Thread: DWTS new season starts tonight

'Dancing With the Stars' makes another cut
By SANDY COHEN, AP Entertainment Writer
38 minutes ago

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Despite committing to the cause and calming her nerves each week with yoga and candles, Priscilla Presley became the latest celebrity casualty Tuesday on "Dancing With the Stars."

The 62-year-old actress, who came into the results show in last place, failed to capture enough viewer votes to overcome her low score. Judges said her rumba was dull and technically imprecise, awarding her just 21 out of 30 points.

"It lacked spontaneity for me," said head judge Len Goodman. "It was too careful. I was disappointed with the performance."

Still, Presley was gracious, telling the judges, "I applaud you. You did a great job," as she left the ballroom.

"This has been an incredible experience," she said. "It is life-changing. ... I learned so much about myself and all the things I can do."

Celebrities weren't the only ones trying to charm the judges on the ABC dance-off. The "ballroom dancing kids" competition, which began last week, continued Tuesday with two pint-sized pairs vying for a chance to give a command performance on the show, which draws nearly 20 million viewers each week.

Tuesday's show also featured an upbeat performance by hybrid rockers Ozomatli and a tender tune by balladeer James Blunt, who sang his new single, "Carry You Home."

Judges scores are combined with viewer votes to determine which couple is eliminated each week.

Seven contestants remain, including pro football player Jason Taylor, Olympic skater Kristi Yamaguchi, R&B singer Mario, and actors Shannon Elizabeth, Cristian de la Fuente, Marlee Matlin and Marissa Jaret Winokur.

Adam Carolla, Steve Guttenberg, Monica Seles and Penn Jillette have already been eliminated.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080416/...eW0APBIT2s0NUE


I was not impressed with Priscilla this week; and Marlee made some mistakes too that could have sent her home

Bye-bye Marlee :

Marlee Matlin is eliminated from `Dancing With the
By SANDY COHEN, AP Entertainment Writer
Wed Apr 23, 8:37 AM ET

LOS ANGELES - For the third consecutive week, a last-place finish has led to elimination on "Dancing With the Stars."

This week's celebrity casualty was Marlee Matlin, who came into Tuesday's results show with 21 out of 30 points. The actress, who is deaf, lost her timing at various points during her mambo Monday with professional partner Fabian Sanchez, and the judges took note.

"You guys looked like you were forcing and struggling," said judge Carrie Ann Inaba, who noted that the mambo is more rhythm-dependent than other ballroom dances and she expected it to be most difficult for Matlin.

"You did a great job," said head judge Len Goodman, "but it just looked uncomfortable throughout."

Judge Bruno Tonioli noticed "a few stumbles" but still called Matlin's performance "a great achievement."

"What you do here is a plus for the show," he said.

Judges' scores are combined with viewer votes to determine which couple is eliminated each week.

After learning her fate, Matlin, 42, thanked the judges and her partner "for giving me the most beautiful art of dance in my life." She also thanked her family, her children and Henry Winkler, who appeared on Monday's show.

"He has supported me a lot over the years," Matlin said through a sign-language interpreter.

Before she left the ballroom, she got a hug from show host Tom Bergeron, who revealed he is a longtime friend of the Oscar winner.

"I'm going to step out of the host role and say, as a friend, I am so proud of you," Bergeron said as he hugged her.

Tuesday's results show also included a performance by Ashlee Simpson, who flashed her new engagement ring as she sang a track called "Boys" from her new "Bittersweet World" album. The Riverdance Irish step-dancing troupe showed off their fast footwork, and two more teams of young dancers took the floor in the three-week-old "ballroom kids" competition.

Six celebrity contestants remain on the ABC dance-off, including pro football player Jason Taylor, Olympic skater Kristi Yamaguchi — who has finished in first place throughout the season — R&B singer Mario, and actors Shannon Elizabeth, Cristian de la Fuente and Marissa Jaret Winokur.

Priscilla Presley, Adam Carolla, Steve Guttenberg, Monica Seles and Penn Jillette have already been eliminated.

ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Co.

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On the Net: ABC: http://abc.go.com/primetime/dancingwiththestars

`Dancing With the Stars' Cristian de la Fuente cramps up
2 hours, 39 minutes ago

NEW YORK - Getting through the samba was painful for Cristian de la Fuente on ABC's "Dancing With the Stars." The Chilean soap star suffered a severe muscle cramp in his left forearm while performing with dance partner Cheryl Burke on Monday night's show.

De la Fuente began struggling near the end of the samba. He gripped his arm and seemingly tried to shake off the pain. But it finally gave away when he couldn't hold onto Burke anymore, and she fell to the floor.

Judges Carrie Ann Inaba, Len Goodman and Bruno Tonioli praised de la Fuente for carrying on despite his injury. They each gave him a score of "7."

"You cannot predict what happens," Tonioli told de la Fuente. "You did your best and we appreciate that. And we'll have to judge on what we saw, but I hope you're coming back because you're a great performer."

Backstage, de la Fuente said: "It hurts the arm and it hurts that I couldn't do it, you know? It's tough."

ABC publicist Aime Wolfe didn't immediately return phone and e-mail messages from The Associated Press on Tuesday seeking comment on de la Fuente's post-show treatment and condition.

This isn't the first stumble on "Dancing With the Stars." Marie Osmond fainted on a live broadcast after a performance last October — and was back on the show the following night.

Scores from the judges and the voting public are combined. The couple with the lowest score were to be eliminated during a results show Tuesday night.

___

ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Co. http://abc.go.com/

Another celebrity is finished on `Dancing With the Stars'
By SANDY COHEN, AP Entertainment Writer
45 minutes ago

LOS ANGELES - Shannon Elizabeth won't have to shed any more tears over "Dancing With the Stars." The 34-year-old actress, who cried at the judges' harsh remarks last week, was eliminated Tuesday from the ABC dance-off.

"The show has been amazing. I've learned a lot," she said as her professional partner, Derek Hough, stood by her side. "I've made a friend for life, and hopefully a bunch of friends for life, and I'll be here to support everyone as much as I can."

Hough said he "couldn't have asked for more" from a partner.

"She really is a big dork," he said, "but I love that."

The pair earned 51 out of 60 points for their two dances Monday. Judges loved the couple's tango, calling it Elizabeth's "best dance by far." But their mambo didn't fare as well, with the judges describing Elizabeth as "gawky," "gangly" and "awkward."

The actress' elimination breaks a three-week trend of the show's lowest scorers leaving the ballroom.

Cristian de la Fuente came into Tuesday's show in last place, losing points Monday after he hurt his arm and dropped partner Cheryl Burke to the floor during their samba performance. He left the set during the live broadcast and was taken to the hospital.

On Tuesday, de la Fuente reported that he had ruptured a tendon in his biceps and would need surgery to repair it, but that he planned to delay the operation so he could continue dancing. "If people voted for us and they would like us to be on the show, I would like to continue and not give up," he said.

Judges' scores are combined with viewer votes to determine which couple is eliminated each week. Tuesday's show also featured a performance by '80s rockers Def Leppard, who sang their classic hit "Pour Some Sugar on Me" and their new single, "Nine Lives."

Former "Dancing With the Stars" contestants Jerry Rice and Kenny Mayne added a dose of silliness to the results show with their "DanceCenter" segment, a parody of ESPN's "SportsCenter."

Wearing glitter on his eyes, Mayne cracked on the season's remaining contestants, calling Kristi Yamaguchi "a robot" and claiming Jason Taylor "has a flatulence problem."

Five celebrity contestants remain, including Taylor, Yamaguchi, de la Fuente, R&B singer Mario and Broadway star Marissa Jaret Winokur.

Marlee Matlin, Priscilla Presley, Adam Carolla, Steve Guttenberg, Monica Seles and Penn Jillette have already been eliminated.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080430/...MSgGB3xq2s0NUE

ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Co.
On the Net: ABC: http://abc.go.com/primetime/dancingwiththestars

'Dancing With the Stars' eliminates another celebrity
By DERRIK J. LANG, AP Entertainment Writer
1 hour, 55 minutes ago

LOS ANGELES - It was the 100th episode of "Dancing with the Stars" — but the last for Mario.

The 21-year-old R&B singer and his professional partner, Karina Smirnoff, were eliminated during Tuesday's results show, which also served as a special celebration of the ABC dancing competition's 100th episode.

Mario and Smirnoff performed a Viennese waltz and a jive during Monday's performance show, earning 53 out of 60 points. The judges crowned Mario "a new prince" following his ballroom dance but called his feet "bloody ugly" after his Latin dance. Mario came in third place following the judges' scores Monday.

Top-scorer Christian De la Fuente dropped partner Cheryl Burke last week when he ruptured a tendon in his biceps. Burke choreographed the couple's tango and mambo routines this week so that the Chilean actor mostly used his good arm — including the lifts, which were allowed for the first time this round.

De la Fuente, NFL player Jason Taylor, Olympic figure skater Kristi Yamaguchi and Broadway star Marissa Jaret Winokur remain and will compete in next week's semifinals.

In honor of the popular reality series' 100th episode, host Tom Bergeron announced there were 100 fans — two from each state — in the audience as well as several former contestants, such as Kelly Monaco, Jane Seymour, Vivica A. Fox, Jerry Springer, Mark Cuban, Drew Lachey, Ian Ziering, Sabrina Ryan and Lisa Rhinna.

Three former contestants returned to the dance floor.

Fourth season winner Apolo Anton Ohno and fifth season runner-up Melanie Brown separately danced with their former professional partners during performances by Rascal Flatts. Third season runner-up Mario Lopez, who's currently starring in "A Chorus Line" on Broadway, also performed a high-kicking routine with the cast from the musical revival.

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Another elimination from 'Dancing With the Stars'
1 hour, 52 minutes ago

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080514/...kZjifwWUSs0NUE

LOS ANGELES - Tony Award winner Marissa Jaret Winokur won't be adding a mirrorball trophy to her collection of prizes. The actress was eliminated Tuesday from "Dancing With the Stars."

She and her professional partner, Tony Dovolani, came into the semifinal results show in last place, with 52 points out of 60.

Jason Taylor, Kristi Yamaguchi and Cristian de la Fuente will compete in the finals of the ABC dance-off on Monday.

I was sad.. I wanted her to make it to the finals.. she had a wonderful attitude.. and outlook

Yamaguchi leads in `Dancing With the Stars' finale
By SANDY COHEN, AP Entertainment Writer
8 minutes ago

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Kristi Yamaguchi couldn't have done any better at the "Dancing With the Stars" finals Monday. The figure-skating champ earned a perfect score of 60 for her two dances Monday, putting her far ahead of fellow finalists Cristian de la Fuente, who scored 52, and Jason Taylor, who finished with 51.

Each performed a freestyle routine, and the three finalists shared the floor for a group dance dubbed "the cha-cha face-off." Yamaguchi came out on top both times. "It's ladies' night. You won that hands down," judge Carrie Ann Inaba told the Olympian after the group dance. Her perfect score easily bested de la Fuente's 26 points and Taylor's 24.

All three freestyle dances featured funky moves and lifts aplenty, but Yamaguchi tossed in some hip-hop grooves, a little Latin flair and even helped flip her professional partner, Mark Ballas. "I'm going to call you Miss Synchronicity," said judge Bruno Tolioli, who received a kiss from Yamaguchi after one dance. "This was so demanding and so difficult, but you make it look easy. It's worthy of the championship for me."

Taylor's club-worthy routine earned 27 points and de la Fuente's Latin-flavored dance collected 26.

Finishing the season with two perfect scores was "unbelievable," Yamaguchi said: "We were so thrilled with the dances and the scores, we were like, 'Yes!' It's that extra little Tiger Woods fist-pump at the end."

Pro football star Taylor and actor de la Fuente each said they wouldn't have changed a thing about their performances, and both are still holding out hope that they might take the "Dancing" title.

Yamaguchi has regularly topped the judges scoreboard throughout the season. Judges' scores will be combined with viewer votes to determine who takes home the mirrorball trophy on Tuesday night.

___

ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Co.

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On the Net:

ABC: http://abc.go.com/primetime/dancingwiththestars

[b]Winner is crowned on 'Dancing With the Stars'
By SANDY COHEN
4 minutes ago

LOS ANGELES - Kristi Yamaguchi came into the "Dancing With the Stars" finale with a perfect score and left with the mirrorball trophy.

The figure skater's victory Tuesday over pro football star Jason Taylor broke the string of four consecutive male winners. She was the first woman to claim the "Dancing" crown since the show's opening season.

"This is definitely for all those women out there to continue to be strong," Yamaguchi said after the show, hoisting the trophy above her head.

Taylor said he was surprised to make it to the finals and "thrilled" to come in second.

"If you've got to finish anywhere besides first, second place is the best you can get," he said, adding that Yamaguchi deserved to win. "And we got a perfect score to go out with, so I'm happy. I'm done dancing."

Cristian de la Fuente was the first to be eliminated during the season finale. The actor, who ruptured a tendon in his biceps while performing on the show April 28, delayed the surgery necessary to repair it so he could continue on the hit ABC dance-off.

Like Taylor, he said he was just happy to reach the finals.

"That was our objective," he said. "Kristi is the best dancer ever. It was impossible to beat her. We're happy that she won. This is so good for the show.

Yamaguchi was clearly the most talented dancer on this season's show, but it's been hard for women to take the "Dancing" crown. With a viewership that's 75 percent women — a fact not lost on Taylor and de la Fuente, who never shied from brazen displays of bare skin and sex appeal — the hit ABC show still had plenty of suspense for the final episode.

"You obviously have to get the technique, but (also) compete with the personalities that all the boys have," Yamaguchi told The Associated Press after Monday's performances. "I think their smiles and their personalities melt hearts across the country."

Figure-skating champ Yamaguchi got a perfect score of 60 on Monday's show, and has regularly topped the judges' scoreboard throughout season six. She and Taylor each earned perfect scores of 30 for their final dances on Tuesday's show.

But viewer votes count just as much, and the combination is what determines the winner.

Taylor landed in last place with 51 points Monday. His partner, Edyta Sliwinska, maximized Taylor's sex appeal — and perhaps his votes — by tearing off his shirt at the end of their final dance Monday.

"The majority of the audience are females and they probably vote a lot more than guys," Sliwinska said. "I guess those beautiful bodies and gorgeous guys make them easy to vote for."

Past winners include race-car driver Helio Castroneves, Olympic speed-skater Apolo Anton Ohno, NFL star Emmitt Smith, 98 Degrees singer Drew Lachey and actress Kelly Monaco.

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