Guillermo Rodriguez Wins Over ‘Dancing with the Stars’ Cast and Fans With His Kindness

Guillermo Rodriguez may have earned the lowest score of the night on Dancing with the Stars, but the 55-year-old made an impression that went far beyond the judges’ scoreboard.

The Jimmy Kimmel Live! sidekick made his Dancing with the Stars debut alongside professional partner Witney Carson during the show’s live premiere on Sept. 15. Their cha-cha to Jean Knight’s 1971 hit “Mr. Big Stuff” was enough to keep them in the competition, despite receiving the lowest score of the night.

Judge Derek Hough summed up the performance afterward: “Was the technique there? No. Was the effort there? Absolutely.”

While Rodriguez knows there is plenty of work ahead, Carson says his popularity extends well beyond the ballroom — and he may be one of the most beloved people behind the scenes, too.

‘He’s the favorite of everyone’

Speaking exclusively to PEOPLE, Carson, 32, praised Rodriguez for the way he treats everyone involved with the show.

“I do have to say he’s also the most loved with everyone, the crew, the producers,” Carson said.

According to the professional dancer, Rodriguez makes a point of acknowledging people throughout the production, regardless of their role.

“He’s always going out of his way to say hi to everyone, people who open the door, who are sweeping the floor. He’s always very, very kind. He’s the favorite of everyone,” she added.

That warmth appears to have translated directly to the audience. When the judges revealed the pair’s scores following their performance, the crowd responded with boos, showing just how strongly viewers had already connected with Rodriguez.

The support continued when the duo learned they had survived elimination.

Ready for a tougher week

Rodriguez himself admitted that the reaction from fans caught him by surprise.

“It was crazy. They went crazy when we finished dancing,” he told PEOPLE.

Despite the difficult start on the scoreboard, he is already looking ahead to the next challenge. Rodriguez said he was “happy it’s over” and knows he will need to put in significantly more work for the next routine.

“I gotta work super hard because next week is Paso Doble and it’s super fast and hard,” he said.

Carson had her own way of putting it.

“No more snack breaks,” she joked.

Dancing with the Stars returned with a two-night premiere on Tuesday, Sept. 15, and Wednesday, Sept. 16, on ABC and Disney+. Episodes stream the following day on Hulu.