Maksim Chmerkovskiy News (Page 3)

Maksim Chmerkovskiy continues to hold nothing back when it comes to his Dancing with the Stars competition; or, to be specific, when it comes to Marie Osmond.

The handsome professional was critical of her selection to act as a "living doll" during the freestyle performance on last night's show.

"I guess she came out trying to do something... Whatever it is, I guess it's between her and [Jonathan Roberts}. But nobody else knows what it is," Dancing professional Maksim Chmerkovskiy told OK! Weekly after the broadcast.

Maks even said he thought the entire routine was meant as nothing more than an advertisement for Marie's line of dolls.

"I guess it was a big doll company promotion," Chmerkovskiy added.

Moreover, Melanie Brown's partner didn't shy away from similar, negative comments he made last week regarding Osmond.

"I just said what everybody else was thinking," Chmerkovskiy said. "To add to that, Marie is one of those people you can't find any flaws with. I have nothing but the utmost respect for her. God knows this woman went through a lot this season. But, having said that, this is a dance show."

It's hard to argue with any of these points, isn't it?

Maksim Chmerkovskiy is more than just a pretty face and a dancing talent: he's refreshingly honest.

When asked by Extra if the right person (Jennie Garth) was voted out of Dancing with the Stars last week, Chmerkovskiy replied:

"I think Jennie was better than Marie Osmond," he said."Frankly, I think there are a lot of other people better than Marie."

As for who should be crowned this year's champion, Maks isn't shy about tooting his own partner's horn: Melanie Brown, "should win," he said, noting "she's hands down the best dancer left... [the] most capable, most natural."

Alas, as often happens with reality contests, true talent can get trumped.

"History shows [Dancing's celeb champ is] either a cute man or somebody with a huge fan base and I think Marie has both Helio and Mel's fan base combined times five."

We'll find out this week!

We'd like to take a break from judging contestants on Dancing with the Stars to admiring their partners.

Here are a couple cute shows of two professional hunks dancers on the show: Maksim Chmerkovskiy and Derek Hough:

In an interview airing later today on The Ellen DeGeneres show, Maksim Chmerkovskiy and Melanie Brown joke about the former's past dancing experience.

DeGeneres asks Brown  if all those song-and-dance routines from her years with the Spice Girls are helping her on Dancing with the Stars.

"Well, the Spice Girls were, like, routines for six-year-olds," Brown jokes, while Chmerkovskiy busts some Spice Girls moves to the delight of the crwd.

Scary Spice also chats about the upcoming Spice Girls reunion tour, which kicks off on December 2 in Vancouver, and somehow sold out for the first London performance in a mere 38 seconds.

"How does that happen?" DeGeneres asks. "38 seconds."

"I was amazed," replies Brown. "I did actually think, ‘How is that possible. Is there a lot of people on the phone in one big room?' I don't get it… I was really shocked. Wow! We really have to do it now."

"Yeah. You were just testing it out to see if anyone cared," DeGeneres jokes. "Are you excited about it?"

"Very excited."

Will Melanie Brown and Maksim Chmerkovskiy capture this year's Dancing with the Stars title?

No one knows.

But, if not, it won't be for a lack of trying. Here's a look at the pair preparing:

Ten weeks of Dancing with the Stars has gone down to this week, this night.

With just three top-notch couples remaining, which stepped up its game? Can Laila Ali and Maksim Chmerkovskiy overcome their underdog status when compared with the moves of Joey Fatone and Apolo Anton Ohno?

It was quite the night of moving and shaking. Read about it now in our episode guide!

Two dances, two perfect scores? Which Dancing with the Stars couple pulled off this feat last night?

Was it the current favorites, Apolo Anton Ohno and Julianne Hough? Or maybe Joey Fatone and Kym Johnson stepped up their game after being dropped to the final two last week.

Without her legendary father in attendance this time, how did Laila Ali fare? There's only one way to discover the answers to all these pressing questions ...

Read our week 9 episode guide right now!

It was an evening of TWO dances last night. Ballroom and Latin were on the agenda for our Dancing with the Stars contestants.

Were there any perfect scores? Are Apolo Anton Ohno and Julianne Hough still the favorites? Or did a shirtless Maksim Chmerkovskiy steal their shoe-tapping thunder?

There's only one way to find out: Read through our Episode Guide right now.

Thanks to People magazine for this behind the scenes report on Dancing with the Stars from this week ...

Icing on the Cake: They earned the season's first perfect score (a solid 30 on their samba), but Julianne Hough and Apolo Anton Ohno were baffled about how best to celebrate it. "Sushi," Hough enthused. "How about Sprinkles Cupcakes?" Ohno retorted, referring to the Beverly Hills bakery. Why not both? "Oh no, I have had one too many treats this week," he said. Guess it is hard to top perfection ...

Dad Is Looking Ripped: Miley Cyrus (a.k.a. Disney's Hannah Montana) is impressed with dad Billy Ray's new dancer physique. "He's looking buff," she said. "He came out to dance tonight and I was like 'Snaaap. Look at those arms.' And he's got a six pack now. We go swimming every day in our hot tub and he's got little abs. My brother better watch what he says now because Dad is looking ripped." Meanwhile, Ian Ziering says he's down 18 lbs. "You immerse yourself in dance and you start looking like it!"

Heather's Wipe-Out: "I'm sure the audience loved it," Heather Mills said after falling on her tush during her samba with Jonathan Roberts. "I'm glad to finally get it over with â€" there you go, there's the bet!" Laughing off the mistake, Mills, who had viewers wondering if her artificial leg could hold up through all the strenuous dance moves, added: "I'm used to it."

Talk with the Hands! After the judges harshly criticized Ziering and Cheryl Burke on-air (though they did receive a solid 24/30 score), host Tom Bergeron asked the panel if their performance really warranted such strong words. Absolutely, nodded Len Goodman and Carrie Ann Inaba â€" both of whom then spread their arms wide to show the kind of oomph and open-gesturing Ziering could use.

He's a Leg Man: John Ratzenberger bared his muscular legs during his video package with partner Edyta Sliwinska. So what's his secret to great gams? "He rides his bicycle to the dance studio," Sliwinska says. "He's very strong." Ratzenberger proudly smiled and declared, "They're like oak trees."

T.M.I. Alert (Thanks, Jonathan): "Women are much tougher than men," professional Roberts admitted to People, and he's got the ingrown hairs to prove it after having his chest waxed on the show. "Wow. Don't need to do that again." Joey Fatone says he'd never follow in Roberts's footsteps. "I manscape. No waxing for me, no shaving. Trim, baby, trim," Fatone says.

Rumba'd the Wrong Way? As Laila Ali's rehearsal video rolled, her fiancé, former NFL football player Curtis Conway, looked a little perturbed that her rumba with partner Maksim Chmerkovskiy was a little too sensual â€" but it was all an act! "He did a good job," Ali says. "He makes those faces really well." Afterward Conway startled Chmerkovskiy from behind during his post-performance interview, prompting Bergeron to joke, "Maks needs to change his pants."

After saying goodbye to Leeza Gibbons last week, it's on to the latest round of moving and shaking ...

Ian Ziering and Cheryl Burke (Samba) - Ian is definitely capable of more attitude and athleticism, and the judges are on to him. His arm muscles were the most impressive of the night, but his Samba was mediocre when compared with Apolo's. Ian admitted that he had trouble getting into the character of the dance. If he's going to make it to the finals, he will have to overcome that challenge. Score: 24 (all 8s)

Clyde Drexler and Elena Grinenko (Rumba) - Early on in the competition, the judges encouraged Clyde to take advantage of his long legs and open up on the dance floor. But he is still not heeding this advice. We keep waiting for him to surprise the audience with a little more movement, but no such luck. Clyde and Elena's Rumba was very subdued. The judges showed the couple no mercy, calling Clyde the worst dancer in the competition. Score: 13 (4, 5, 4) Deserved, but ouch.

Heather Mills and Jonathan Roberts (Samba) - We never noticed that Jonathan was the only male professional with hair on his chest, but Heather did. She insisted that her partner get the "Steve Carell" treatment (that's chest-waxing, for those of you who didn't see The 40-Year-Old Virgin). The pair performed a lively, entertaining Samba. Heather is a great performer, but she was not at her technical best tonight. Their performance took an unlucky turn when Heather's foot slipped on Jonathan's baby-smooth chest, sending her to the floor butt-first. The judges gave her a break, since the rest of the dance was more than competent. We're guessing that the fall will motivate Heather to really bring it next week. Score: 21 (7, 7, 7)

Joey Fatone and Kym Johnson (Rumba) - Joey wanted to shed his goofy side and get into the sexy character of the Rumba. He was flexible and focused, and he even grabbed Kym's butt a few times for good measure. We loved the couple's costumes, particularly Kym's beautiful dress. The judges gave Joey some grief for being too feminine, and Carrie Ann thought that Joey "over-performed" the dance. Bruno was the sole voice of dissent, calling the performance "strong and soft." Score: 25 (8, 8, 9)

John Ratzenberger and Edyta Sliwinska (Samba) - John seemed to take last week's brutal comments to heart, comparing the remarks to a "playground taunting." He stopped himself from pouting, though, which is admirable.He's a charming, lovable guy, and his personality could save him this week. John might end up in the bottom two, but he will probably escape elimination. Score: 18 (6, 6, 6)

Laila Ali and Maksim Chmerkovskiy (Rumba) - Laila's fiancé made a hilarious appearance during practice, and kept a close eye on the placement of Maksim's hands. Fortunately for all of us, his influence didn't carry over into the couple's performance. Laila's Rumba was hot and flirtatious, and she looked as flawless as ever. As long as the pair can follow the rules and maintain their sex appeal, they have a real shot at winning. Len thought it was Laila's best performance ever, and Bruno thought she was "smoldering." Score: 28 (9, 10, 9)

Apolo Anton Ohno and Julianne Hough (Samba) - Apolo Anton Ohno confessed that he desperately wanted a 10, and he got three of them. The first perfect score of the season was well-deserved. Apolo and Julianne did their best to go from cute to sexy, and they pulled it off. These two can really get into the spirit of every dance that they perform. Len said that all of the elements of their performance came together, and Carrie Ann called the Samba "perfection." They have to get the encore tomorrow, and we cannot wait to see them dance again. Score: 30 (10,10,10)

Billy Ray Cyrus and Karina Smirnoff (Rumba) - Few men can pull off a pastel purple sleeveless shirt, and Billy Ray is not one of them. Billy Ray's Rumba was a step backward in terms of skill and entertainment value. Karina basically lap-danced around him. The worst part was Billy Ray's attempt at sexiness, which came off more like smarminess. The guy is starting to give us the creeps. Carrie Ann praised Billy Ray's technical skills, while Bruno compared him to a "pillar of salt." Len said that Billy Ray traded the romance of the Rumba for "hanky-panky in the back of a Chevy." Nobody was amused by Billy Ray's predictable response. Billy Ray had a lot of potential early on, but his performances have plateaued. Fan votes are the only thing keeping him alive. Score: 17 (6, 6, 5)