Apr 28 2009
No Need For “Dancing” Recount; “Idol” Turns to Rat Pack
Thanks to a racy Samba (pictured), Chuck Wicks and Julianne Hough survived last week’s elimination on Dancing With the Stars.However, this week, despite earning their second-highest judges score of the season for their Cha-Cha-Cha. the real-life couple was not so fortunate. (picture courtesy of ABC-TV/Kelsey McNeal)
Melissa Rycroft was unable to perform on last night’s Dancing With the Stars, leaving her dress rehearsal as the basis for judging- and setting up a tense, dramatic elimination for tonight. Would one of the strongest contenders for this season’s mirrorball trophy actually get the ax?
Rycroft and partner Tony Dovolani, along with Chuck Wicks and Julianne Hough, were left wondering if they would be back next week. Despite earning five points lower than Wicks after combining Monday’s couples and team dance scores, The Bachelor’s Rycroft snagged enough viewer support to continue on her quest for dancing supremacy (no need for a recount, after all). Country singer Wicks and girlfriend Hough had to settle for a sixth-place finish.
Only on four occasions this season have we known which couples comprised the actual bottom two- during three dance-off rounds and one double elimination. So, we have no idea where Rycroft actually placed this week (the show likely used Rycroft’s circumstances to maximize the elimination drama). Nonetheless, when voting, viewers obviously looked at the past eight weeks of competition, in which Rycroft has wowed both judges and audiences.
However, that thought process did not work in Wicks’ favor- despite averaging 1.3 points higher than rodeo champ Ty Murray over the course of nine dances, Wicks’ viewer support failed to match Murray’s Who would have though that Murray, who started the competition with a meager 14, would secure a top five finish? Better he than Steve Wozniak, right?
Over on FOX’s American Idol, with the last of the lackluster getting the boot last week, it was time for the top five to come out swinging- which they did to the songs of the Rat Pack. Kris Allen gave a tender reading of “The Way You Look Tonight,” which had all the judges- except Simon Cowell- raving. Cowell likened Allen’s performance to taking a”well-trained spaniel for a walk,” adding that while it was good, he did not see anything to indicate that Allen could win the competition.
The only female left in the hunt- Allison Iraheta- put the rock edge on rest for the week, and showed a softer- yet formidable- side for her rendition of “Someone to Watch Over Me.” Once again, Cowell was the only one to offer anything negative- he did not see much confidence in Iraheta and said that she could be in trouble (with only five remaining, someone’s gotta be).
Matt Giraud- who the judges wisely saved from elimination two weeks ago- received mixed notices for “My Funny Valentine.” Randy Jackson and Kara DioGuardi felt it was just alright, but Paula Abdul and Cowell disagreed. Cowell- who told Giraud that he had no chance of winning the Idol race- went as far as to say he found it brilliant.
The two contestants Abdul believes will be competing for the Idolcrown yet again won much praise from the judges. Danny Gokey added a powerful conclusion to “Come Rain or Come Shine,” while Adam Lambert strutted down the stairs to deliver “Feeling Good” to as much adulation as he’s earned over the last eight weeks. Abdul compared Lambert to Michael Phelps, adding that she felt like she was watching the Olympics when he performed (for the record, Lambert was not in possession of a bong onstage).
Abdul may have been right all along, with her bold prediction that Gokey and Lambert would be in the finals. Allen probably will join them in the top three, but the battle for fourth place is heated- will Cowell’s strong endorsement of Giraud’s performance give him the edge?
Regardless of whether Giraud advances, there’s no doubt the judges did right by using their one and only save on him, as it has spared us another fruitless week of Ms. Identity Crisis or Mr. Dullsville- that being last week’s two eliminated hopefuls. With them gone, we’ve got a hot one, indeed.
