He may control the universe, but is Andy Richter ready for the ballroom? According to his “Dancing With the Stars” partner Emma Slater, the answer is yes!
“It’s just a regular job… but not a regular job at all. I had all summer to be nervous about it, but also to start doing cardio again and stretching. But it’s been great. I’m able to do it, apparently, I found out,” the comedian told TheWrap at ABC’s Summer Soirée on Sept. 5. “I’ve got to get the steps down, ’cause then I can slice the ham real thick.”
“I’m feeling great, I think it’s going to be a really fun season,” Slater agreed. “I’m very excited for the journey and for the creative side and for making fun, memorable dances and to watch his improvement, honestly. I’m excited to give him more information and to support him.”
“I’ve watched the show,” Richter then cut in, “but when they say this is Paso Doble or this is a Viennese Waltz — like, I know what a Waltz is, but I don’t know what makes it Viennese. Whipped cream?”
Believe it or not, this is former winner Slater’s 17th season as a pro, after three years on the dance troupe.
“I’ve been on the show now for 18, 19 seasons. I think you need to reinvent yourself every single season. Not in a dramatic way, but I do think it requires that you reflect on how you feel coming at it,” she shared. “I always want my choreography to feel renewed, to feel different, and that really involves focusing on my celebrity and working to their advantages and leaning into what they’re best at. And that changes from person to person. The audience deserves a different experience every single year.”
“There is a difference in terms of making yourself as available as possible and scheduling things around, in terms of rehearsals. I don’t think everybody is doing that,” Richter added of his competition. “I think there are other people, whether it’s obligations or whatever, who aren’t as practiced as we are.”
The pair clearly had great chemistry at the event held at Cecconi’s in West Hollywood — but was Slater aware of Richter’s iconic comedy stylings before their partnership?
“I didn’t actually watch ‘Conan,’ because I grew up in England,” she admitted. “I did know who he was, I just didn’t watch. But everybody around me really freaked out. He’s one of those names that everybody knows, so I got very excited.”
“I was upset she didn’t know me, so the first two rehearsals we didn’t speak,” Richter joked. “No, I mean the notion of like, you don’t know who I am? What kind of person… I mean, there are those people, probably some of them here.”
Elsewhere at ABC’s Summer Soirée, newer pro Ezra Sosa spoke to TheWrap about getting Olympic gold medalist Jordan Chiles as his second-ever partner (after being eliminated first in Season 33).
“They say you never forget your first season, but I’m very excited to start this journey with Jordan. Olympians have a very good track record on the show, so when I found out my partner, I was very ecstatic,” he said. “But I’m also excited for people to see my choreography and see what I bring to the ballroom floor, since Olympians are so capable.”
“It’s been a dream come true, just to teach Jordan and see how fast she picks stuff up. But also how eager she is makes me want to show up and try harder, too. Just hearing the styles we have and the songs that we have makes you really inspired to choreograph,” he added. “It’s heartwarming and honestly insane to see the type of buzz the show has, so I feel very fortunate to be part of it during this time.”
“Dancing With the Stars” Season 34 premieres Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET on ABC and Disney+ before streaming on Hulu.
