Rob Rausch may not be a contestant on Dancing With The Stars Season 35, but his cameo during the second night of the season’s premiere stole the show. ICYMI, while watching his Traitor co-star Maura Higgins’s first dance, Rausch was spotted in the crowd alongside a fellow Traitor… and a Birkin bag. And, of course, the internet went wild.
If you’re not caught up on reality TV lore, allow me to get you up to speed. Rob Rausch and Maura Higgins both stepped into the spotlight in the Love Island universe, competing on the USA and U.K. franchises, respectively. After becoming fan favorites during their respective runs in the franchise, Rausch and Higgins then joined the cast of The Traitors US Season 4, where the two made it all the way to the finale. The two formed an alliance early on in the season — however, unbeknownst to Higgins, who was a Faithful, Rausch was a Traitor. Meaning, if Rausch made it to the finale and the remaining Faithfuls chose to end the game, he would win the season.
Higgins’s trust in Rausch took the pair to the finale. And while she expected to split the grand prize of $220,800 with him, Rausch ended up taking home the entire prize pot. Obviously, Higgins was shocked that Rausch deceived her throughout the season, but the two ultimately made up after the show was over. And, as repayment for his deceptive gameplay, Rausch bought Higgins a Birkin bag of her choice. (Make his pockets hurt, amiright?)
Higgins’s status as a fan favorite on The Traitors ultimately led her to join the Season 35 cast of DWTS, where she paired up with fellow Traitors Season 4 cast member Mark Ballas. On the second night of the two-night premiere, Higgins and Ballas topped the leaderboard (scoring a 21 out of 30) with their foxtrot to “Black Velvet” by Alannah Myles — which featured a nod to the infamous Birkin.
After the dance, Rausch was spotted in the crowd sitting next to fellow Traitor Lisa Rinna holding Higgins’s Birkin. Attached to the bag was a note reading “TEXT MAURA 21523,” the official DWTS phone number used for voting. Iconic, honestly — and fans think so, too.
With Higgins establishing herself as a major contender, hopefully this isn’t the last we see of Rausch (and the Birkin) this season. And, maybe, Rausch’s time as an audience member in the DWTS ballroom will inspire him to compete on Season 36. Hey, a girl can dream…