exit “absolutely insane.” Now, Richter is joining frustrated fans in questioning whether online drama and outside perceptions, not dancing ability, played the biggest role in Leavitt’s downfall on “Dancing With the Stars” 2025.
Whitney & Mark Sent Home on ‘Dancing With the Stars’
“The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives” star and her professional partner, Mark Ballas, were sent home during the semifinals this week on “Dancing With the Stars” season 34. Many people have had thoughts about the elimination, but fan-favorite contestant Andy Richter talked with Entertainment Weekly, and he thinks the elimination has nothing to do with her dancing ability.
Richter said, “I think Whitney going home, to me it’s absolutely insane. I mean, she’s an amazing dancer. And if all the sticklers who were furious about me still being in it, who were demanding perfect technical dancing, I don’t know why she would get sent home under that criterion.”
He continued, talking about things behind the scenes, “But there’s a whole soap opera going on adjacent to this show online. It’s a good way to sort of take the temperature of what the audience is feeling in terms of voting. I’ve seen forever, there’s like people just like, ‘Whitney’s gotta go,’ and I’m just like, ‘What? Why?'”
Pushback From ‘The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives’ Fans
MomTok and “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives” helped bring fame to Leavitt. However, Richter thinks the show has a lot to do with her elimination on “Dancing With the Stars” season 34. While he hasn’t watched the show, he said he “has heard that she’s kind of the villain.”
However, he finds that statement to be wild.
“I need to tell you that Whitney was one of the sweetest, most positive, loving people on that show,” he went on to say. “Beyond anybody else, from the moment I met her, she was loving, and winning, and kind, and considerate, and incredibly positive towards me… She was one of the people that definitely made me feel that I was a valuable member of this team.”
Of course, people are tying the season 3 premiere of “Mormon Wives” on November 13 to the elimination of Whitney & Mark on November 18. She may not have endeared herself to the voting public on the show.
Last Laugh Will Go to Whitney
While her role on the show may have been the reason she was sent home on “Dancing With the Stars” season 34, Andy believes she will have the last laugh.
“When I found out she was the villain, I was like, ‘I hear you’re the villain on that show.’ And all she said was, ‘Well, villains get paid.’ Richter said, “Amazing. I was like, ‘All right. That’s great.'”
We shall see if she gets paid and what’s next for Whitney. For now, we have one more week of “Dancing With the Stars” 2025. The remaining stars are with wildlife conservationist Robert Irwin, influencer Alix Earle, actress Elaine Hendrix, Olympian Jordan Chiles, and content creator Dylan Efron still competing to win the Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy for season 34.
The “Dancing With the Stars” season 34 finale airs on Tuesday, November 25 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on ABC and Disney+, with new episodes streaming the next day on Hulu.
Started watching this when it 1st began. It’s not about learning or learning to improve on dancing like it should have been, it’s just another over the top dramatic reality show and not that exciting to see anymore. Sad.