Dancing With The Stars wrapped up its three-night season premiere on Wednesday with two eliminations — and a tribute to a dancing cowboy.
Ashley Hamilton, the son of former DWTS competitor George Hamilton and model Alana Stewart, was the first from the celebrity males to go. Also eliminated was Grammy-winning singer Macy Gray, which took last season’s winning professional Jonathan Roberts out of the competition.
In addition to the eliminations, Dancing paid tribute to Patrick Swayze. The late actor — who died of pancreatic cancer last week — was a supporter of the program and even visited DWTS during its first season.
Several of the show’s professionals recreated some of Swayze’s most memorable numbers for the touching tribute.
“We’re honored and privileged to be able to do that for him, his family, and all of his fans,” Derek Hough said.
Professional Maksim Chmerkovskiy added, “I wish we could also do a Michael Jackson tribute.”
Rocker wildchild Kelly Osbourne ruled the dance floor with a powerful Viennese Waltz on Tuesday night’s premiere of Dancing With The Stars 9, immediately sailing into the good graces of sharp-tongued judges, Carrie-Ann, Len, and Bruno. But, in a new interview with Closer Magazine, Kelly, says its anything but smooth sailing with much of the rest of the cast.
“When I first started the rehearsals, I thought the other contestants were all lovely, but it’s suddenly become much more competitive and there’s a bit of bullying going on behind the scenes,” Kelly says. “There’s a rumor floating around that one of the celeb dancers has been having secret lessons for two years! That is so not fair.”
Dancing With The Stars Season 9 contestant Debi Mazar was rushed to the hospital following her performance on the premiere show. “i’m ok.torn muscle in neck to chest!Foxtrot..cruel&sadistic If only judges knew,” the Entourage star Tweeted Wednesday.
The actress also attached a photo of herself wearing a neck brace. Nonetheless, Debi is expected to continue competing and is already on the set preparing for tonight’s results show. She and pro partner Maksim Chmerkovskiy earned a score of 16 for their salsa on Night 2 of DWTS’ three-part season premiere.
Eat your heart out, Maks! Newly-single Dancing With The Stars pro Karina Smirnoff is kicking off her dancing shoes — along with everything else — in a new PETA campaign — “I’d Rather Dance Naked Than Wear Fur” — shot by celebrity photographer Robert Sebree.
The stunning 31-year-old stopped wearing fur after watching footage of baby seals being killed for their pelts.
“I did wear fur, especially when I was growing up in the Ukraine,” the fancy-footed beauty reveals in an interview with PETA. “But there are ways of being warm and being fashionable without being cruel.”
Smirnoff joins a growing list of celebrities–including Christina Applegate, Sophie Monk, Khloe Kardashian, Nia Long, and Kimora Lee Simmons –who have starred in PETA’s anti-fur ad campaign.
The DWTS Curse strikes again! Grammy Award-winning singer Mya spent the night in a L.A. hospital after sustaining injuries to her finger on the eve of the ninth season of Dancing With The Stars.
“Went 2 the hospital late last night 2 get stitches. Deep cut from glass. Only caught 2 hours of sleep but feel great. Must be adrenaline,” she Tweeted in a message on her Twitter page Monday.
Nonetheless, Mya wants her fans to know that she’s feeling fine and is ready to hit the ground running on tonight’s premiere: “Nothing to worry about. Just an ugly slice on my finger-not the first time I’ve had stitches. I’ll be just fine. Thanks4the concern.”
The “Free” hitmaker, a professionally trained dancer who has appeared on Broadway, is a frontrunner to take home the coveted Mirror Ball Trophy this season.
Dancing With The Stars Season 9 premieres tonight @ 8PM on ABC.
Dancing With The Stars will honor Patrick Swayze on its Sept. 23 live results show, PEOPLE has learned.
Swayze, who went from Broadway dancer to Hollywood star in box-office hits like Dirty Dancing and Ghost, died on September 14 after a nearly two-year battle with pancreatic cancer. The son of a choreographer, Swayze made a guest appearance on the first season of Dancing in 2005, teaching friend John O’Hurley a few dance moves in rehearsal.
“We have some very fond memories of [the late actor] coming to help us our when we were a tiny little show way back when,” says DWTS executive producer Conrad Green. “He was one of the few people to integrate dance with being an A-list actor. He inspired many people and many of our pros to dance. We want to honor the great moments he’s brought to film by getting our dancers to do their interpretation to some music from his films.”
Dancing With The Stars Season 9 has its first casualty, former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay. DeLay injured his foot while rehearsing with pro partner Cheryl Burke on Tuesday.
“No stress fracture! It is a pre-stress fracture. I live for another day,”the Texan tweeted Tuesday. “Old age is catching up to me…No worries, it’ll take more than that to keep me off the dance floor.”
The 62-year-old Republican was examined by doctors, who will determine if he can perform on the DWTS season opener, premiering next Monday, Sept. 21 on ABC. Due to the massive number of injuries suffered by contestants in past seasons, show producers implemented a cap of five hours per day of rehearsals for this season’s performers.
Now that Dancing With The Stars cutie Karina Smirnoff has dismissed series co-star/rebound guy Maksim from the ballroom, do you think her Season 9 partner Aaron Carter stands a shot at love with the petite dancer?
Dancing With The Stars champions Karina Smirnoff and Maksim Chmerkovskiy won’t be dancing down the aisle in holy matrimony, after all. Karina’s rep tells E! News that the ballroom pros, who spent the summer performing in the Broadway production Burn The Floor, have parted ways after nearly a year of dating.
Smirnoff, 31, and Chmerkovskiy, 28, became engaged in December and had planned on getting married in June 2010, but prolonged their engagement in July due to their busy theater schedules.
“I am confirming that they did indeed break up,” says a rep for Karina — who began dating her DWTS co-star after a messy split with former flame Mario Lopez.
