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‘Dancing With the Stars’ results: Double trouble

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Gasp -- another double elimination! This was the second time that Season 9 ended with not one, but two couples who had their run for the coveted Mirrorball trophy cut short. Maybe it was because she never made all her steps ignite, or maybe it was because the two different pronunciations of her name confused viewers and split her votes, but actress Debi Mazar just couldn’t muster up enough fan support to make it past the third week. And after several news reports that he was dropping out, Tom DeLay, who performed his samba with stress fractures, announced that he was withdrawing from the competition on the account of his bum feet. Bummer.

Even with the drama of a double elimination, Tuesday night’s results show kinda lacked in both excitement and content after Monday night’s roller coaster of an episode. There was a lot of performance night recap, which didn’t really produce very memorable sound bites except the one where Debi responded to Len’s claim that she didn’t have flavor by saying, “I’m full of flavor. I’ve been flavorful all day. Geez, I like Froot Loops. What is he talking about?” The encore performance of Chuck Liddell and Anna Trebunskaya’s samba fell flat. And the clip analyzing the numerology and statistics to determine this season’s “DWTS” winner, featuring a bow-tied Steve “the Woz” Wozniak, ESPN Fantasy Analyst Matthew Berry, and a random toddler, was more tedious math homework than “Matrix” cool. Ultimately, Season 8 also-ran the Woz chose Donny and Mya for his final two, Matthew Berry selected Aaron and Natalie, and the toddler went with Melissa Joan Hart for his final pick, though that might have been simply because she was wearing a Barbie pink dress.

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The performances were fun, though. Queen Latifah continued her “DWTS” streak and sang two numbers, the first, the single “Fast Car” that was decidedly not like the Tracy Chapman version. Her hip-hop song featured a very vigorous dance from Cheryl Burke and Maksim Chmerkovskiy, including a Johnny Castle-type leap from the judges’ table and an impressive turn sequence with Cheryl wrapped around Maks’ leg. Then the Queen went retro, donning a sequined striped top and Converse high tops and belting out a rousing version of “Ease on Down the Road” from “The Wiz,” her energy matched by the group of five dancers that she brought with her.
Also a treat: The Jabbawockeez. The winners of the first season of “America’s Best Dance Crew” have always come up with innovative routines, and this evening’s was no different: Their dance was set to a bumping version of Gene Kelly’s “Singin’ In the Rain” replete with umbrellas, fancy wire entrances, and simulated rain and thunder. I liked how the crew classed up the routine to fit the show, and still managed to incorporate their hip-hop stylings into it. And I knew the dance’s two special guest stars were “DWTS” pros when their masks were dotted with rhinestones. Turned out it was Lacey Schwimmer and Mark Ballas. Remember how Mark Ballas used a Jabbawockeez-type mask in one of his routines with Shawn Johnson last season? Synergy!

Less fun were the impending cuts. Tom DeLay had already announced that he was dropping out of the race, but that didn’t stop the show from continuing with the elimination anyways. The four teams in jeopardy were Michael Irvin and Anna Demidova, Aaron Carter and Karina Smirnoff, Joanna Krupa and Derek Hough, and Debi and Maks. Michael and Debi I could understand, but Aaron and Joanna were surprising. While neither of them performed their best routines, the singer and the model definitely should have earned enough points to get them into the next week. Luckily, they got off with just a slap on the wrist and a warning to ditch the mesh smoking jacket and the distracting purple lips.

Ultimately, it was down to Michael and Debi. And despite being hampered by the lowest judges’ score, Michael Irvin’s fans came out in full force to support their man, sending Debi and her floofy dress down to the dance floor for one last spin. But not before answering the mystery of how to pronounce her last name. Technically, it’s “MaZAR,” like Tom and Samantha have been saying, but she goes by “MAY-zar,” just because it’s what people have been calling her. Now we know.
What did you think? Was Tom DeLay’s withdrawal the right thing to do? Who are you more bummed to see go: Tom and Debi, or Cheryl and Maks? Would you want Tom DeLay to return for the finale to perform his Texas two-step? Which new dance are you most excited to see next week: the two-step, the Charleston, the bolero, or the lambada?

--Allyssa Lee

Photo credits: ABC / Adam Larkey

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