Photo: Eric McCandless/Disney
Every year, Dancing With the Stars gets a handful of unexpected breakouts — rising stars whom audiences may not have known at first but have come to love. And who better to embody the spirit of a long-lost friend whom I once picked apples with in papa’s orchard than papa himself? Connor Wood, a comedian, podcaster, and influencer, is quickly becoming a fan favorite among Dancing With the Stars fans, even those who might not have a TikTok account. He’s the perfect formula for the underdog-to-Mirrorball-winner pipeline: a charming sense of humor; a nondancer improving weekly; crazy chemistry with his partner, Rylee Arnold; and an army of loyal fans behind him. Can he TikTok his way to becoming the next champion? Below, a crash course in the lore of Connor Wood.
Oh, you mean papa? Wood started posting videos on TikTok under the username @Fibulaa, documenting his unemployment in 2020 with funny videos with his family. As he grew in popularity, he and Brooke Averick, another comedy influencer, created the podcast Brooke and Connor Make a Podcast in 2022 under the TMG Podcast Studios. The vibe of the show is like you’re a fly on the wall, listening to two best friends speak in riddles (complimentary). The best podcasts always have a secret language and encyclopedia of inside jokes. It won Adweek’s Best Comedy Podcast of 2024 and has sold out live shows around the country.
A key to becoming a DWTS fan favorite is being a nondancer who shows great signs of improvement every week, so much so that people outside of your fan base are rooting for you. “Such a cute dance! I had no idea who he was and I voted for him because I enjoyed this dance!” one YouTube commenter wrote on his premiere dance. “Who is this young man? i am absolutely OBSESSED with him,” another added in the same comment section. He’s kept the momentum going, drawing comparison to The Bachelor’s Joey Graziadei, who won season 33. “He’s giving Joey Graziadei and I’m so READY FOR IT,” a TikToker wrote in the comments on a DWTS video. It also helps to have a fandom that quickly clips your funniest moments on the show, like when judge Derek Hough’s feedback matched what Wood’s mother said to him the week before, or when he accidentally flashed people backstage.
Wood is improving week by week, even if there’s a misstep along the way. 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 steady in the middle of the pack, scoring another 15/30 for his tango on Viral Hits night (underscored!) to “12 to 12” by Sombr. But he redeemed himself with a huge jump to 20/30 for Yacht Rock night last week, on a foxtrot to “Everywhere” by Fleetwood Mac.
Several paths led to the Papa lore. One is a moment from the podcast where Wood tried to argue that his dog, Max, isn’t his son but his brother, while Averick was adamant that he’s his papa. In another episode, Averick and Wood did a bit where they spoke in French accents while wondering where beans came from. Averick called him “Papa,” and she was “Legume.” The fandom latched onto the joke, becoming addicted to calling him “Papa” even if he forgot where the joke originated, and the rest is history.
