Backstage Report: 'Dancing' Kicks Off Cameron

A Soapy Send Off for Mathison; Castroneves Explains That Kiss; Ballas Returns With A Tattoo

Nov. 14 -- Soap fans are said to be legion, but alas, suds viewers didn't generate enough votes to keep 'All My Children' star Cameron Mathison and his partner Edyta Sliwinska on 'Dancing With The Stars.' Shortly after getting the news, Mathison spoke with AOL TV's Michael Maloney about bringing his 'Dancing' journey to a close.

How do you feel?
I wouldn't have changed this experience for anything.
Tom Bergeron asked if you'd miss all the commuting between New York (where 'All My Children' shoots) and Los Angeles (where 'Dancing' tapes).
People may be thinking I wanted a break, but I really wanted to stay.
What are your immediate plans?
I have to go on [a personal appearance] and then I'm going to meet my wife and kids on vacation.

Even though Mathison's ousting means his competitors get to stay for at least one more week, the actor's fellow dancers say they'll miss their comrade. "Cameron is so amazing," said Marie Osmond. "He's kind of like the guy next door -- so good-looking, darling and funny. He's just fun."

"Viewers got another one wrong," shrugged Maksim Chmerkovskiy. Race car driver Helio Castroneves added: "The [side room where we hang out in between dances] will be very empty without Cameron -- and not just because of his size, but also because of his big heart. We're definitely going to keep in touch."

Speaking of the side interview, is it us or does host Samantha Harris appear to focus her question on the stars -- and not the dancers -- when the pairs come backstage following their routines? "We open the questions up to the dancers, too," noted Harris. "But on shows [where we do two dances a night] there's not enough time for more than a few questions."

Harris got more time to ask questions when she recently appeared as a guest host on 'The View.' "It was wonderful," Harris said. "I really love how Whoopi [Goldberg] makes the cast feel. Sherri [Shepherd]'s fun and Joy [Behar] is always ... well, a joy!"

While celebrities and dancers alike fully support one another ("it could go to anyone" is a familiar response given when they're asked who'll win), judge Bruno Tonioli says two teams are clear front runners: Spice Girl Melanie Brown and her partner Chmerkovskiy; and Castroneves and his partner Julianne Hough. "You don't have to be a genius to know that those two have left the pack behind," said the judge. "That's why I'm so hard on Jennie [Garth]. It's about delivery and having that special star quality. She needs to forget everything else and get out and do it!"

Earning top marks on Monday didn't make the Tuesday night results show any less nerve-wracking, however, for Brown and Castroneves. "Look at Sabrina [Bryan]," cautioned Brown. "She got kicked out with high scores."

On Monday night's show, Castroneves surprised Hough with a kiss at the end of their 'Mask' inspired routine, which took the dancer by surprise -- and earned the couple a perfect score of '30'. "If I have to kiss her again to get another '30,' trust me, I'll be kissing her all night long," Castroneves deadpanned. Hough playfully shot back, "If I let you!"

Castroneves had an opportunity to kiss his partner again (but opted not to) when the duo was invited to repeat their routine on the results show. Good thing, too. Otherwise the couple might be asked if they're an off-screen duo as reports have indicated Bryan and her partner Mark Ballas are.



Speaking of Ballas, he returned to the results show to dance during a musical performance by guest singer Gloria Estefan. The dancer was sporting a 'Cheetah paw print tattoo' on his left arm near his palm. AOL asked Ballas backstage if the print was temporary or real? "Real," he replied. Really? "No," Ballas simply smiled. "I'm kidding."

Garth's partner, Derek Hough, stands by his decision to debate comments from the judges' table that criticized the former 'Beverly Hills, 90210' ingénue. "I was not happy with the Jive results," Hough firmly maintained. "I thought Jennie's Jive was amazing. She came back and did an amazing Foxtrot. She's getting better and better."

Is it nearing the finals that caused Hough to go to the mat? "It's not that I felt it was important to do [for a specific result]. It's more something that you believe in." Hough added that he does appreciated judges' feedback. "I understand what they're trying to say," he said.

Osmond shared why she wanted to return to the competition following the loss of her father who passed away last week. "It's what he would have wanted," she said. "He was an amazing 'the show must go on' [type of guy]."

The 'little bit country' entertainer paid tribute to her Dad on last Friday's episode of 'Oprah.' "I would go to bed [when I was a little girl] hearing my Mom and Dad laugh over stupid jokes that she'd gotten from a joke book," recalled Osmond, who added, "Humor is what gets me through [the tough times] in life."

Osmond's partner Jonathan Roberts was still jazzed over meeting the talk show host queen. "In America, there's God -- and then there's Oprah," he enthused. Being called safe first also gave the dancer reason to smile. "It was a good feeling and so appreciated," Roberts said. Added Osmond: "I was stunned and thrilled. It told me I have the best fans in the world. I want to come back next week and kick it!" Is there a game plan? "Jonathan told me he has some secrets up his sleeve," said Osmond, who quipped, "I said to him, 'You have no sleeves!'"

During a break, Castroneves and Hough played the 'Dancing With The Stars' videogame by Nintendo Wii. Hough loves that you have to get up off your feet to play the game. "Keep exercising!" she enthused.

Speaking of videos, what did Hough think of the footage that showed her as a pre-teen on the dance floor? "It was fun," she said. "Even at 10 years old, I was shaking hips I didn't have!"

ABC also invited 'Pushing Daisies' Chi McBride to the results program. While most actors love being on a show that's embraced by the critics, McBride is understandably reluctant to view that as something good after last season TV reviewers raved about his axed series 'The Nine.' "Nothing personal," he chuckled, "but after that I said if I met a critic that loved 'Pushing Daisies', I'd hit him!" On a serious tone, the actor says, "I'm having a great time doing comedy on the show."

McBride would like to see members of the Writers Guild of America and high-powered producers sit down at the negotiating table soon so the current WGA strike can be settled. "I hope sooner than later cooler heads prevail," he said.

Go to our Jane Seymour Backstage Report>>