ABC

With so many amazing contenders in the ‘Dancing with the Stars‘ semifinals, it was really anyone’s guess who’d leave after Tuesday night’s elimination show.

So which three couples will move on to next week’s big finale?

Hosts Tom Bergeron and Brooke Burke-Charvet, who was nice enough to introduce first-time viewers to her cleavage, kicked off the show by letting the judges choose an encore dance from performance night.

Len announced the honors would go to William and Cheryl’s samba, so the bronzed pair again took to the stage to showcase William’s bouncy backside to a grateful nation.

Then we got a backstage look at what exactly happened to Katherine after she flubbed the end of her second routine on Monday. Apparently a twinge in her back chose to make itself known at an inopportune time, and she was devastated — although it seemed she was more concerned about possibly costing Mark a spot in the finals than she was about herself.

Brooke’s cleavage called Katherine and Mark to the stage to learn their fate, and after they were told they were the first to make it to the finals, they jumped so high it honestly looked like they’d both been launched from ejector seats. Much rejoicing ensued, and we have to say we’re pleased we’ll get to see them next week.

Next up: Derek and Maria, who had a helluva night on Monday. But even though they were at the top of the judges’ leaderboard, they must have fallen short on audience votes because they were the first couple in jeopardy.

Then we got a peek at the upcoming ‘Rock of Ages‘ movie, only live on stage, featuring ‘DWTS’ vet Julianne Hough and the always-amazing Mary J. Blige. It was … well, see for yourself:

Donald and Peta were the next to be told they were in jeopardy, which course meant William and Cheryl moved on to the finals.

And in what many people will probably feel was a really shocking result, Maria and Derek were eliminated, even after getting one perfect score and one near-perfect score on Monday. Yeah, those audience votes do matter. (Is this a good time to say we predicted they’d come in fourth?)

But if Maria was surprised, she sure didn’t let it show. “I learned so many things,” she said about her time on the show. “I learned how strong I was. I learned to persevere.” Classy lady — and as we said, it really could’ve been anyone who went home.

See you next week, when we’ll finally find out who wins the coveted mirror ball trophy.

Source: ScreenCrush.com

YouTube

Jorge Narvaez and his daughter Alexa stole the hearts of everyone in the audience and on the judges’ panel on ‘America’s Got Talent.’ Jorge, clutching a guitar, introduced the world to his tiny tyke in footage of her getting a piggyback ride from her pops and telling cameras, “My daddy is my favorite singer in the whole entire universe!”

Alexa immediately charmed Sharon Osbourne, who waved and smiled at her. “I’m scared,” Alexa said with a smile at the beginning of their performance. “It’s a lot of people — 609!” Judge Howard Stern assured her, “You have many friends here,” to which the adorable lil’ angel grinned and said, “Okay, I won’t be scared!”

She and her proud papa took deep breaths and then began to whistle, then broke into song, ‘Home Is Wherever I’m With You.’ The crowd went pretty nuts for the cute duo, and the judges were equally pleased. Osbourne asked Alexa her age and how long she’d been singing (for the record, she’s 7 and has been singing since she was “about one year old,” per her calculations). Fellow judge Howie Mandel revealed he’d actually seen Alexa and Jorge on YouTube (their cover of the song has garnered 20 million hits and counting), while Stern had some too cute banter with the pint sized powerhouse.

After Osbourne explained the concept of voting to the sequin-sporting singer, the judges did just that — unanimously agreeing to send the proud fam to Las Vegas. Even notorious smack talker Stern had kind words for the pair, telling them, “This has been, by far, the most touching moment on the show for me.”

Watch the adorable and talented father-daughter team below!

Watch Jorge + Alexa Narvaez Perform ‘Home Is Wherever I’m With You’ on ‘America’s Got Talent’

Source: PopCrush.com

ABC

Last week saw two couples eliminated from the ‘Dancing with the Stars‘ competition, leaving us with what may be the best semifinal group yet. And on Monday night, they all danced their perfectly-toned backsides off — so who’s got the best shot at moving on to next week’s finale extravaganza?

Let’s find out … LIIIIIIIVE!

Hosts Tom Bergeron and Brooke Burke-Charvet, who was clad in a life-sized Slinky, said everyone would be doing two dances for our entertainment. Oh, and it was also Sob Story Night, so we all learned a little more about the contestants’ hardships early in life. Good times.

And away we go.

William Levy and Cheryl Burke
First dance score: 28 out of 30 (9/9/10)
Second dance score: 30 out of 30 (10/10/10)

William also told us about his impoverished Cuban upbringing, saying when he was a kid, his dream was just to have a fridge with food in it. As he mentioned earlier in the season, his father was a political prisoner who brought the family to the US for asylum when William was 14. His modeling agents recalled seeing him for the first time and how he was gorgeous but had so few clothes that they actually had to go shopping for him. His modeling gigs led to acting gigs, and now he’s one of the biggest stars in Latin America.

On to the dancing … there’s a reason Cheryl’s won this thing twice, and getting fantastic partners is only part of it. She’s a terrific choreographer, and her first dance with William, a tango set to the Eurythmics’ ‘Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This),’ was sexy and sharp and fit the music perfectly. Len said he hadn’t “been this excited since my mother put me in long trousers,” which we’re guessing is Brit-speak for “dude, awesome,” Bruno said it was “full of animal magnetism,” and Carrie Ann had only the tiniest of constructive criticisms.

His second dance, a samba, featured him in tight white pants shaking his ass a lot (see, we told you Cheryl knows what she’s doing). Bruno called the dance “the pleasure zone” and said he had “bum envy,” Carrie Ann called it “freaking amazing,” and Len dubbed William “the hunk with the junk in his trunk.”

Katherine Jenkins and Mark Ballas
First dance score: 29 out of 30 (10/9/10)
Second dance score: 27 out of 30 (9/9/9)

Katherine was accepted to the Royal Academy of Music at 17, and rocketed to fame after being signed to a recording deal shortly thereafter. (It’s still so weird to see that booming operatic voice coming out of such a tiny chick.) Last December she apparently suffered an Adele-style breakup with her fiance and it left her in shreds. She credits ‘DWTS’ for helping to put a smile back on her face and for giving her something else to focus on.

Kind of surprised she didn’t mention her father’s death as she did earlier in the season when we got some contestant backstory, but maybe she felt it would’ve been exploitative. So props to her for that.

On to the dancing … Katherine said she’s come a long way in the competition — from demurely asking the costume designers to add more fabric to her dresses all the way to her currently provocative dance moves. Her quick-step looked like it had a few small errors to us, but if it did, most of the judges didn’t notice. Bruno called it “outstanding” with “amazing technique,” Carrie Ann said it may have been the best dance ever on ‘DWTS,’ and although Len did catch the mistakes, he deemed the performance “fabulous.”

Kat’s second dance, a salsa, was hawt and showed she’s clearly gotten more comfortable showing some skin. All was going swimmingly until the very last couple beats of the song when her back suddenly went out — she was horrified and in pain all at the same time, and she couldn’t stop apologizing to Mark. So awful. Regardless, Carrie Ann called the rest of the dance “fabulous,” Len called her “Katherine the Great,” and Bruno said she “unleashed the harlot” within.

At the end of the show, she was stoic but looked like she was in agonizing pain, and Tom said doctors were en route. Hopefully it’s nothing too serious and she picks up some audience votes, because it would be an absolute shame for her to go out like that.

Donald Driver and Peta Murgatoyd
First dance score: 28 out of 30 (9/9/10)
Second dance score: 29 out of 30 (10/9/10)

Donald grew up in rough ‘hood in Houston, with a father in prison and a single mother raising five kids. The family wound up living under a bridge, and Donald’s mom eventually sent him and his brother to stay with their grandparents. Trouble — drugs, car thefts, etc — followed, even during his early athletic years. Meeting his wife in college was the turning point because she gave him an ultimatum: he could have her or the bad-boy lifestyle, but not both. He kept her and focused on football instead, eventually being drafted by the Green Bay Packers and going on to become a star wide-receiver with a Super Bowl championship under his belt.

On to the dancing … his first dance, a waltz, was simply gorgeous — fluid and lyrical and lovely. Carrie Ann complimented the emotion he displayed and called the performance “mesmerizing,” Len said Donald is a “big tough cream puff,” and Bruno loved his lines and arm extensions.

The samba he did next was sassy and fun (prediction: Peta has quite a future on this show). Len said it was “a bit careful” but he liked it, Bruno said it “worked beautifully,” and Carrie Ann said it was Donald’s “A+ game.”

Maria Menounos and Derek Hough
First dance score: 30 out of 30 (10/10/10)
Second dance score: 29 out of 30 (10/9/10)

Maria’s parents were Greek immigrants (as she’s often reminded us) who worked as janitors, and she was moved by how much they wanted to give her family a better life. She put herself through college, got a journalism degree, and covered earthquakes and wars for Channel One news — she even interviewed President Bush when she was all of 20. Damned impressive. She credits her parents for her work ethic, and wants to succeed to make them proud.

On to the dancing … while it’s usually the celebs who buckle under the pressure, Derek’s rehearsal footage seemed to show him in the midst of a panic-attack — something that’s especially odd for the show’s only three-time champ. Regardless, he soldiered on, and Maria’s Argentine tango had some amazing moves, ending with a pretty emotional moment between her and Derek. Len said he was “completely caught up in it,” Bruno gave it his usual bombastic praise, and Carrie Ann was in the throes of complimental (it’s a word because I say it is) ecstasy.

Her second dance seemed a bit muted for a jive, and Derek looked like he was doing most of the tricks, but overall it was a fresh interpretation. Bruno liked its “quirkiness,” Carrie Ann said it was a “stunner,” and Len called out a tiny stumble but enjoyed the “rhythm” of the performance.

There you have it. Tuesday night’s elimination will reveal who’s in the finale — see you then.

Source: ScreenCrush.com

Christopher Polk, Getty Images

It’s official! Demi Lovato is now an ‘X Factor‘ judge.

TMZ reports that Lovato, like fellow new judge Britney Spears, will hit up New York City to finalize her paperwork for the gig tomorrow (May 14). Though Lovato is scheduled to tour this summer, her ‘X Factor’ position shouldn’t interfere with her itinerary. Lovato will join Spears at the Fox Upfronts, where they will officially announce their casting on the series.

Lovato will likely be a great addition to the somewhat struggling Fox show, as she’ll draw in a younger demographic as well as be able to draw upon her own unique and sometimes dark experiences to coach contestants.

While Spears is said to be raking in $15 million for the show, Lovato’s payday isn’t yet known. She’s only been in talks for a pretty short time — the first reports of her involvement only popped up about two weeks ago, whereas Spears’ name had been swirling about for months. Auditions are scheduled to begin at the end of this month.

Lovato may not be the only Disney alum to sign on, either. Her pal and fellow Mouse House starlet Miley Cyrus is in talks to be the show’s new hostess with the mostess. Congrats, Demz!

Watch Demi Lovato, ‘Skyscraper’ Video

Source: PopCrush.com

YouTube

The other day we posted a homecoming video in which a soldier surprises his two young children, who were throwing out the first pitch at an Arizona Diamondbacks game, by being the mystery catcher. We said it was the best homecoming video we’ve seen in some time.

Well, consider it topped.

In the video below, 6-year-old Michael Cooney is well aware that his father, Staff Sgt. Jeremy Cooney, is returning home after a seven month deployment in Afghanistan.  So it’s Michael, who suffers from cerebral palsy and couldn’t walk when he last saw his dad, who did the surprising.

‘We kept the fact that he could walk a secret the whole time his dad was gone,’ Jeremy’s wife Melissa Cooney explained.

According to Melissa, doctors had said Michael would never be able to walk or “do much of anything” — which surely made Michael’s careful steps especially sweet to his dad.

Part of what makes the video so touching is how long it takes for Michael to meet his father’s waiting embrace. If you didn’t well up as Michael bravely made his way across the gym, you should probably check yourself for a pulse.

Source: TheFW.com

What triggered it? The exact answers died along with the 35 on board and one on the ground that day. Sabotage wasn’t ruled out for a long time, given the era’s turbulent global politics just before World War II. But science offers more plausible theories.

Carl Jablonski, President of the Navy Lakehurst Historical Society, has spent much of his life researching the possibilities and probabilities.

It was rainy, windy and cool – not optimum conditions for a lighter-than-air vessel to maneuver. The Hindenburg traditionally completed the two-and-a-half-day trip from Frankfurt to Lakehurst around dawn. But battling headwinds, the airship was running 12 hours behind schedule, and aiming to dock near 7 PM.

Explosion Over Lakehurst (Navy Lakehurst Historical Society)

“As they got closer to New Jersey, the weather got worse,” Carl relates. “There were all kinds of storms in the area…thunder…lightning…rain…wind. They were put into a holding pattern.”

Finally, he continues, the Navy Lakehurst commander radioed the crew that they had about one hour in which to bring the dirigible to its mooring mast. It’s said that the small window prompted unorthdox maneuvers.

“They made several sharp turns,” says Carl. “During one of these turns, it’s alleged that one of the guy wires in one of the [Hindenburg's 16 hydrogen] gas cells broke and formed a pocket of gas that leaked out. Because they were flying at a low altitude, the gas did not dissipate.”

“When they lowered the landing ropes, which were wet from the rains,” says Carl, “a static spark is said to have occurred and found this pocket of gas. A small flame began, turned into a larger flame, and went through the 16 cells of hydrogen gas – about 7,000,000 cubic feet of it…in 34 seconds.”

The conflagration killed 35 people on board and one on the ground.

Not all of the few remaining survivors have been able to shake the trauma. Those who can, and the sons and daughters of other passengers and crew members, meet for dinner Saturday May 5 at the Clarion on Route 37 in Toms River.  The event serves as a fundraiser to help the small group of volunteer archivists continue their work at Hangar One. If $40 is not too high a price for you to spend a congenial evening among people with direct connections to a world-changing event, you’re invited.

The Smoldering Aftermath (Navy Lakehurst Historical Society)

You can also take part in the annual memorial service at the Joint Base, Sunday May 6. It’s a rare occasion when members of the general public can step onto the base.

Get details at http://www.nlhs.com.

Sue Moll, Townsquare Media

Time for a nap! Sue Moll, Townsquare Media

I basically look at Mommy and say, “HELP.”  But I stand there and take all the bracelets and necklaces and feather hair pieces with my tail wagging.  Thank goodness there’s always a treat waiting for me when she’s done playing with me.

So Mommy and Abby are seriously thinking about welcoming another furry four legged friend to our family.  Yep Abby wants a kitten.  I hope we get along.  I’ll try my best, but you know the kitten will be snuggling up with me and I’m an older dog and just need my space.  I’ll let you know when it all happens.  I hear I’ll be going with them to pick up the kitten to see how we get a long.  I only hope the cat won’t dress me up?! 

So doggie friends, have you welcomed in a new dog or cat into your family?  How did it go?  Did everybody get along?

Carl Jablonski, President, Navy Lakehurst Historical Society (Tom Mongelli / Townsquare Media NJ)

On the 75th anniversary of the fabled disaster, the Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst offers a rare opportunity for everyday people to enter the base and join the memorial observance on the spot where death rained down on May 6, 1937.

One day before, May 5, the Navy Lakehurst Historical Society invites everyone who’s interested in knowing more about what actually happened that day to their commemorative dinner at the Clarion Inn – formerly the Quality Inn – on Route 37 in Toms River.

Society President Carl Jablonski keeps meticulous records of the conflagration to help his group perpetuate the memory. He has enlisted Dr. Horst Schermer, one of the last living passengers who ever rode the dirigible, to attend the dinner and the ceremony.

“The Hindenburg was the Concorde of its day,” he says. “It was 804 feet in length, 15 stories high, and it weighed 42 tons.”

It was also, he notes, a propaganda tool for Adolph Hitler’s ambitions. His Third Reich subsidized the building of the mammoth airship and helped the foundering Zeppelin Company begin similar projects in exchange for displaying the Swastika emblem on its tail.

For radio reporter Herb Morrison, it was a routine day to describe to his listeners a routine procedure. Radio was in its prime and lighter-than-air travel was on its way to becoming the future of aviation.

Then, without warning, chamber after chamber of hydrogen ignited and within seconds, the horror raged and receded. It was all recorded on film and audio, and riveted moviegoers who saw it in newsreels – exponentially bigger than any flatscreen in any living room today.

“Every theater was showing the Hindenburg crash for at least two to three weeks,” says Jablonski. “It was the headline in every newspaper throughout the world.”

In subsequent postings, we’ll explore the event in detail through Carl Jablonski’s tireless research.

Steve Sweeney and Chris Christie (Governor's Office/Tim Larsen)

“The Governor says he doesn’t want to sign a millionaires’ tax,” explains Sweeney. “We think that’s wrong because we think that could provide even more relief.”

While Sweeney thinks it’s wrong that Christie would veto a millionaires’ tax increase, he understands it is what it is, “So my plan doesn’t have a millionaires’ tax in it for one reason; I want to get something done and I want to get it done now.  People need relief now. We can play politics later. We can argue. We can fight.”

In his budget message, the Governor was clear on his position as it pertains to a millionaires’ tax increase. He said, “Our standing in the last two years has improved somewhat – but not enough. We have stopped spending growth in its tracks. We have eliminated the special surtax that for a time gave New Jersey the highest marginal tax rate in the nation – and I am proud to have twice vetoed the effort to re-introduce it. And just so there is no mistake in my intention: I will veto any tax increase again.”

Christie proposes to reduce personal income tax rates, across-the-board, for every New Jerseyan, by 10% with the three-year phase-in of the cut with this budget. He says 10% tax cut for every working New Jerseyan will help families to keep more of what they earn and make the state more competitive with other states and attract more new jobs to New Jersey.

Townsquare Media was the first to report that under a new plan proposed by State Senate President Steve Sweeney, a family earning $50,000 a year would save, on average $600, and a family earning $100,000 a year would save an average of $800; millionaires would get absolutely zero. Under the governor’s proposed income tax scheme, a family earning $50,000 a year would only save $80.50, and a family earning $100,000 annually would only save $275, while a millionaire would get a $7,265.75 tax break and those earning $3 million would save $25,200 a year.

The Sweeney plan would focus every dollar of tax relief on the 95 percent of New Jersey households that earn up to $250,000. The Christie proposal, by comparison, would give those families only an average of $218 in relief, while the top 5 percent would get an average of $4,632 and the top 0.6% would get an average of $22,577.

“Property tax relief is on its way,” says Sweeney. “Income tax cuts to the wealthy are not going to be had in this budget. I am not negotiating an income tax cut. I can tell you that right now.”

ABC

The music of Motown swept the ‘Dancing with the Stars‘ ballroom on Monday night. So — and please pardon the awful play on words — who cried the tears of a clown after Tuesday’s elimination?

Hosts Tom Bergeron and Brooke Burke-Charvet didn’t waste any time announcing the first safe couples: William and Cheryl and Jaleel and Kym. No surprise on the first one, but since Jaleel was in the dance duel last week and thisclose to being eliminated, that’s one helluva comeback on his part.

The first two couples in jeopardy were Melissa and Maks and, in a surprise, Maria and Derek.

Next two safe couples were pretty obvious: Katherine and Mark, and Donald and Peta.

Gladys and Tristan and Roshon and Cheslie were announced as being in jeopardy — and wound up being the bottom two couples who had to participate in the dance duel.

That wasn’t good news for Gladys. Despite weak judges’ scores, she’s stayed out of trouble because of the audience vote. A worst-case scenario for her was winding up in a one-on-one competition with the judges determining who goes home based solely on that dance.

Honestly, it was rough to watch. Not because she was bad (she wasn’t) but because competing with a kid a third of her age just seemed … undignified somehow. Blech. We’d rather have just seen her voted out by the audience without that.

Then the judges had their say. Carrie Ann voted to keep Gladys, Len voted to keep Roshon, and Bruno cast the deciding vote — for Roshon. Which not only meant Gladys was out, it completely screwed up our prediction about Roshon coming in 8th place (although we did say Gladys would be in trouble in a dance duel).

No one looked happy about the outcome, but of course Gladys saw it coming and handled it like the classy lady she is.

See you next week.

Source: ScreenCrush.com

ABC

On Monday night, Latin and the ballroom came together in one big explosion of fringe and ruffles and male shirtlessness. But who didn’t share their respective bon-bons quite hard enough?

Hosts Tom Bergeron and Brooke Burke-Charvet, whose silver dress made her look like a baked potato ready for the oven, first announced that Maria and Derek had been chosen by the judges for the honorary encore dance.

On performance night, judge Carrie Ann chided them for a kiss they staged in their salsa, calling it a “sell-out” move. So during their encore, Derek replaced the smooch by running over and surprising Carrie Ann with a liplock instead. (Funny thing — she didn’t seem to mind that one at all.)

Then it was time to announce the first three safe couples: Maria and Derek, Melissa and Maks, and Gladys and Tristan.

Melissa was so relieved that she let forth a string of expletives that had to be bleeped (Pa Ingalls would’ve washed her mouth out with soap for that):

Even though Gladys hasn’t been getting great judges’ scores, we’re glad she got enough audience votes to survive for next week’s Motown theme. It seems only right.

Then the new elimination method was explained. Citing previous contestants who went home midway through the competition even though they were very good, the judges will have the bottom two couples dance side-by-side to determine who should actually leave, with the judges making the final decision themselves. We like it — this way no one stays in on pity votes alone.

Next three safe couples:
William and Cheryl, Katherine and Mark, and Donald and Peta. Duh.

That left only one more safe couple: Roshon and Chelsie.

So the bottom two were Jaleel and Kym and Gavin and Karina. Tough break for Jaleel, but as cute and pleasant as Gavin is, he’s been a consistent bottom-two dweller and could probably sense his good luck was running out.

Then it was Dance Dual time — one cha-cha, danced simultaneously by both couples. Since the choreography for each one was so different, it was kinda hard to contrast and compare, but it was pretty clear that Jaleel and Kym looked better.

And the judges agreed — in a unanimous decision, they sent Gavin and Karina home.

Gavin expected it and took the news with his characteristic good humor and grace, but we’re kinda bummed because now we’ll never know what’s under that hat.

See you next week.

Freehold Township High School is back, defending its state title and representing Monmouth County. Ocean County’s entry is Monsignor Donovan High School in toms river.

The game-show format designed by the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs brings a show-biz element to a critical examination of consumer rights and responsibilities.

Students are expected to know about Ponzi schemes, investment fraud, car leasing and buying, health club regulations, retail consumer rights and related topics.

Only 19 of the 90 teams that entered in January have survived to reach the regionals.

Joining Freehold Township and Monsignor Donovan April 18th at the Monmouth County Fire Academy in Freehold are Linden, North Brunswick, Somerville, Voorhees and West Windsor-Plainsboro High Schools.

The South Jersey match-ups take place April 17th at Burlington County College’s Pemberton campus. Moorestown Friends High faces Glassboro, Oakcrest, Ocean City and Winslow Township High Schools.

See all about the New Jersey High School Consumer Bowl at http://www.nj.gov.oag/ca/bowl/links.htm.

ABC

Rock Week continued on Tuesday’s ‘Dancing with the Stars’ elimination, when Kiss did yet another live performance and one contestant hung up their dancing shoes for good.

Whose bare feet pitter-pattered out of the ballroom?

But first, some backstage drama.

As we mentioned on performance night, Melissa Gilbert and Maksim Chmerkovskiy’s routine was marred when he slipped and fell at the end, and she was later rushed out of the ballroom and taken to the hospital. Early Tuesday we learned that she’s okay but suffered whiplash and a concussion, and when slo-mo video of their dance was replayed, it was suddenly evident how both Maks fell and Melissa injured herself — her head hit his shin during a floor spin. Ow.

Backstage footage showed a truly bizarre scene — the erstwhile Laura Ingalls stretched out on a sofa with an oxygen mask strapped to her face as Gene Simmons in full Kiss regalia stood nearby with a worried look on his face. (Hi, colliding worlds! Hi!)

Under doctor’s orders, she wasn’t at the results show, but Melissa and Maks were announced as the first safe couple who will be dancing next week, assuming she’s able, of course.

The second safe couple was Gavin and Karina, finally breaking their run of bottom-two finishes.

The judges chose Donald and Peta to give this season’s first Encore Dance, an honor bestowed on the couple whose Monday-night performance the judges liked best. (We think they made an excellent choice; it was our favorite, too.)

Next safe couples:
Maria and Derek, Jaleel and Kym, Donald and Peta, and Gladys and Tristan. That last one was a bit of a surprise since they had the lowest judges’ scores on Monday, but apparently the fans rallied and voted for them.

The first couple in jeopardy was Roshon and Chelsie. Their dance on Monday was well-received by the judges but since this is the Disney star’s second time in the bottom two, he seems to be having trouble getting audience votes.

Next safe couples:
Katherine and Mark, and William and Cheryl.

That left Sherri and Val as the second couple in the bottom two.

The judges expressed shock at who the bottom pairs were, emphasizing how talented this season’s pack of competitors are (true, that).

And the couple voted out was … Sherri and Val. Which is kind of a shame because we’d just started to warm up to her exuberant personality, and she looked truly devastated to be leaving.

It only gets tougher from here. See you next week.

ABC

It’s Rock Week on ‘Dancing with the Stars,’ and with two performances from 70s kabuki-rockers Kiss planned for Monday and Tuesday, the whole ballroom is abuzz. Even the ‘DWTS’ logo has been Kiss-ified.

Host Tom Bergeron says we’re gonna “rock out with our lockstep out,” which isn’t at all how that saying goes but hey, kids are watching so we’ll let it go.

Kiss opened the show with the most family-friendly performance they’ve ever given before Brooke Burke-Charvet, dressed in black leather and silver studs but looking less “rock” than “subversive socialite,” did some introductory patter.

Judges Carrie Ann Inaba, Len Goodman, and Bruno Tonioli were also in place, so let’s do this thing.

Sherri Shepherd and Val Chmerkovskiy
Score: 21 out of 30 (7/7/7)
Weepy Sherri from last week is gone, and she’s ready to rock. She and Val did a tango to a watered-down version of Quiet Riot, and maybe it was just the costumes but the whole thing looked a mess. Len and Bruno liked it but said it needed to be a bit “sharper,” while Carrie Ann was less enthused, saying Sherri was “expressionless” and “lacking passion.”

Katherine Jenkins and Mark Ballas
Score: 24 out of 30 (8/8/8)
After getting the first 10s of the season last week, Katherine was feeling the pressure for her paso doble. Their performance proved she can fill out a catsuit quite nicely, but the dance wasn’t nearly as good as her previous performances. Len said it had “promise but it didn’t deliver,” while Carrie Ann said the intensity of the paso doble itself might’ve made the pair a bit sloppy.

Jaleel White and Kym Johnson
Score: 22 out of 30 (8/7/7)
Jaleel said he grew up in a household with “zero rock,” so when Kym said they were dancing to a Rolling Stones song, he seemed completely unaware of who Mick Jagger is. After being schooled, he compared Jagger’s walk to George Jefferson’s, which isn’t entirely off-base. It looked like Jaleel and Kym had a lot of fun during their tango to ‘(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction’ and the judges enjoyed it, but Len said it “needed more attack.”

Melissa Gilbert and Maksim Chmerkovskiy
Score: 22 out of 30 (7/8/7)
Melissa was excited to do the paso doble because she’s always thought of as the “good girl” and she’s ready to change some minds. Their dance was certainly energetic, but Maks slipped at the end — and just as with last week, the choreography seemed rushed, something Bruno acknowledged in his critique. Carrie Ann called it her best dance yet but said her confidence still needs work.

Donald Driver and Peta Murgatoyd
Score: 27 out of 30 (9/9/9)
Peta decided to take advantage of Donald’s muscular physique by having him dance their paso doble shirtless. Their routine to ‘Purple Haze’ was awesome — super-sexy and sharp, exactly what the dance is supposed to be. Carrie Ann called it “psychedelic, hot, and raunchy,” and Len was impressed as well, deeming it Donald’s best dance of the whole competition.

Gladys Knight and Tristan MacManus
Score: 20 out of 30 (7/6/7)
Being the only current competitor who’s been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Gladys said she was anxious to shake off her “goody two-shoes” persona (she could always take our suggestion from last week and start swearing profusely). Their tango to ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ looked a bit too relaxed to us and the judges agreed, with Carrie Ann and Len blaming it at least partially on the difficult rhythm of the song.

William Levy and Cheryl Burke
Score: 22 out of 30 (7/7/8)
Fresh off a 10 from last week, Cheryl had to give William lessons about American rock and roll. Their jive to ‘We’re Not Gonna Take It’ had a pretty big flub in the middle and timing just seemed all off-kilter. The judges of course called out the mistakes but also complimented William on his overall performance skills while saying he had to stop letting the crowd distract him.

Roshon Fegan and Chelsie Hightower
Score: 26 out of 30 (9/8/9)
The pair somehow got stuck doing a Viennese Waltz during rock week (bummer, that) but they made the best of it with a very smooth performance. Bruno called it “elegant and romantic,” Carrie Ann called him the “best dancer” among the men in the competition (wow, really, Carrie Ann?), and Roshon finally got his ultimate compliment from Len: “Good job, dawg.”

Maria Menounos and Derek Hough
Score: 26 out of 30 (9/8/9)
After they practically copulated on the dance floor last week, Maria and Derek had a lot to live up to, but bad news: Maria has a stress fracture in one of her feet (this after cracked ribs earlier in the season). But she’s carrying on, and her tango to Alice Cooper’s ‘School’s Out’ showed little signs of pain. Len said it had the aggression but lacked a bit of control, and Bruno called it “sex appeal by the truckload” and “brilliant.”

Gavin DeGraw and Karina Smirnoff
Score: 23 out of 30 (8/8/7)
Gavin said he’s fed up with being in the bottom two, and as a musician himself, he feels right at home with rock music. The pair’s tango was good, and Gavin even wore a black leather hat for the occasion (this week’s guess for what’s under there: a delicious and healthy snack). The judges criticized his frame, but Carrie Ann compared him to Johnny Depp, leading us to believe she’s drinking during commercial breaks.

Tom and Brooke said Melissa Gilbert injured herself during her dance and was whisked off to the hospital. How hurt is she? Guess we’ll find out on Tuesday night. See you then.

ABC

After Monday night’s emotional performances during which the dancers did tributes to memorable periods in their lives, it seems almost cruel to cut someone — but the merciless ax of ‘Dancing with the Stars’ must fall.

Whose head rolled across the ballroom, never to cha-cha again?

Host Tom Bergeron talked about the poignant dances from last night as Brooke Burke-Charvet looked on, dressed in a black gown that was half-strapless/half-not and half-long/half-short, thus making it the glittery fashion equivalent of schizophrenia.

Judge Len said he hoped the producers would decide no one had to go because everyone’s performances on Monday were that good, but of course we know that won’t happen so let’s get to it.

First three safe couples:
Katherine and Mark, Maria and Derek, and Roshon and Chelsie.

Despite a great dance last night that made lot of women unexpectedly swoony, Gavin and Karina were the first couple in jeopardy.

Then the show profiled a former dancer who was diagnosed with stage four cancer and can no longer perform. Anna (Jack Wagner’s pro partner) and her dancer husband did a beautiful tribute routine in honor of their friend, thus marking this as the weepiest ‘DWTS’ week in the history of ever.

Next set of safe couples:
William and Cheryl, and Jaleel and Kym. Guess Jaleel didn’t suffer any fall-out from his PR nightmare over the past couple days.

Gladys and Tristan were the next couple in jeopardy. Classy, elegant women of a certain age, no matter how iconic, are rarely popular on this show. Think we can convince her to develop a potty-mouth? Because we’re not ready to lose her yet.

Next safe couples: Donald and Peta, Melissa and Maks, and Sherri and Val. Sherri, who’d expressed earlier concern about her weave, was so happy that she threw caution to the wind and whipped her hair back and forth, back and forth, back and forth.

Doing the math, that left Jack and Anna as the last of the bottom three.

Gladys and Tristan were sent to safety (okay, maybe she doesn’t need to start slinging those expletives just yet), leaving a bottom two of Gavin and Karina and Jack and Anna.

And the ax came down on … Jack and Anna.

Seems even though the judges said his dance for his newly-discovered daughter was his best yet, viewers weren’t moved enough to vote for him. Or maybe Heather Locklear finally stuck enough pins in his voodoo doll. Regardless, farewell, Jack.

See you next week.

ABC

We lost Martina Navratilova from the competition last week, which we hope means she’s relaxing at home with all of her Wimbledon trophies and reveling in the fact that she’ll never have to wear high heels again.

This week? The competitors do a personal dance that tells a story about their lives. Break out the Kleenex — you know none of these will start with, “So the funniest thing happened to me …”

Host Tom Bergeron promised us a memorable show said we’d need Kleenex (dude, stop stealing our lines), and Brooke Burke-Charvet was wearing … a remarkably tasteful gown. How rude. It’s like she didn’t even consider the recappers who enjoy snarking on her attire.

Judges Carrie Ann Inaba, Len Goodman, and Bruno Tonioli were also in place.

Let’s get this sob-fest on the road!

Jack Wagner and Anna Trebunskaya
Score: 24 out of 30 (8/8/8)
We weren’t even 10 seconds into their rehearsal when Jack’s waterworks started (WE TOLD YOU). But whoa, what a story. Last year, he was surprised with an adult daughter he didn’t even know he had, so he dedicated his samba to her. That made his pelvic-thrusts at the beginning a little weird, but the rest of the dance was joyful. At the end, Jack hugged his daughter in the audience and cried some more. Len said it was his best dance yet, and Carrie Ann called him “effervescent.”

Maria Menounos and Derek Hough
Score: 27 out of 30 (9/9/9)
Maria’s family members are Greek immigrants, so she wept when talking about their struggles to support her and her siblings. Apparently she kept her spirits high by listening to Madonna’s ‘Material Girl,’ so she and Derek did a rumba to a slow version of it. And yowza. Seriously hot. If these two aren’t hooking up, they might as well start because now everyone thinks they are anyway. Carrie Ann called it the “vertical expression of a horizontal desire,” and Len said it was “bedroom in the ballroom.”

Gladys Knight and Tristan MacManus
Score: 24 out of 30 (8/8/8)
Gladys talked about her first tour with the Pips when she was 13 (!!!), calling it the start of her great education under the tutelage of icons like Sam Cooke, so she and Tristan danced a foxtrot to Cooke’s ‘Cupid.’ The lady is just gorgeous. The performance itself was nothing to stand up and scream about, but it was lovely and elegant. Carrie Ann called it “sensuous and soulful, like you,” and Len noted the improvement in her frame.

Roshon Fegan and Chelsie Hightower
Score: 25 out of 30 (8/8/9)
Roshon recalled the first year he saw Michael Jackson on stage, citing him as a huge inspiration. To prep for a tribute dance, Chelsie brought in Jacko’s choreographer Travis Payne to teach Roshon some of the late legend’s moves. The resultant samba to the Jackson 5′s ‘I Want You Back’ was lively and featured a trademark crotch-grab (we should point out he grabbed his own, not Chelsie’s). Bruno said “Michael Jackson would love it and so do I,” but while Len and Carrie Ann liked the energy, they felt it was a bit choppy.

Gavin DeGraw and Karina Smirnoff
Score: 24 out of 30 (8/8/8)
Gavin talked about Billy Joel inspiring him to become a musician, and tearfully described the great encouragement he got from his parents. His eternally-hatted head and Karina danced a sultry rumba to ‘New York State of Mind,’ and for the first time, we saw why so many women swoon over Gavin. “You’ve got hips! And you can move them!” Bruno exclaimed, which kind of echoed our thoughts too. Carrie Ann was also surprised to find herself fluttery and declared she has “Gavin-fever.” Len didn’t flutter but he did call the dance “good solid progression.”

Katherine Jenkins and Mark Ballas
Score: 29 out of 30 (10/9/10)
The adorable British songbird described being 15 and finding out her father had lung cancer. He died very quickly and okay, now we’re crying too, dammit. Her waltz to Josh Groban’s ‘To Where You Are’ was dedicated to her dad, and it was lyrical and gorgeous and we know we go on like this about her every week but seriously, people. A tearful Carrie Ann called it “magical,” Len nitpicked a little about the choreography but liked it otherwise, and Bruno called it “sensational.” She got the very first 10s of the season, and well-deserved ones at that.

Sherri Shepherd and Val Chmerkovskiy
Score: 24 out of 30 (8/8/8)
Sherri’s son Jeffrey was delivered at 25 weeks, weighing under two pounds. Doctors predicted horrible things, but the little guy turned out okay. Listening to her emotionally describe the whole thing was a rare glimpse into a non-ebullient Sherri, and we’re not saying we want her to break down and sob every week, but it did remove that feeling that she’s the human equivalent of confetti. She dedicated her rumba to her son, and it was lovely. Carrie Ann said her lines were her best yet, and all the judges noted the deep expression of the dance.

Melissa Gilbert and Maksim Chmerkovskiy
Score: 24 out of 30 (8/8/8)
Melissa broke her back during a musical last year (being in one, not watching one), and she was terrified she’d never walk again. ‘The Dog Days Are Over’ was her song of choice for her jive, and GOOD GOD IS SHE STACKED. Why haven’t we noticed this before? We thought the routine was too fast for her and that she was a half-step behind the whole time, but all the judges loved it, so maybe we were so distracted by her rack that we didn’t notice the excellent dancing.

Jaleel White and Kym Johnson
Score: 25 out of 30 (9/8/8)
Jaleel’s life has apparently been fairly charmed. He described playing Steve Urkel’s alter-ego, the suave Stefan Urquelle, on ‘Family Matters’ as his most memorable time because it showed people he could be hot. The rumba he and Kym did was groovy in a ‘Soul Train’ kind of way, but very cool. Bruno called it “smooth,” but he and Len both told Jaleel to watch his flingy arms. In the Box of Judgement with Brooke, things got a little weird — White broke down and called the Stefan role his “Mickey Mouse,” then he started blubbering about “getting through this week.” Yeah, we don’t know either, but we’re guessing it might have something to do with this story.

William Levy and Cheryl Burke
Score: 28 out of 30 (9/9/10)
Mr. Latin Hot Pants described coming to America from Cuba as his most memorable time, and said his father was a political prisoner who was given asylum in the States (sorry, Jaleel, but this beats whatever your Mickey Mouse is). Will danced a salsa, which was of course right up his alley, and Cheryl gave the ladies what they wanted by having him rip open his shirt in the first few seconds and including lots of hip-swiveling in the routine. Len told him he “put a whole new meaning in ‘free willy,’” which probably didn’t sound as dirty to him as it did to us. Bruno called it “amazing” and awarded Will and Cheryl their very first 10.

Donald Driver and Peta Murgatoyd
Score: 26 out of 30 (9/8/9)
Donald tearfully described having his best friend die in his arms from cancer two years ago, and his tribute rumba was to Mariah Carey’s ‘One Sweet Day.’ It was really beautiful — Donald is a terrifically strong partner, and it was clear he felt the dance. Carrie Ann called his passion “mesmerizing,” and Len was surprised such a big tough football player could be so tender.

Someone goes home on Thursday night, and we expect that too will end in tears for someone. See you then.

ABC

After last week’s revelation that none of this season’s performers on ‘Dancing with the Stars’ are mock-worthy, about all we can do now is cheer for our favorites (or, for the snarkier among us, at least hope someone has an off-week).

Host Tom Bergeron reminded us that we were LIIIIVE, and Brooke Burke-Charvet was wearing a glittery yellow ballgown with a strategic cut-out that essentially shouted HEY YOU! LOOK AT MY BOOBS! ARE YOU LOOKING? I SAID LOOK!

And of course judges Carrie Ann Inaba, Len Goodman, and Bruno Tonioli were in place.

So off we go!

Roshon Fegan and Chelsie Hightower
Score: 26 out of 30 (9/8/9)
We were reminded that Disney star Roshon has a hip-hop dance background and that it’s not translating terribly well to his rehearsals. So Chelsie tried to get a little street to relate to him, resulting only in proving she’s the whitest girl in the history of ever. The judges’ comments included “young and fresh,” “delicious” and “elegant.”

Sherri Shepherd and Val Chmerkovskiy
Score: 23 out of 30 (8/7/8)
Sherri’s unbridled joy is back, but the jive did its best to suck it right out of her. But she got a great song — ‘Proud Mary’ — and wore a 1960s Tina Turner gold fringed dress, which sure seemed to put the pep back in her step. Carrie Ann declared herself “in love” with Sherri and said even though she forgot some steps, her confidence made up for it.

Melissa Gilbert and Maksim Chmerkovskiy
Score: 20 out of 30 (7/6/7)
The erstwhile half-pint from ‘Little House’ said they’d be dancing to Billy Idol, whom she then revealed she dated back in the 1980s (yay! dish!). Maybe that’s where she got the idea for those tattoos we were so surprised to see on her last week. Her quickstep was lively but she missed a few steps, and while Len said she lost her energy mid-way through and it made her too “loose,” Bruno said if she’d stop thinking about the steps so hard, she’d be better off.

Jack Wagner and Anna Trebunskaya
Score: 21 out of 30 (7/7/7)
Perfectionist Jack wasn’t happy with two 8s from last week, so Anna worked him even harder (hey, he asked for it). Their jive was high-energy — almost too much so. The judges said it was very good but he “over-danced it,” which meant he “wasn’t quite on the beat” in a couple spots. Their scores reflected that, and showed maybe he should’ve been happy with those 8s after all.

Gladys Knight and Tristan MacManus
Score: 19 out of 30 (7/5/7)
At 67 years old, the legendary singer is the oldest person in the competition, but who cares? It’s freakin’ Gladys Knight, people! During rehearsals she said she’s glad the competition is so strong this year because, after all, she’s performed with James Brown and Otis Redding — so “bring it.” After her quickstep, the judges complemented her “natural feel for the music” and how light she is on her feet, but said her frame needs work. And deserved or not, Len was roundly booed for the low score he gave the pair.

Katherine Jenkins and Mark Ballas
Score: 26 out of 30 (9/8/9)
Katherine, the adorable UK opera singer, shyly giggled as she said Mark wanted her to “shake her naughty bits” during rehearsal, but all that bit-shaking paid off in their super-fast casino-themed jive. Holy crap, this girl is good. We just hope being relatively unknown here in the US won’t cost her with voters. The judges adored her, with Bruno declaring, “The blonde bombshell is unleashed!” but Len called the middle section “a bit wobbly.”

Jaleel White and Kym Johnson
Score: 22 out of 30 (7/7/8)
Jaleel, who’s already proved Steve Urkel is all grown up and smokin’ hot, did a jive to Bruno Mars’ ‘Marry You.’ After blowing everyone away in his last dance, this week was a bit of a let-down. It wasn’t awful or anything, but it certainly paled in comparison. Len said it “lacked real attack and speed,” and Carrie Ann said he was “a bit flat-footed.”

Maria Menounos and Derek Hough
Score: 25 out of 30 (8/8/9)
Maria and her irritating laugh are back, but with a woman that gorgeous, we’re just comforted she has such a glaring flaw. She strained a rib during rehearsals, but there didn’t seem to be any evidence of that in her Bonnie and Clyde-themed quickstep. Bruno gave her a smooch and said even though there was a spot she slightly flubbed in the middle, she has a “frame you can frame” and it was “near perfection.”

Martina Navratilova and Tony Dovolani
Score: 17 out of 30 (6/5/6)
Living legend Martina was tied at the bottom of the leaderboard last week, and for a balls-to-the-wall competitor like her, that simply won’t do. And then … oh dear. She completely lost her way in the beginning and it understandably rattled her so much (despite the smile on her face) that she never really got back on track. The judges didn’t gloss over the mess — Bruno said she “served it into the net” — but they were also pretty gentle because she already knew she’d screwed up so royally.

Donald Driver and Peta Murgatoyd
Score: 24 out of 30 (8/8/8)
Peta threw some pretty harsh choreography at the NFL star, but after some initial grumbling in rehearsals, he seemed to get the hang of it. And just like his underscored routine from last week, he did a beautiful job. The judges all loved it — Len said it was “among the best I’ve seen tonight,” and even apologized for the low score he’d given Donald the week before, saying when he watched the show again, he realized he’d made a mistake. And then the four horsemen of the apocalypse rode in and carried everyone away, because Len never apologizes for anything ever.

Gavin DeGraw and Karina Smirnoff
Score: 21 out of 30 (7/7/7)
Karina kicked Gavin’s backside during rehearsals for their jive, and he again wore yet another hat (seriously, is he hiding a family of gnomes under there or what?). For the second week in a row, we expected him to be awful and he just … wasn’t. It wasn’t award-winning or anything but it’s clear he’s improving. The judges said his “posture was a little funky” and some of his kicks were off, but they complimented him for obviously pushing past the limits of his comfort zone.

William Levy and Cheryl Burke
Score: 25 out of 30 (9/7/9)
Mrowr. Once again, they saved the muy caliente! for last. Mexico’s answer to Brad Pitt was unfortunately wearing a lot more clothing than last week (boo!), but it didn’t seem to matter — the girls in the ballroom screamed during the dance and well after. Len said it “lacked body contact” and was “good, not great,” but a swooning Bruno called it “superb” anyway.

And there you have it. See you for the elimination show Tuesday night.

ABC

It’s time for season 14 of ‘Dancing with the Stars’!

Hosts Tom Bergeron and Brooke Burke-Charvet are back in place to emcee the festivities, and if last year is any indication, he’ll be witty and charming and she’ll wear too much makeup and ask the dancers inane questions. Also returning are the judges: gentle-but-honest Carrie Ann Inaba, British truth-teller Len Goodman, and the fun but flamboyantly inappropriate Bruno Tonioli.

There doesn’t seem to be a dud dancer in this bunch, which is awesome and a bit disappointing all at once. Normally we get a few we can point and laugh at, thus allowing us to feel superior to celebrities for at least an hour or two a week. And isn’t that what entertainment is all about?

Let’s take a look at this year’s victims, who will all dance again next week before any eliminations are made.

Maria Menounos and Derek Hough
Score: 21 out of 30 (7/7/7)
Maria is a host on ‘Extra,’ and although Derek has won three mirror ball trophies, he wants as many as he has hairs on his chest. (For a guy who looks like he gets those routinely waxed off, we’d say he’s already ahead of the game.) She’s a big ol’ bubbly tomboy “with boobs” and has a horrifically annoying laugh, but she’s a good dancer. It doesn’t hurt that she’s also very pretty, but as all the discarded models from seasons past will attest, just looking great in the costume alone won’t keep you around for long. Bruno called her “curvaceously delicious,” but said her hip action needs work and she should open up her “sex spot” (welcome back, Bruno!).

Oh, by the way, before we got their scores, Tom noted a tweet that flashed at the bottom of the screen, and said tagging a tweet with #DWTS could get your missive on the air too. We’re guessing he doesn’t know a lot of us watch TV to get away from the constant interaction of social media and we don’t necessarily care what Bob in Topeka has to say. (No offense, Bob. You’re the best.)

Jack Wagner and Anna Trebunskaya
Score: 23 out of 30 (8/7/8)
Jack said dancing with fiery redhead Anna will be a nice change of pace from all the blonde partners he’s had in his life (take that, Heather Locklear). As they rehearsed, Anna said Jack shouldn’t be so hard on himself, but he said he’s a perfectionist. Translation: if he lasts more than a couple weeks, you can probably expect to see him punching walls. Bruno and Carrie Ann liked his bland foxtrot, but Len thought his technique was just awful, so let the wall-punching commence.

Donald Driver and Peta Murgatoyd
Score: 21 out of 30 (7/7/7)
Donald, a Super Bowl-winning wide receiver for the Green Bay Packers, has some serious chicken legs, but Peta was impressed with his dancing abilities. When they performed live, it was hard to notice what he was doing since Peta was wearing only what appeared to be a few strands of leftover Christmas tree tinsel, but the audience gave him a standing ovation and Carrie Ann said he has “charisma and charm for days.”

Gavin DeGraw and Karina Smirnoff
Score: 20 out of 30 (7/6/7)
Gavin is a singer who seems to have tragically lost the top of his head in some sort of industrial accident, because we’ve yet to see him without a hat. He was alternately wooden and scarecrow flail-y during his performance, but not as bad as his heavy-footed rehearsals might’ve suggested. Regardless, Bruno said he was too stiff, which elicited snickers from everyone because when Bruno says a word like that, double entendres abound.

Roshon Fegan and Chelsie Hightower
Score: 23 out of 30 (8/7/8)
Roshon is a Disney star (teenaged girls, start your voting engines!) and claims to have experience as a freestyle hip-hop dancer – however, much to Chelsie’s chagrin, his dancing expertise wasn’t terribly apparent during rehearsals. But she choreographed some edgier moves into their cha-cha, and he did pretty well with them. Carrie Ann liked his “cool, youthful flavah,” but Len was Len and thus didn’t care for unconventional moves in a traditional dance.

Sherri Shepherd and Val Chmerkovskiy
Score: 23 out of 30 (8/7/8)
Sherri spends every day engaged in mindless chatter on ‘The View,’ so Brooke’s silly questions will be no match for her. She declared herself decidedly ungraceful and took great delight in pinching Val’s butt during rehearsals, which we’re sure didn’t make ABC’s lawyers nervous at all. The judges liked her foxtrot and loved her “joy,” with Len calling her “fun, fun, fun,” but all that enthusiasm is wearing on us already.

Melissa Gilbert and Maksim Chmerkovskiy
Score: 20 out of 30 (7/6/7)
Melissa, who played cute little Laura Ingalls on ‘Little House on the Prairie,’ has a shoulder tattoo! We love that, but we bet Pa wouldn’t approve of it one little bit. She’s had her back broken and been through a divorce in the past year, but still wanted the challenge of ‘DWTS.’ The judges complimented her on a “very ambitious” routine and said she has “great potential.”

William Levy and Cheryl Burke
Score: 24 out of 30 (8/8/8)
We’d never heard of William but the women in the ballroom went ballistic when he was announced, and Tom said he’s known as the Mexican Brad Pitt. (He looks a lot more like Ricky Martin, but since there’s already a Latino Ricky Martin, we guess calling him that would be redundant.) He can absolutely move, but he’s so undeniably gorgeous that he’d probably get votes even if he’d taken a bathroom break mid-dance. Bruno told him he had on too many clothes, and the audience members screamed their agreement. And okay, we kind of did, too.

Martina Navratilova and Tony Dovolani
Score: 20 out of 30 (7/6/7)
Martina called herself a “tennis player,” which is little like a Ferrari calling itself a “car.” She’s a flat-out legend and still has the biceps to prove it, even if her greatest fear seems to be high heels. She claims not to have worn a dress in 20 years, but she rocked a sparkly ball gown during her foxtrot and did a perfectly respectable – if somewhat stilted – job. The judges called her “elegant,” but Len said she was “too careful” and told her to be as gusty on the dance floor as she is on the tennis court.

Katherine Jenkins and Mark Ballas
Score: 26 out of 30 (9/8/9)
Katherine is a best-selling opera singer from the UK and cute as the proverbial button. Her foxtrot was stunning and the judges loved it, but since the rest of her total score will come from audience votes and she’s an unknown in the US, her personality will need to shine like the sun to get people to call in for her. Regardless, it was an amazing debut performance.

Gladys Knight and Tristan MacManus
Score: 23 out of 30 (8/7/8)
Living icon Gladys was excited to finally be able to “dance like a Pip,” and after she loosened up a bit, girlfriend shook her stuff and was really quite good. The audience gave her a well-deserved and lengthy standing ovation, and the judges channeled the boys from ‘Wayne’s World’ in a “we’re not worthy” sort of way.

Jaleel White and Kym Johnson
Score: 26 out of 30 (9/8/9)
Jaleel is best known for playing Steve Urkel on the old sitcom ‘Family Matters,’ but he got kind of hot when we weren’t looking. In fact, his dancing was so good and so graceful that Bruno compared him to the late, great Gregory Hines, and even Len fell all over himself with compliments.

And there you have it. See you next week.

YouTube

Jermaine Jones‘ dismissal from ‘American Idol‘ over outstanding arrest warrants was addressed on tonight’s episode (March 14.) It cleared up a lot of questions and hopefully squashes the rumors that the gentle giant is some sort of violent criminal, as press reports began to indicate when news of his ouster broke.

A filmed discussion between Jones and the producers was aired (shown below), where they sat him down and read their findings and his arrest record back to him. The head honchos voiced their surprise and the fact that he chose not to disclose his outstanding warrants, saying, “We’re not judgmental. Kids come to us with problems.” They also acknowledged that troubled backgrounds are part and parcel of the show, since it often champions underdogs.

However, it was devastating to hear that if Jones would have come clean, they could have addressed it and helped him, but he chose not to. He admitted to being scared and nervous, and worried about being judged and penalized. He also said he planned to get it taken care of, but it didn’t work out that way.

Jones also shared that he was not involved a fight, but that he fell down a flight of steps when carrying a bag and couldn’t walk. He revealed that he has screws in his foot, and had a disagreement with a friend, but no fists were thrown.

That said, the producers revealed that they can’t have contestants with an outstanding warrant on the show. Jones has four — previous accounts indicated that he had five. The powers-that-be had to let the singer go because it’s a legal matter, reminding him that he is absolutely fantastic as a talent.

The segment ended with a clip of Jones’ booming baritone rehearsing ‘Somewhere Out There’ from ‘An American Tail,’ which would have been his performance song. The ending was just beautiful and made us think that he would have given J. Lo “goosies” and/or made her cry. Bumout.

Perhaps we’ll meet Jermaine Jones again.

Watch Jermaine Jones Find Out He Is Being Dismissed From ‘American Idol’

Source: 1

After Joe and Emily from Cherry Hill, NJ got tickets to the event, Joe hatched a plan — he would use the event to pop the question to his longtime girlfriend, a big fan of Dennis and Judi’s show. He reached out to the pair by email, and they loved the idea.

So during the Q&A that closed the meeting, Joe stood up under the guise of asking a question, and Judi played along, even grilling Joe about why he’d been with Emily so long without making it official. That’s when Joe whipped a ring out of his pocket and dropped to one knee, possibly giving his betrothed the shock of her life.

Congrats, kids. And kudos to Dennis and Judi for helping to orchestrate the whole thing. We can add this charming moment to the list of outrageous marriage proposals.

[via NJ1015]

Source: TheFW.com