'Dancing With the Stars' eliminates another celebrity

[May 07, 2008]  LOS ANGELES (AP) -- It was the 100th episode of "Dancing with the Stars" -- but the last for Mario. The 21-year-old R&B singer and his professional partner, Karina Smirnoff, were eliminated during Tuesday's results show, which also served as a special celebration of the ABC dancing competition's 100th episode.

Mario and Smirnoff performed a Viennese waltz and a jive during Monday's performance show, earning 53 out of 60 points. The judges crowned Mario "a new prince" following his ballroom dance but called his feet "bloody ugly" after his Latin dance. Mario came in third place following the judges' scores Monday.

Top-scorer Christian De la Fuente dropped partner Cheryl Burke last week when he ruptured a tendon in his biceps. Burke choreographed the couple's tango and mambo routines this week so that the Chilean actor mostly used his good arm -- including the lifts, which were allowed for the first time this round.

De la Fuente, NFL player Jason Taylor, Olympic figure skater Kristi Yamaguchi and Broadway star Marissa Jaret Winokur remain and will compete in next week's semifinals.

In honor of the popular reality series' 100th episode, host Tom Bergeron announced there were 100 fans -- two from each state -- in the audience as well as several former contestants, such as Kelly Monaco, Jane Seymour, Vivica A. Fox, Jerry Springer, Mark Cuban, Drew Lachey, Ian Ziering, Sabrina Ryan and Lisa Rhinna.

Three former contestants returned to the dance floor.

Fourth season winner Apolo Anton Ohno and fifth season runner-up Melanie Brown separately danced with their former professional partners during performances by Rascal Flatts. Third season runner-up Mario Lopez, who's currently starring in "A Chorus Line" on Broadway, also performed a high-kicking routine with the cast from the musical revival.

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ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Co.

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[Associated Press; By DERRIK J. LANG]

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