Guillermo Rodriguez has described the personal changes he made for his appearance on Dancing With the Stars, saying he stopped drinking alcohol, altered his diet and lost weight during his five-week run on the American dance competition.
The 55-year-old television personality, best known as a late-night sidekick on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, discussed the experience in an interview with E! News at the 2026 Dia De Muertos Gala in Los Angeles on 27 October. Rodriguez was the fifth celebrity to leave season 35 of the ABC programme, exiting during the episode broadcast on 13 October.
A two-month change of routine
Rodriguez said the demands of rehearsals and live performances encouraged him to take a disciplined approach to his preparation. For around two months, he said, he avoided alcohol and focused on salads and other lighter meals. The change helped him lose weight, although he also admitted that maintaining such a restricted menu left him craving more substantial food.
“For two months, I didn't have anything to drink.”
His account offers a candid glimpse of the work behind a television dance appearance. The programme requires celebrities and their professional partners to learn routines under considerable time pressure before presenting them to a live audience. Rodriguez said the physical cost became clear as the competition progressed, particularly for his professional partner, Witney Carson, who was pregnant during the series.
| Stage | What Rodriguez described |
|---|---|
| Preparation | He changed his eating habits and stopped drinking |
| Competition | He rehearsed and performed with Witney Carson |
| Result | He reached five weeks before being eliminated |
More than a television challenge
Although Rodriguez did not win the season’s Mirrorball Trophy, he said the experience changed his view of what he could manage. He described himself as someone who generally remains within familiar boundaries, but found that the combination of demanding practice, performance and public scrutiny pushed him beyond that comfort zone.
He also made clear that the strain did not outweigh the enjoyment. Rodriguez said his mind and body were affected by the workload, while still describing the programme as a highly positive experience. The comments present his participation not simply as a weight-loss story, but as a test of stamina, confidence and commitment.
- No alcohol: Rodriguez said he went without drinking for approximately two months.
- Changed diet: He said salads became a regular part of his meals while he prepared for the show.
- Five-week run: He was eliminated during the fifth week of the competition.
- Continuing to dance: He now plans to take lessons with his wife, Sarai Rodriguez.
Taking the dancing home
Rodriguez’s next dance partner will be his wife. He told E! News that Sarai wants to learn, and that he intends to take her for a lesson so they can continue dancing together away from the television studio.
That domestic sequel gives his time on the programme a lasting dimension. Rodriguez may have left the competition before its final stage, but he said he was proud to have completed five weeks after being warned that he might be eliminated in the opening episode. His story is therefore one of a demanding lifestyle reset, but also of discovering a new activity to share with someone close to him.
For Rodriguez, the most enduring result appears to be less about a particular diet or a number on the scales than the realisation that he could undertake something unfamiliar and see it through. The show’s rehearsals may have ended, but the confidence gained from them—and the promise of further dance lessons—has continued beyond the ballroom.
