Las Vegas Weekly

May 5, 2009 · 7:08 PM

Four finalists remain as ninth celebrity couple is kicked off DWTS

By Robin Leach

The final five couples on Dancing With the Stars on May 4.

Photo: ABC TV

It was kind of appropriate that British jazz singer Jamie Cullum sang “I Get a Kick Out of You” on the ninth-week results show of ABC’s top-rated show. The classic Cole Porter number maybe softened the blow for the couple who wound up getting kicked off.

Don’t read any further if you plan on watching the tape-delayed West Coast broadcast of ABC’s Dancing With the Stars and want nothing spoiled beforehand! But come back after the show to compare notes!

Going into tonight’s ninth episode of Season 8, the five teams remaining are actor model Gilles Marini and partner Cheryl Burke; Grammy Award-winning rapper Lil’ Kim with reigning champion partner Derek Hough; The Bachelor star Melissa Rycroft, dancing with a hairline rib fracture and partner Tony Dovolani; Olympic gold medalist and gymnast Shawn Johnson with partner Mark Ballas; and “King of Cowboys” Ty Murray and his partner, newcomer Chelsie Hightower, who is our hometown heroine.

Click HERE for last night’s judges’ scores, and click HERE for my recap today and a photo gallery. Now the judges’ scores are tallied with the always unpredictable and unexpected viewer votes, and the ninth couple of Season 8 will be eliminated.

To drag out the suspense, the show is filled with dance demonstrations, the Macy’s Stars of Dance choreographers and a pro dance contest to find one who will be added to next season’s cast.

The clock ticks down to the merciless moment of misery, and host Tom Bergeron delivers the news. It's Lil' Kim and Derek and Ty and Chelsie in the bottom two, and in a shocking upset, Lil' Kim is sent home, giving Ty and our Las Vegas-born girl Chelsie another week of dancing!

Now the stage is set for the semifinal dance-offs en route to the finals and the winner’s shiny disco ball trophy!

Robin Leach has been a journalist for more than 50 years and has spent the past decade giving readers the inside scoop on Las Vegas, the world’s premier platinum playground.

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