Celebrity News May 14, 2012
'DWTS' Recap: Meltdowns and Malfunctions, Maria Tops the Leaderboard
“Dancing with the Stars” contestant Maria Menounos and partner Derek Hough proved this week that despite all their physical ailments, these two can really dance!
In rehearsals, both Menounos and Hough felt the pressure going into Monday's semi-finals but continued to lean on each other for support, both figuratively and literally (Hough suffered a back injury this week) and give each other the confidence to do their best.
It worked. Their first dance of the night was a sexy Argentinian tango, which earned them another perfect 30 from judges Carrie Ann Inaba, Bruno Tonioli, and Len Goodman. Watch!
After their performance, Menounos was clearly emotional, holding back tears. Hough told host Brooke Burke Charvet that the “Extra” host continues to astound him. "She's been an absolute warrior from day one," he beamed.
The pair then scored an impressive 29/30 for their second dance of the night -- a high-energy jive Tonioli applauded for its "quirky touches" – and they topped the leaderboard with a combined score of 59/60. Take a look!
Latin heartthrob William Levy and Cheryl Burke took second place, earning 58/60; NFL star Donald Driver and Peta Murgotroyd came in third, scoring 57/60.
Singer Katherine Jenkins stumbled during the last few seconds of her final performance but still managed high praise from the judges. She and partner Mark Ballas landed in last place with combined score of 56/60.
"Extra" special correspondent Tony Dovolani talked backstage with the final four "DWTS" contestants.
Tune into “Dancing with the Stars” Tuesday to see who will make it to the finals next week!
