Beloved star returns home – DEADLINE

Disney/Christopher Willard

well now this FUN: Guest host Billy Porter opened Week 8 by performing “How Will I Know” to kick off Whitney Houston’s night. a road Better opening than some of those silly skits from weeks and years ago! Porter even had the opportunity to explain his role the night before the competition began: “I’ll be looking for storytelling. I’ll be looking for connection and I’ll be looking for intent.”

It was not said but was certainly implied: Be good in Mrs. Houston’s memory, all!

Reality TV star Harry Josie (Too hot to handle) with partner Riley Arnold. Arnold’s shoulders covered in bandages (for unknown reasons) were a bit of a distraction during the training package, as Jowsey talked about being an ordinary Joe who can’t dance licking a plum. Then Arnold took him to a ballet class which made no difference at all to the Viennese Waltz (performed to Houston’s “I’ve Got Nothing”). Josie looked good in his powder blue velvet suit. “It has grown exponentially,” Porter said. “It’s about telling stories. The seduction was about five o’clock. I need to see it at ten.” a result: 28 out of 40

Actor Barry Williams (The Brady Bunch) with partner Beta Murgatroyd. Peta makes this partnership look great, but Williams can only hide behind her talent and beauty for so long. He needs to know he’s living on borrowed time, so just raising his arms and swinging his hips to “Didn’t We Almost Get It All” doesn’t count as a rumba, man. But the judges were nice. “You captured the heart of America,” Judge Derek Hough said. “The way you used your arms. There were a few things here and there, but the rumba is great, Barry.” a result: 32 out of 40

Actress Alyson Hannigan (American pie) with partner Sasha Farber. Hannigan broke down as she talked about how Houston’s song “Greatest Love of All” taught her how to love herself as a child. “This song made me suffer so much,” she said. amazing. Talk about putting a lot of pressure on your contemporary dance! But something happens to celebrities when they go barefoot to the dance floor. Hannigan’s performance was his most confident yet. “Simple, effective, profound and true,” said judge Bruno Tonioli. “I definitely saw a different side of you and I liked it.” She deserved at least 9 more but only got one from Porter. a result: 33 out of 40

Singer-songwriter Jason Mraz with his partner Daniela Karajac. The duo were tasked with dancing to “Higher Love” — a song Mraz says is similar to his tune “I’m Yours.” The singer acted as if he had two left feet in training but brought a lot of confidence to his samba, not withstanding the chaotic ball change. He was clearly having the time of his life, but Porter hated the way he pronounced the words during the entire performance. seriously, so what? but whatever. Porter: “It’s distracting. Save that for when you’re on Broadway because you’re singing at the same time.” a result: 33 out of 40

Lawson Charitable Foundation (And the bachelorette) with partner Artem Chigvintsev. The reality star smiled big as the music picked up. She was clearly drawn in the moment, dancing a Viennese waltz in her sparkling, crystal-encrusted dress to the tune of “I Will Always Love You.” Simply wonderful. Wait, Porter said that! “My boldness, very sophisticated, very elegant,” Tonioli said. “This is an a cappella clip, I was like that. Everything follows the words beautifully. a result: 36 out of 40

ariana madix (Vanderpump Rules) With partner Pasha Pashkov. Madix paired perfectly with the Paso doble and the ballad “Queen of the Night.” The woman is having a moment between her newfound fame Vanderpump Rules For its new business ventures with sandwiches and cocktails. I’m sure she would love to have a mirror ball trophy to top it all off. It’s definitely heading to the final three. “Don’t miss a beat,” said Judge Carrie Ann Inaba. “You attack with everything you’ve got.” a result: 39 out of 40

Actress Xochitl Gomez (Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness) with partner Val Chmerkovskiy. We got more information about the ankle injury that Gomez tried to rule out during last week’s show; She suffered a bad sprain during group dance practice and it was still painful this week as they practiced the tango to “I Wanna Dance with Somebody.” But if it still sounds lethargic on the dance floor on Tuesday, it is definitely it did not appear. Gomez remains the favorite to win. “That was flawless. Absolutely pristine,” Tonioli said. “Girl, you’re a black panther over there,” Inaba said. a result: Perfect 40

Dance is off.

Madix and Pashkov had to sit out this match because they were at the top of the leaderboard last week.

Hannigan vs. Josie. The two had to compete against others with a rumba. Josie and Arnold were louder and more dramatic in their movements, but as Hough said, Hannigan “had a leg up.” Oh, and Porter described Josie as a tree trunk for Arnold to dance around. lovable. Guess he didn’t get Porter’s vote! “You two have grown so much and it was really nice to see that. Harry, you were telling the story,” Inaba said. “Alison, you danced in little circles around Harry.” winner: Hannigan

Mraz v Williams. The two were charged with the sauce. This was a tough one to focus on because both men made huge moves to get the judges’ attention. He was Very close Greg Brady even opened his shirt to show off his newly shaved chest. The audience chanted his name after he finished! Mraz knew he was toast after that. “Barry, when I grow up, I want to be like you,” Hough said. “I mean spinning. Movement and you are such a competitor! That was amazing to watch and I loved it!” winner:Williams

Gomez v. Lawson. I love a good pair of fringed pants, so I wanted to give Lawson the edge here with her chacha, but Gomez is so classy, ​​so pure, so perfect in her dancing. As host Alfonso Ribeiro said, it was a “battle of the giants.” “That was really good and exciting to watch,” Inaba said. “You were both competitive but one of you was a little more competitive. I really loved seeing that. It was like the eye of the tiger. You’re both amazing.” winner: Lawson.

The bottom three were Williams, Mraz and Lawson. But it’s time for Williams to go. He broke up with talking to Ribeiro and Julianne Hough.

Next week is Taylor Swift night.