'Dancing With the Stars' 2015: Michael Sam Heads Home In Week 4 of Season 20
Last night's edition of "DWTS" brought back its "Most Memorable Year" theme.
— -- Football player Michael Sam, who made headlines this year for being the first openly gay man drafted to the NFL, was voted off ABC’s “Dancing With the Stars” Monday night.
"It was bittersweet," Sam said today on "Good Morning America," alongside his pro partner, Peta Murgatroyd. "That was my best performance but we did get eliminated but I have no regrets."
Sam and Murgatroyd performed an emotional dance Monday to "Not My Father's Son" from the Broadway musical "Kinky Boots. The pair compared the story of the dance to the journey of Sam's relationship with his estranged father, who spoke out against Sam after he came out publicly as a gay man.
"It was a real emotional dance. It was very powerful," Sam said on "GMA." "I’m so glad that I got to share that moment with Peta. She did a great job planning that out and I’m so thankful that I could share that moment with her."
Sam, 25, made headlines last year as the NFL’s first openly gay draft pick when he was selected by the St. Louis Rams. Now a free agent, Sam had been doing double duty by training for the NFL in the morning and then meeting Murgatroyd in the afternoon to train for "DWTS."
"It was very stressful at first," Sam said. "Now since ‘Dancing’ is over…I’m 100 percent focused on football training."
Sam and Murgatroyd will now watch from the sidelines as the remaining 9 celebrities compete for the mirror ball trophy. Murgatroyd says she has a favorite to win.
"I think Val will win with Rumer and I really hope that they do," she said of Rumer Willis and Valentin Chmerkovskiy, who earned a total of 35 points on Monday night. "I think that they’ve done such an amazing job so far. Rumer just has this presence about her and this realness that not many people can show on the floor."
Monday night's edition of “DWTS” brought back its “Most Memorable Year” theme, with each of the 10 remaining celebrities performing to a song that encompassed an unforgettable or incredible experience in their lives.
The Routines
Nastia Liukin: The Olympic gymnast brought back the song she performed to at the 2008 Beijing Olympics – “Variations on Dark Eyes” by Lara St. John – for an Argentine tango with pro partner Derek Hough. The dance blew judges away, earning the first 10 of the season. “It was a stunner,” Bruno Tonioli shouted, with fellow judge Carrie Ann Inaba calling it “incredible.” Liukin dedicated the dance to her parents for supporting her lifelong dream of making it to the Olympics. Liukin earned a 10, two 9s and an 8, for a total of 36 points.
Michael Sam: It was a rumba for the football player, who chose to dance to “Not My Father’s Son” from Kinky Boots with pro partner Peta Murgatroyd. Sam compared the story of the dance to the journey of his relationship to his estranged father, who spoke out against his son after Sam came out publicly as a gay man. “When I first came out it was all over the press. What people don’t know is it cost me my relationship with my father,” Sam admitted on the show. “It shows I’m sad right now but by the end of the song I’m strong and I’m going to make it. There’s light at the end of the tunnel, and I’m walking straight into that light.” Judge Len Goodman told Sam he “came out in the light,” this week. Tonioli agreed, calling Sam’s dance his best yet. Inaba and Hough praised Sam for opening up and dancing out his emotion. Sam earned two 8s and two 7s, for a total of 30 points.
Riker Lynch: The “Glee” actor and R5 musician paid tribute to 2014 when he said his band “took off to the next level” with a tango to “Shut Up and Dance” by Walk The Moon with pro partner Allison Holker. Despite being tied at the top of the leaderboard last week, the pair was in jeopardy this week, urging fans to vote. Judges overall liked the dance, but some called the pair stiff. “Tonight it seemed like you guys were fighting; the chemistry was a bit off,” Inaba critiqued, but Tonioli called Lynch a “vibrant neon light,” praising them for their “proper tango” despite “odd” music. Lynch earned two 9s and two 8s, for a total of 34 points.
Robert Herjavec: The “Shark Tank” investor danced to a favorite song of his mom, who passed away from cancer in 2006. “She used to love ‘Dancing with the Stars,’” Herjavec said. “When she was ill we used to watch the show together.” Earning their highest score yet, Herjavec and pro partner Kym Johnson danced the waltz to “The Last Waltz” by Engelbert Humperdinck. Despite being safe, the pair impressed judges with Herjavec’s “incredible frame,” according to Hough. Hearing that, Herjavec exclaimed, “Finally!” since the judges had been critiquing his frame in prior weeks. Hough told Herjavec he has “the best technique and footwork of all the guys.” Herjavec earned two 9s and two 8s, for a total of 34 points.
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