Singer Kellie Pickler crowned new 'Dancing With the Stars' champ
Published May 22, 2013
FoxNews.com
The “American Idol” star looked stunned when host Tom Bergeron announced that she and partner Derek Hough were the winners of season 16.
“Oh my god,” exclaimed an ecstatic Pickler, as Bergeron congratulated the country singer and asked if she had visualized her triumph. “No, not at all. This is amazing. Oh my God,” squealed the country star, 26, as gold confetti rained in the background.
“Grandpa Ken, we got you the trophy, buddy,” cheered Hough.
Picklers’ grandfather, Ken Morton, is a longtime fan of ABC’s dance competition, and actually asked for divine intervention when he learned his granddaughter would be competing on the latest season of “Dancing with the Stars.”
"Right before I left Nashville for L.A., my Grandpa Ken, who is a huge fan of the show, told me he was praying that Derek would be my partner, because that's his favorite male dancer on the show," Pickler explained to People magazine back in February. "Now I think I will tell him to pray that we win!"
Grandpa Ken’s prayers seemed to work, as Pickler and Hough earned two perfect scores of 30 on Monday night, along with another perfect score of 30 for her “Instant Dance” to the jive on Tuesday.
Even though Picklers and Hough landed in 2nd place for their Cha Cha relay on Monday night for a combined total of 94 points, they had won a majority of the fans’ votes– who had cast their ballot via phone, text and Facebook– to tip the scales in their favor for the win (due to “technical difficulties” during the East Coast broadcast on Monday night, votes cast to ABC.com were not counted).
After Pickler was handed the mirror ball trophy by Bergeron, third place runner-up Jacoby Jones lifted her high upon his shoulders in triumph, as dancer Mark Ballas did the same for Hough.
Meanwhile, Disney star Zendaya Coleman–who had a combined perfect score of 95 for her performances on Monday and Tuesday nights–was gracious in her defeat.
"I'm very proud and I'm very happy," a poised Coleman told host Brooke Burke-Charvet. “And I get to leave here with an amazing experience, so I’m very happy.”
Coleman’s partner, Val Chmerkovskiy, left “Dancing with the Stars” with more than just an amazing experience– the Ukrainian-born dance pro also left with a permanent scar over his right eye.
“It’s good. I’m still pretty,” a bruised Chmerkovskiy joked to Burke-Charvet. “Fourteen stitches, five on the inside and nine on the outside.”
Good thing Chmerkovskiy was in a ballroom and not on a football field.
Jones, the Baltimore Ravens wide receiver who, after receiving a flurry of fan votes, was catapulted to third from fourth place after earning the lowest combined score among the finalists, was philosophical about his experience on the show.
“Well, out of all my trainers that I’ve had, I’ve never had a woman that’s pushed me like she did,” Jones told Burke-Charvet of his partner, Karina Smirnoff. “So, when I go back (to the NFL), all this gracefulness, footwork, everything...I’ll be catching the ball like this,” he said, miming a pirouette.
Despite having a higher combined score than Jones, Olympic gymnast Alexandra Raisman landed in fourth place and was eliminated at the beginning on Tuesday night’s show.
"This has been the best experience of my life," said the Massachusetts native who won a gold medal in London last summer. "My whole life, all I've ever known has been gymnastics, so to try something new has been amazing."
The four finalists were not the only celebrities to hit the dance floor during the live two-hour finale. Comedians Andy Dick and D.L. Hugely, Olympian Dorothy Hamill, soap star Ingo Rademacher, “Real Housewife” Lisa Vanderpump, “Bachelor” star Sean Lowe and boxer Victor Ortiz all returned to the ballroom to shake their groove thangs one last time.
Former contestant Wynonna Judd, however, opted instead to briefly roll out on a “Mall Cop”-style personal transporter along with partner Tony Dovolani.
Perhaps Judd was preserving her energy. Later in the show, the country superstar performed “I Want to Know What Love Is.”
Also helping to prolong the suspense of who would win season 16 was Pitbull, who sang his new single, “Hands Up,” Korean pop star PSY, who sang and danced to his latest quirky single, “Gentleman,” and finally, “American Idol” fave Jessica Sanchez, who performed a version of Pitbull’s “Feel This Moment.”
Next Up: Big changes are in store for season 17 of “Dancing with the Stars.” Instead of airing two nights a week, ABC plans to run the show during one two-hour block on Monday nights.
Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2013/05/22/dancing-with-stars-crowns-new-champion/#ixzz2U2TbfV4X
Dancing with the Stars Watch: And the Winners Are…
Welcome to the Dancing with the Stars finale, where the two-part season-ender is half over, and we have so many questions: Who will win? Will anyone dance to “Titanium”? How much boob tape will be used? Will Bruno Tonioli cry? Will Jacoby Jones leap over someone’s head? The only way these questions can be answered is by watching, so let’s jump right into it.
To name a winner, the remaining four couples – Super Bowl champion Jacoby Jones and Karina Smirnoff, American Idol alum Kellie Pickler and Derek Hough, Olympic gymnast Aly Raisman and Mark Ballas and Disney star Zendaya Coleman and Val Chmerkovskiy – competed in three rounds of The Dance. The judges scored, America voted, and the votes were tallied. The leaderboard rankings run from Zendaya Coleman’s 65 points to Jacoby Jones’ 56 points, but it’s anyone’s game. Tonight, the top three couples will dance the fabled and feared Insta-Dances with 30 more points on the line. At the end of the night, someone will be named the winner and get lifelong bragging rights, endless dance invitations and a Mirrorball Trophy that Carrie-Ann Inaba swears is “very cheap” and probably does not match any decor.
Here’s what happened on Dancing with the Stars:
Best Reunion: To kick off the evening’s festivities, the pros and all of the season 16 contestants rushed the stage to Pitbull’s “Don’t Stop the Party.” It’s like they threw a party and everyone came. There was Dorothy Hamill and DL Hughley (showing off his hip action) and Winona Judd and Tony Dovolani (on their police Segways) and even Andy Dick (front and center, trying really really hard not to forget his steps).
Encore Performance: America took to Twitter last night to vote and chose to see a repeat of Kellie Pickler’s and Derek Hough’s emotional freestyle dance. It’s a beautiful and heart-wrenching routine, but it is kind of a downer from the party vibe they had going on in the ballroom. Jacoby’s Mardi Gras street party would have made a lot more sense in this spot.
The Big Surprise: Instead of whittling the contestants down to three during the semi-finals, the producers opted to have a four-person final round this year. However, someone had to come in fourth, so the couple with the lowest combined score of judges points and Twitter votes got kicked off the show twenty minutes into the second half of the finals. So who went home without a medal? Someone who already had a lot of them: Olympic gold medal-winning gymnast Aly Raisman. Raise your hand if you thought it was going to be Jacoby? His mama wouldn’t stand for it, and neither would the Ravens fans.
What Would Susan B. Anthony Do: To purportedly honor the women who made it to the finals, the show staged an all-women USO-worthy Beyoncé-inspired routine with bombastic patriotic appeal and light crotch-grabbing.
Most DWTS Moment: When Winona Judd got kicked off the show, she shrugged that she wasn’t a dancer and wanted to get back to working on her album. To show what she had been up to while everyone else was practicing their quick step, she performed a cover of Foreigner’s “I Want To Know What Love Is,” while Tony danced around her on a fog-filled stage. Is it even necessary to mention that she was backlit and wearing a full length velvet dress? Because, of course, she was. Oh, Dancing with the Stars, never stop.
Dancing Is The Best Revenge: If you forgot that Real Housewife Lisa Vanderpump was on the show, you are not alone. But Lisa left her mark on our memory when she wooed Len Goodman out from behind the judges’ table for a quick spin around the dance floor. Len may be an old grouch, but he can kick up his heels when he wants.
Best Couples Skate: Olympic ice skating legend Dorothy Hamill had to drop out of the competition for health reasons, but she returned for one last waltz. Joining her on the dance floor was Kristi Yamaguchi, ice-skating icon and Dancing with the Stars alum.
(MORE: Dancing with the Stars Watch: The Final Four Perform)
Real Fan Favorite: Comedian Andy Dick gave fans a repeat performance of his exuberant Mad Hatter’s tea party-themed dance to Lady Gaga’s “Pokerface.” It was such a fun performance that Tom Bergeron rhetorically asked, “Could Andy win in an upset? No of course not. Are you crazy?” We can dream, Tom.
Best Answer: While Jacoby and Karina Smirnoff were practicing for their Insta-Dance, Brooke Burke Charvat interrupted, to ask Jacoby whether he was surprised that he was in the Top Three, despite trailing Aly on the leaderboard. Jacoby just looked at her and drawled, “I’ve had to work hard all my life.”
Worst Repeat Performance: Never doubt that Scooter Braun is an amazing manager. Somehow, he managed to convince Dancing with the Stars producers to book his client Korean-pop sensation Psy for their finale, despite the fact that he performed the same song, “Gentleman” and dance routine on American Idol‘s finale just last week. The only change-up? Former DWTS contestants boxer Victor Ortiz and Bachelor Sean Lowe joined Psy’s dance troupe.
Biggest Trooper: Val Chmerkovskiy broke the news that he got 14 stitches on his eye. Do you get Congressional Medals of Honor for samba-ing after getting injured by a sequin-covered elbow to the face?
Ain’t No Party Like A Pitbull Party: Pitbull, who also performed on the American Idol finale last week, sang his new song, “Hands Up,” because there’s no crying in baseball and there’s no such thing as too much Pitbull.
Insta-Dance 1: Jacoby and Karina performed a fast-paced salsa with wild lifts, frenetic footwork and Jacoby’s mom hollering along out in the audience. The judges loved the routine and Len called Jacoby a “breath of fresh air.” They earned a perfect score of 30.
Best Recovery: During their dance, it looked like Jacoby was once again going to jump over Karina. A camera got in his way and sort of knocked Karina over, but he caught her head before it hit the floor. Those are the quick reflexes of a Super Bowl champ in action.
Insta-Dance 2: Kellie and Derek were tasked with learning a jive. Their fiery routine earned Bruno’s highest compliment, “You remind me of Julianne Hough!” Kellie looked genuinely touched. They also earned a perfect 30/30.
Insta-Dance 3: Zendaya and Val got a jive set to “Rockin’ Robin.” Carrie-Ann told them that they made every single dance special. Bruno said that she has “pitch-perfect performance instincts” and then he drifted into reciting lyrics from “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star,” because he is basically the dormouse who escaped from Andy Dick’s Mad Hatter dance routine. They also got a 30/30.
Mo’ Idol, Mo’ Pitbull: While the votes were tallied – and to let DWTS earn the American Idol Triple Crown – last season’s Idol runner-up Jessica Sanchez showed up to perform yet another Pitbull song — this time, “Feel This Moment.”
Third Place: Jacoby and Karina. His mother’s going to have words with you, America.
And The Winner Is…: Kellie Pickler and her partner Derek Hough! Congratulations, Kellie. In retrospect, maybe all those Idol crossovers were actually clues to the winner. Now that Kellie has been on Idol and Dancing with the Stars, can’t wait to see what she does on Project Runway and American Pickers.
To name a winner, the remaining four couples – Super Bowl champion Jacoby Jones and Karina Smirnoff, American Idol alum Kellie Pickler and Derek Hough, Olympic gymnast Aly Raisman and Mark Ballas and Disney star Zendaya Coleman and Val Chmerkovskiy – competed in three rounds of The Dance. The judges scored, America voted, and the votes were tallied. The leaderboard rankings run from Zendaya Coleman’s 65 points to Jacoby Jones’ 56 points, but it’s anyone’s game. Tonight, the top three couples will dance the fabled and feared Insta-Dances with 30 more points on the line. At the end of the night, someone will be named the winner and get lifelong bragging rights, endless dance invitations and a Mirrorball Trophy that Carrie-Ann Inaba swears is “very cheap” and probably does not match any decor.
Here’s what happened on Dancing with the Stars:
Best Reunion: To kick off the evening’s festivities, the pros and all of the season 16 contestants rushed the stage to Pitbull’s “Don’t Stop the Party.” It’s like they threw a party and everyone came. There was Dorothy Hamill and DL Hughley (showing off his hip action) and Winona Judd and Tony Dovolani (on their police Segways) and even Andy Dick (front and center, trying really really hard not to forget his steps).
Encore Performance: America took to Twitter last night to vote and chose to see a repeat of Kellie Pickler’s and Derek Hough’s emotional freestyle dance. It’s a beautiful and heart-wrenching routine, but it is kind of a downer from the party vibe they had going on in the ballroom. Jacoby’s Mardi Gras street party would have made a lot more sense in this spot.
The Big Surprise: Instead of whittling the contestants down to three during the semi-finals, the producers opted to have a four-person final round this year. However, someone had to come in fourth, so the couple with the lowest combined score of judges points and Twitter votes got kicked off the show twenty minutes into the second half of the finals. So who went home without a medal? Someone who already had a lot of them: Olympic gold medal-winning gymnast Aly Raisman. Raise your hand if you thought it was going to be Jacoby? His mama wouldn’t stand for it, and neither would the Ravens fans.
What Would Susan B. Anthony Do: To purportedly honor the women who made it to the finals, the show staged an all-women USO-worthy Beyoncé-inspired routine with bombastic patriotic appeal and light crotch-grabbing.
Most DWTS Moment: When Winona Judd got kicked off the show, she shrugged that she wasn’t a dancer and wanted to get back to working on her album. To show what she had been up to while everyone else was practicing their quick step, she performed a cover of Foreigner’s “I Want To Know What Love Is,” while Tony danced around her on a fog-filled stage. Is it even necessary to mention that she was backlit and wearing a full length velvet dress? Because, of course, she was. Oh, Dancing with the Stars, never stop.
Dancing Is The Best Revenge: If you forgot that Real Housewife Lisa Vanderpump was on the show, you are not alone. But Lisa left her mark on our memory when she wooed Len Goodman out from behind the judges’ table for a quick spin around the dance floor. Len may be an old grouch, but he can kick up his heels when he wants.
Best Couples Skate: Olympic ice skating legend Dorothy Hamill had to drop out of the competition for health reasons, but she returned for one last waltz. Joining her on the dance floor was Kristi Yamaguchi, ice-skating icon and Dancing with the Stars alum.
(MORE: Dancing with the Stars Watch: The Final Four Perform)
Real Fan Favorite: Comedian Andy Dick gave fans a repeat performance of his exuberant Mad Hatter’s tea party-themed dance to Lady Gaga’s “Pokerface.” It was such a fun performance that Tom Bergeron rhetorically asked, “Could Andy win in an upset? No of course not. Are you crazy?” We can dream, Tom.
Best Answer: While Jacoby and Karina Smirnoff were practicing for their Insta-Dance, Brooke Burke Charvat interrupted, to ask Jacoby whether he was surprised that he was in the Top Three, despite trailing Aly on the leaderboard. Jacoby just looked at her and drawled, “I’ve had to work hard all my life.”
Worst Repeat Performance: Never doubt that Scooter Braun is an amazing manager. Somehow, he managed to convince Dancing with the Stars producers to book his client Korean-pop sensation Psy for their finale, despite the fact that he performed the same song, “Gentleman” and dance routine on American Idol‘s finale just last week. The only change-up? Former DWTS contestants boxer Victor Ortiz and Bachelor Sean Lowe joined Psy’s dance troupe.
Biggest Trooper: Val Chmerkovskiy broke the news that he got 14 stitches on his eye. Do you get Congressional Medals of Honor for samba-ing after getting injured by a sequin-covered elbow to the face?
Ain’t No Party Like A Pitbull Party: Pitbull, who also performed on the American Idol finale last week, sang his new song, “Hands Up,” because there’s no crying in baseball and there’s no such thing as too much Pitbull.
Insta-Dance 1: Jacoby and Karina performed a fast-paced salsa with wild lifts, frenetic footwork and Jacoby’s mom hollering along out in the audience. The judges loved the routine and Len called Jacoby a “breath of fresh air.” They earned a perfect score of 30.
Best Recovery: During their dance, it looked like Jacoby was once again going to jump over Karina. A camera got in his way and sort of knocked Karina over, but he caught her head before it hit the floor. Those are the quick reflexes of a Super Bowl champ in action.
Insta-Dance 2: Kellie and Derek were tasked with learning a jive. Their fiery routine earned Bruno’s highest compliment, “You remind me of Julianne Hough!” Kellie looked genuinely touched. They also earned a perfect 30/30.
Insta-Dance 3: Zendaya and Val got a jive set to “Rockin’ Robin.” Carrie-Ann told them that they made every single dance special. Bruno said that she has “pitch-perfect performance instincts” and then he drifted into reciting lyrics from “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star,” because he is basically the dormouse who escaped from Andy Dick’s Mad Hatter dance routine. They also got a 30/30.
Mo’ Idol, Mo’ Pitbull: While the votes were tallied – and to let DWTS earn the American Idol Triple Crown – last season’s Idol runner-up Jessica Sanchez showed up to perform yet another Pitbull song — this time, “Feel This Moment.”
Third Place: Jacoby and Karina. His mother’s going to have words with you, America.
And The Winner Is…: Kellie Pickler and her partner Derek Hough! Congratulations, Kellie. In retrospect, maybe all those Idol crossovers were actually clues to the winner. Now that Kellie has been on Idol and Dancing with the Stars, can’t wait to see what she does on Project Runway and American Pickers.
Read more: http://entertainment.time.com/2013/05/22/dancing-with-the-stars-watch-and-the-winner-is/#ixzz2U2Sbz217
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