Finally.
NASCAR driver Michael Waltrip has to be as relieved as the viewers that he is going home, finishing seventh.
He was by far the weakest dancer left and his fans kept him around for longer than he deserved. He was a clunky dancer with minimal finesses but a lovely smile and a good attitude. So he served his purpose.
Tommy Chong knows his time is up very soon, almost inevitably next week.
Lea Thompson
Style: Jazz (Bonnie & Clyde to "Something Bad" Miranda Lambert/Carrie Underwood)
My take: Clearly, Lea's partner Artem is not helping her cause. His choreography work is nowhere near as good as, say, Mark Ballas or Derek Hough. This was just okay.
Judges Len: "You need to go for it a little stronger." Carrie: "I felt a little underwhelmed. The choreography felt dated."
Scores: 8s across the board. Total: 32 (fifth place)
Michael Waltrip
Style: Foxtrot (Tarzan & Jane, "You'll Be In My Heart" Phil Collins
My take: It's mindboggling he's still in the competition week eight. Emma Slater has had to give him insanely rudimentary choreography just so he isn't embarrassed. He didn't embarrass himself tonight which is the best I can say. This was better than last week's disaster.
Judges: Julianne said it was the first time he felt comfortable doing steps without Emma. Bruno said it was cute and was "almost gliding." Carrie said the routine was "filled with content."
Scores: 6s from everyone except Len (7). Total: 25 (last place)
Janel Parrish
Style: Contemporary (Romeo & Juliet, "Everybody's Free" Quindon Tarver)
My take: Lovely in all ways. Her acting ability, her athleticism and her chemistry with Val combined to make this a winner.
Judges: Bruno used adjectives like "gorgeous" and "glorious." Carrie said "abstract movement can elicit emotions" and credited Val with his finest choreography. Len: "You showed me you are a great dancer."
Scores: 10s from everyone. Total: 40 (first place)
Tommy Chong
Style: Paso doble (Johnny & June, "Ring of Fire" Johnny Cash)
My take: The eight weeks of competition might strengthen a younger person but Chong has peaked out. It appears all this dancing is wearing him down. He seemed off the entire dance. It's hard not to love his spirit.
Judges: Carrie Ann: "What saves you is your magical connection with Peta. You were a half step behind most of the dance." Len: "You're like a hot dog. You're tasty but you're never sure of the content." Bruno admires his commitment to the dance.
Scores: 6s from Carrie and Bruno, 7s from Julianne and Len. Total: 28 (sixth)
Sadie Robertson
Style: Contemporary (Adam & Eve, "Uninvited" Alanis Morissette)
My take: Mark's choreography is unbeatable and he turns Adam & Eve into a dance with plenty of verve and drama.
Judges: Len: "You won't be banished from the Garden of Eden. Well done." Julianne: "We see a maturity in you beyond anything we've seen." Bruno was impressed by her effort to deal with difficult choreography. Carrie Ann said she nailed it. "Poignant, powerful and filled with angst."
Scores: 9s from Carrie and Len, 10s from Julianne and Bruno. Total: 38 (tied for second)
Alfonso Rubeiro
Style: Cha-cha-cha (Batman & Robin , "Trust" Prince)
My take: Kind of goofy fun in a 1989 "Batdance" sort of way.
Judges: Carrie Ann: "Super tight, super smart." Len: "Take your Batmobile and move into next week."
Scores: Carrie and Bruno 10s, Len and Julianne 9s. Total: 38 (tied second)
Bethany Moto
Style: Salsa (Lucy & Ricky Ricardo)
My take: Her hip wiggling wasn't quite there but otherwise, Derek put together a delightfully Lucy-goosy trip of a dance.
Judges: Bruno: "So convincing. Your versatility exceeds all my expectations." Carrie Ann: "You are ridiculous." Len: "Sizzling."
Scores: Three 9s and a 10 from Bruno Total: 37 (fourth)
Dance-offs (Janel got a break for getting the highest score)
Alfonso vs. Lea (jive)
Winner: Alfonso
My thought: Seemed pretty close but Alfonso ran away with the Twitter vote (85%), as well as the judges.
Bethany vs. Sadie (cha-cha-cha)
Winner: Bethany (though the vote was split, Len as lead judge selected her.)
My thought: I agree. Bethany was tighter but only 52% of voters picked her.
Tommy vs. Michael (rumba)
Winner: Tommy (despite a calf injury)
My thought: Both kept it supremely slow and simple. It was very close. Michael wasn't as bad as Julianne said. (Ultimately, the public gave Tommy 73% of the vote.)
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