• 'Dancing With the Stars' finalists talk girl power, last dances and Val's Speedo

    By Michael Maloney, TODAY contributor

    ABC

    The "Dancing With the Stars" all-star finalists.

    Kelly Monaco and Val Chmerkovskiy’s surfer-flamenco dance on Monday's "Dancing With the Stars" failed to impress the judges, who scored the routine low. But did the pro’s sculpted, Speedo-clad body prompt viewers to vote him through to the finals?

    “Nah,” Chmerkovskiy demurred to reporters after the show. “I think the Speedo might have distracted (voters.)”

    So what does he credit getting him and his all-star partner to the finals next week?

    “Kelly helped,” he said. “Her work ethic (helped) the most. (She) is so talented.”

    Monaco is happy to share being in the finale with two other female stars -- Shawn Johnson and Melissa Rycroft.

    “It’s amazing,” she said. “It happened, and I embrace girl power.”

    Rycroft was nauseated after Tuesday's show, but not because she was nervous about the finals.

    “Something’s going around and yeah, I got it this morning,” she said.

    Rycroft said that she and pro partner Tony Dovolani, who’s still nursing a back injury, “make a good combo” and that they planned to take a night off and come in fresh in the morning.

    “Now that we know what the competition looks like, we can make our plan of attack for the finals,” she said.

    Rycroft’s the only finalist this season who’s never won the coveted mirror-ball trophy, but don’t call her the underdog.


    “I don’t want to think of it like that,” she said. “I can’t. I don’t want to. I just want to go in and say this is our time to show off. Let’s think of what we can do that no one else can at this (point in the) competition.”

    Next week's finals will be jam-packed with dancing.

    “(There will be) two dances and an ‘insta-dance’ and we have to do a repeat dance,” Derek Hough, Johnson’s partner, previewed.

    While Hough is already a big winner with three mirror ball trophies on his mantel, he thinks that because there are three female celebs competing, it’s truly anyone’s prize to win.

    “It’s a very equal playing field,” he offered. “It’s not like the girls vote for the guys or the guys vote for the girls. They’re all the same gender. It will be really interesting to see how it all plays out.”

    Which one of the all-stars are you rooting for in the finals? Share your thoughts on our Facebook page.

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  • Shawn Johnson: 'Anything goes' in the 'Dancing With the Stars' finals

    By Michael Maloney, TODAY contributor

    Craig Sjodin / ABC

    Shawn Johnson.

    Each week, Olympian and season eight "Dancing With the Stars" champ Shawn Johnson will be sharing her experiences on "All-Stars" with The Clicker! Look for Q&As, exclusive photos and more from the gold medalist throughout the season as she competes to win her second mirror ball trophy, this time alongside pro Derek Hough.

    You can follow us on Twitter @TODAY_Clicker to get all the latest updates on Shawn's quest for ballroom glory. Shawn is also on Twitter @ShawnJohnson.

    The Clicker: You’re going to the finals again! How do you feel?
    Shawn Johnson: Good! I’m feeling really well!

    The Clicker: You and you pro partner Derek Hough were by yourselves on stage first waiting to hear if you were going to the finals. Did you think that was a good sign?
    Shawn: Honestly, not at all. We could have been the first ones going home. You’re up there and you know it’s only that red light separating you from going to the end.


    The Clicker: How is it going to the finals with Melissa Rycroft again -- only this time it’s Kelly Monaco in place of Gilles Marini?
    Shawn: It’s completely different. It means a whole new thing this time. The first time I went to the finals it was to test my abilities outside of my gymnastics. Now, it’s about coming back to see if I can go even further.

    The Clicker: Host Brooke Burke-Charvet was trying to get info out of Derek during an on-air interview about what he has planned for the freestyle. And if anyone would know that Derek might already be planning something it’d be one of his former partners.
    Shawn: Honestly, we haven’t talked about our routine. An hour ago, we found our song had been approved. We’re going to production (Tuesday) night to (plan) it all out.

    The Clicker: The parameters regarding what can be included in this season’s freestyle sound like they’re even more open. Is it true you can bring other dancers in to the routine?
    Shawn: You can pretty much do anything. You can bring in other dancers, people, lighting, staging…anything. As long as you’re still in the forefront, pretty much anything goes.

    The Clicker: Are you up for anything?
    Shawn: Yes! Of course! I’ve put my trust in Derek from day one and it’s going to be up to him.

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  • 'Dancing With the Stars' pro: The judges 'are very irresponsible this year'

    ABC

    The judges of "Dancing With the Stars" -- Carrie Ann Inaba, Len Goodman and Bruno Tonioli.

    By Michael Maloney, TODAY contributor

    Kelly Monaco and Val Chmerkovskiy’s sexy surfer flamenco wowed the "Dancing With the Stars" audience Monday night, but it also earned critical remarks and low scores (25.5) from the judges. Chmerkovskiy voiced his displeasure on air, calling the score “unfair.”

    He elaborated on his feelings to reporters in the post-show press line.

    “I feel not betrayed, but not singled out either,” he said. “I’m cool with the judges. They have a very difficult job to do, but I think they need a little bit more consistency in their word.”

    The semifinalist believes the judges’ words have a big impact on how viewers votes, therefore they should be more careful with what they say.

    “I think (the judges) are very irresponsible this year with some of their comments and their inconsistent scoring and their comparing," Chmerkovskiy explained. "I feel sometimes we’re in a different competition.”

    Sp the couple will have to rely on their fan base  -- which is comprised of both Monaco’s "General Hospital" followers and "Dancing" devotees who’ve become enthralled by the duo’s undeniable chemistry -- to get them to the finals.

    “Our fans are incredible,” Chmerkovskiy said. “That’s the positive light that comes out of this season.”


    “They are everything,” Monaco raved of their supporters. “If you add it up we’re probably the lowest scoring couple, and we haven’t been in jeopardy. We haven’t scored a 10 yet, and we’re still in the competition.”

    Monaco’s not disagreeing with the judges on their feedback with their flamenco, but she said, her and Chmerkovskiy’s rumba, which earned 28.5, is another story. “I feel that I went out there and did a really clean, solid rumba. The choreography that Val gave me was on a technical (level) that was above and beyond my expectations.”

    Of course, there's a chance fans won't remember the scores or the judges’ comments, but rather they’ll recall both the kiss Chmerkovskiy planted on Monaco after their rumba ... and his flamenco Speedo.

    “The kiss was planned,” revealed Monaco.

    How many times did they rehearse it? “Endless,” chuckled Chmerkovskiy.

    As for the Speedo, pro Karina Smirnoff, joked, “(Val) made it look good. I just want to know if there were any 'add ons.'”

     “Karina has seen everything,” Chmerkovskiy deadpanned. “She knows I don’t need any enhancements.”

    Do you believe the judges critical comments might have had a negative impact on viewer votes for Kelly Monaco and Val Chmerkovskiy? And what about Val's comments?  Share your thoughts on our Facebook page.

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  • Gilles Marini: Even a perfect score wouldn't have saved me on 'Dancing With the Stars'

    Craig Sjodin / ABC

    Gilles Marini.

    By Michael Maloney, TODAY contributor

    It wasn’t shocking that Kirstie Alley was one of the two celebrities sent home in Tuesday night’s double elimination on "Dancing With the Stars: All-Stars." Despite her loyal fan base, the actress was trailing 20 points behind leader Melissa Rycroft.

    Rather, it was Gilles Marini’s ouster that took everyone by surprise. Marini and his pro partner, Peta Murgatroyd, last season’s winner, were one of the highest scoring teams all season. But the duo told reporters after the show that they saw it coming,  especially after Emmitt Smith and his partner Cheryl Burke were called safe.

    Marini suggested that the low score he and Murgatroyd received in the crucial swing marathon dance in week seven of the show ultimately cost them a spot in the semi-finals. The actor pointed out that he and Murgatroyd were one of the first couples eliminated in the dance, and it became an uphill battle to regain those lost points.

    “Even if I had scored three 10s on Monday’s show I wouldn’t be (going to the semi-finals),” he suggested. “The marathon just did me in.”

    Marini said that he has no regrets about having participated in the all-stars season because he got to dance and strike up a friendship with Murgatroyd. An they plan on staying in touch.

    “This is just the tip of the iceberg for us,” he said.

    Alley was philosophical about her exit, which was announced earlier in the show.

    “It was a great run,” she said. “Maks (Chmerkovskiy) tried his hardest but come on! The bottom line is that there are extraordinary dancers here.”

    Chmerkovskiy said it came down to the numbers. “Mathematically, there was a 20-point difference between us and first place. The next couple ahead of us had 10 more points than we did.”


    “Do we need to say this stuff?” Alley joked. “It was so close!”

    “Well, you are not the boss of me anymore,” Chmerkovskiy playfully shot back.

    “It was so close,” Alley continued to insist. “You have no idea. The difference between first place and us was, like, nothing!”

    “She is insane,” Chmerkovskiy said with a smile.

    Both ejected stars are returning to the television screen. Marini continues to film his role on the ABC Family series ‘Switched At Birth’ while Alley will film her sitcom, ‘Giant Baby,’ for TV Land on Dec. 10.

    “I’m excited about that,” she said, confirming that Chmerkovskiy will appear on her new series at some point. “But he is not playing a dancer.”

    There’s one silver lining for the two ejected dance pros. Since Murgatroyd and Chmerkovskiy (who are reportedly dating) don’t have to report to the dance studio they can spend a little time together.

     “We’ll probably get to sleep in tomorrow and (then) go out for breakfast,” Murgatroyd said.  “We have not done that for months. So, yeah, there’s a plus side -- even though we’re both sad to go.”

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  • 'Dancing With the Stars' pro Derek Hough: A low score from Len is good for us

    ABC

    Shawn Johnson, Derek Hough and Mark Ballas react to Len Goodman's tough talk on "Dancing With the Stars: All-Stars."

    By Michael Maloney, TODAY contributor

    "Dancing With the Stars" judge Len Goodman has often scored Shawn Johnson and her pro partner Derek Hough lower than judges Carrie Ann Inaba and Bruno Tonioli have, but even he reached a new low Monday night. The often-cranky Brit gave Hough and Johnson (and Mark Ballas, who joined them for a trio samba) a 7.

    Goodman took on a grandfatherly scolding tone as he informed Johnson that if her dancing days were over this week, then she should blame her partners for dancing too far outside the box with their tribal-themed samba -- and not him. (Ouch!)

    Hough’s not panicking, however. In fact, he pointed out that earning low scores from Goodman has worked well for them so far.

    “The lower score we get from Len, the better we’re doing,” Hough told The Clicker. “I’d say we’re doing something right.”

    The couple goes into Tuesday night’s double-elimination show in second place. They have a combined score 93.5 (out of 100), which includes two weeks’ worth of dances.  

    The three-time mirror-ball trophy winner said that he’s courting fans -- not the show’s trio of judges. 

    “This season has been a dedication to all of the loyal fans of ‘Dancing With the Stars,’ who have seen 100,000 sambas and cha chas," Hough explained. "It’s my responsibility as a choreographer to keep the audience entertained. To be honest, I just wanted to see (Shawn) get tribal!”


    There’s a 20 point gap between frontrunner Melissa Rycroft and bottom-scoring Kirstie Alley, but Hough suggested even a margin that large may not ultimately mean that much in the grand scheme of things (especially if you factor in that Alley likely has a much larger fan base than Rycroft does.)

    “I have the utmost respect for the judges,” Hough hastened to add. “It’s why I don’t talk back. But this season is the audience’s season. When the season finishes, it’s the scores that disappear. The dances live on.”

    And if Johnson makes it to the finals, it’ll definitely be Hough who takes her there. Despite reports that he might have to sit out the rest of the season due to an injury, Hough said, “I feel amazing -- knock on wood. I’ve really been taking care of myself.”

    Do you think Derek Hough's approach is a good one for all-star Shawn Johnson? Share your thoughts on our Facebook page.

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  • Kelly Monaco's real relationship with Val Chmerkovskiy? 'It’s called friendship'

    Craig Sjodin / ABC

    Kelly Monaco and Val Chmerkovskiy.

    By Michael Maloney, TODAY contributor

    There’s was the romance between Derek Hough and Shannon and Elizabeth in season six. And let’s not forget about the match of Mark Ballas and Sabrina Bryan (also in season six), and the (maybe) relationship between Maksim Chmerkovskiy and Erin Andrews in season 10.

    But if they gave a mirror ball trophy for the couple with the hottest chemistry ever on the show, this season’s pairing of Kelly Monaco of “General Hospital” and her pro partner Valentin Chmerkovskiy would take it.

    The Clicker was in the post-show press line when reporters questioned the pair about their dance and their off-screen dynamic. 

    Still, the two are hard-pressed to describe their dynamic -- and not just because Monaco’s reported beau (Heath Freeman) is seated in the audience most weeks next to her “GH” co-stars.

    For starters, what did Chmerkovskiy mean by saying in the couple’s video package that he wanted to continue to maintain a connection after the show is over?

    “I think it means we’re going to be pen-pals,” Monaco answered.

    “Yeah, email each other once in awhile,” said Chmerkovskiy. “No, I meant it as … I’d love to do a project together.”

    “We’ve been talking about doing some things,” Monaco concurred.

    One reporter described the couple as two people who never get sick of each other; you know -- the kind of people who can call each other on Sunday morning, talk for quite a while, decide to then go on a long bike ride together and still not get sick of each other.


    “We haven’t done that yet,” Monaco said.  

    But you would?

    “Yeah,” she shruged. “Why not?”

    “We have a great time when we’re together,” explained Chmerkovskiy. “We have great conversations. We make fun of the same people. We compliment the same people. We like similar things and that’s that.”

    Monaco added, “It’s called friendship.”

    Moving on to the couple’s dance this week, Chmerkovskiy said it was one of his favorites that they’ve done all season.

    “I loved it,” he said. “It wasn’t a contemporary or a paso doble. In terms of the pleasure of working this week, it was really awesome.”

    Does Monaco get to keep the ring that Chmerkovskiy presented her with at the end of their dance?

    “She’ll get a much better ring,” he joked.

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  • Shawn Johnson: We had to tie 'Dancing With the Stars' pro Derek to a chair

    By Michael Maloney, TODAY contributor

    Adam Taylor / ABC

    Shawn Johnson and Derek Hough.

    Each week, Olympian and season eight "Dancing With the Stars" champ Shawn Johnson will be sharing her experiences on "All-Stars" with The Clicker! Look for Q&As, exclusive photos and more from the gold medalist throughout the season as she competes to win her second mirror ball trophy, this time alongside pro Derek Hough.

    You can follow us on Twitter @TODAY_Clicker to get all the latest updates on Shawn's quest for ballroom glory. Shawn is also on Twitter @ShawnJohnson.

    The Clicker: What did you learn about their different styles when Derek (Hough) was supervising your dance this week with Mark (Ballas0?  
    Shawn: I’m so used to dancing with Derek. We’ve danced together for ten weeks. In that time, you learn a person, his style and his habits. My habit with Mark was three years ago. Getting used to that again and jumping back and forth was a lot to wrap my mind around, but it all worked out.

    The Clicker: What’s this about tying Derek to a chair?
    Shawn: (Laughs) Yes. We actually tied him to a chair. He’s so hands on. Like any athlete, putting him on the sidelines is really hard. He would still work and kept testing (us even after he was tied to the chair).

    The Clicker: How did Derek being tied to a chair not make it onto the show?
    Shawn: (Laughs) I think we had a week full of a bunch of stuff. Getting all the stories into the video package is hard.


    The Clicker: Derek says he’s coming back to dance with you.
    Shawn: Yes. Derek is back starting (today) with rehearsals and everything. He’s feeling good. We just have to make sure he doesn’t push it too much. But it’s more important to have him for the end.

    The Clicker: How would you feel if the finals again were you, Gilles Marini and Melissa Rycroft (as it was in season eight)?
    Shawn: Each week it’s getting a little closer to being that. If it plays out that way, season eight will make you proud!

    The Clicker: Back to your unique experience this week, did you have to assert yourself with Derek and Mark? They must have their own language.
    Shawn: I did a little, but not really. They’re both creative geniuses. Their minds just turn and they understand it even if I don’t. I put my energy this week into working with both of them. It was exhausting! But I was living a dream for every girl in America!

    In Shawn Johnson's memoir, "Winning Balance," the Olympian shares her personal story in a way her fans have never heard it before. She'll be signing copies of her book at ESPN ZONE at Downtown Disney in Anaheim, California, on Saturday, Nov. 10 at 12 p.m.

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  • Emmitt Smith gets big points for a bad dance on 'Dancing With the Stars'

    Adam Taylor / ABC

    Emmitt Smith.

    By Ree Hines, TODAY contributor

    The all-star season of "Dancing With the Stars" has seen its share of ups and downs, from sexy fun to a dance-floor breakdown, and from wacky scores to an unexpected ouster. But for one all-star, the last couple of weeks have seen more downs than ups.

    Past dance champ Emmitt Smith proved he mastered the ballroom basics when he took top honors back in season three. He even started out this season with a strong premiere performance. But recently, he's failed to recapture his winning ways.

    Last week, Emmitt's countrified foxtrot failed to impress, and while the judges pointed out the problems with the lackluster routine, they still handed him two 8.5s and a 9.5 for the night. This time, it was more of the same, right down to the big scores for the bad dance.

    For fusion week, in which each of the all-stars had to tackle a mash-up of two distinct dance styles, Emmitt performed a part-rumba and part-samba routine. But just like last week, he just didn't seem invested in the moves. Sure, he had moments of hip action and he displayed a little of his charm, but there were plenty of hiccups in the dance, and his upper body moves were off throughout.

    Judge Carrie Ann Inaba noted some mid-dance problems, but her fellow panelists didn't seem to see a thing -- other than praise-worthy maneuvers. Bruno Tonioli "loved it," while head judge Len Goodman raved, "I don't think I could have done as good as that."

    Given Len's past pro days, that last line seems unlikely. But he must have meant it, as he as Bruno gave the Hall of Famer just a half-point shy of perfect numbers with matching 9.5s. Carrie Ann went with a still-generous 8.5.

    In fairness to Emmitt, he wasn't the only bad dancer of the night. And certainly not the only overscored one.

    In fact, actress Kirstie Alley would likely be the first to admit that her Cinderella- themed quickstep-samba combo was worse than Emmitt's dance (though perhaps a bit more fun). But she had a heck of a good excuse.

    Kirstie spent much of her intended rehearsal time working to organize relief efforts for those affected by Superstorm Sandy. So instead of polishing her samba shake, she rounded up canned goods. Instead of remembering her steps, she stepped up to something bigger.

    On the dance floor, the lack of rehearsals showed. After delivering a respectable quickstep portion, Kirstie struggled through the remainder of the dance.

    The judges were nice but honest, pointing out the number of "incidents" she suffered. And just as they were generous with Emmitt, they were kind to Kirstie when they handed out a set of 8s.

    The difference seemed to be that Kirstie realized that the scores were more than merited. Heck, even her pro partner, Maksim Chmerkovskiy, couldn't hide his surprise when the paddles came out.

    The rest of the night's routines were considerably stronger. Shawn Johnson topped the fusion efforts with a blend of tango and paso doble alongside replacement partner Mark Ballas -- with whom she won season eight. (Pro Derek Hough was sidelined with an injury.)

    The mixture of two dark and intense dance styles seemed a natural fit, and Shawn's moves had the judges loving what they saw so much, they gave the Olympian a perfect score.

    Hot on Shawn's heels was Melissa Rycroft who nabbed 29 points for a seamless blend of cha cha and tango that featured her best moves as well as Tony Dovolani's best choreography.

    Gilles Marini trailed Melissa by just a half of a point with his Argentine-tango-meets-samba routine. Perhaps his score would have been a bit higher if he didn't have problems with his "arm thingies," as Carrie Ann pointed out.

    Kelly Monaco found herself tied with Apolo Anton Ohno (or "Ohyes" as Len called him on Monday night after his 27-point cha-cha-paso), with her sexy foxtrot and cha cha dance with pro Val Chmerkovskiy.

    (And for those who think Kelly and Val seem to get closer and closer to each other every week -- you're not wrong. Brook Burke quizzed the pair about their chemistry and asked, "At the rate the two of you are going, what can we expect in the finale?" Val joked, "Children!")


    But that wasn't all the fast-footed action for the night. Each couple added to their scores in a marathon swing dance that awarded points based on who stayed in the mishmash competition the longest. The judges tapped out Kirstie and Maks first, and then seemed to randomly remove dancers regardless of their moves (Gilles and Peta Murgatroyd were out next -- for no good reason). In the end, Melissa and Tony stuck it out and got an extra 10 points for their efforts.

    But all those points -- and the viewer votes from Monday night -- won't help or hurt the all-stars on Tuesday night, because there's no results show this week. Instead it all carries over until next week, when they'll perform again before facing a double elimination.

    Who do you think delivered the best dance Monday night? Take our poll below and then share your thoughts about Monday's scoring on our Facebook page.

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  • Sabrina Bryan on leaving 'Dancing With the Stars': 'You can't be shocked to go home'

    By Michael Maloney, TODAY contributor

    Adam Taylor / ABC

    Sabrina Bryan and Louis Van Amstel.

    It was déjà vu for Sabrina Bryan on "Dancing With the Stars: All-Stars" Tuesday night. She was handed her walking papers in week six, just as she’d been in season five. Both times, she left the competition on the same date -- Oct. 30.

    "This is one of the most amazing experiences I ever could have asked for," a grateful Bryan told reporters after the show with her pro partner and pal Louis Van Amstel by her side. "To have a second chance at something like this has been incredible."

    Bryan realized leaving early once again was a possibly, and it wasn’t just her shocking elimination five years ago that brought her to that conclusion.

    "It’s an all-star season," she noted. "You can’t be shocked to go home. There are incredible people in this cast. Everybody continues to get better and better every week."

    Bryan said that she feared the end was near when she and Van Amstel were left on stage along with other top-scoring duo, Apolo Anton Ohno and Karina Smirnoff.

    The former Cheetah Girl was asked if she was glad to be leaving on such a high note. "Um, glad?" Ryan responded. "No. But we feel like we accomplished something. Louis brought so much out of me. He’s all I could ever ask of anyone in any kind of partnership. I feel amazing."

    One of the goals Bryan accomplished this season was achieving more vulnerability. Just prior to her dance on Monday, she revealed on air that she’d had a relationship that ended badly in part due to her former beau’s addiction.

    "This season, I’m in such a happy place," she said. "My life, my family, my friends are all good. My friend from the East Coast (in the path of Superstorm Sandy) is safe. Everything in my life feels good right now.

    "Every one of you guys (reporting on the show) asked me what I’d do differently this season after I got the chance to be on it. I said I’d take a moment every day to take in what I have. I realize this time how blessed I am for everything."

    Bryan’s professional plans are up in the air. She may return to the "Dancing" show in Las Vegas. Personally, she and Van Amstel plan to take a cruise together in December to the Caribbean.

    "Our ‘Dancing With the Stars’ journey ends, but not our personal journey," Van Amstel said.

    "We’re going to be doing lots of dancing," Bryan added.

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  • 'Dancing With the Stars' pro: I'll spank Apolo Anton Ohno to get more points

    By Michael Maloney, TODAY contributor

    Craig Sjodin / ABC

    Apolo Anton Ohno and Karina Smirnoff.

    Apolo Anton Ohno admitted on Monday night’s episode of ‘Dancing With the Stars’ that he and pro partner Karina Smirnoff had had a fight just prior to last week’s performance.  (The duo’s samba still managed to earn an impressive 27 points.)

    The Clicker was in the post show press line to help grill the duo on what went down -- and learn how they rebounded with Monday night’s perfect score of 30 for their Viennese Waltz.

    “I found it difficult to reach him,” Smirnoff said of working with the Olympic-winning athlete. “I didn’t know which door to knock on to get the reaction out of him that I wanted. We were like an old married couple. Finally, we had a fight and laid it out on the table.”

    What was the battle about?

    “Chocolate,” Ohno responded, deftly trying to diffuse the situation.

    Smirnoff didn’t shed more light on specifics, but she hinted that their conflict was born out of the fact that men and women are just plain different.

    “I told him men love with their eyes and women love with their ears,” she said. “And that he should just keep telling me sweet things.”

    “(Fighting) sucked,” Ohno said. “But we came back together. This week, we were significantly different -- it couldn’t have been forced. We had to mutually want to come forward and work on a dance that was meaningful and had a dual purpose. It was great.”

    While differences led to some conflict, Smirnoff feels that she and her partner are also very much alike.

    “Apolo is my first athlete,” she noted (not counting her season 5 pairing with pro boxer Floyd Mayweather, Jr.). “Apolo has discipline, and he’s as stubborn as I am. That works perfectly in the ballroom. He usually lets me in, but when he doesn’t we start fighting.”

    The couple’s perfect score from last night and the positive comments from the judges clearly show that the duo is capable of moving past any difficulties.

    Injecting some humor into her post-show interview, Smirnoff joked that she has a plan for future dances with Ohno.

    “I’m definitely incorporating more butt-slapping,” she quipped, referring to the taps on the rear end that Kirstie Alley gave Maksim Chmerkovskiy in the cast’s group dance, which earned the duo the coveted additional two points from the judges. 

    “It that gets extra points,” Smirnoff mused, “I’m going to spank Apolo till we get some.”

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  • Shawn Johnson: Strategically, Derek's the smartest pro on 'Dancing With the Stars'

    By Michael Maloney, TODAY contributor

    Todd Wawrychuk / ABC

    "Dancing" pro Derek Hough is the brightest in the ballroom when it comes to strategy, according to all-star Shawn Johnson.

    Each week, Olympian and season eight "Dancing With the Stars" champ Shawn Johnson will be sharing her experiences on "All-Stars" with The Clicker! Look for Q&As, exclusive photos and more from the gold medalist throughout the season as she competes to win her second mirror ball trophy, this time alongside pro Derek Hough.

    You can follow us on Twitter @TODAY_Clicker to get all the latest updates on Shawn's quest for ballroom glory. Shawn is also on Twitter @ShawnJohnson.

    The Clicker: How’s your injured knee?
    Shawn: It’s okay. I’m doing therapy each day trying to make it a little better.

    The Clicker: It looked so scary when we saw it all swollen. Has the swelling gone down?
    Shawn: Yeah. I’ve dealt with injuries for the last two years on and off. I’ve been through it all. I think I was more emotionally distraught than physically. I felt better once I got the pass from the doctor that it was just a sprain and I needed therapy.

    The Clicker: How does it feel to be in fourth place with 84.5 points? Do you feel safe going into tonight?
    Shawn: I know that I was happy with the dance. I think that for a “country cha cha” we did pretty well. Derek was struggling with his neck today. I was struggling with my knee. I was happy we got through.

    The Clicker: Derek said he was going to do next week’s dance especially for judge Len Goodman instead of tailoring it to what the viewers might like to see, but that’s also the week there are no fan votes! The judges’ feelings will be even more vital.
    Shawn: Yes, but I think any couple would do that.

    The Clicker: Oh, yes. It’s a very smart, strategic move.
    Shawn: Yes, strategically, Derek’s the smartest one out there.

    (Note: ABC has since announced that plans have changed for next week's show. The judges will not eliminate a contestant next week. There will be a double elimination the following week with viewer votes factored in.)

    The Clicker: Len doesn’t care for all the extras, but when your song has the word “tractor” in the title … well, you bring a tractor!  
    Shawn: Yes, I thought bringing a tractor suited our dance (on Monday). It’s country week. The song is “She Thinks My Tractor’s Sexy.” If we’d gone for just a traditional cha cha I don’t think that it would have gone over well. We had to spice it up and have fun…and we did!

    The Clicker: The video segments featuring the dancers and the stars have been less about doing activities and more about just showing you guys talk. Which do you prefer?
    Shawn: They packages capture the genuine moments we have during conversations where we just talk about things. It’s more real than if something is staged, but we are still going places. This week, we’re going to the CMAs. I’m presenting the award to best vocal group of the year. It’s a dream come true!

    Catch more from Shawn on Tuesday night's "Dancing With the Stars: All-Stars" results show at 8 p.m. on ABC. And see her at the CMA Awards Thursday night at 8p.m. on the same network.

    Join us on Tuesday at 3:30 ET to chat about who you think might be going home on "Dancing"!

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  • 'Dancing With the Stars' judges judge each other on country night

    ABC

    Carrie Ann Inaba, Len Goodman and Bruno Tonioli disagree on "Dancing With the Stars"

    By Ree Hines, TODAY contributor

    The dance floor was a little light on glamour and little heavier on twang Monday night as "Dancing With the Stars" kicked off Country Night in honor of Thursday's upcoming CMA Awards, which just so happens to share a network with the ballroom bash.

    But despite the sudden proliferation of cowboy hats and boots in the ballroom, it wasn't the sidesteps and country kicks that really stood out. Instead, the judges stole the "Dancing" spotlight as they just couldn't agree about much of what they saw on the floor or what they heard from each other.

    The bickering began after Melissa Rycroft delivered her best routine of the season so far. The countrified Viennese waltz featured a strong solo (in a dance that doesn't exactly lend itself well to solo efforts) and saw the reality-star-turned-host overcome her recent neck injury with smooth moves.

    It also packed a rule-breaking lift -- not that the judges saw it that way. They were too busy getting caught up with their own problems.

    First, head judge Len Goodman broke from his usual reserved manner and stood up to applaud the dance. He then told Melissa she had the "how" and the "wow" ... whatever that means. Bruno Tonioli was equally impressed, going way over the top by comparing Melissa to Cyd Charisse in "Brigadoon."

    But Carrie Ann Inaba? She complained that Melissa wasn't "dancing out enough." Her moves needed more, well, outness.

    As far as Bruno was concerned, those were fighting words. He bolted out of his seat and spoke over Carrie Ann until neither one of them could be heard -- save for one comment from him. He looked to Melissa and assured her that Carrie Ann was "making a point that doesn't exist."

    Despite all of the hubbub, Melissa's scores put her just a half-point from perfect for the night. So much for all the disagreement.

    But the judges weren't through grumbling. When Shawn Johnson cha-cha'd to "She Thinks My Tractor's Sexy," Bruno loved the dance and told the gymnast she was the sexy one, while Len just complained about the presence of a tractor on the ballroom stage (and he wasn't too happy about the big plastic cow, either). Carrie Ann didn't like the solo section of the routine, calling it stiff. Bruno endured the dissenting opinions without shouting that time, but he made plenty of exaggerated expressions of disgust. At one point he even stuffed his notes in his mouth to keep from voicing his real take on the matter.

    This time the disagreements showed up on the scoreboard, as the points ranged from 8.5 (Len) to 10 (Bruno).

    The next incident came when Kirstie Alley took the stage for a sleek and sexy rumba. After a hard week in rehearsals, which saw the actress continuing her recent trend toward teary moments, she pulled off the dance surprisingly well -- though she could have used bit more hip action.

    Carrie Anne love it all and called Kirstie the queen of sexy. Bruno agreed. Len, on the other hand, to the obvious disapproval of the others, nitpicked that aforementioned hip problems. He concluded, "I like it, but not much."

    Still, with just a one-point spread between the points, Kirstie's 27.5 wasn't anything to argue about.

    In fact, that was it for the big fuss between the esteemed panelists. But when the judges weren't judging each other, the viewers (at least this one) sure were.

    After all, while Apolo Anton Ohno's emotional Viennese waltz was his best dance of the season -- and certainly scored big as a sentimental favorite of the night -- the perfect score the judges gave it didn't exactly line up with all the moves. The best, most lyrical maneuvers in the routine were Karina's, and Apolo's weren't bad. They also weren't perfect.

    Then there was Emmitt Smith's big foxtrot, which turned out to be a big letdown. The retired running back just wasn't feeling the country groove, and save for his wild moment in the solo spotlight, the dance was stiff, with more than one poorly executed pass.

    It seemed like the judges felt the same way, as they ticked off some of those problems in their reviews, but when it came time to score it, Bruno really fell under the judgmental glare of fans (or fan, ahem). Len and Carrie Anne gave the routine a very generous 8.5 points each. But Bruno came up with a 9.5 based on ... a bad dance.

    There wasn't much controversy when it came to the rest of the night's dances. OK, sure, maybe Sabrina Bryan's comeback rumba wasn't quite worth 30 points. But Gilles Marini's 27.5 point cha-cha, with slightly off steps and loose hips, seemed about right. (Though an extra half point for the see-through shirt and shiny black pleather pants wouldn't have gone amiss.) And Kelly Monaco's snap-free tango might have merited a slightly higher score than 27 (when compared to the scoring curve for the night) thanks to great footwork, but it was close enough too. Plus she was rewarded with a kiss from pro Val Chmerkovskiy, so she's got nothing to complain about.

    No, the only other real injustice of the night was the group dance, which saw every hoofer hit the stage in a jumble of moves. The clear standouts were Gilles and Kelly, who outdanced the competition by far. But it was Kirstie who picked up the 2-point bonus for a cute, partner-smacking but not so dance-packed moment. Apparently the judges can agree on one thing: They like to see Kirstie's pro, Maksim Chmerkovskiy, get spanked.

    So, after that hoedown, who's set to giddyap and get out of the ballroom Tuesday night? It's tougher than ever to say. After all, Monday night's votes will not only be added to the judges' scores from the same night, but also to last week's group efforts and solo dances. In other words, it's anyone's guess.

    Who do you think put on the very best performance Monday night? Take our poll below and then share your thoughts about the show on our Facebook page. And be sure to join us on Tuesday at 12:30 p.m. PT / 3:30 ET to chat about who you think might be going home!

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