Comedian Andy Richter Narrowly Avoids Disqualification from 'Dancing with the Stars'

In September 2025, comedian Andy Richter, 58, revealed that he almost lost his spot on the current season of 'Dancing with the Stars' before even getting a chance to perform. Richter, who is a longtime co-star and friend of Conan O'Brien, was asked to join the show back in April. However, a few months later, Richter's doctors discovered that the leg pain he had been experiencing was due to the need for a left hip replacement.

Richter was concerned that informing his healthcare providers about the intense physical activity he was about to undertake on 'DWTS' would be a violation of his non-disclosure agreement, and he could have been fired from the show. Fortunately, Richter's doctors were able to provide him with an injection that helped, and they cleared him to participate in the competition.

Though Richter's dancing may not be on par with some of the top performers, he has gained an appreciation from fans and judges alike for his humor and entertaining routines. During the premiere episode, Richter performed a cha cha to "Hold On, I'm Coming" by Sam & Dave, which the judges said left something to be desired, though they enjoyed his "cheeky" spirit.

Despite being in the bottom two of the leaderboard after the first two episodes, Richter managed to pull through and continue dancing for another week, leaving actor Corey Feldman and NBA alum Baron Davis to make their exits.