What Is Going on with Andy Richter on 'Dancing with the Stars'?

I do not typically watch Dancing with the Stars. No shade; I’m just not that interested in watching celebrities dance. But my daughters have gotten weirdly into it for the first time this season and now build their schedules around their Tuesday night viewing. And what? I live in the same house. It’s on in the background. I can’t completely ignore it. Plus, there are a few contestants for whom I have some modest affection: Dylan Efron (from his Traitors run), Jen Affleck and Whitney Leavitt from Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, and, of course, Andy Richter.

Here’s what happens after someone is eliminated at the end of each episode: My daughters get enraged because some old guy they’ve never heard of continues to avoid elimination despite apparently being the least talented among the dancers. It’s Andy Richter, of course, of whom they speak.

And look: Objectively speaking, Andy Richter is fine. If you were to watch Andy Richter dance - and Andy Richter only - you might think he’s actually fairly decent. Here he is, for instance, from last night’s Wicked-themed episode (with guest judge Jon Chu).

Pretty good, right? It is, until you watch his performance next to Whitney Leavitt or, especially, Dylan Efron, who may be the frontrunner at this point. They’re clearly way ahead of Richter.

The thing about Richter is that he pretty consistently gets among the lowest - or the lowest - scores of the night from judges, while stronger dancers (like Hilaria Baldwin two weeks ago) get sent home. That’s because the show uses a combination of judges’ scores and viewer votes to determine who goes home.

And you know who the viewers love? Andy Richter. He’s become such a huge fan favorite that he’s able to withstand low judges’ scores and survive another week. And if you scan social media, it’s clear how much he’s loved.

“Andy Richter being America’s sweetheart heals me in a way I did not know I needed,” one Bluesky user noted. “I love Andy Richter. He is a total joy and helps people like me, non-dancers, feel ‘seen,’” said another on Threads.

It’s not all positive, however. “Guys … I love Andy Richter like he’s family, but this is getting ridiculous,” wrote one user. “Who tf is voting for Andy Richter… SHOW YOURSELVES RIGHT NOW!” wrote another.

And that’s where Andy Richter is: controlling the universe. What my daughters may not understand is that while the influencers on Dancing with the Stars may run TikTok and Instagram, the series is a network television show. And you know who watches network television? Older people! Older people who grew up with Andy Richter. He’s not going to make it to the end - you can only survive those judges’ scores for so long - but by God, every week he survives is a win for humanity.