LT Giving Up Edyta for His Golf Bag

All the votes have been counted and tonight we find out who goes home - and it’s all LIVE!!!!
We begin the show with the Encore Dance which is, of course, the Group 60's number, and it’s just as much fun tonight as it was on Monday. I’m just wondering, though, why they cut out asking the judges who they wanted to see in the Encore Dance and letting Len announce it. Mr. Grumpy Pants must have really ticked someone off there!

Filler clip of the week: some medical experts are asked how this show is taking a toll on the stars. Lil’ Kim has lost 2 inches off her waist and hips. Gilles’ resting heartbeat is down from 46 to 36. Lawrence lost 15 pounds. (And Nancy O’Dell is having knee surgery. And Jewell ripped something in her knee. Feast or famine!)

Natasha Bedingfield sang - never heard of her, and wasn’t impressed. After a couple of sentences I switched over to the hockey game and managed to catch a Red Wings goal. (I usually at least stick around to watch the dancing and missed Dmitri and Lacey’s performance, but hey, it’s playoff time!) Burn the Floor was then introduced, made up of international ballroom champions that are opening on Broadway. I loved every one of those people, thought it was the best dance segment (aside from our pros) that I’ve seen!

We get the backstage interview with Samantha, where Chuck mentions that he "never thought it would take red silk pajamas to tie Gilles (scores)." Chuck & Julianne are then the first couple to be announced as safe, along with Melissa & Tony and Shawn & Mark.

A new twist! There is a contest to choose a new pro dancer for next season. There are three women, three men vying for one spot on Season 9. They are paired off into couples but are basically competing against each other ... interesting. The judges will comment but not score, it’s all up to the viewing audience on who goes or stays. The lowest-scoring male and female will be eliminated next week, and the remaining couples will dance again....and so on, until there is one pro left. I’m curious to see how they’re going to do the competition between the two remaining pros. Considering ballroom dancing is pretty much all about the man being there to make the woman look beautiful, the emphasis is supposed to be on her - the guy may not stand a chance. But then, if they let them dance alone, that defeats the idea of seeing how they dance with a partner. Am I over-analyzing this? Maybe I should just sit back, enjoy the ride, and let them figure it out!

Anyway, the first couple are Afton & Brent and they’re doing a Cha Cha. They know each other well and dance together in a show (sorry, forgot the name of it). The judges were all very complimentary, and they both looked pretty good to me. Next up, Anna & Mayo (yes, like the condiment) and while they are good friends, they’ve never danced together so they may be at a disadvantage ... but their Waltz was absolutely amazing! Unless the next couple is fantastic, I’m choosing them - and Mayo’s my favorite of the two. Bruno called it "Waltz at its classic best" and I agree wholeheartedly. Snow & Genya are up next with a Rumba, and we find out Genya is Alex Mazo’s brother (he gets points with me by association!) Genya & Snow are both pretty feisty, arguing in rehearsal about their dance. Snow mentions something about Genya having to deal with stars who don’t know how to dance, and when Genya retorts ''The whole point of this is that I'm dancing with a pro,'' I liked him even more. Not sure he’d be able to put up with a know-not-how-to-dance star, especially if they’re really bad (Cloris Leachman) or have a lousy attitude, but his little go-round with Snow was fun. Len offered that Genya danced "like a real man" and that Snow showed "romance without being raunchy." Oh, dear, now I’m torn on who to vote for.....

We’re treated to Celtic Woman, a group of four singers with a violin player and a choir, singing "You Raise Me Up" and watching professional dancers Eric Luna and Georgia Ambarian dance the literal translation. He tossed her around like a rag doll (although no rag doll I’ve ever seen looked like her!) and it was all very nice.

We can finally get down to the nitty-gritty and the four remaining couples. As Tom mentions each couple by name, saying his little bits, he gets to Gilles & Cheryl and the audience cheers. He then talks to Ty & Chelsie and the audience cheers. (No such reaction for Lil’ Kim & Derek or Lawrence & Edyta ... interesting.) Lil’ Kim & Derek and Gilles & Cheryl are sage, and while Ty & Chelsie are not necessarily in the bottom two with Lawrence & Edyta, someone is going home and it’s ..... Lawrence & Edyta.

While LT perked up his attitude the last couple of weeks and actually had some fun, the most fun I think he’s had to date is hearing his name called. He’s probably on the golf course right now! He did sound gracious, saying he had fun, and Edyta taught him well about dancing, but "I don’t know where the hell I’m gonna use it!" Edyta reminded LT that she taught him to dance and "I’m looking forward to golf lessons, you owe me."

Next week the couples will dance two dances. It’s getting down to the wire, and your votes will be more important than ever!