Las Vegas Weekly

May 11, 2010 · 1:26 PM

Photos: Double dances shuffle the Dancing With the Stars deck

By Robin Leach

Erin Andrews and Maksim Chmerkovskiy on week eight of ABC's Dancing With the Stars on May 10, 2010.

Photo: Adam Larkey/ABC TV

Pussycat Dolls singer Nicole Scherzinger clearly established herself last night as the frontrunner on ABC’s Dancing With the Stars. With Las Vegas partner Derek Hough, she scored 59 points out of a possible 60 for two dances -- as we reported last night shortly after the East Coast telecast.

Tonight is the elimination that will reveal who goes into the semifinals next Monday. My bet is that viewers will vote off Reno 911 comedienne Niecy Nash, with Louis Van Amstel, allowing the other low-scorer Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Chad Ochocinco, with Cheryl Burke, to stay when they face the firing squad. It will be one or the other, and whoever stays will probably be ousted next week.

The more interesting battle is between Olympic figure skating gold medalist Evan Lysacek and ESPN reporter Erin Andrews. She shone last night and tied Evan for second place at show’s end. Their back-and-forth battle will continue through to the finals, I’m betting!

As Erin and pro partner Le Reve choreographer Maksim Chmerkovskiy close in on the top two, here’s the official YouTube video of the dance that sent them to No. 2 ahead of Evan and Anna Trebunskaya after the first round.

The neck-and-neck race for the No. 2 spot on the May 24 and 25 finales has become the more interesting storyline, as Nicole and Derek are out front by a wide margin.

Former DWTS contestants Kim Kardashian and Buzz Aldrin watched from the dance floor last night, and fashion designer Vera Wang sat alongside Kim. ABC’s official photographer Adam Larkey shot this sensational set of photographs for our Vegas DeLuxe gallery.

Perhaps the biggest news today is not this Season 10 outcome but the sudden guessing game that’s started for Season 11 this fall. Rumors were rampant last night that 88-year-old actress Betty White might be the first new contestant signed after receiving buzz from her Saturday Night Live appearance and Super Bowl commercial.

Vegas Deluxe will be back tonight with our spoiler-alert story of who gets sent home and who carries on as the Fabulous Five become the Fantastic Four.

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.

Follow Robin Leach on Twitter at Twitter.com/Robin_Leach.

Follow Vegas DeLuxe on Twitter at Twitter.com/vegasdeluxe.

Follow VDLX Editor Don Chareunsy on Twitter at Twitter.com/VDLXEditorDon.

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