Can 'Bachelor' reject (and ex-NFL cheerleader) help 'Dancing With the Stars' finally win choreography Emmy?
"Dancing With the Stars" returns tonight with two last-minute replacements in the lineup. Out of the running are singer Jewel and "Access Hollywood" host Nancy O'Dell, both sidelined with injuries. The first new addition — former pinup Holly Madison ("The Girls Next Door") — has certain obvious attributes that will appeal to certain viewers. However, it is the other substitution — "The Bachelor"-jilted Melissa Rycroft — who could be the lucky 13th contestant for the show.
You see, Melissa Rycroft has a hidden talent that could become the key to this dancefest finally winning the one Emmy Award you'd think would be its almost automatically — choreography. Before we got to know this charmer as one of the women vying for Jason Mesnick's attentions on "The Bachelor," Rycroft performed with the renowned Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders.
Melissa Rycroft and Holly Madison join singers (Belinda Carlisle, Lil' Kim and Chuck Wicks), athletes (gymnast Shawn Johnson, rodeo rider Ty Murray and ex-NFLer Lawrence Taylor), and actors (David Alan Grier, Gilles Marini and Denise Richards) as well as oddball Steve-O and Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak.
Surprising as it seems, this celebrity dance-off has lost the choreography Emmy three years running. In 2006, "Dancing with the Stars" had three noms in the category but lost to "High School Musical." In 2007, there was a three-way tie as "So You Think You Can Dance" took two Emmys and "Tony Bennett: An American Classic" also won, leaving "Dancing With the Stars" the sole loser. Last year, "So You Think You Can Dance" repeated, albeit with just one win.
Over those first three years of Emmy eligibility, "Dancing with the Stars" has managed only four technical wins from its 23 nominations. Besides that embarrassing shutout in the choreography category, the show has lost the reality competition title three years running to "The Amazing Race." And last September, "Dancing with the Stars" emcee Tom Bergeron lost the first Emmy race for reality show host to Jeff Probst of "Survivor."
Rumor has it that the judges of these reality competition shows will be getting their own category at the next Emmy Awards. When we polled you in September about which judge of "Dancing with the Stars" deserved to claim this new prize, you overwhelmingly went with Bruno Tonioli. He reaped slightly more than half of the 1,348 votes cast in our "Dancing with the Stars" poll, followed by 29% for Len Goodman and 20% for Carrie Ann Inaba. Wil these three cut the under-rehearsed Rycroft and Madison any slack tonight? Stay tuned.
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Photo: ABC
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I think that Melissa on Dancing With the Stars is a welcome and lovely addition. Every thing I have read indicates that she was a 'loser' on the bachelor and yet I see her as the big winner. She didn't get the guy--lucky her--and she is getting a lot of face time on tv and a lot of support from women so leave her alone.
Posted by: sable | March 11, 2009 at 07:15 AM
I agree with "hmmmm" there is something not quite right about Melissa. I wasn't surprised that Jason dumped her. She knew what she was getting into when she signed the contract with the Bachelor. It's contracted that all relationship talk would be on camera. Also "mojo7" - she didn't get dumped last week. That taping was about 6 weeks ago. She's had time to leech her way into Hollywood society - OBVIOUSLY!
Posted by: Susan | March 10, 2009 at 09:40 PM
Yeah, Melissa seemed sooo heart broken that her life was ruined.She really did dance gracefully. Let's see...Monday she called Jason a "child without a father" (the "B"word)...then she got back with her "on-again/off-again boyfriend of two plus years"and was "in love again"...by Friday she accepted an offer to be in another tv spotlight...Saturday she was dancing and filming for Monday's tv show.Such heartbreak...maybe Melissa will get an Emmy for her acting.
Posted by: mojo7 | March 10, 2009 at 09:06 AM
She is dancing with an Emmy nominated choreographer. Why not.
Posted by: beforeandafter | March 10, 2009 at 08:47 AM
Melissa has my vote, in the words of Shirley Manson..
You hold a candle in your heart
You shine the light on hidden parts
You make the whole world wanna dance
You bought yourself a second chance
Go Baby Go Go
We're right behind you
Go baby Go Go
Yeah we're looking at you
Go baby Go Go
Aw we're right behind you
Go Baby
Go Baby
Yeah we're looking at you
Go
Posted by: Democrats 4 Ever | March 10, 2009 at 03:02 AM
Ihope they get the emmy,and it's also nice to see melissa again,but i feel so bad for her after what jason did to her.i hope he realizes that he made a mistake breaking it off with her.
Posted by: veronica ruhl | March 09, 2009 at 07:58 PM
Melissa is a beautiful dancer. She is a natural and should win this season.
Posted by: Violette | March 09, 2009 at 07:41 PM
How is she considered a star or a celebrity? Was everyone else in Hollywood busy?
Posted by: hmmm | March 09, 2009 at 07:04 PM
I hope they get the emmy but it would be better off with out that media w**** (Melissa) remember Jason did say that the chemistry changed when the camera was off, and her other exes dumped her for some reason.
Posted by: Aliza | March 09, 2009 at 06:22 PM