Even though last week’s episode of “Dancing with the Stars” was nothing short of a disaster and I still think theme weeks are completely unnecessary…I was kind of digging last night’s “Guilty Pleasures” theme.
That’s probably because there’s no guiltier pleasure out there than “Dancing with the Stars”! Every time I watch this show — and then proceed to write about it — my Man Card gets cut in half. I can’t even keep track of how many times I’ve had to re-apply for one of those things over the years.
But enough about me! Let’s talk about last night’s couples, in order of appearance.
Kirstie Alley and Maks: Remember how Kirstie (along with Ralph) was considered the favorite to win this season after her week 1 performance? Me neither! Obviously, it’s been easy to forget with all the thigh spasms, missing shoes and mid-rehearsal breakdowns. But last night’s samba to “…Baby One More Time” was a good and much-needed reminder that Kirstie can actually dance quite well. Her steps were right on, but I still would’ve liked to have seen more oomph in her moves.
Chris Jericho and Cheryl: Doing a tango to “Don’t Stop Believin’” turned out to be just as bad as it sounded. After being labeled a contender last week by the judges, Chris seemed to crumble under the pressure of delivering even higher scores. Although his technique was sound, if you looked at his face during the routine, he really looked like he just wanted to get it over with. (And so did I.) Afterwards, Chris basically admitted that it was crap. I hope he gets another week to redeem himself, but he’s going to be in some trouble tonight.
Romeo and Chelsie: I don’t think it’s a coincidence that Romeo really began ascending to the top of the leader board as soon as he stopped bitching during rehearsals. Sure, the way he hits on Chelsie (and, last night, Brooke) is a little skeezy, but at least he’s fully invested in the show. I thought his waltz to “My Heart Will Go On” was the best dance of the night and deserving of the season’s first 10. (Or, as Bruno would say: “Tehn!!”) Now that he’s embraced the ridiculousness of this show — and admitted his love for “Titanic” — it’s clear he has no shame. The sky is the limit!
Chelsea Kane and Mark: We learned that Chelsea just wants everyone to get along and doesn’t have a competitive bone in her body…unless you dunk some water on her. (I guess they had to show SOMETHING from their rehearsals.) Anyway, I thought their quickstep to “Walkin’ on Sunshine” was appropriately lively and spry although (like Bruno) I detected a couple of quick moments when Chelsea looked unsteady. It was very good, but I wouldn’t have given it a 10. (I thought Jericho’s quickstep from earlier this season was better.) Credit also needs to go to Mark for dancing through a painful looking ankle injury he suffered during rehearsal. I would’ve never known he was hurt if it hadn’t been brought up…that’s why these people are Pros.
Kendra Wilkinson and Louis: I think Kendra is the worst dancer left in the bunch, but last night she delivered a lively, boob-a-licious samba that was her best dance BY FAR. Louis instructed her to shake everything God (and her plastic surgeon) gave her, and Kendra was happy to oblige. (Happy birthday, Len!) During rehearsals, it looked like she was going to be a bit tentative, but Louis pushed her to go over-the-top with everything and it ended up looking great on the dance floor. Methinks top-heavy girls like Kendra (and Kirstie and Wendy Williams) naturally feel self-conscious about shaking their anythings too much or any big movements, so it was good to see one of them cut loose. Kendra’s only problem might be that people may have been too traumatized from the footage of Bruno(’s banana hammock) in Elton John’s “I’m Still Standing” video to remember her call-in number.
Hines Ward and Kym: It figures. The last few weeks I felt like Hines had been over scored by the judges. Last night, I thought his “End of the Road” Viennese waltz was pretty excellent (I liked his connection to Kym and the audience), but the judges — or at least Carrie Ann — seemed a little underwhelmed. I’m not saying it SHOULD happen, but I wouldn’t be surprised if Hines were placed “in jeopardy” this week to give his fan base a kick in the pants.
Ralph Macchio and Karina (pictured, right): Karina’s tumble and fall during her paso doble with Ralph actually made me think about how remarkable these professional dancers are. I’ve seen every performance night episode of this show, and in 12 seasons I can’t remember any other instance where a pro has made such a glaring mistake. (And even last night you could argue that the DWTS costume department is to blame.)
I rewound and watched the fall several times, and I was mostly struck by how quickly and calmly Ralph helped her up. It took the couple a bit to recover (she looked embarrassed and a little shocked), but I think they finished strong. On one hand, it’s a shame because I’ve been saying for a while that the paso is the PERFECT match for Ralph’s over-the-top intensity. (The couple still performed quite well.) On the other hand, I think I was more impressed by Ralph’s quick action and composure than I would’ve been if they had done the dance without incident.
So what’d you think of this episode? When you saw how old Hanson is now, did it make you feel like a grandparent or a great-grandparent? Were you surprised that Ralph waited this long to unleash “wax-on/wax-off?”? Finally, who do you think is going home? (I’m going with Kendra. Better to leave on a high-note, no?)
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