‘Dancing With the Stars’ 2015: Gary Busey Voted Off in Week Four, Vows to Remain In ‘Spirit’

Actor Gary Busey is the latest star voted off ABC’s “Dancing With the Stars."

ByABC News
October 5, 2015, 10:19 PM
Actor Gary Busey attends The 5th Annual Variety 'The Children's Charity of SoCal Texas Hold 'Em Poker Tournament' at Paramount Studios on July 22, 2015 in Hollywood, Calif.
Actor Gary Busey attends The 5th Annual Variety 'The Children's Charity of SoCal Texas Hold 'Em Poker Tournament' at Paramount Studios on July 22, 2015 in Hollywood, Calif.
JC Olivera/Getty Images

— -- Actor Gary Busey, whose dance execution has been panned even as fans have cheered his determination and quirky post-dance comments, was tonight voted off ABC’s “Dancing With the Stars.”

After an obvious struggle with his debut routine, judges said the Oscar-nominated actor had shown improvement and diligence in learning his material. Even though he had remained at or near the bottom of the leaderboard in the four weeks of the Season 21 competition, the ballroom audience appeared to appreciate his performances and his unpredictable, humorous and deeply contemplative answers to questions posed by show co-host Erin Andrews.

Based on their performances from the previous two weeks, Busey and Carlos PenaVega were both in jeopardy of going home tonight, but Busey had the lowest combined total of viewers’ votes and judges’ scores.

He had more of his trademark comments when Andrews asked for his reaction upon being eliminated. He called his participation a beautiful experience, saying that with pro partner, Anna Trebunskaya, he had learned “things I had in myself that I could emphasize on and better with and from and in and this has been a beautiful experience.”

He added: “The fact that I’ve been eliminated is false because my spirt with Anna’s partnership will remain in this room throughout the show, so you won’t see us dancing but we’ll be there.”

His comment drew laughter from his fellow competitors and their partners.

Reality TV star Kim Zolciak-Biermann was forced to withdraw from the competition last week after suffering a mini-stroke that put her in the hospital for three days. Doctors advised her not to fly to Los Angeles for the Sept. 28 show. The show’s rules state that in the event of a health-related matter affecting a participant’s ability to participate, the contestant must withdraw.

The 37-year-old “Don’t Be Tardy” star has since said she feels better. She started a petition asking that she and pro partner Tony Dovolani be allowed to return to the competition.

Singer Chaka Khan and Triple Crown champion jockey Victor Espinoza have previously been eliminated.

Ten competitors and their pro partners tonight each had to perform one routine commemorating their most memorable year.