Perfection Was Not Enough
Ian Ziering danced to a perfect 30 Monday night, but was still voted off.
May 16, 2007 — -- This Elvis has left the building.
Tuesday night's "Dancing With the Stars" saved the last dance for the losing couple: Ian Ziering and his partner, Cheryl Burke.
Despite his "best dance ever" Monday night, according to judge Len Goodman, and falling only two points short of perfect with a combined total of 58 points for two dances, Ziering was given the boot.
It's been a challenging road for the former star of "Beverly Hills, 90210," but as he said on today's "Good Morning America," "I learned something, and that was the benefit for me."
Ziering had a tough time pleasing the judges on a consistent basis. From week to week, judge Carrie Ann Inaba sought more from the actor, asking him to loosen up. He would impress the judges one week, and the next judge Bruno Tonioli would call him "McStiffy."
Ziering showed the determination to improve each week, and being in the bottom two of Week 8 proved to be motivation for Ziering to come back in Week 9 with a vengeance.
Burke, who has won the last two seasons of "Dancing With the Stars," says she was fueled by Ziering's determination.
"Ian is so passionate. From the moment he walked in, it was all or nothing. He was so driven. And for me, I work best with that," she said on "GMA."
Ziering's jive, which he did in an Elvis costume and wig, earned a perfect score of 30 points. But the pair's total of 58 wasn't enough to keep them in the competition.
"It feels great to have gone out with a perfect score," Ziering told "GMA."
The Competition Was Too Fierce
Apolo Anton Ohno was praised Monday night by Tonioli, who said, "The Apolo Express is off on a magic ride."
Ohno and partner Julianne Hough scored a perfect 30 for their quickstep. Goodman thought their second dance, the cha cha, had too much gyration, and the two scored one short of perfect with 29 points.
Laila Ali and partner Maksim Chmerkovskiy scored a perfect 60 in Monday night's competition. She continues to say with confidence that she's the "champ" for a reason.
"It's no doubt. You're a knockout," Tonioli said.
Some of the fans spoke to the cameras on Tuesday night's "Dancing With the Stars," and one avid Ali supporter raved about her skills and thinks she will have no problem winning the competition.
"Laila floats like a butterfly and Maksim stings like a bee," she said.
Athlete vs. Celebrity
It looks like it may come down to athlete vs. performer. The judges took a moment on Tuesday night's show to analyze the differences between the two, as the final four included two athletes -- a speed skater and a boxer -- and two performers.
Joey Fatone is the only performer still standing. Fatone and his partner, Kym Johnson, were the first to be told they would be continuing into next week's competition.
Like Ali, Fatone also scored a perfect 60 Monday night with his fox trot and jive. Tonioli said he had "more flash than Vegas and more tricks than Houdini."
Will it be an athlete's strength or a performer's way with the crowd that will take all in "Dancing With the Stars"? Stay tuned to next week's finals where the champion will be named.