Tom DeLay & Debi Mazar Elimination Interview: 'DWTS' Backstage Report

Posted 10/07/09, 12:51 AM GMT by 'Dancing With the Stars' Blog Staff
Categories: Interviews

Another double elimination brings the 'Dancing With the Stars' star count down to less than a dozen still dancing.

Republican Tom DeLay's voluntary withdrawal from 'Dancing With the Stars' wasn't a huge surprise -- with stress fractures in both feet, there's not a Hollywood doctor who'd condone any strenuous activity, let alone dancing on national television.

But show producers made sure audience votes and judges' scores from Monday's performances still counted, and 'Entourage' actress Debi Mazar and her partner Maksim Chmerkovskiy were also sent home.

AOL TV was backstage at the show to get the reactions from the celebs and dancers -- get all the exclusive 'Dancing' scoop right here. -- Mike Maloney

Tom, how do you feel?
Tom: Disappointed. But it was the right decision to make. I couldn't practice. [Joking] Another conservative goes down! It wasn't fair to Cheryl. Cheryl: It's not fair to his feet!

Will you have to have surgery?
Tom: Probably not.

Cheryl, have you ever seen someone power through like Tom did this week?
Cheryl: I've had a lot of injured partners. Christian de la Fuente literally broke his arm on live television. But having two broken feet? You can't compare that.

Did you like your political-themed costume?
Tom: I love it. Cheryl's too. [Joking] She got this guy real close to voting Democrat.

Cheryl, this is the second season that Maks has left early. Maybe America thinks he's too gruff?
Cheryl: I think America still votes for the celebrity. I'm not sure [Debi and Maks] leaving has anything to do with Maks. I know Debi and Maks get along very, very well. It's about your partner and the people voting for you. Clearly, it doesn't matter what the judges' score is. We weren't in the bottom two and our score was low.

Can you sum up working together?
Cheryl: It's been amazing. I've learned so much from Tom DeLay. He's not the man people think he is. He's the complete opposite.
Tom: Cheryl's very patient and the best dancer on the show.
Cheryl: (Wryly) I'll pay you later.
Tom: Her choreography is amazing. She makes you look good.

Debi, judge Len Goodman actually had a positive comment for you when he said, "What you do, you do well." How'd that feel?
Debi: I was flattered that he thought I did well. I thought I did great. The judges were fair in asking me to own it and get my footwork together.

Bruno said that you never put your hands on Maks, "the hunk," but you did ...
Debi: Thank you for noticing. I touched his chest. I grabbed his butt. I asked him if I could lick him, but he said no. My husband was here. I didn't want to get him mad.
Maks: (Joking) I'm trying to save marriages here, you know. I'm already wearing tight pants and no shirt.
Debi: The good news is I get to take all these moves home to the bedroom. That's the icing on the cake for me -- not what the judges say.

Maks, what was it like seeing Mel B. again?
Maks: It was amazing. I forget she and I were also in the bottom two [in season 5]. I think Debi made a huge improvement after each week.

Debi, will you go back to 'Entourage' next season?
Debi: Of course! I come back when they need me. I thought this season's ending was very clever. It was a feel-good episode.

Melissa and Mark, you keep getting compliments and being told you're improving but the scores aren't showing it yet.
Melissa: Thank you. I think so, too.
Mark: Yeah. It's like, "Great improvement! Same score!" I don't get it.

Melissa, do you think Mark got the 'T.J. Hooker' reference that host Tom Bergeron made about Mark's Adrian Zmed-inspired hairdo?
Melissa: I think so. He grew up in England.
Mark: I actually didn't get it. I'll have to check it out.


Lacey, was it difficult going first on Monday night?
Lacey: Yes. There's always that nervous energy and you don't know what to expect from the other dancers or the judges, but we got to get it over with. It was nice to relax for the rest of the show.


Natalie, what was it like having [Alec's wife] Edyta drop by and give her input during rehearsal?
Natalie: It helped, but it was a little awkward. She's like, "Look into his eyes!"

Were you surprised Tom quit?
Natalie: Yes. I thought he'd wait until he couldn't walk. I enjoyed speaking with him. He's a politician, but he's also a person -- I think we got to see a softer side to him.

Alec, what did you think of the producers' decision to send Debi and Maks home tonight, too?
Alec: I think it was a great decision. The last time someone got injured -- Misty May-Treanor -- it saved everyone [and no one else went home]. There are still enough couples now where you can do this.

Chuck, how would you describe your fan base?
Chuck: Loyal. They're keeping us going. They'll follow us whatever we do. People have told me they've never watched this show before, but now they are.

Anna, did you feel the comments, which were positive, matched your score, which was relatively low?
Anna: The comments were pretty good, I thought. There are so many couples still. It went really well. I'm happy that Chuck enjoyed the dance and got into the feel of it.

Louie and Chelsie, people are asking if you're dating ...
Chelsie: [Laughs] Of course, they are! This is Hollywood and it's 'Dancing With the Stars'!
Louie: I spend more time with Chelsie than I spend with my parents, sister and all the girlfriends I've ever had. I'm very happy Chelsie is my dancing partner.

Louie, how do you feel about Tom and Cheryl and Debi and Maks leaving?
Louie: I love 'em all. It's sad to see people go. Maks is the "Man of Dancing"! He's my Russian assassin! Maybe he'll give me some pointers now that he doesn't have to focus on [winning].

Donny, did you see Ryan Reynolds' imitation of you on 'Saturday Night Live' in a 'Family Feud' spoof?
Donny: I didn't but I heard about it. I heard Ryan did a great job. Isn't it the greatest form of flattery? I've got to see it.


Dmitry and Mya, how'd it feel to get the first two "10s" of the season?
Mya: Great. I was also happy about getting a "7" from Len! It's hard to please [all three of them].
Dmitry: I would hate to come here trying to please the judges. At the end of the day, you have to be happy with yourself.

Dmitry, were you strict with Mya, who we heard enjoyed some birthday cake today?
Dmitry (Laughs): I'm actually not strict in that sense. She can eat whatever -- as long as she practices!
Mya: There were trick candles on the cake!

Dmitry and Mya, were you surprised Anna and Michael made it through even though they had the lowest scores?
Dmitry: You can never predict it. I give up trying to figure out.
Mya: I think the attention is on the female [dancer] so there was a lot of attention on Debi's performance.


Louis, did Tom do the right thing by walking away?
Louis: Yes. He made the right decision to dance on Monday and he made the right decision to leave the show, too.
Kelly: Tom came in here and was so polite to everyone. I can't judge him on his politics but he's been nothing but a gentleman. I think he changed a lot of people's opinions about him by doing this show. I'll miss Debi and Maks, too. Debi's brilliant. She's a real woman and I love her.


Michael, do you feel the football fans really rallied and have kept you in the competition?
Michael: Yes. The fans have been great. We really appreciate it. I thought some of them would be hard on me, but I'm glad that they're stepping up and helping out. That's what is great about this country.


Derek, Aaron was practically in tears tonight. Should there by crying in dancing?
Derek: Yeah. There should be tears in life. The only time you open yourself up to the universe is when you cry.

Derek, what's funny or quirky about Joanna? Because people may think that someone as beautiful as she is has a perfect life ...
Derek: She knows how to take a joke. I can tease her all day long and make jokes that a lot of people would take serious offense to but she doesn't.
Joanna: I make fun of myself. People may think, "Oh, she's beautiful, so she must be stuck up."
Derek: (Wryly) Yeah. I get that, too.

Derek, how'd it feel to get a higher score from Len, who seems harder to please?
Derek: I feel like I know exactly what Len wants. We're on the same page.

Derek, there's romantic buzz about Louie and Chelsie – do you have any advice for them?
Derek: (Laughs) Don't kiss on the beach!