Photograph: Eric McCandless/Disney
Yearly, Dancing With the Stars will get a handful of sudden breakouts — rising stars whom audiences might not have identified at first however have come to like. And who higher to embody the spirit of a long-lost buddy whom I as soon as picked apples with in papa’s orchard than papa himself? Connor Wooden, a comic, podcaster, and influencer, is shortly changing into a fan favourite amongst Dancing With the Stars followers, even those that may not have a TikTok account. He’s the right formulation for the underdog-to-Mirrorball-winner pipeline: a captivating humorousness; a nondancer bettering weekly; loopy chemistry along with his accomplice, Rylee Arnold; and a military of loyal followers behind him. Can he TikTok his method to changing into the following champion? Beneath, a crash course within the lore of Connor Wooden.
Oh, you imply papa? Wooden began posting movies on TikTok beneath the username @Fibulaa, documenting his unemployment in 2020 with humorous movies along with his household. As he grew in reputation, he and Brooke Averick, one other comedy influencer, created the podcast Brooke and Connor Make a Podcast in 2022 beneath the TMG Podcast Studios. The vibe of the present is such as you’re a fly on the wall, listening to 2 finest mates communicate in riddles (complimentary). The very best podcasts all the time have a secret language and encyclopedia of inside jokes. It gained Adweek’s Finest Comedy Podcast of 2024 and has bought out dwell exhibits across the nation.
A key to changing into a DWTS fan favourite is being a nondancer who exhibits nice indicators of enchancment each week, a lot so that individuals outdoors of your fan base are rooting for you. “Such a cute dance! I had no concept who he was and I voted for him as a result of I loved this dance!” one YouTube commenter wrote on his premiere dance. “Who is that this younger man? i’m completely OBSESSED with him,” one other added in the identical remark part. He’s stored the momentum going, drawing comparability to The Bachelor’s Joey Graziadei, who gained season 33. “He’s giving Joey Graziadei and I’m so READY FOR IT,” a TikToker wrote within the feedback on a DWTS video. It additionally helps to have a fandom that shortly clips your funniest moments on the present, like when decide Derek Hough’s suggestions matched what Wooden’s mom stated to him the week earlier than, or when he by chance flashed individuals backstage.
sorry y’all, however i do want connor wooden to final lengthy on this present. he’s very enjoyable to look at and his partnership with rylee is considered one of my faves this season #dwts
— emmanuel (@emmanuelcgs) September 30, 2026
Wooden is bettering week by week, even when there’s a misstep alongside the way in which. He scored 16/30 in his premiere dance, a cha-cha-cha to Tim McGraw’s “I Like It, I Love It.” Since then, he’s been regular in the midst of the pack, scoring one other 15/30 for his tango on Viral Hits night time (underscored!) to “12 to 12” by Sombr. However he redeemed himself with an enormous bounce to twenty/30 for Yacht Rock night time final week, on a foxtrot to “In all places” by Fleetwood Mac.
A number of paths led to the Papa lore. One is a second from the podcast the place Wooden tried to argue that his canine, Max, isn’t his son however his brother, whereas Averick was adamant that he’s his papa. In one other episode, Averick and Wooden did a bit the place they spoke in French accents whereas questioning the place beans got here from. Averick known as him “Papa,” and he or she was “Legume.” The fandom latched onto the joke, changing into hooked on calling him “Papa” even when he forgot the place the joke originated, and the remaining is historical past.
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