entertainmentdissected

Based on the first few weeks of competition, Shawn Johnson, Gilles Marini and Melissa Rycroft are favorites to finish among Dancing With the Stars’ Top Three. (images courtesy of ABC-TV)

Actor Gilles Marini continued to prove that he’s no one-dance fluke.

Thanks to a sizzling Samba, the sexy Frenchman- along with partner Cheryl Burke- achieved the highest judges’ score (27) on ABC’s Dancing With the Stars for a third consecutive week. However, unlike the past two weeks, the twosome had to share their title with two other couples: Olympic gold medalist Shawn Johnson and partner Mark Ballas performed an effortless Foxtrot (with Johnson gliding across the stage as if she were walking on air), while The Bachelor’s Melissa Rycroft and partner Tony Dovolani scored with that same dance.

While the judges could not get enough of Marini, Johnson and Rycroft, they showed no mercy for Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak, whose Samba earned him the second-lowest score in the show’s history (10). Furthermore, Wozniak (who soldiered on despite a pulled hamstring) experienced the week’s biggest decline, down seven points from last week’s Quickstep. Judge Carrie Ann Inaba commented that, while she finds Wozniak adorable and entertaining, the novelty- sooner or later- is going to wear off, while Bruno Tonioli said it probably was the worst Samba he had ever seen. All Wozniak’s partner Karina Smirnoff could do was smile wearily in the face of such harsh criticism.

Also faltering were Jackass’ Steve-O and partner Lacey Schwimmer, earning a lowly 15 for their Foxtrot. She may sing Steve-O’s praises publicly, but is there any doubt she’s longing for Lance Bass’ return? Other couples scoring lower than 20 were actress Denise Richards/Maksim Chmerkovskiy (16, down from last week’s 21) and Playboy model Holly Madison/Dmitry Chaplin (17, down just one point), both failing to bring much in the way of heat to the Samba. 

Despite the judges celebrating rodeo guru Ty Murray as the most improved contestant (he jumped from a 14 in week one to a 23 this week), actor/comedian David Alan Grier enjoyed the week’s biggest point gain- his Foxtrot with Kym Johnson scored a 24, seven points higher than last week’s Salsa.

Also taking multiple steps forward were rapper Lil’ Kim and Derek Hough (up two points to a 25), and country star Chuck Wicks and girlfriend Julianne Hough (up three to a 23).

Tomorrow night’s bottom two again should include Wozniak, but the battle for slot number two is up for grabs. Last week, despite scoring four points higher than Steve-O, Go-Go Belinda Carlisle ended up facing Wozniak in the dance-off- and getting the boot. 

Aside from elimination, one highlight on tomorrow’s results show undoubtedly will be the return of- yes- Crazy Cloris Leachman. No one on the show made mention of it, but television guides list her as appearing. None of this season’s contestants match her kookiness (sorry to the two Steve’s), so the funny lady’s unpredictable and zany behavior should provide some welcome comic relief.

Maybe 82-year-old Leachman can slip on her dancing shoes one more time, if only to show 58-year-old Wozniak REALLY how to entertain.

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