This 34th season of Dancing with the Stars has been one of the hottest ones yet. The competitors are fierce, and all can dance. The uproar on social media has been influential to this ongoing competition, and it’s been one of the most popular seasons for viewers. Let’s dive into the competitors and just how one singular contestant, Andy Richter, gained an army fan base, but did he deserve to stay on the show as long as he did?
For those who don’t know the hit series, Dancing with the Stars is a competitive reality TV show where celebrities are paired with professional dancers to learn and perform ballroom and Latin-style dances since 2005.
Each week, the couples perform a new routine in front of a panel of judges and a live audience. The judges give scores, viewers vote from home, and the couple with the lowest combined score is eliminated. The show continues until one celebrity and pro dancer duo is crowned the season’s champion and given the mirrorball.
At the start of this season, viewers could already see how good the lineup was and was going to be. With only five competitors left in the upcoming finals, viewers are on the edge of their seats to see who is going to win the mirrorball. For those who haven’t watched this season, the final 5 are social media personality Alix Earle, content creator and outdoor enthusiast Dylan Efron, actress Elaine Hendrix, gymnast and two-time Olympian Jordan Chiles, and lastly, wildlife conservationist Robert Irwin.
This season has gone viral on all social media platforms, reaching up to 6.06 million viewers. There have been recreated Halloween costumes, TikTok dances, and trends based on the show’s choreography. Yet, there is one star whose fan base shot through the roof, making them the internet’s newest obsession and the heart of the season.
Actor, comedian, and writer, Andy Richter, captivated the hearts of all the viewers this season. Across social media, people created a fan base called “the Fandies,” supporting Richter through the competition. His fan base alone is what got him all the way to week 9 of the show.
Some people ask, Why was he such a fan favorite? Although his dancing definitely wasn’t the best, he was such a sweet reminder of what DWTS is all about. He experienced it all, growing each routine and really submerging into the process of the competition. Like, who doesn’t love to see a cute old man trying his best to dance his heart out?
That is why so many people wanted him in. It was heartwarming to watch him every time, even if he didn’t make much progress. He was one of the reasons the show kicked off as big as it did. So many viewers or “Fandies” wanted to see him on that stage each week.
However, did it get to a point where he was taking away from other contestants on the show? There was a lot of controversy among viewers about why he was still on the show if he couldn’t dance. All throughout social media, comments were filling up with, Why is he still here, and he is taking away from other contestants, after actress Daniella Fishel was eliminated week 8.
Eventually, Richter was eliminated in week 9 of the show. I think it is because some viewers were publicly getting mad, and good people were now getting kicked off the show. Although I loved to watch Richter dance, I think it was time for him to go.
I recommend catching up on this season of DWTS if you haven’t seen it already. Finals are next week, and it is a mystery who is going to win that mirrorball. The competition is picking up, and it’s a great time to catch up before the finale.