Guillermo Rodriguez did not exactly ease into Dancing With the Stars. His first trip across the ballroom ended with two 3s, one 4 and a crowd loudly booing the judges.
The longtime Jimmy Kimmel Live! personality and professional partner Witney Carson performed a cha-cha to Jean Knight’s “Mr. Big Stuff” during the September 15 Season 35 premiere. The routine earned just 10 points out of 30, leaving Guillermo at the bottom of the men’s leaderboard and with one of the lowest single-dance totals in the show’s history, according to Entertainment Weekly.
The judges were entertained even when they were not impressed by the technique. Derek Hough praised Guillermo’s effort while making clear there was considerable work ahead, Bruno Tonioli called the routine unforgettable, and Carrie Ann Inaba gave the strongest defense of what Guillermo brought to the floor.
Then the paddles came up. Inaba gave him a 4, while Hough and Tonioli each produced a 3. Guillermo responded with an “Oh my god” as the ballroom audience made its displeasure clear.
The Judges Liked the Showmanship More Than the Cha-Cha
“Was the technique there? No. Was the effort there? Absolutely,” he told Guillermo, while also pointing to issues with his timing, power and heel leads.
Tonioli went further into the comedy of the performance, describing one move as a “crazy sexy grasshopper.” He told Guillermo that nobody would forget what they had just watched, even as he made clear that the technique could only improve from there.
Inaba focused more heavily on Guillermo’s commitment and entertainment value. She said his movements were clearly defined and intentionally performed, adding that the way an audience responds to a contestant matters alongside technique.
The final breakdown was 4 from Inaba and 3s from Hough and Tonioli, producing the night’s lowest judges’ total at 10 out of 30. The audience loudly booed as the scores were revealed.
The Score Put Guillermo Near ‘DWTS’ Infamy
Master P and professional partner Ashly DelGrosso famously received just 8 out of 30 in Week 4 of Season 2 in 2006. Entertainment Weekly placed Guillermo’s debut among the lowest-scoring performances in the show’s history, with Master P’s 8 remaining the benchmark at the bottom.
Master P’s score came several weeks into his season, after the judges had already seen multiple routines from him. Guillermo reached his near-historic low on his first competitive dance.
Hough had warned contestants at the beginning of the Season 35 premiere that the judges planned to begin with lower scores and leave room for improvement over the course of the competition. Guillermo found out almost immediately how seriously they meant it.
The Lowest Score of the Night Did Not Send Him Home
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Guillermo entered the elimination portion of the premiere at the bottom of the judges’ leaderboard. Conner Leavitt and professional partner Adele Zaikman had scored 12 for their salsa, while Guillermo and Carson sat two points below them.
Judges’ scores were combined with viewer votes, however, and Guillermo received enough support to survive. He was among the couples left waiting during the elimination sequence, but Leavitt and Zaikman ultimately became the first pair sent home in Season 35.
That gave Guillermo another chance to work on the technique Hough and Tonioli criticized while preserving the personality that had already won over much of the room. He also used his first live-show appearance to praise Carson, who is competing while pregnant with her third child. “Witney is the best,” Guillermo said. “She’s an example that women can do anything. She’s pregnant and she’s dancing.”
Carson announced both her pregnancy and her partnership with Guillermo during an Good Morning America appearance in August. She said she was excited to partner with him while acknowledging that competing this far into a pregnancy would be a new challenge for her.
The two-night Season 35 premiere continues September 16 at 8 p.m. ET on ABC and Disney+, when the female celebrity contestants take their first turn on the ballroom floor and another couple will be eliminated.