While Jason Mraz continued his dominance on Tuesday night’s (Nov. 7) music video-themed episode of Dancing With the Stars, at the end of two hours of performances, it was YouTube star and actress Lele Pons who was sent shuffling off the stage.
Despite a crowd-pleasing, hip-swiveling salsa to Shakira’s “Whenever, Wherever” that scored a 33 out of 40, Pons and partner Brandon Armstrong ended up in the bottom three alongside Brady Bunch star Barry Williams and partner Peta Murgatroyd and former Bachelorette contestant Charity Lawson and dancer Artem Chigvintsev.
With a judging panel enhanced by guest adjudicator and choreographer/singer Paula Abdul, the episode spotlighted tributes to Britney Spears’ “I’m a Slave 4 U” and *NSYNC’s “It’s Gonna Be Me,” with the hoofers scored on both their routines and how closely they paid homage to the original visuals. Alyson Hannigan and Sasha Farber also scored a 33/40 for their quickstep to Christina Aguilera’s “Candyman,” Xochitl Gomez and Val Chmerkovskiy got a 34/40 for their jazz routine to Gwen Stefani’s “Hollaback Girl,” while Ariana Madix and Pasha Pashkov put up a 37/40 for their cha cha to Spears’ “Slave.”
Lawson and Chigvintsev could only muster a 32/40 for their jazz routine to Janet Jackson’s “All for You,” with Mraz and Daniella Karagach scoring a 35/40 for their jazz dance to a-ha’s “Take on Me,” Williams and Murgatroyd putting up a 28/40 for a quickstep to Elton John’s “I’m Still Standing,” while Harry Jowsey and Rylee Arnold brought up the rear with a 24/40 for a jazz routine to the 2000 *NSYNC hit.
In the end, though, it was Pons’ time to fly. “I am so grateful for everything. You’re the best… everybody here’s the best. I love them,” Pons said after her elimination. Dancing with the Stars is live Tuesdays on ABC and Disney+, and is available for streaming on Hulu.
Check out Pons’ performance below.
