Fans were rather enraged at the end of ABC’s Dancing With the Stars on Tuesday, when Dwight Howard was saved and another dancer was sent packing.
The 38-year-old basketball star got off to a strong start in the premiere, but his and pro partner Daniella Karagach’s scores have dropped ever since.
During Tuesday’s Disney night episode, Howard performed a tango tribute to the animated classic Wreck-It Ralph, earning 8’s from all three judges, Carrie Ann Inaba, Derek Hough and Bruno Tonioli, with no guest judge this week.
Many fans were quite surprised when Howard and Karagach were named as safe, and equally stunned when Real Housewives star Phadera Parks and her pro partner Val Chmerkovskiy were eliminated.
A slew of enraged fans took to social media, insisting that Howard should have been shown the door, not Parks.
Many fans were quite surprised when Howard and Karagach were named as safe, and equally stunned when Real Housewives star Phadera Parks and her pro partner Val Chmerkovskiy were eliminated.
A slew of enraged fans took to social media, insisting that Howard should have been shown the door, not Parks.
@tweetsdegloria said, ‘Phaedra had a good run, but I fear Dwight may be on the chopping block next.’
@chelsbookgram said, ‘WHAT!!! I knew Phaedra would probably go soon, but before Dwight??? & Rylee literally about to cry being in the bottom, no thank you!’
@satellitegolden said, ‘Phaedra deserved to go farther than dwight…’
@smakklove said, ‘Dwight > Phaedra’ while @poisonmedom said, ‘it was time for Dwight to go. Phaedra was fun to watch.’
@liljulsie said, ‘Dwight over Phaedra?!’ and @zayzaysocrazy said, ‘Can we be so serious rn how did Phaedra go home… Dwight was the worst of the night this ain’t cute.’
@DawgattheCrib said, ‘Anyway Phaedra did great. The next few weeks are gonna be hard because I like everyone but Dwight.’
@aytotea0 said, ‘PHAEDRA BEING ELIMINATED MAKES ME SICK SHE LOOKS SO HAPPY IN THAT DANCE GROUP LIKE WHO VOTED FOR DWIGHT.’
Dwight said in the rehearsals, ‘It doesn’t feel good to be at the bottom of the leaderboard. I got a little overwhelmed with my kids being in the audience. I just wanted to make them proud.’
Carrie Ann Inaba praised Howard and Karagach for being able to keep their frame despite a massive height discrepancy, but admitted there were mistakes.
Bruno Tonioli insisted that he did not ‘wreck the tango’ and he has improved on every level, with each judge giving them an 8 for 24 of 30.
Phaedra and Val danced a jazz routine to Cruella de Vil from 101 Dalmatians, as we saw how tough and critical Val was of Phaedra’s moves.
‘I can appreciate his abbrasiveness sometimes. Not all times, sometimes,’ Phaedra insisted.
The duo’s performance was praised by Derek Hough, who thought it, ‘felt like a Broadway show.’
The judges also gave Phaedra and Val all 8’s for a 24 of 30, though the judges score are only half of the equation, with those combined with audience votes, with Phaedra and Val apparently not getting enough to move on.
Elsewhere on the show, Stephen Nedoroscik and Rylee Arnold danced a Charleston to A Star Is Born from Hercules, earning all 8’s for 24 of 30.
Jenn Tran and Sasha Farber performed a Rumba to Kiss the Girl from The Little Mermaid, also earning straight 8’s for 24 of 30.
Joey Grazadei and Jenna Johnson danced a samba to Trashin the Camp from Tarzan, earning three 8’s and a 9 from Bruno Tonioli for 25 of 30.
Chandler Kinney and Brandon Armstrong danced a Pasa Doble to We Own the Night from her own movie Zombies 2, earning 9’s from all three judges for 27 of 30.
Danny Amendola and Witney Carson performed a jazz routine inspired by the Bye Bye Bye scene in Deadpool & Wolverine, also earning a 27 of 30 with all 9’s.
Ilona Maher and Alan Bersten dance jazz routine to Surface Presence by Lin-Manuel Miranda from Encanto, earning their first 9 from Carrie Ann Inaba with 25 of 30.
Dancing With the Stars returns with a Halloween themed episode on Tuesday, October 29 at 8 PM ET on ABC.