Former Housee Majority Leader Tom DeLay is withdrawing from the dance competition on the popular television program, Dancing With The Stars.
DeLay performed with his partner, Cheryl Burke, last night despite suffering stress fractures in both feet.
But DeLay explained that after completing the dance, he was paying a price for trying to stay in the contest even though his doctors and DWTS producers had opined that he should quit.
"They're starting to tell me that I should not have done this," DeLay said -- speaking of his feet. "I ice them. I have a bone stimulator machine that I put on them."
But DeLay said that he enjoyed being a part of Dancing With The Stars -- and has met wonderful friends, particularly Burke.
Another week on Dancing With the Stars found Len back on the DWTS judging panel -- and the celebrities preforming close to the level of previous weeks.
The only real surprise of the evening was the previously near-perfect Aaron Carter and partner Karina Smirnoff. While Carter's dancing was on a par with most DWTS competitors, he had set the bar high for himself and was expected to be flawless. But the rumba proved not to be quite Carter's cup of tea. His dance moves were admirable, but unnatural and exaggerated. Judge Bruno Tonioli opined that the performance lacked "fluidity." Carrie Ann Inaba thought that it was exaggerated, but otherwise a "good job." And Len Goodman felt that it lacked "musicality." The pair garnered 8, 6, 7 scores for a total of 21, placing them fourth and tied with entertainer Donny Osmond and Kym Johnson who also found the rumba more of a challenge than their previous dance styles.
Topping the leader board were singer Mya and her partner Dmitry Chaplin. The rumba gave this couple no problems as they performed a sexy routine that brought a thunderous applause from fans. Carrie Ann loved the "fluidity" of their performance. Len was a bit grumpy in his assessment, but Bruno quickly chimed in, saying, that the performance had undoubtedly put a lot of Americans "in the mood for love." Their efforts brought two perfect scores of 10 -- and a 7 from Len, totaling 27.
Second place was captured by swimmer Natalie Coughlin and partner Alec Mazo. While during rehearsal the young Natalie was challenged to look into her partner's eyes and perform a sexy routine, once they hit the competition dance floor she knew exactly what to do -- and she did it. Slow and sexy -- perhaps the pair's best performance thus far. Carrie called the dance "dramatic," and Len praised the "leg action." Bruno turned theatrical in terming it "stratospheric!" Scores were 9, 8, and 9 -- for a total of 26, just one point behind Mya and Dmitry.
Finishing third were model Joanna Krupa and Derek Hough. In an unusual opening, Hough grabbed a rope and made his swinging entrance Tarzan-style. Carrie Ann said that Joanna was "fearless" in performing the samba -- and "super sexy." Len agreed -- adding that "it had quality stamped all over it." And Bruno echoed their sentiments. The 7, 8, and 8 scores delivered a 23 total.
The lowest ranked couple of the evening was football great Michael Irvin and partner Anna Demidova -- dancing a samba. Carrie Ann thought that Irvin was "dancing too small" -- and Len and Bruno considered the performance "disappointing." Their scores were 5, 4, 5, for a low 14 points.
And finishing only one point higher was the couple -- former Sen. Tom DeLay and Cheryl Burke. While their dance may not have captivated the audience, DeLay won the respect of DWTS fans -- completing the entire routine despite suffering stress fractures in both feet! DeLay had been advised by his doctors and the show's producers to leave the competition -- but he said that he likes challenges and was determined to dance. DeLay captured high praise for his courage -- along with scores of 6, 4, and 5 -- for 15 points.
Other scores for the evening: Mark Dacascos and Lacey Schwimmer -- 18 Melissa Joan Hart and Mark Ballas -- 19 Louie Vito and Chelsie Hightower -- 20 Debi Mazar and Maksim Chmerkovskiy -- 17 Chuck Liddell and Anna Trebunskaya -- 17 Kelly Osborne and Louis Van Amstel -- 20
Model Kathy Ireland may not have been the best dancer on Dancing With the Stars, but it is doubtful that any voter-eliminated star has ever left with greater dignity and grace. If DWTS fans were not impressed with her quickstep, they certainly must have been impressed with her personal style.
Ireland smiled continuously throughout the announcement that she had garnered the lowest score -- as well and while Tom Bergeron explained that everyone had enjoyed having her on the show. When Ireland was asked whether, since she was leaving on the second week of eliminations, was asked whether she felt any regrets at giving DWTS a whirl, Ireland sweetly explained that she had truly enjoyed meeting everyone and learning to dance. She was sweet, genuine and totally believable.
Before Ireland was announced as heading home, Bergeron announced that along with Ireland and her partner, the other lowest ranking couple was politician Tom DeLay and his partner Cheryl Burke.
Points handed out by the judges this week were:
Aaron Carter and Karina Smirnoff: 27; Mya and Dmitry Chaplin: 27; Donny Osmond and Kym Johnson: 25; Natalie Coughlin and Alec Mazo: 21; Mark Decascos and Lacey Schwimmer: 21; and Debi Mazar and Maksim Chmerkovskiy: 21.
Michael Irvin and Anna Demidova: 20; Joanna Krupa and Derek Hough: 20; Melissa Joan Hart and Mark Balas: 19; Chuck Liddell and Anna Trebunskaya: 19; Kelly Osbourne and Louis van Amstel: 19; Louie Vito and Chelsie Hightower: 19; Tom DeLay and Cheryl Burke: 18; and Kathy Ireland and Tony Dovolani: 18.
Actor Aaron Carter and his partner, Karina Smirnoff, performed a lively quickstep to the "Muppet Show" theme -- and completely impressed the show's judges and audience with their quite perfect performance. The judges rewarded the pair with three "9" scores. And the couple appeared to have the lead entirely to themselves -- until singer Mya and partner Dmitry Chaplin also impressed with a totally professional appearing jive. Their score equalled that of Carter and Smirnoff.
In third place was Donny Osmond, the second oldest competitor, who also performed a jive so lively that he could easily have been mistaken for a teenager. Osmond and partner Kym Johnson finished just one point behind the leaders.
All the stars glittering on the Dancing With The Stars stage gave fans a thrilling first week of the dance competition show. But as always happens with DWTS, the there were stars who had their glitter dimmed as they received the fewest votes and were sent home.
On this first week of dancing, two stars were eliminated -- actor Ashley Hamilton and singer Macy Gray. Both did a good job with their initial routines, but just not good enough to garner enough votes to have a second shot at impressing fans at home.
Macy Gray performed a Vienese waltz with professional dancer Jonathan Roberts. And Ashley Hamilton, who's dad George was once also a contestant on the show, performed a fox trot with partner, professional dancer Edyta Sliwinska.
Even though Gray and Hamilton failed to last beyond the first week, both said that they enjoyed every minute of the experience and have no regrets about entering the dance competition.
Gray opined that she enjoyed meeting new friends on the show, saying, "That was one of the best things. I met some really great people that I hope to hang out with in the future. It was a fun one week."
Hamilton knew that he entered the contest at a disadvantage because he was not fully recovered from injuries sustained in a motorcycle accident. Sliwinska, who had been his father's dance partner on DWTS, said, "Ashley had no idea how to dance. He came with no experience, but he worked way harder than his dad. And he did an amazing, amazing job."
A highlight of DWTS, too, was a tribute to the late Patrick Swayze, described as a "friend of the show." Swayze won the hearts of fans with his ballroom dance routines in the film, Dirty Dancing.
Karina Smirnoff and Maksim Chmerkowskiy, professional dancers on the hit television show Dancing With the Stars, will perform at the 61th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday, Sept. 20 -- despite calling off their engagement, announced CBS and the Television Academy on Thursday.
Just one day prior to the airing of the first episode of the new season of DWTS, the couple will perform in a segment honoring dance in reality television at the Nokia Theater in Los Angeles. The commitment was believed to have been made prior to their separation, according to reports.
On the upcoming Dancing With the Stars season, Smirnoff will be dancing with singer Aaron Carter, and Chmerkovskiy has been paired with actress Debi Mazar.
Dancing With The Stars professional dancer Mark Ballas has revealed a secret -- he used to love to watch his new partner for this season when she was in Clarissa Explains It All. Melissa Joan Hart played the part of Clarissa Darling before achieving even greater fame on the hit comedy, Sabrina The Teenage Witch.
"I would tell my mom not to talk to me when it was on," confided Ballas to digitalspy.
Ballas has achieved his own fame as a professional dancer on Dancing With The Stars -- and last year won the dance competition trophy with Olympic gymnast Shawn Johnson.
Hart is "doing pretty well so far," confided Ballas. "She has a tendency to kind of want to do all the hard stuff now. We've got to build up to it."
For her part, Hart has admitted to realitytv that she is nervous -- that she hopes that she will not throw up from a case of nerves. She also said, "People keep saying, 'Don't do it unless you're going to win.' It all depends on what I'm able to pull off and what the other competition is like. I think Donny (Osmond) is the most popular of the group, for sure. And I think he's going to get the popular vote. I just hope he can't dance very well."
This site is the inspiration of a former reporter/photographer for one of New England's largest daily newspapers and for various magazines. The intent is to direct readers to interesting political articles, and we urge you to visit the source sites. Any comments may be noted on site or directed to KarisChaf at gmail.
