SAN DIEGO, May 1, 2012 – At this point of Season 14, it becomes harder and harder to send someone home each week on “Dancing With The Stars.”
There was a clear divide between the top half and bottom half of the scoreboard once again this week. Viewers were not left in suspense too long with Katherine Jenkins, Donald Driver, William Levy all called out as safe in short order. Maria Menounos joined them.
This is where the audience heard the stunning news: Melissa Gilbert and Maks Chmerkovskiy were safe from elimination. Gilbert had been at the very bottom of the leader board with a little distance between her and the other two lowest scoring competitors, Jaleel White and Roshon Fegan. Fegan has been in jeopardy of leaving several weeks running, so it seemed certain that it would be Melissa Gilbert and Roshon Fegan in the dance duel this week.
Instead, Jaleel White and Kym Johnson joined Fegan and Chelsie Hightower, dancing a rumba side by side at the end of the show to determine who would be eliminated.
Roshon Fegan and Chelsie Hightower escaped elimination once again by winning the night’s rumba dance duel. Photo: ABC/Adam Taylor.
Both performed extremely well, and corrected mistakes made in previous rumba routines. “This is not easy,” said judge Carrie Ann Inaba. “Side by side, you were pretty much equal.”
“You really gave it your all, I could see that” said judge Len Goodman.
“It really is a matter of taste at this level,” said Bruno Tonioli.
But the judges’ praise didn’t make it any easier when they reluctantly told Jaleel White and Kym Johnson they would be going home. All three judges decided to save Roshon Fegan and Chelsie Hightower.
White delivered an upbeat farewell. “I really only thought I would last three dances,” he laughed. “I wanted to get this far. I’ve made incredible friends. The fans have been incredible!”
White praised his final competitor, saying, “I love Roshon Fegan. He has a bright future. Len, give him a ten!”
White said “Dancing With The Stars” was hands down the toughest thing he’d ever done. “The transformation I’ve seen in myself is incredible… I bow to the beast that is the dance floor.”
Melissa Gilbert and Maks Chmerkovskiy escaped elimination tonight thanks to their fan support. Photo: ABC/Adam Taylor.
While Melissa Gilbert’s scores have often been among the lowest in the competition and she is by far the weakest competitor left, fans supporting her and Maks Chmerkovskiy are extremely active and aggressive at getting out the vote. They instruct people on Facebook and Twitter how to sign up for multiple email accounts and vote, vote, vote. They have saved the pair over and over again. It’s no secret that this is a fan-driven show. The votes count for 50 percent of the competitors’ scores. If you are among those unhappy about the results that didn’t vote, you have no right to complain.
Special performances tonight included an appearance by former competitor Gavin DeGraw, who sang his new single “Sweeter” while accompanied by dancers Karina Smirnoff (his former partner) and Louis Van Amstel.
Fans were also treated to an encore performance of the dramatic and exciting paso doble with a vampire theme by Maria Menounos and Derek Hough, the first perfect score of 30 this season.
Will there be another perfect score next week? Watch the competition in week 8 on Monday, May 7 at 8 p.m. Eastern/Pacific on “Dancing With the Stars” on the ABC Television Network. Join our Live Chat Monday night, then read about the competition and results here on Communities at Washington Times.
Gayle Lynn Falkenthal, APR, is President/Owner of the Falcon Valley Group in San Diego, California. Read more Media Migraine in the Communities at The Washington Times. Follow Gayle on Facebook and on Twitter @PRProSanDiego.
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