Call it a Halloween miracle. For the first time ever, “Grocery Store Joe” Amabile and his partner, Jenna Johnson, did not earn the lowest score from the judges on “Dancing with the Stars.”
The reality TV celebrity scored 22 of 30 points (including two 7’s from Bruno Tonioli and Len Goodman, and an incredibly generous 8 from Carrie Ann Inaba).
Though Amabile almost dropped Johnson during a lift at the end of the routine, the judges noted his improvement after weeks of struggle.
“Grocery Store Joe” Amabile almost drops his partner, Jenna Johnson, during a routine on Dancing with the Stars.
Still, his ongoing appearances are making a mockery of the dance part of the show, even while it proves the power of votes across the country.
You be the judge:
Amabile and Jenna Johnson performed an Argentine Tango to the song “El Tango de Roxanne” from Moulin Rouge.
His best dance? Sure. Still rough? Absolutely. Better than any other contestant? No.
The true shock is that there wasn’t a double elimination, meaning eight couples are moving on to next week’s country night.
Amabile amazingly outlasted yet another couple, as Mary Lou Retton and Alexis Ren were sent packing.
Put Retton and Amabile side by side in a dance off, like the British version of the show, and he’d certainly be toast.
Such is life.
Retton is the fifth woman in a row to get eliminated this season. That’s never happened before in the history of the show.
Amabile may, or may not, be helping the ratings for DWTS this season. The show is averaging less than a 1 share in the all important 18-35 age group (a significant drop this season).
As we discussed previously, the original British version of Dancing with the Stars features a dance off at the end of each show.
That system almost ensures that the “grocery store Joe’s” of the world do not get confused with actual dancers – which is the point of the show.
Amabile has survived far superior dancers and his votes show no signs of slowing.
Special Note: The Ellen DeGeneres Show‘s DJ and dance icon, Stephen “tWitch” Boss, choreographed and danced to an eerie number based on a music video from Freeform’s 31 Nights of Halloween, with his spectacular dancers, including his wife and former “Dancing with the Stars” pro, Allison Holker.