For 33 seasons and counting, Dancing with the Stars has paired professional dancers with celeb contestants in a contest to see which professionals can remodel their stars into elegant ballroom dancers, as they obtain weekly scores and suggestions from judges in addition to viewers votes and battle for the coveted Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy, now named for the long-lasting late choose. The collection first premiered in 2005 and was based mostly on the British collection Strictly Come Dancing.
For each frontrunner seemingly destined to take dwelling the prized Mirrorball trophy, there are loads of different celeb dancers who wrestle with the competitors and current a problem for his or her professional companions. Whereas some tried their greatest and confirmed enchancment week after week, others appeared uninterested within the competitors altogether, and a few even managed to remain within the competitors because of their devoted fanbases. Irrespective of how lengthy they lasted, although, every left their very own distinctive mark on the competitors.
10 Bobby Bones
Season 27 (2018)
Season 27’s opponents included nation radio DJ and American Idol mentor Bobby Bones, who was partnered with Sharna Burgess. Bones struggled with dancing, and Burgess needed to rely the beats out loud to maintain him in sync. However he finally received the season because of his devoted fanbase, resulting in a change within the guidelines transferring ahead—judges got the flexibility to save lots of a contestant within the backside two, supposed to forestall followers’ votes from carrying a nasty dancer by to the tip.
Bones’ win was controversial—even he admitted he wasn’t a great dancer. Whereas different dancers had competed and remained on the present longer than they deserved, Bones was the primary to really win. Though he wasn’t the lowest-scoring competitor, he wasn’t the best, both, and beat out dancers who obtained constant reward from the judges and had achieved excellent scores. Bones additionally had a nasty angle whereas he was on the present, going as far as to throw in strikes with out consulting with Burgess.
9 Kim Kardashian
Season 7 (2008)
The opponents in Season 7 included reality TV star Kim Kardashian—shortly after Keeping Up with the Kardashians first hit the air—whose companion was Mark Ballas, who had received the earlier season with Kristi Yamaguchi. Kardashian confirmed promise with a exact and poised foxtrot and earned a complete of 19 in Week 1 however struggled within the following weeks. She was the third contestant eradicated and left the present in Week 2.
Kardashian started the season with reward from the judges for her technical ability, however they felt she lacked chemistry with Ballas, one thing she acknowledged when she struggled to faucet into the sexual vitality of the rumba and mentioned he was “like a brother.” She additionally struggled to let unfastened and really carry out whereas acknowledging audiences doubtless anticipated that to come back simple for her. Though her first dance earned her a great rating, it was one of the best of her dances.
8 Steve Wozniak
Season 8 (2009)
In Season 8, Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak danced alongside Karina Smirnoff. Though he obtained the bottom judges’ rating in Week 1—Bruno Tonioli declared his samba among the many worst he’d ever seen, and judges had been unimpressed when he did the worm—he was spared elimination. He continued to compete whilst he battled a fracture in his foot, and he was finally eradicated in Week 4. Wozniak returned to bounce the short step within the season finale.
Regardless of the judges’ scores and criticism—although they did reward his dedication—Wozniak was popular with audiences, who saved him within the competitors for a number of weeks. He wasn’t probably the most elegant dancer, however he gave the impression to be really having fun with himself on the ground, making it tough to not get pleasure from watching him carry out. He was additionally a tough employee who tried his greatest, took his time on the present significantly and was decided to enhance.
7 Jerry Springer
Season 3 (2006)
Talk show host Jerry Springer took to the dance ground in Season 3—within the hopes of studying the waltz for his daughter’s marriage ceremony—with Kym Johnson as his companion. Regardless of constantly low scores and putting within the backside two in Week 3, Springer’s fanbase saved him within the competitors, and he made it to fifth place. He was finally eradicated in Week 7 with the bottom judges’ scores of the night time.
Springer wasn’t a talented dancer, however he put forth an sincere effort in his time on the present and was enjoyable to look at. The judges praised him for his effort, in addition to the enjoyment he introduced audiences, however often discovered his dances relied an excessive amount of on gimmicks. Nonetheless, he confirmed constant enchancment throughout his time on the present, along with his scores enhancing every week, although nonetheless all the time on the backside of the leaderboard.
6 Tucker Carlson
Season 3 (2006)
Conservative TV host Tucker Carlson competed in Season 3, alongside Elena Grinenko, in her first season. His very first dance, a cha-cha, scored a complete of 12, the bottom of the night time. Grinenko expressed that her objective was to get him by the primary week of performances, longer if potential, but it surely wasn’t meant to be—his low scores resulted in him being the primary contestant eradicated for the season.
Though Carlson put forth an sincere effort and had enjoyable in his dances, judges had harsh criticism, particularly Tonioli, and low scores for him, whilst they acknowledged that he was having fun with himself. They felt he spent an excessive amount of time seated—he started the dance sitting in a chair—and that the dancing he did do was sloppy, though Goodman felt Carlson would present enchancment in later dances. Nonetheless, his elimination got here as no shock.
5 Kenny Mayne
Season 2 (2005)
In Season 2, EPSN host Kenny Mayne competed with skilled dancer Andrea Hale. Initially, Mayne supposed to depend on his humorousness to hold him by, however he rapidly shifted to taking the competitors significantly and placing forth an sincere effort. Attributable to his low scores, he was the primary contestant eradicated that season of the reality competition show. He has returned to the present a number of instances within the years since to host “DanceCenter,” a phase parodying his present SportsCenter.
What Mayne lacked in ability, he made up for in dedication—his dedication to studying and doing his greatest got here by on the dance ground, even when his footwork wasn’t the cleanest, or was, as described by Tonioli, “picket.” And whereas his humorousness didn’t assist his performances, it did make him nice to look at within the competitors, and it’s made him a staple of the present along with his DanceCenter segments.
4 Evander Holyfield
Season 1 (2005)
Boxer Evander Holyfield competed in Season 1 with Edyta Śliwińska as his companion, and was the primary athlete to seem on the present. His first dance, the cha-cha-cha, earned him a rating of 18, the best he obtained in his transient time on the present. His closing dance, the jive, scored the bottom at 13, resulting in his elimination. He was despatched dwelling in Week 3 and was the second contestant to be eradicated that season.
Holyfield’s success within the boxing ring didn’t translate to the dance ground, as his footwork lacked the precision required. The judges had been essential of him but in addition acknowledged the exhausting work he put into his dancing and the way totally different it was from his background. However he was enjoyable to look at—the dwell viewers all the time responded to him enthusiastically—and he retained a constructive, fun-loving angle all through his time within the competitors.
3 Geraldo Rivera
Season 22 (2016)
In Season 22, broadcast journalist Geraldo Rivera competed with Śliwińska. In interviews, Rivera shared that again surgical procedure years prior left him with out feeling in his proper foot, complicating his skill to bounce. In his second and closing efficiency, Rivera started with a skit impressed by President Donald Trump—then nonetheless a candidate—incomes him the bottom scores. Because of this, he was the primary contestant eradicated within the season.
Rivera’s first dance was a nod to his profession in broadcasting, which earned a rating of 13. It was much like his second Trump-inspired quantity, which he admitted was designed to get laughs. Though he succeeded in that regard, his precise dancing was not well-received, however choose Carrie Ann Inaba admitted the routine made her chuckle. That’s not sufficient to remain in the reality show for the season, although, and with two dances placing him on the backside of the leaderboard, it was no shock when Rivera was voted off.
2 Kate Gosselin
Season 10 (2010)
Kate Gosselin, star of actuality collection Jon & Kate Plus 8, competed in Season 10, with Tony Dovolani as her companion. Though she struggled along with her first dance, the Viennese waltz, she appeared like she’d be capable of be taught and enhance, however that ended up not being the case. She was constantly on the backside of the leaderboard and was eradicated in Week 5. She returned for the season finale to bounce one final time.
Gosselin’s dancing was stiff, and he or she struggled to embody characters as wanted to carry out and appeared not sure of herself—the judges felt her steps had been extra like strolling than dancing. Gosselin expressed frustration with herself, though she did present some enchancment in her closing performances. Dovolani struggled, as nicely, going as far as to stroll out of an early rehearsal in frustration after clashing with Gosselin over his educating.
1 Grasp P
Season 2 (2005)
Rapper Grasp P competed in Season 2, paired with Ashly DelGrosso—who expressed her frustration over her companion’s unwillingness to rehearse and even joked that him dancing nicely can be a “miracle.” Their closing dance, the paso doble in Week 2, was one of many lowest-scoring dances within the present’s historical past, with a complete of 8, plus harsh feedback from the judges to go along with it. Regardless of having proven some enchancment, he was eradicated that week.
Grasp P’s dancing was stiff and stilted, and he gave the impression to be merely going by the motions, particularly within the paso doble, the place his footwork resembled extra of a stomp than a dance. He appeared nearly tired of performing—DelGrosso did the majority of the work, and he spent his interview after the dance selling his music (making for a little bit of a dramatic moment in the reality show). The truth that Inaba granted it a 4 and known as it his greatest dance was telling.
