On May 8th, the first double elimination night of this DWTS season, former "Little House on the Prairie" star Melissa Gilbert was the birthday girl, but the 48-year-old "TV icon" (as the DWTS announcer always calls her) didn't garner enough audience votes to stay safe. She was teary-eyed yet gracious, saying, "I can't even describe what a learning and growing experience this has been. It's been a real blessing and a joy." Referring to her pro partner Maks Chmerkovskiy, Melissa said, "Maks has been amazing. An incredible teacher. An incredible friend." In response Maks said with obvious sincerity, "I wish I could have given you a better birthday present."
The other contestant who was eliminated was Disney star Roshon Fegan. He smiled broadly and said, "I am happy to add ballroom dancing to my super-duper dance moves." We'll miss seeing Roshon and his partner, Chelsie Hightower, in the weeks to come. They brought a freshness and vitality to the show that we have really enjoyed.
The evening also boasted a hilarious Dance Center segment that roasted the contestants and we were treated to a performance by Chris Brown as well as a tribute to the late Dick Clark. The dances were straight out the 1950s American Bandstand shows that Boomers grew up watching. Here at ThirdAge, our high school Sock Hop memories came flooding back!
Next week, the four remaining stars -- Katherine Jenkins, Donald Driver, Maria Menounos, and William Levy — will dance in the semi-finals. The week after that will be the season finale. Who will walk away with the coveted Mirror Ball Trophy? That remains to be seen!
