'DWTS' Season 23: Former Texas Gov. Rick Perry Booted From Ballroom in Week 3
The voters have spoken.
— -- The voters have spoken. Former Texas Gov. Rick Perry was sent packing from “Dancing With the Stars” tonight after just three weeks of competition.
During his time on the show, the 66-year-old former longtime governor who twice unsuccessfully sought the Republican party’s nomination for president turned in ebullient routines that pleased the audience but which judges found lacking in polish, artistry and technical ability.
Judge Bruno Tonioli earned boos from the ballroom audience when he compared the footwork on one of Perry’s routines -– a quickstep -- to “heavy machinery.”
“One thing is for sure your performances are very, very catchy. It’s like a bad cold. You can’t get rid of it,” the judge noted, even as he gave Perry credit for enthusiastic delivery.
After he learned his fate Perry hugged his pro partner Emma Slater, then said he participated on the show to highlight veterans’ issues and invited viewers to find a veterans cause to support.
“My daughter’s getting married October 15th and I can promise you I will look good on the dance floor for her,” Perry said, referring to the instruction he had received on the show.
"Thank you, guys," he said, adding: “I’ll be back.”
Perry was among six celebrities who found themselves in jeopardy last night after a first-ever face-off episode that had the contenders and their pro partners dancing against each other in sets of two, with each contestant in the match-up performing the same style of dance to different songs.
The winners of the individual match-ups earned immunity from elimination tonight. The politician ended up in jeopardy after losing his paso doble battle with the rapper Vanilla Ice.
Tonight’s show featured a replay of each of Monday’s night’s routines plus live performances from Florida Georgia Line and Fitz and The Tantrums. With regular co-host Erin Andrews absent from tonight’s show due to a death in her boyfriend’s family, pro dancer and two-time “Dancing” mirror ball champion Kym Johnson Herjavec filled in as co-host alongside Tom Bergeron.
Eleven couples return to compete Monday on the show's 23rd season.
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