Derek Hough gave “Dancing With the Stars” fans an unexpected reason to laugh during Tuesday night’s Season 35 premiere.

While critiquing contestant Tyler Cameron, the judge accidentally called him “Dylan,” and viewers wasted no time turning the slip into an online punchline, as reported by Page Six.

“Dylan, you have this, like, Patrick Swayze aura about you, right? You’re cool, masculine, just effortless.

It really is amazing, truly,” Hough said while delivering his feedback on Cameron’s tango.

Derek Hough accidentally called Tyler Cameron “Dylan” during the “DWTS” Season 35 premiere Tuesday night. pic.twitter.com/ndbI9Czd0g

— Page Six (@PageSix) September 16, 2026

The mistaken name immediately caught viewers’ attention on social media.

Hough, a six-time Mirrorball champion who later became a judge, found himself being teased over the glaring mix-up.

“Did Derek call Tyler Dylan?! ,” one fan shared.

Another viewer asked, “Am I the only one who heard Derek call Tyler Cameron Dylan .”

One person said the moment had them “giggling so hard.”

Another viewer was less forgiving and questioned, “Can Derek get their names right, who’s Dylan??”

A different social media user offered a possible explanation for Hough’s mistake, pointing to a celebrity who competed during the previous season.

“Bro Derek thinks Tyler Cameron is Dylan Efron from last year,” the viewer suggested.

Efron finished in fourth place last season alongside professional partner Daniella Karagach. He was also described as a fan favorite contestant during his run on the show.

Despite calling Cameron by the wrong name, Hough offered an encouraging assessment of the “Bachelor Nation” alum’s ballroom potential.

He said Cameron would be “fantastic” if he could combine his “presence” with “the technique, the frame and the posture” required for the dance.

Cameron and professional partner Sharna Burgess performed a tango to Lenny Kravitz’s “Are You Gonna Go My Way.”

The routine ultimately earned the pair a score of 17/30 from the judges.

Bruno Tonioli said he was “very pleasantly surprised” by the performance and drew attention to Cameron’s physical presence.

“Look at him, he’s a tank,” Tonioli said while evaluating the reality star.

Tonioli acknowledged that the routine contained “a few hiccups here or there,” but he still saw promise in Cameron’s performance.

The judge said Cameron has “so much potential” as the competition moves forward.

Carrie Ann Inaba also praised Cameron’s first appearance in the ballroom. “I am beyond impressed.

That was amazing,” she said, calling his debut “really solid” and complimenting his “commanding presence.”

However, Inaba drew boos from the studio audience when she criticized Burgess for allowing her foot to come off the floor.

Explaining the deduction, the judge said, “Lifts are still a thing.”

Cameron was one of eight male celebrity contestants who danced during the first half of the Season 35 premiere event.

“Premiere: Night One” featured each man performing to a No. 1 song from the year he was born.

The male lineup also included Paralympian gold medalist Ezra Frech, Hanson singer Taylor Hanson, “Secret Lives of Mormon Wives” star Conner Leavitt and Savannah Bananas star Jackson Olson.

“Jimmy Kimmel Live!” star Guillermo Rodriguez, “Glee” alum Harry Shum Jr. and comedian Connor Wood completed the group.

“Premiere: Night Two” was scheduled to air Wednesday night, with eight female celebrities dancing to chart toppers from their birth years.

The contestants included Tatyana Ali, Giada De Laurentiis, Jenna Dewan, Amber Glenn, Maura Higgins, Ciara Miller, Sarah Jane Nader and Julia Stiles.

Following the premiere event across two nights, new episodes of “DWTS” will air Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET on ABC and Disney+.

Episodes will also be available to stream on Hulu the following day.

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