ABC Photo
-
Entertainment
Photos
-
Entertainment
Television
-
Entertainment
Likes or Yikes?
It was an emotional night on Dancing with the Stars as the third week of the season concentrated not only on the dances but the 10 remaining contestants' most life-changing years. Despite many poignant stories, it was J.R. Martinez who brought the ballroom to tears with his account of being critically injured while deployed in Iraq at age 19.
The All My Children actor's gut-wrenching tale of wanting to die was channeled into a touching performance with partner Karina Smirnoff to Tim McGraw's "If You're Reading This" -- a song about soldiers' wives reading letters telling them their husbands have been killed in action. The dance garnered a standing ovation from the audience.
And if that wasn't enough to make everyone present tear up, the 28-year-old's special cheerleader for the night was teenager Jenna Bullen, who was burned over 95 percent of her body when she was three.
"That was one of the most profound, honest dances I've ever seen," said a weepy Carrie Ann Inaba.
Other highlights include:
Ricki Lake discussed the painful time last year, when she and her husband divorced and her house burned down. She and pro Derek Hough topped the leader board with their 27-point rumba dedicated to the year that culminated in meeting her fiancé, Christian Evans.
Chynna Phillips and partner Tony Dovolani appropriately danced to her own song -- Wilson Phillips' "Hold On" in honor of the difficult year when she battled depression and substance abuse. Her band mates Carnie Wilson and Wendy Phillips were in the audience.
Rob Kardashian spoke of his late father Robert and danced to Frank Sinatra's "Fly Me to the Moon" with Cheryl Burke, earning him a respectable middle-of-the-board finish.
And Chaz Bono struggled once again with a bottom-of-the-list dance, which was in honor of this past year when he completed his transgender operation. Bono and Lacey Schwimmer received only an 18 for their rumba to Sonny Bono's "Laugh at Me."
Leader board results:
Ricki Lake & Derek Hough: 27
Chynna Phillips & Tony Dovolani: 26
J.R. Martinez & Karina Smirnoff: 26
David Arquette & Kym Johnson: 24
Hope Solo & Maksim Chmerkovskiy: 24
Kristin Cavallari & Mark Ballas: 24
Rob Kardashian & Cheryl Burke: 24
Carson Kressley & Anna Trebunskaya: 23
Nancy Grace & Tristan MacManus: 21
Chaz Bono & Lacey Schwimmer: 18
Watch J.R. and Karina's graceful rumba below!
