‘DWTS’ Stars Monica Aldama And Val Chmerkovskiy Call Elimination Blunder ‘Crazy’ And ‘Shocking’
Dancing with the Stars contestant Monica Aldama and her professional partner Val Chmerkovskiy spoke out about the awkward blunder on last night’s (October 5) show. New host Tyra Banks told them they were through when they actually weren’t, due to what she described as an “error in the control room.”
The two initially left the stage after Tyra told them they were safe, though the host asked them to return moments later and they were revealed to be in the bottom two. However, the couple ended up safe with Anne Heche and Keo Motsepe going home.
Speaking to Entertainment Tonight backstage just minutes after the awkward moment, Val called the live TV mishap “crazy” and “shocking” and said he still wasn’t really sure what actually happened.
“I’m just thinking 2020, you know?… As Tyra said, it’s live TV. What you see is what you get but I’m glad we get to laugh about it now,” he said.
Cheer star Monica added that she found the whole thing “surreal.”
“We went from zero to 100, back down to zero really fast. We just went back out there, smiled, and [heard] what the judges had to say.”
Val also discussed how the blunder made things a little awkward between them and the eliminated couple after the judges, Bruno Tonioli, Derek Hough, and Carrie Ann Inaba, unanimously voted to send them through.
“I hate being in that situation though… it feels like, ‘Anne goes home because of Monica and Val,'” he said, noting that they’re both big fans of the Six Days, Seven Nights and Return To Paradise actress. He said they were disappointed to see her leave because they both “love” her.
“I didn’t even get to be upset over the fact that Anne is leaving because it was such a crazy [moment],” he added.
Despite the drama, Maksim Chmerkovskiy’s brother also shared how happy he was to be going through to another week with the cheerleading coach as he shared his excitement to make it into the Top 12.
The two received a score of 24 out of 30 for their Samba to Miley Cyrus’s 2009 hit “Party in the USA.”
DWTS‘s Top 13 night also saw Skai Jackson pay tribute to her late friend and co-star Cameron Boyce, who passed away last year. The two appeared together on the Disney Channel series Jessie. For his dance with pro partner Cheryl Burke, AJ McClean reflected on his time as a Backstreet Boys with a little help from his bandmates Howie Dorough, Nick Carter, Kevin Richardson, and Brian Littrell.
Dancing with the Stars will return on Monday, October 12 for ’80s Night.
