It was a creepy Halloween edition of Dancing with the Stars tonight. The judges wore fangs, the dance floor was shrouded in fog, and Samantha Harris wore the scariest costume ever: herself, the morning after a rough night out. Eek!

Ballroom Round

Joey Lawrence & Edyta Sliwinska – Tango
Joey’s brothers, Matt and Andy, stopped by dance practice to check on Joey’s progress. Edyta taught Andy a few dance moves, momentarily paralyzing him when he realized he would get to touch Edyta. “I know it’s hard work,” Andy said, “but you’re with Edyta eight hours a day. How hard could that be?”

Just when you think the musical choices can’t get any weirder, Joey & Edyta danced to the theme song from the TV show, The Addams Family. Edyta even wore a Morticia Addams-style wig. And we now know why Joey shaved his head; he was getting in character to play Uncle Fester. In keeping with the theme of their song — and the evening — Joey & Edyta danced mechanically, as if they’d recently been raised from the dead. It was a clever choice, artistically, as the movements somehow suited the Tango.

Len started his comments by saying, “All four couples have the potential to get into the Finals.” He said Joey & Edyta’s performance was “fantastic.” Bruno called it “a fandango of a Tango. It picked up the nuances in the music.” Carrie Ann said, “That was an amazing Tango. The best I’ve seen you perform. The most fun I’ve seen you have.”
Judges’ Scores: Carrie Ann…10, Len…9, Bruno…9 = 28/30

Mario Lopez & Karina Smirnoff – Waltz
During practice, Mario couldn’t hold his frame, and Karina was pissed. “Is there any reason why your head looks like a pigeon?” she asked. He said that he understood the concept, but just couldn’t execute it.

The story behind the routine was that a man was dancing a final dance with the spirit of his deceased love; Karina dressed in ghostly white. The performance was lovely and emotional, and it was Karina’s best choreography to date.

Bruno called the routine “the true fairy tale waltz. Tonight, you were a romantic leading man.” Carrie Ann said, “There was something very different about that performance. You felt very connected to your emotions.” Len said, “Poignant and beautiful. It was a great job.”
Judges’ Scores: Carrie Ann…9, Len…9, Bruno…10 = 28/30

Monique Coleman & Louis van Amstel – Tango
Kenny Ortega, director/choreographer of High School Musical and Dirty Dancing, visited Monique & Louis during practice to offer his encouragement. Still miffed about their low scores, Louis said, “I would like to have the judges reward Monique for the difficulty level of the dances I have her do.”

They danced to another hilarious song selection: “Somebody’s Watching Me” by Rockwell. I agree with Louis; having to dance to that song without laughing is difficult. Monique wore black lipstick, and Louis had evil, pointy sideburns. The music demanded an unusually fast Tango, and Monique had a little trouble keeping up, at times. It was the most technically challenging routine of the night. The dance ended with Louis pretending to chomp Monique’s neck.

Carrie Ann told Monique, “I respect your ambition, but the choreography was a bit beyond your capabilities.” Len used his critique of their Tango to answer Louis’ comment about level of difficulty: “It’s not like diving. If you do one spin, that’s great! If you do two spins and stumble, that’s bad.” Bruno said, “Sometimes, less is more. It allows you to express yourself.” Carrie Ann chimed in, “We want to see more of you.” Bruno agreed.
Judges’ Scores: Carrie Ann…8, Len…8, Bruno…8 = 24/30

Emmitt Smith & Cheryl Burke – Fox Trot
Emmitt went home with Cheryl to San Francisco, where they rehearsed at a ballroom in Cheryl’s parents’ home. While in the Bay Area, they danced at a charity event. Jerry Rice was also in attendance, and he demanded “props” for talking Emmitt into doing DwtS.

Dancing to a classic song like “Witchcraft” allowed Emmitt & Cheryl to keep their shtick to a minimum. It was very nice, but Jerry needed to commit to his arm movements. The pair looked like they were having fun, and it certainly translated to the studio audience.

Len said, “You have got a charm about you. But, for me, there were only about four bars of the whole routine in a ballroom hold.” Bruno disagreed, and Len sniped, “You can’t disagree with the facts.” Bruno said, “It was a very creative interpretation of the Fox Trot.” Carrie Ann told Emmitt, “I’m gonna get nitpicky with you. Watch your arms. And you’ve gotta pop your moves, too. You’re almost too smooth.”
Judges’ Scores: Carrie Ann…8, Len…8, Bruno…9 = 25/30

Intermission

Before the start of the Latin Round, viewers were treated to a package of clips about the many commitments in the celebrities’ lives. There are after-show interviews, charity events, jobs, and hours spent with families. And almost every waking moment in between is dedicated to practicing the dances.

But there are certain benefits to committing so much time to the show. Emmitt said, “My recognition has been off the charts… for dancing! Who’d’ve thunk it?”

Mario said, “The most difficult thing for me is to juggle everything I have going on. But at the end, it’s all worth it.”

Latin Round

Joey Lawrence & Edyta Sliwinska – Paso Doble
I could watch this dance again and again just for the outfits. With a song like “Sympathy for the Devil” by the Rolling Stones, the natural wardrobe choice is…buccaneers? Edyta’s bawdy pirate queen outfit is the best in three seasons. Oh, and the dancing was all right, too.

Bruno said, “The devil wears Paso, and he’s hot as hell tonight. And I’m not just talking about Edyta! You two were playing with each other tonight. It’s finally happening!” Carrie Ann said, “This week you’ve really come into your stride. But watch it; you’re leading with your chest instead of your hips.” Len said, “There was passion, but I thought your arms were a little weak.” Pointing at Edyta, Len said, “You should wear that every week.”
Judges’ Scores: Carrie Ann…9, Len…8, Bruno…9 = 26/30

Mario Lopez & Karina Smirnoff – Samba
Karina wore a mask and a pixie wig for this performance to “Superstitious,” by Stevie Wonder. Karina’s moves were out of sight, and Mario suited her well. It was a fun routine.

Carrie Ann yelled, “Woooo! That was the best. You completely changed it up for this one.” Len said, “You came out an really sold it. Lovely choreography. Each individual step is lovely… But when you combine them all together, it’s not spontaneous. I didn’t feel transported to Mardi Gras.” Bruno yelled, “You’ve never been to Mardi Gras,” to which Len responded, “Oh yes I have!” Of the performance, Bruno said, “Supersonic. Supercharged. Super Mario is at it again!”
Judges’ Scores: Carrie Ann…10, Len…9, Bruno…10 = 29/30

Monique Coleman & Louis van Amstel – Cha Cha Cha
Monique & Louis arrived onstage in grey jumpsuits, which could mean only one thing: they were dancing to “Ghostbusters.” Louis ripped off his jumpsuit to reveal a grey shirt and pants, and then ripped off Monique’s jumpsuit to reveal a Slimer-green outfit. It’s hard not to make a corny routine with this music, and Louis included couple of cheesy moves. But Monique painlessly executed some maneuvers that looked downright whiplash-inducing.

Len said, “It had flair, speed, great rhythm. It was fantastic.” Bruno quipped, “That was cha cha charming. Cheeky, happy, and bright.” Carrie Ann told Monique, “Way to come back and show it to us. You’re usually kind of stomping, but there was something gentle in your footwork.” When they received their scores, Louis pointed out that these were the first 10s he’s earned in three seasons of DwtS.
Judges’ Scores: Carrie Ann…9, Len…10, Bruno…10 = 29/30

Emmitt Smith & Cheryl Burke – Rumba
Dressed all in white, Emmitt & Cheryl danced to the song “Spooky.” Emmitt’s arms were still a little weak, but he more than made up for it with his hip action. It was another high quality performance. During their finishing moves, Cheryl lost both of her earrings.

Bruno told Emmitt, “Man, you know how to play a woman. Nobody can teach you anything. The hip action!” In a compliment to Emmitt, Carrie Ann told Cheryl, “Maybe we should switch positions.” Len said, “The whole routine had class written all over it. Fantastic.” As he raised his paddle, Len said, “I wish I could give an 11.”
Judges’ Scores: Carrie Ann…9, Len…10, Bruno…10 = 29/30

Leaderboard:
1 – Mario & Karina (57/60)
2 – Joey & Edyta, Emmitt & Cheryl (54/60)
4 – Monique & Louis (53/60)

My vote almost went to Joey & Edyta just for Edyta’s pirate outfit. But I had to throw it to Mario & Karina. They really gave the best performances of the night.

Tomorrow night, “operatic pop” (whatever that is) artists Il Divo perform. And Willa Ford makes a return appearance. Maybe she’s become the bad girl of operatic pop.

The four couples left on Dancing with the Stars are pretty evenly matched. Going into Week Eight, who’s got the edge?

4. Monique Coleman & Louis van Amstel
Initially,
I thought that there was no way Monique could go home this week. As the
only female celebrity left, she’s bound to get votes from fans who
don’t want the final two weeks of competition to be a total sausage
fest.

But then I looked at the number of views for each of the
videos of last week’s dances at YouTube. Monique & Louis trail the
other remaining couples by a significant margin. That’s a good
indication that a) their dances weren’t memorable enough for viewers to
want to watch a second time or share with others, or b) they’re not
very popular.

The judges haven’t helped them either. Of the
remaining couples, Monique & Louis were the only pair not to earn a
single 10 last week.

Monique & Louis spent last week in the
Bottom Two. Heading into this week’s competition, they’re the most
vulnerable team left.

3. Joey Lawrence & Edyta Sliwinska
Joey’s
been on an upswing since that body language interpreter told him to
stop compulsively licking his lips. Last week, he & Edyta tied with
Emmitt & Cheryl for the highest combined scores for their two
dances. Also, videos of Joey & Edyta’s dances have been viewed
virtually the same number of times as Mario & Karina’s.

Joey’s
closing in on Mario’s role as the viewers’ favorite
child-star-turned-hunk. He’s not there yet, but he should survive this
week.

2. Mario Lopez & Karina Smirnoff
The
king of the mountain has been supplanted, and this may just be the
beginning of the fall. Last week, Mario & Karina’s two dances
scored a total of one point less than those of Joey & Edyta and
Emmitt & Cheryl. That’s not a statistically significant margin, but
it offers evidence that Mario is beatable, even on a good night.

During
their last few routines, Mario has seemed to fade into the background,
as Karina has assumed the spotlight. Their dancing is still great, and
they won’t go home this week. But they’d better put the focus back on
Mario’s dancing skills, if they want to secure a spot in the finale.

1. Emmitt Smith & Cheryl Burke
They’re
scoring 10s from the judges, and their videos are by far the most
popular at YouTube. Unless the wheels fall off, Emmitt & Cheryl are
a lock for the finale. It’s too soon to say if they’ll win, but that
outcome is looking more likely with each performance.

Other DwtS News:
Information on the Dancing with the Stars Tour is available at ABC’s website. Tickets for most tour dates go on sale Saturday, November 4.

As we get closer to the November 15 finale, the oddsmakers still have Mario Lopez as the favorite to win. He was the preseason favorite, too.

Emmitt Smith
has vowed to take over duties as the show’s resident jester, now that
Jerry Springer’s gone. “It’s been a blessing to be around the man and
have the chance to get to know him on a personal basis,” Emmitt said.

Kentuckians David & Mary survived for another week on The Amazing Race by lucking into this season’s second non-elimination leg. Just what do these two have to do to get kicked off?

Teams left Kuwait City for Mauritius, with a stopover at Heathrow.
Some couples had a hard time believing that the fastest way to go from
the Middle East to an island off the east coast of Africa was via
London. Kandice actually asked the ticketing agent, “What country is that in? India?”

She
and Dustin waited in line, with Lyn & Karlyn and Tyler & James
behind them, in that order. The Beauty Queens asked the agents to print
tickets for the male models before assisting the Alabama moms.

Karlyn was enraged, arguing first with Dustin & Kandice,
and then with Tyler. Lyn and James stayed mum. Tyler & James got
their tickets first, and Karlyn reminded the agent that he was going to
have to live with the knowledge that he’d let the boys cut in line.

Upon
arriving in Mauritius, teams found a model ship in each of their cars,
with instructions that read, “Swim to me.” Couples drove across the island
to a marina, where, to receive their next clue, they had to swim out to
the actual boat on which their model was based.

As has been a
pattern for them, Tyler & James got lost. They’d left the airport
first, yet arrived at the marina just as the slowest teams (Lyn &
Karlyn and David & Mary) were swimming back from the boat. The
Models made up a good chunk of their deficit in the water, nearly
catching up with the others.

Holding fast to the their alliance, the Cho
brothers waited onshore for Lyn, Karlyn, Mary, and David. And all three
teams drove toward their next destination in a convoy, just ahead of
Tyler & James.

The teams drove 49 miles to the post office at Case Noyale,
on the island’s west coast. Along, the way, Rob, who’d been following
the Beauty Queens, missed a turn, and then stalled his car at a
stoplight. As traffic built up behind him on the one-lane road, he did
what anyone would do in his position — got out of the car and walked
away.

Some fellow drivers helped push the car off to the side of
the road, and Rob & Kimberly were forced to wait for a new vehicle.
They watched the “Six-Pack” — as the Chos, the ‘Bama Girls, and David & Mary called themselves — drive by.

But
Rob & Kimberly weren’t the only team with car troubles. A
distracted Dustin rear-ended a stopped bus. She lost time, as she
filled out police reports about the accident.

Thought the front of their car was a little (okay, a lot) worse for wear, Dustin & Kandice were still first to the post office. The next clue was the episode’s Detour: Salt or Sea.

In
Salt, teams drove two miles to a salt pan. There, they searched three
enormous piles of salt for a salt shaker with a clue hidden inside.
Decoy shakers hidden in the pile were filled with pepper.

In
Sea, teams walked to a nearby dock and chose a captain to ferry them to
an island, just under a mile away. Using a treasure map, teams searched
the island for a sail, walked it back to their boat, attached it to
their boat’s mast, and sailed back to shore.

Dustin & Kandice
chose Sea, using the boat ride as an opportunity to lay out and tan.
Their treasure map wasn’t very specific, so it took them longer than
they’d expected to find the sails.

Meanwhile, all of the other
teams had elected to search the piles of salt, including the last team
to arrive, Rob & Kimberly. Once they saw how large the piles of
salt were, they reasoned that, even if they switched tasks, they’d
still beat at least one of the salt-searching teams. They immediately
headed back to their car and drove to the Sea Detour.

“There’s no way all the other teams are going to find [their clues] at the same time,” Rob said.

One
by one, the other teams followed Rob & Kimberly’s lead, giving up
on Salt. David resisted switching tasks, even though the other teams in
his alliance had left. He insisted, “I don’t quit in the middle of something.”

Eventually, Mary persuaded him to go with the group, but by the time they set out in their boat, Dustin & Kandice were already returning to shore with their clue.

The Beauty Queens drove to the Pit Stop at Chateau Bel Ombre, where they were awarded motorscooters
for finishing in first place. Noting that the scooters can accommodate
a passenger, Phil said, “You guys can take a date out if you want.”
Dustin asked if Phil would be her date. Wrong show, Dustin. Jeff Probst is the host who dates show contestants.

Rob
& Kimberly found their sail next, but a wrong turn on the way to
the Pit Stop allowed Tyler & James to pass them and finish in
second place. Rob & Kimberly finished in third.

The three
teams of the Six-Pack met up on the island and found their sails
together. While driving to the Pit Stop, Lyn & Karlyn got sick of
waiting for the Chos to explain the directions to David & Mary, and they sped on ahead.

The Chos
followed them, and David & Mary were supposed to follow the
brothers. But, without constant handholding, the Kentuckians took a
wrong turn.

Lyn & Karlyn and Erwin & Godwin reached the
Pit Stop at the same time, and the brothers easily beat the single moms
in a footrace. When David & Mary arrived at the Pit Stop, they
wandered around confused, before finally finding Phil.

Instead
of eliminating them, Phil told David & Mary that this was the
second non-elimination leg, and that they were still in the race.

As
on the previous non-elimination leg, when they also finished last,
David & Mary were “marked for elimination.” They need to finish in
first place on the next leg, or they’ll incur a 30-minute penalty.

Next
week, a new challenge is added to the Race: the Intersection, in which
two teams must work together to complete a task. That means someone
will have to team up with the scheming Beauty Queens.

This week’s Survivor: Cook Islands
was a recap of the first six episodes, with a few new scenes mixed in.
Here’s a brief listing of the new scenes, and where they fit into the
season’s prior episodes.

Episode One

New Scene:
At Hiki on Day 1, the tribe repeatedly tried to launch their boat to go
fishing. They couldn’t get it five feet offshore before Sekou tipped it
over — every single time.

The entire tribe laughed at their own
ineptitude. Sundra said, “We have an excuse. Our people had a really
bad experience with boats.”

New Scene: During Day 2 at Raro, Candice and Adam rowed out to catch some fish. The skies soon darkened, and the currents got rough.

Adam
and Candice got out of the boat and stood on a sandbar for hours,
shivering and holding each other for warmth. Finally, they swam back to
the tribe’s island, leaving their boat behind on the sandbar.

Parvati
said that, when Adam and Candice returned — “shivering and purple” —
she was worried about them. But once she knew they were all right,
she found herself more concerned about the boat.

New Scene: At Aitu, Billy tried playing the social game immediately. He walked alone with J.P. and promised him, “Me and you to the end.”

Soon
afterward, Billy approached the women and told them he wanted to align
with them, and that getting rid of J.P. was a priority.

New Scene: At
Hiki, the tribe talked about losing the first challenge. Rebecca, Nate,
and Sundra wondered if losing meant they would be viewed as having let
down their race.

Voted Out: Sekou.
Select Final Words: “Nate warned me.”

Episode Two

New Scene: At
Puka on Day 3. Cao Boi and Yul discussed their heritage. Cao Boi said
that most people — even other Asians — assume he’s Japanese.

Cao
Boi told Yul that, once the tribes merged, he was confident that the
Asians would stick together until the end. “That’s going to be the
difference between our culture and others.”

Voted Out: Billy.
Select Final Words: “It was never about the money.”

Episode Three

New Scene: Day
6, Exile Island. Yul found the Hidden Immunity Idol and wanted to cover
his tracks. He tore up the clue that helped him find the Idol, and then
he got rid of the box in which the Idol had been buried, sending it out
to sea. “I don’t want the box lying around on the island.”

New Scenes (from various episodes): In
his second trip to Exile Island, Jonathan looked for the Idol in all
the right places — though Yul already had it. Jonathan finally gave
up, and started thinking about other issues. “I could use a toothbrush
real bad.”

During her stay at Exile Island, Candice dug a large grid of straight lines, to no avail.

When Adam went to Exile Island, he had no plan at all. He said, “Right now I’m just, kind of, digging wherever.”

New Scene: Once
the tribes combined, Parvati mingled and flirted with the all the men.
Rebecca said, “The guys love her… She’s entertainment for them.”

Parvati agreed with Rebecca, saying, “What else are they going to think about?”

Voted Out: Cecilia.
Select Final Words: “Those people missed out.”

Episode Four

New Scene: At Raro, Stephannie sang “Amazing Grace.”

New Scene: After
it seemed like Stephannie was the next to go, the women approached Nate
with their plan to vote out J.P. Nate’s response: “Oh! No. No. No. You
guys are stupid.”

New Scene: Before
Tribal Council, J.P. hugged Stephannie and said goodbye, as he thought
it was a foregone conclusion that she was going. To his tribemates,
J.P. said, “I think this will be the hardest vote ever.”

Voted Out: J.P.
Select Final Words: “Everyone that I trusted…ended up not working out for me.”

Episode Five

New Scene: Raro won some spices and wine at the Reward Challenge. That night, Nate said, “We got some wine. We’re gettin’ our fade on.”

The
tribe sat around the fire and shared the booze. After only a few sips,
Stephannie swayed drunkenly and tipped over. Parvati said, “She’s
talking nonsense and almost passing out. It’s really cute.” (Drunk
Stephannie sounds a lot like my two-year-old niece, after eight p.m.)

New Scene: At
Aitu, Ozzy couldn’t get Jenny, Becky, or Sundra to come fishing with
him. Candice said she wanted to sit on the beach, and not go back out
into the cold water. “I only get one-eighth of the fish that I catch,”
Ozzy groused.

Cao Boi said the women’s lazy ways would come back to haunt them. “Watch out. There’s a knife poised at your back at all times.”

Voted out: Stephannie.
Select Final Words: “What took me out of the game was the emotional aspect of missing my family.”

Episode Six

New Scene: After
a Tribal Council in which her tribemates called her out for being
bossy, Cristina told Jenny and Adam, “I’m not a robot.” Jenny played
nice, but Adam vowed to keep calling people out on their bad behavior.

Voted Out: Cao Boi.
Select Final Words: “I thought [the other Asians’] parents had taught them…about not screwing someone over.”

Voted Out: Cristina.
Select Final Words: “I would do it all over again.” Well, you can’t.

Next week: Nate’s temporary tribe membership causes stress for Aitu. Ozzy catches more fish. And there’s a storm at Exile Island.

Finally, Jerry Springer gets to relax. He was eliminated at the end of this week’s Dancing with the Stars Results Show.

Recapping
last night’s performances, Kym was most impressed by Jerry’s Mambo
outfit. “I got myself an old hottie,” she said proudly.

And Joey
was moved when Bruno said that Gene Kelly would’ve been pleased with
his “Singin’ in the Rain” routine. Joey said, “It felt good in a real
deep part of my body.”

The judges had a tough decision regarding
who would receive the encore. “We were absolutely spoiled for choice,”
Len said.They awarded the encore to the only dance to receive a perfect
score from Len: Emmitt & Cheryl’s Mambo. “Two of us gave him a ten,
and one of us gave him a nine…Bruno.” The routine was just as
shimmy-riffic the second time around.

Then it was time for this
evening’s promotional, er, musical guest to perform. Martina McBride —
who, coincidentally, will perform at the Country Music Awards
on ABC in a few weeks — performed her 2003 hit, “This One’s For the
Girls.” Some unspecified dancers performed a routine behind Martina.

As
Martina and crew left the floor, Samantha spoke with some of the
celebrities backstage about all of the 10s awarded last night. Emmitt
said, “To get a 10 from Len is unexpected. It felt great.” Monique was
upbeat, despite not earning a 10 herself: “Everyone who got a 10 last
night deserved it. I’ll strive for one next week.”

When asked if he was disappointed with his scores from the judges, Jerry said, “They can’t give me a 10.”

Last
night’s studio audience had opinions about the scoring as well. In
regard to the 9 that Bruno gave Emmitt’s Mambo, Food Network star
Rachel Ray said, “He got so ripped off.”

Another audience member fell hard for Joey: “Love that bald head. Wanna rub it.” And some had plans for Jerry after he left DwtS: “Jerry should be the poster boy for AARP.”

Then the first safe couples were announced, and, to nobody’s surprise, they were Mario & Karina and Emmitt & Cheryl.

The
highlight of the night was a performance by some of Maksim’s students,
including his younger brother, Valentin. The students did a Cha Cha to
Michael Jackson’s “Billie Jean,” complete with some sweet moonwalking.
Corey Feldman is so jealous.

After the performance, Samantha
checked in with the two safe couples. She asked Mario if he was
concerned that the other couples were gaining momentum. “We’ve been
concerned since day one,” he replied.

Samantha asked Emmitt if
he and Cheryl had saved their strong routines to get higher scores
later in the competition. Emmitt said, “We’ve come out every week trying to get a good score.”

Then it was time for an update on Tysonia, the Slim-Fast lady. She visited the DwtS
studios to meet the contestants. She got dancing tips from Kym, Karina,
and Cheryl, and Max dipped her. The visit was inspiration for Tysonia’s
Paso Doble, which she performed in front of strangers at a pedestrian
mall.

Martina McBride returned for her second performance of the
evening, this time accompanied by Edyta and her fiance, Season One champ,
Alec Mazo. Edyta looked about as country as a Polish-born ballroom
queen possibly can — wearing a cowboy hat, chaps-like leg warmers, and
an outfit best described as a cowgirl bikini.

During the song,
the cameras spent a bit too much time focused on Martina, and Edyta
& Alec were nowhere to be seen. It was an unfortunate reminder
that, sometimes, its more important for networks to cross-promote their other shows than it is for them to promote the show that’s actually being aired.

The performance was followed by some behind-the-scenes video clips, featuring the men of DwtS.
When he signed up for the show, Mario’s biggest concern was that he
wouldn’t look masculine. Joey’s brother’s teased him initially, but now
they ask him for dancing tips. “I’ll teach you how to do a ‘Cucaracha,’
fellas,” Joey promised.

The male celebs were happy to learn that the male pros were regular guys. They all sat together during lunch and watched ESPN.

Emmitt’s
developed a stock response to guys who suggest that real men don’t
dance. Emmitt said, “Real men try to do things that they think they
cannot do.”

In another clip package, some stars from the two previous DwtS
seasons offered their thoughts on having to learn two dances in one
week. Jerry Rice said, “I can really relate to Jerry Springer. I was
like, you mean I have to learn two dances?”

Lisa Rinna admitted that two dances put stress on the pro/celeb relationship: “Louis and I hated each other!”

Jerry Rice said, “You can compare it to football. You get in the playoffs, and you have one bad game… It’s over.”

Before revealing which couples were in the Bottom Two, Samantha announced that the DwtS Tour information is now available online.
The couples on the tour will be Willa & Max, Joey & Edyta,
Harry & Ashly, Cheryl & Drew, Lisa & Louis, and Joey
McIntyre dancing with Kym (Ashly was his original partner in Season
One).

Then, the Bottom Two were announced: Jerry & Kym and
Monique & Louis. The fans had heeded Jerry’s request to vote for
the competitors, so he was sent home.

As Jerry shook the hands
of the judges, and the crowd cheered, Tom observed, “I would expect
they’re cheering a different Jerry Springer than they thought they knew
seven weeks ago.”

Jerry looked at the camera and said, “Thank you for letting me go home.”

Then
he got a little emotional. “I hope everyone has a moment in life
where…,” and Jerry turned away as he started to cry. He continued,
“This show and this floor belong to people who really can dance.”

Kym said of Jerry, “I’ve had so much fun. He’s just the nicest man I’ve ever met. He’s been able to do pretty much every dance.”

Jerry
told Kym that he and his wife “already have the greatest daughter in
the world. But, if Katie would have a sister, Micki and I would adopt
you.”

Tom asked if Katie called Jerry after last night’s
performance. Jerry said, “She calls every week to say, ‘I love you, but
I’m coming to take you home.'”

Jerry hesitated as the band
started to play “My Way,” and Kym urged him to the dance floor. Jerry
grabbed a mic, pointed to the other celebs, and said of Kym, “She came
all the way from Australia. Let her dance at least one dance with one
of these guys.”

But Kym got her way, and she and Jerry danced
for a few seconds, before the rest of the competitors came over to hug
the departing couple.

For this week’s Dancing with the Stars
Performance Show, the remaining contestants must have felt like they’d
wandered into the land of a thousand dances. Each couple performed a
pair of routines, before passing out from exhaustion.

The show
was split into two rounds: a Ballroom round, followed by a Latin round.
The scores from both of tonight’s rounds were added to the judges’
scores from last week, for a total possible score of 90 points.

Ballroom Round

Jerry Springer & Kym Johnson – Foxtrot
After
last week’s subpar Paso Doble, Jerry’s daughter Katie called and said,
“Dad, I love you, but you can do better.” So he came back to practice
with a serious demeanor, determined to “give the [Foxtrot] the dignity
it deserves.”

Jerry & Kym looked snazzy dancing to “My Way”
by Frank Sinatra. It was a well-executed, tasteful performance. Dancing
well was the best way for Jerry to show Kym how much he appreciates her
own hard work, and they both looked pleased as they made their way to
the judges’ table.

Len asked Jerry, “Were you proud of yourself
tonight? You should be proud. Tonight, you danced the correct way.”
Bruno said, “It’s like watching Fred Flintstone turn into Fred Astaire.”
Carrie Ann said, “I want to see you come back and do your Latin with
confidence and exuberance.”
Judges’ Scores: Carrie Ann…8, Len…8, Bruno…8 = 24/30

Monique Coleman & Louis van Amstel – Quickstep
Monique
and her High School Musical co-star Ashley Tinsdale had a girls day
out, and they dragged Louis with them. “Never go shopping with women,”
he grumbled.

Dancing to the classic, “Luck Be a Lady,” Monique
executed her holds and kept her posture. It felt like a proper
Quickstep, which was just what the judges were looking for. Louis lost
hold of Monique’s leg during their final pose.

Bruno paused for
dramatic effect and said, “Well…the wild child has turned into a
magic lady tonight. That was sheer elegance.” Carrie Ann addressed the
crowd first, “I don’t know if you all saw that, but she danced half the
routine with her foot stuck in her dress. If you hadn’t stumbled, it
would’ve been a 10.” Len said, “There was no luck in that. It was
bright, it was light, it was dynamite.”
Judges’ Scores: Carrie Ann…9, Len…9, Bruno…9 = 27/30

Emmitt Smith & Cheryl Burke – Waltz
Cheryl
& Emmitt had a spa day, complete with pedicure. Emmitt bragged,
“I’ve got the prettiest male toes in all of L.A.” He wasn’t as excited
about practicing the Waltz, though: “It’s boring!” But Cheryl enjoyed
their rehearsals, saying “Emmitt looks like a ballerina.”

They danced to “Hushabye Mountain” from the film Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.
It was a lovely, smooth performance. Emmitt’s hand and arm movements
looked pretty polished — especially for an ex-football player.

Carrie
Ann said, “Amazing. I was mesmerized by your footwork.” Len called the
performance, “Lovely jubbly. There was a harmony between you. But
sometimes, when you’re apart, your arms are a little bit wooden.” Bruno
called Emmitt “the lord of the manor.”
Judges’ Scores: Carrie Ann…10, Len…9, Bruno…9 = 28/30

Mario Lopez & Karina Smirnoff – Foxtrot
Learning
two dances at the same time made Mario grumpy and difficult to work
with. “We hope it’s going to come together,” Karina said.

Karina
wore a blond wig as the couple danced to Marilyn Monroe’s “I Wanna be
Loved by You.” Karina channeled Marilyn, blowing kisses to the judges
during the routine. Mario might as well have been anybody, because
Karina stole the show.

Bruno praised “the playboy and the sex
kitten. That was delicious entertainment.” Carrie Ann said, “You both
were fantastic.” Len said, “I can’t believe we’re seeing such a high
standard of dancing tonight, considering that you’re doing two dances.
But I have to say, it’s the first time I’ve seen a Foxtrot without one
heel lead.” Bruno voiced his disagreement with a loud, “Oooooh!”
Judges’ Scores: Carrie Ann…10, Len…9, Bruno…10 = 29/30

Joey Lawrence & Edyta Sliwinska – Foxtrot
Joey
was excited to be dancing to “Singin’ in the Rain.” He loves the movie,
and Gene Kelly is one of his heroes. So, Edyta took Joey to practice on
the lot where the movie was filmed, and then sprayed him with a garden
hose for the proper effect.

Dancing with an umbrella as a prop,
Joey & Edyta spent lots of time apart at beginning of the routine.
It was a very lively dance, and they broke twice in the middle for more
of Joey’s tap moves — reminiscent of his first week in the
competition. Though Joey and Edyta danced apart for much of the
routine, it looked like they were truly having fun.

Len told
Joey, “You’re a great ballroom dancer, but as with Mario, no heels, all
balls.” Bruno said, “That was a great tribute to a Hollywood legend.”
Carrie Ann added, “That was flawless.”
Judges’ Scores: Carrie Ann…10, Len…9, Bruno…10 = 29/30

Latin Round

Jerry Springer & Kym Johnson – Mambo
As
expected, Jerry’s 64-year-old hips were pretty stationary. But the
routine was worth watching just for Kym and her killer dress. She’s
been a real asset to the cast, and I hope she returns for season four.
At the end of the dance, Jerry challenged the judges, “How ’bout them
hips?”

Carrie told Jerry, “You’re a joy to watch, but you’re not
on the same level as everyone else.” Len said, “I don’t care if it’s
not up to the standards of the others. You’ve brought so much joy to
the show.” Bruno speculated, “I don’t think the public will let you go
on vacation. You make us laugh. It’s great to have you.”

When he
received his scores, Jerry said, “It shows how professional they are.
They say such nice things, and then give me the lowest scores. It shows
they have integrity.”
Judges’ Scores: Carrie Ann…7, Len…8, Bruno…7 = 22/30

Monique Coleman & Louis van Amstel – Paso Doble
Monique
& Louis had the misfortune of dancing to the only inappropriate
song of the night: “The Reflex,” by Duran Duran. The song really
distracted from the dancing, but from what I remember, Monique was a
good cape.

Len said, “I think you produced two great
performances tonight. Apart from a few underarm turns, you did great.”
Bruno told Monique, “You’re a tough cookie tonight.” Carrie Ann said,
“You have to represent the women, and you did tonight. But you
overpowered yourself a bit at the end.”
Judges’ Scores: Carrie Ann…9, Len…9, Bruno…9 = 27/30

Emmitt Smith & Cheryl Burke – Mambo
Emmitt
shimmied like no man has ever shimmied before. He and Cheryl were so
comfortable on the dance floor, it almost didn’t feel like a calculated
routine; it just looked like two people dancing and having fun. At
times, Emmitt and Cheryl looked like they were about to break out
laughing, yet they missed hardly a step.

Bruno said, “The beast
is unleashed. If you keep going like this, God knows what’s going to
happen.” Carrie Ann upgraded Emmitt from “Twinkle Toes” to “Sir
Shimmy.” Len said, “Of every dance I’ve seen this whole season, that
was the best.” The crowd, hoping for a perfect score, booed Bruno when
he raised his “9” paddle.
Judges’ Scores: Carrie Ann…10, Len…10, Bruno…9 = 29/30

Mario Lopez & Karina Smirnoff – Jive
Mario
& Karina danced to a slightly slow version of “Shake a Tail
Feather.” It looked like the music’s pace forced them to hold back, and
they could have danced much faster. Karina’s legs still managed to look
fabulous.

Carrie Ann complimented the couple on their “great
synchronization. I felt you seemed a bit uncertain at the beginning.”
Len said,”It had vitality. The only little thing… Sometimes when
you’re holding your partners hand, [your other] hand is hanging like a
bit of cotton from a knicker leg. But apart from that, I loved it.”
Bruno declared, “It was another crowd pleaser from the great teaser.”
Judges’ Scores: Carrie Ann…9, Len…9, Bruno…9 = 27/30

Joey Lawrence & Edyta Sliwinska – Mambo
Joey
& Edyta danced to the song, “Mambo No. 5.” The performance was very
entertaining, even if it did end with Joey’s face suggestively planted
in Edyta’s stomach. When compared to Emmitt’s Mambo, Joey’s arms looked
a little stiff. But he still managed put those arms to good use,
executing some tricky moves.

Carrie Ann told Joey, “That’s the
first time I saw you loosen up and have a good time.” Bruno said, “You
were the only one who did all the underarm passes.” Len told Joey, “I
was impressed with your hips. You gave it a bit of welly.”
Judges’ Scores: Carrie Ann…9, Len…9, Bruno…10 = 28/30

Leaderboard:
1 – Mario (84/90)
2 – Emmitt – (82/90)
3 – Joey (81/90)
4 – Monique (77/90)
5 – Jerry (64/90)

My
vote went to Emmitt & Cheryl. Of all of the men left in the
competition, Emmitt’s the only one who’s not being outshined by his
partner. That’s a credit to him, for being able to keep up with Cheryl.
And it’s a credit to Cheryl, for tailoring the routine to her partner’s
strengths, rather than trying to cover up his deficiencies with her own
flashy moves.

Imee DuBose, a friend of Cheryl Burke and webmaster of Cheryl’s official website, StrictlyCheryl.com, was in the audience for a recent Performance Show. Imee graciously agreed to write a couple articles about the experience.

In Part One, Imee told us what happens before and during the show. In this article, she gives us a glimpse of the after-show happenings.

The
wild applause that peaked during Tom and Samantha’s sign-off starts
to settle down. The celebrities and professional dancers disperse
across the dance floor and suddenly look relaxed, as their adrenalin
subsides to normal levels.

The cameras’ work is done for the
night, and their red on-the-air lights have switched off. Studio lights
turn on to bring us back from Reality TV to reality.

Ushers
direct most of the audience toward the studio exit doors. Some
attendees stay behind to provide the commentary that is included in
Wednesday’s Results Show. The families and friends of the dancers
converge on the dance floor, expressing congratulations on a job well
done.

Soon, an army of television news reporters (with their
cameras) and print media reporters (with their notepads) enter the
studio. Shanna Moakler is among them. She has gone from DwtS contestant to Entertainment Tonight correspondent.

As they do each week, the media take their assigned spaces on the dance
floor, behind a white, chain-linked rope. The dancing couples take their
place on the opposite side and are interviewed by one reporter after
another, moving down the line until they arrive back at the reporter
with whom they started.

In all, there are about twenty reporters
and cameras snapping away, and I can’t imagine answering the same
questions twenty times. “How do you think you did out there?” Monosyllabic answers are not allowed.

I can’t help but feel for
the female dancers, who must stand for all that time in their dancing
heels. It reminds me of the old adage: “Beauty before pain.” More power
to them, as they smile and interview for what probably seems like
forever.

As she waits to speak with the next reporter, I have a
chance to tell Kym Johnson — who is very nice and has a beautiful
smile — what great choreography she did for her Samba with Jerry
Springer.

VIPs with green bracelets are allowed access to The
Green Room (hence the color of the bracelet). Many start heading there
while the interviews are going on. It’s on the third floor of the
studio, and even though it’s called The Green Room, it’s not actually
green.

Tonight, I call it the “Green Salad Room,” because it is
a toss up of who is in here. Typically, the celebs and professional
dancers show up later, while their invited guests, the DwtS crew, and
those lucky enough to sneak past the security without a green bracelet,
get to eat and drink something. (Our audience participation started at
3 p.m. — four hours ago. Feed us!)

It’s Mario’s birthday
tonight, which influenced the food being served: taquitos, chips,
guacamole, and other south-of-the-border finger foods. The victuals go
quickly. By the time he gets back here, I’ll be surprised if there’s
any left for Mario.

The bar is well stocked with everything but
hard liquor, and the servers are kind and attentive. There are
barstools and tall, round tables, but all of them are occupied. There
are some big, comfortable looking couches, but those are taken, too.

One
of the great things about the Green Room is an opportunity to watch the
“six degrees of separation” theory at play. Everyone is very friendly
with one another — because we all know someone (or know someone who
knows someone) on the show, or we wouldn’t be in the room. We’re all
part of the extended DwtS family.

Cheryl
and Emmitt make their way into the room, alongside Carrie Ann Inaba.
It’s 8 o’clock: the beginning of prime time on the West Coast. The
three television sets in the Green Salad Room switch on, and we turn
our heads to watch the familiar DwtS opening. It’s the studio
audience’s turn to be the television audience!

In a reversal of last week’s first and last place finishers, David
& Mary finished in first, and Peter & Sarah came in last. But
getting eliminated from The Amazing Race wasn’t all bad — Sarah’s not stuck with Peter anymore.

Teams left Chennai, India, for Kuwait City, Kuwait, arriving on the same connection from Mumbai. The couples drove to the Kuwait Towers where they found their first clue, which held instructions for both a Roadblock and this season’s first Fast Forward.

The
Fast Forward was especially important for David & Mary, who needed
to reach the Pit Stop first to avoid a 30-minute penalty (the price for
finishing last in the previous week’s non-elimination leg).

To
dissuade other teams attempting the Fast Forward, Erwin & Godwin
pretended that they were going for it, along with David & Mary. The
other five teams could then feel secure that they were in no danger
this episode, as whichever of the two Fast Forward-seeking teams failed
to get it would likely be too far behind to catch up with the pack.

Erwin
& Godwin walked to the parking lot with David & Mary. The
Kentucky couple drove off, and the Cho brothers waited a few moments in
order to give their alliance-mates a head start. The Chos then went
back up the tower and rejoined the other teams, pretending that they’d
decided, at the last minute, to attempt the Roadblock instead.

For
the Roadblock, one team member climbed a service ladder on the Tower’s
exterior, 610 feet above the ground. At the top, the Roadblockers
retrieved satchels full of puzzle pieces, which they brought back to
the ground to assemble. As Sarah climbed the ladder, Peter cheered on
his “Bionic Spider-Woman.”

Once assembled, the puzzle revealed
the location of their next clue — written in Arabic. Tyler finished
his puzzle first, and then asked a local man to read the location and
give him directions. Other teams followed suit, although the quality of
information varied depending on which local they asked.

Lyn
& Karlyn were asking a couple of men for directions when they
noticed the Beauty Queens approaching. “Don’t help them,” the Alabama
mothers told the men, grabbing their arms and pulling them away.

One
of the men did help Dustin & Kandice, but they were upset by Lyn
& Karlyn’s actions. “It’s tough when you have The Sistahs being big
pigs,” Kandice said. In their car, Lyn and Karlyn felt that it wasn’t
fair that the Beauty Queens had gotten to use the same local help that
they had.

Erwin & Godwin, who were in last place after the
diversion they’d caused for David & Mary, made up ground by getting
a police escort to the next clue’s location: a bead shop in a local
market. “I have a whole new respect for law enforcement,” Godwin said.

Meanwhile,
David & Mary reached their Fast Forward. They donned fire-retardant
gear and, walking behind a fireproof shield, retrieved a clue from a
box next to an oil fire.

As she inched toward the fire and its
1000 degree heat, Mary said, “Maybe Steven Seagal will see me and want
me to be in one of his movies.” They got their clue, which directed
them to drive to the Pit Stop, near the Al-Sidiq Water Towers.

David
& Mary drove to the Pit Stop, where Phil informed them that they
were the first team to arrive and had won a trip to Jamaica. Their
enthusiasm was somewhat muted, as they worried that Erwin &
Godwin’s generous act may have cost them the race.

Meanwhile,
the other teams scoured a crowded street, looking for the Race flag
signifying the shop in which they’d receive their next clue. Tyler
& James found the bead shop first, and a man behind the counter
gave them their next clue. It was a Detour: Manual or Automatic.

In
Manual, teams drove to an outdoor facility that manufactured camel
feed. Each team needed to fill ten 110-lb. bags of feed, carry them to
a pallet, and stack them — all to the foreman’s satisfaction.

In Automatic, teams drove to a camel racing track. There, they needed to strap a voice-activated robot jockey
to a camel’s back. On commands sent via a walkie talkie, the robot
jockey whipped the camel. Once the camel crossed the finish line, teams
received their next clue.

Teams made their choice between Detour
options, but the tasks themselves weren’t what separated the pack.
Nearly every team got lost driving around Kuwait City. Tyler &
James watched their lead disappear as they failed to get clear
directions to the site of the Manual task.

Rob & Kimberly
arrived at Manual, first, with Dustin & Kandice right on their
heels. The Beauty Queens filled and stacked their bags remarkably
quickly, only to discover that their bags weren’t full enough. They
redid much of their work, as Rob & Kimberly finished and Erwin
& Godwin arrived.

Dustin & Kandice out-navigated Rob & Kimberly to the Pit Stop, winning the race for second place.

Lyn
& Karlyn were the first to the Automatic Detour. They strapped a
robot jockey to their camel and yelled, “Go, camel, go!” to activate
the robot’s automatic whip. This was one of the rare occasions when the
less physically demanding task was also the quickest.

Lyn &
Karlyn arrived at the Pit Stop in fourth place. The Cho brothers,
certain that their earlier good deed would go punished, were stunned to
hear Phil tell them they were in fifth place, and not eliminated.

Peter
& Sarah, the third team to reach the market, had the worst luck of
any of the teams. After thinking they were irrevocably lost, Peter
spotted a red-and-yellow Race arrow along the road. He laughed and
congratulated himself repeatedly for spotting the arrow. Unfortunately,
the arrow eventually led them to the long-completed Fast Forward — not
to a Detour location.

After receiving a string of bad
directions, Tyler & James abandoned their plans to shovel camel
feed and, instead, drove to the camel racing track. They ran alongside
their camel, yelling, “Whoa, wait for us!” They reached the Pit Stop in
sixth place.

Peter & Sarah were still lost. Eventually, they
drove all the way back to the Kuwait Towers. There, a man offered to
lead them to the Manual Detour. Somehow, they wound up in the parking
lot of a grocery store.

When they finally found the camel feed facility, the sun had set. At the Pit Stop, Phil informed them they’d been eliminated.

Phil
asked what they’d learned about each other on the race, and Peter
announced that he and Sarah had broken up. “I think Sarah and I both
realize we’re good friends. We don’t really balance each other very
well.”

Sarah was more blunt: “He’s not a very nurturing individual.” She vowed to find someone better.

Next
week: Tensions escalate between Dustin & Kandice and Lyn &
Karlyn. And Dustin crashes the Beauty Queens’ vehicle into a bus. I
guess an Indian driving test only improves your skills so much.

Last week’s non-elimination episode of Dancing with the Stars
revealed who’s most likely to be eliminated this week, and who are we
at MOIB to disagree? At this point in the competition, there aren’t too
many surprises in the weekly Power Rankings.

5. Jerry Springer & Kym Johnson
Jerry’s
literally told his fans to stop voting for him. And, with last week’s
ridiculous Paso Doble, he’s told them figuratively, as well. I’ve
enjoyed watching Jerry on the show, but as he’s said more than once,
“It’s time.”

4. Joey Lawrence & Edyta Sliwinska
Spending
time in the Bottom Two alongside Jerry was a real wake-up call for Joey
& Edyta. But with the competition this tight, I’m not sure if
there’s much they can do to make it to the finals. They should squeak
through this week, but they need to be absolutely perfect after that.

3. Monique Coleman & Louis van Amstel
Monique vented in the Week 6 Unaired Confessionals video
that the judges have scored her more harshly than they have her male
competitors. Looking back at her scores, compared to those of the men,
she may be on to something. If only two couples will participate in the
finals, Monique may have a tough time garnering the fan support she
needs to overcome the judges’ scores and make it to the final week of competition.

2. Emmitt Smith & Cheryl Burke
Emmitt
has no fan support issues, which is why he has yet to face the red
glare of the Bottom Two lights. He’s popular and charming, and he’s got
the partner who best knows how to make magic from the producers’ strange song selections. I’ll be shocked if Emmitt and Cheryl
aren’t in the finals, and that’s the only week they need to win.

1. Mario Lopez & Karina Smirnoff
Based
solely on the number of people who’ve viewed the YouTube video of Mario
& Karina’s most recent dance, you may want to bet the house on
them. As of today, their video had received over four times as many
views as their closest competitors, Emmitt & Cheryl.

Mario just needs to keep things status quo until the finale (without making it seem like he’s coasting, of course). Once
there, he and Karina have the talent and athleticism to perform a
Freestyle routine that all but dares fans not to vote for them. It’s
obvious they have the highest skill level, so it will be all about the
routine.

The Freestyle’s choreography is what sunk Stacy &
Tony last season — and what helped lock up the victory for Drew &
Cheryl. I have a feeling that, like Cheryl last season, Karina won’t go
conservative. So Mario’s in a great position to win.

More DwtS News:
In an interview with AOL, Cheryl confirms that she and Drew Lachey will be a part of the upcoming Dancing with the Stars tour. Maksim’s rep has published the tour schedule at Max’s site.

Speaking of Max, he and Willa Ford aren’t doing much to put rumors about their alleged romance to rest.

In the Sara Evans divorce case, her husband, Craig Schelske,
denies many of the charges made against him. He claims that Sara was
the one guilty of cheating. According to Schelske, he learned of her
affair on October 11 — the same night the couple was seen arguing in a
restaurant, after Sara’s last Results Show. The woman Sara has accused
of having an affair with Schelske, Alison Clinton, denies any kind of inappropriate relationship.

Neither tribe had immunity this week on Survivor: Cook Islands. Cao Boi and Cristina were the least popular on their respective teams, so they got axed.

The
day after a Tribal Council in which Cristina learned her tribemates all
considered her “annoying,” both the Aitu and Raro tribes were summoned
to a Reward Challenge.

For the challenge, each team selected
three members whose job was to hold on to a post for dear life. In
teams of two, the remaining tribe members tried to pull one opposing
tribe member off a post, through about fifty feet of sand, and
across a goal line. First, women would go against women, then men
against men, and then the women were up again.

The first tribe to drag all three opposing post-holders to their goal line won.

Jeff
told the tribes he had some good news and bad news. The winning team
would enjoy a feast of roast lamb. However, they’d be gorging at Tribal
Council, where both tribes would be voting someone out.

Because
the challenge was physical, and Aitu had an extra man, Cao Boi sat it
out. As it turned out, the challenge was more than just physical. It
may have been the most brutal in show history.

Aitu’s Jessica
and Becky manhandled Raro’s Jenny, yanking her from her post and
hauling her to the goal line, Jenny kicking and squirming the entire
way. Her body took a beating, and so did her swimsuit, which had to be
blurred out at one point.

At the same time, Raro’s Parvati and
Rebecca had little luck wrestling Aitu’s Candice away from her post.
Each time they were able to move her, Candice used her lanky frame to
reach back and grab on to the post.

Once Jenny had been dragged
across Aitu’s goal line, Yul and Jonathan took a crack at Nate. He put
up a good fight, but they were still able to pull him to their goal
before Parvati and Jenny bested Candice.

Perhaps the best fight
of the challenge was Raro’s Cristina versus Jessica and Becky. Early
on, Jessica put Cristina in an illegal choke hold. Cristina’s police
training kicked in, and she pulled Jessica’s hair and shoved her face
into the sand. At times, Jessica’s only recourse was to pin Cristina
down and hope that Becky could pull them both, a few inches at a time.

As
the fight raged, Raro’s Adam and Brad were able to haul Aitu’s Ozzy to
their goal. Ozzy didn’t make things easy, and the three lay in the sand
trying to catch their breath as Parvati & Rebecca went to grab
Sundra, Aitu’s final woman.

Sundra gripped the post with her
legs in a scissor lock, buying her teammates enough time to get
Cristina near the goal. With a final pull, Becky was able to touch
Cristina’s toe to the goal line, earning the win for Aitu.

Both
tribes had time to recover from the challenge and discuss voting
strategy before Tribal Council. Cristina begged the Raro tribe for a
second chance. Nate and Rebecca discussed saving Cristina, and
eliminating Jenny instead.

At Aitu’s camp, Cao Boi awoke from a
weird dream about a shaman woman who told him he needed to apply for an
American Express card. Obviously, it could mean only one thing: Cao Boi
had to come up with a plan to flush out the Hidden Immunity Idol. Rarely
are dreams so literal.

Assuming that Jonathan had the Idol —
because he’d been to Exile Island twice — Cao Boi suggested to Yul
that three people vote for Jonathan and three people vote for Candice.
The tie would force Jonathan or Candice to use the Idol for
self-preservation, and the other would be sent home.

Yul called the plan “ingenious,” but he didn’t comment on its lone flaw: Jonathan and Candice didn’t have the Idol. Yul did.

Jonathan’s
constant shifty glances and secretive ways made the plan, named “Plan
Voodoo” by Cao Boi, appealing to many tribe members. But its source,
the dream, also reinforced the reigning opinion that Cao Boi was off
his rocker.

That opinion was confirmed at Tribal Council, when Yul said, “I can’t say I fully understand him.”

When
asked about his voting strategy, Cao Boi further confused his
tribemates with a chess analogy that didn’t make much sense, until Jeff
Probst correctly interpreted Cao Boi’s plan to “expose the queen” as an
attempt to put the Hidden Immunity Idol into play.

Ultimately,
only Jessica and Cao Boi stuck with Plan Voodoo. Jessica voted for Jonathan,
while the plan’s mastermind voted for Candice. Everyone else voted for
Cao Boi.

In his exit interview, Cao Boi said his only regret in the game was trusting in “the Asian Community.”

Aitu
then moved over to the jury box, as Raro took their seats for Tribal Council.
Before deliberations began, Jeff handed Aitu a pot of greasy lamb
shanks. The members of Raro could do little but watch and lick their
lips.

When asked about the verbal beating she took at the last
Tribal Council, Cristina admitted that it hurt. Brad stood up for her,
saying, “Some things are better left unsaid.”

But Adam refused to let things go, saying, “Her personality just clashes with ours. She can’t change it.”

Before
Raro voted, Jeff gave Aitu the opportunity to kidnap someone from Raro.
That person would be awarded Immunity, share in the lamb feast, and
then become a part of Aitu through the next Reward Challenge. Aitu
kidnapped Nate.

Nate chowed down as Raro cast their votes. Once
they were finished voting, Aitu was sent back to camp, leaving Nate in
the dark about who was voted out from his tribe.

Cristina and
Brad voted for Jenny, but the rest of Raro sided with Adam and voted
for Cristina. Brad looked nervous as the votes were read, a possible
sign that he’s not on the same page with his tribemates.

Of her experience on Survivor, Cristina said, “I met some really good people, and I met some awful people.”

Next week: Jessica says too much about Plan Voodoo in front of Nate, and one survivor spends a stormy night on Exile Island.