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Jimmy Kimmel reacted on Jimmy Kimmel Live after Guillermo Rodriguez and professional partner Witney Carson were eliminated from Dancing with the Stars in Week 5. He questioned the result by citing the pair’s YouTube view count and their highest judges’ score of the season, while the voting totals were not provided.
Jimmy Kimmel criticized Dancing with the Stars voters after Guillermo Rodriguez and professional partner Witney Carson were eliminated at the end of the show’s Week 5 Super Bowl-themed episode. On Jimmy Kimmel Live, Kimmel questioned the result, citing the pair’s online view count and their highest judges’ score of the season; the published account does not include the voting totals.
Kimmel used a chart on his late-night show to compare YouTube views for the contestants. He said Rodriguez and Carson had received 719,000 views the previous week, compared with 231,000 for Harry Shum Jr. and Jenna Johnson, whom he described as the next closest pair. Those figures concern views, not votes, and do not establish how viewers voted on the competition.
Rodriguez and Carson performed a salsa to Bad Bunny during the Super Bowl-themed episode. The judges gave them 22 points out of 40: Carrie Ann Inaba and Joe Buck each awarded 6, while Derek Hough and Bruno Tonioli each awarded 5. Kimmel said it was Rodriguez’s highest score of the season, but reported that the pair still landed in the bottom two before their elimination.
After the result, Kimmel spoke with Rodriguez and Carson backstage. When he asked whether they would accept the outcome or take legal action, Rodriguez joked, “I think we should take legal action.” Carson agreed. Kimmel also praised Carson’s choreography and joked about his relationship with Rodriguez, while Carson said she would miss training her partner and called him a sweetheart.
Entertainment · Elimination Recap
Jimmy Kimmel Questions DWTS Voters After Guillermo’s Exit
After Guillermo Rodriguez and Witney Carson left Dancing with the Stars in Week 5, Kimmel cited their YouTube views and season-best judges’ score. The official vote totals were not published in the account.
01 / Attention ≠ votes
A wide gap in views
Kimmel compared video views from the previous week. Those counts do not establish voter eligibility, voting behavior, or how support was distributed.
02 / The dance & the score
A personal best, then the bottom two
The pair danced salsa to Bad Bunny during the Super Bowl-themed episode. Judges’ points and the final competition result are separate facts.
Despite the season high, Rodriguez and Carson landed in the bottom two and were eliminated. The published account does not detail the full scoring and voting breakdown.
03 / On-air reaction
Kimmel’s comments
His chart and remarks questioned the outcome. The backstage legal-action exchange was a joke; no actual challenge is reported.
“Last week, Guillermo and Witney had more than triple the YouTube views of their closest opponent.”
Jimmy Kimmel · Jimmy Kimmel Live“That was his highest score yet and once again, Guillermo was in the bottom two.”
Jimmy Kimmel · Jimmy Kimmel Live“I think we should take legal action.”
Guillermo Rodriguez · backstage exchange“He’s such a sweetheart. He’s so loved by everyone.”
Witney Carson · backstage exchange04 / What is known
From performance to exit
The account describes the televised events and Kimmel’s response, while leaving key voting details unavailable.
Salsa performance
Rodriguez and Carson danced to Bad Bunny.
Season-high score
The judges awarded 22 points out of 40.
Elimination
The pair reached the bottom two and exited in Week 5.
Late-night response
Kimmel questioned the result using view counts and score.
05 / The record
Known—and not reported
Performance: salsa to Bad Bunny in the Super Bowl-themed episode.
After the result: Kimmel spoke with Rodriguez and Carson backstage; both joked about legal action.
Official vote totals, the margin between contestants, and the detailed vote-and-score breakdown.
An actual legal challenge or a response from the show’s producers to Kimmel’s criticism.
Next episode
Dedication Night
Dancing with the Stars is scheduled to continue next week. It airs Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET/PT on ABC and Disney+, with episodes streaming on Hulu the following day.
Published October 14, 2026
Online Attention Did Not Secure Safety
The episode highlights a difference between social-media attention and competition voting. Kimmel’s comparison showed that Rodriguez and Carson drew substantially more YouTube views than the pair he used as a reference, but the figures do not reveal how many viewers voted, whether those views came from eligible voters, or how votes were distributed across the cast.
The elimination also matters to viewers following Rodriguez’s run because he had reached Week 5 and, according to Kimmel, received his strongest judges’ score that night. The combination of a personal best and a bottom-two result made the outcome a talking point on Kimmel’s program. His criticism was a reaction to the result, not evidence that the show’s voting process was irregular.
Dancing with the Stars salsa dance costume
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Rodriguez’s Fifth Week on DWTS
Rodriguez, known as a presence on Jimmy Kimmel Live, competed on Dancing with the Stars with Carson as his professional partner. Kimmel had publicly supported the pair during their season, and his response to their exit reflected that connection. The broadcast included clips of television news programs in the United States and Canada showing support for Rodriguez, according to the account of Kimmel’s segment.
The pair’s elimination came during the season’s Super Bowl-themed installment, where their salsa was set to Bad Bunny. The judges’ combined score was 22 out of 40. Kimmel described the dance positively and commented on the judges’ scores on air, but the numerical scores and the elimination are distinct facts: judges’ points were only one part of the show’s outcome, and the available account does not detail the full scoring and voting breakdown.
“Last week, Guillermo and Witney had more than triple the YouTube views of their closest opponent.”
— Jimmy Kimmel, on Jimmy Kimmel Live
Voting Figures Were Not Released
The account does not provide the official vote totals, the margin separating contestants, or a detailed explanation of how judges’ scores and viewer votes combined in this episode. Kimmel’s YouTube chart is not a substitute for those figures, so it cannot establish whether the online interest he cited translated into votes.
Rodriguez and Carson’s remarks about legal action were part of a humorous backstage exchange. No actual legal challenge is reported. The available details also do not say whether the show or its producers responded to Kimmel’s criticism, or provide further information about the elimination process.
Dedication Night Is Next
Dancing with the Stars is scheduled to continue next week with Dedication Night, according to the published account. The show airs Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET/PT on ABC and Disney+, with episodes streaming on Hulu the following day.
Rodriguez and Carson’s competition run has ended, while Kimmel’s comments remain an on-air reaction rather than a reported formal dispute. No additional statement from the show about the voting result or the figures Kimmel cited was included in the account.
Source: Yahoo Entertainment
Key Questions
Why did Jimmy Kimmel criticize Dancing with the Stars voters?
Kimmel questioned the elimination of Guillermo Rodriguez and Witney Carson, pointing to their YouTube views and Rodriguez’s season-high judges’ score. He did not cite official voting totals.
What score did Rodriguez and Carson receive?
The pair received 22 out of 40 for their salsa. Carrie Ann Inaba and Joe Buck gave them 6 points each; Derek Hough and Bruno Tonioli gave them 5 each.
How many YouTube views did Kimmel say the pair had?
Kimmel said their videos had 719,000 views the previous week, compared with 231,000 for Harry Shum Jr. and Jenna Johnson. Those are view counts, not audience vote totals.
Did Rodriguez or Carson file a legal challenge?
No legal action is reported. Rodriguez and Carson joked about taking legal action during a backstage conversation with Kimmel.
What is the next Dancing with the Stars theme?
The next episode is scheduled to be Dedication Night. The show airs Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET/PT on ABC and Disney+, with streaming on Hulu the next day.
Source: Yahoo Entertainment
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