Dancing With The Stars Sends Home Two Celebs In Double Elimination

Night 2 of Dancing With The Stars was nothing but a good time, as the theme for the reality competition show was Hair Metal Night. The episode was a tribute to the glossy, glitzy world of 80s hair metal, where the bigger the hair and the tighter the pants, the better.

Guest judge Gene Simmons, the frontman of Kiss, joined judges Bruno Tonioli, Derek Hough and Carrie Ann Inaba to critique the dancers as they attempt to make hair metal and ballroom work together.

This contains spoilers to the results of the second (double) elimination of Season 33 of DWTS.

Danny Amendola And Witney Carson

The first couple up, Witney Carson sets a goal for her and Danny Amendola’s paso doble to “Livin’ On A Prayer” by Bon Jovi to get all eights, but Danny points out that rock stars get tens. There’s that competitor spirit, Danny. Then Danny tells a fun story about getting dressed up as a rock star in college and getting kicked out of a bar. Fun!

Witney says Danny has to be super powerful, but have rock star energy. She challenges him to channel his inner Bon Jovi.

Danny is a decent dancer, but he still struggles with making it appear loose and natural. He’s hitting every move, but they feel very deliberate and forced. He does, however, rip off his shirt mid-dance, which is very rock star. It even earns a surprising 9 from guest judge Gene Simmons.

Night 1 final scores: 8/8/7/7

Night 2 final scores: 7/7/9/7

Reginald VelJohnson And Emma Slater

Emma Slater begins her practice with Reginald VelJohnson by telling him how proud of him she is. Reginald, however, is discouraged by pain from a surgery a few years back. But, Reginald says he’s not ready to go home yet. He and Emma perform a cha-cha to “I Wanna Rock” by Twisted Sister, and as much as the audience wants Reginald to nail it, he’s not improving much. It’s hard to blame him, as the show is notoriously grueling and he’s 72 years old.

The judges still love Reginald, though. As do the fans in the ballroom.

Carrie Ann says that although he does the fewest amount of steps, he has so much support from the fans. Gene Simmons points out that as someone who has been on stage around the world, it’s all in the attitude. Bruno Tonioli commends Reginald for working hard. But we all know Reginald’s scores have to be based on the dance, not the charisma Reginald brings to the ballroom.

Night 1 final scores: 6/5/5/5

Night 2 final scores: 6/5/5/5

Chandler Kinney And Brandon Armstrong

By far the season’s most promising couple, Chandler Kinney and Brandon Armstrong have wowed the judges each week, regularly landing at the top of the leaderboard. Brandon wants Chandler to bring out her rebellious side for the dance, but Chandler says that the jive has her “feeling like a deer on ice.”

No shock here: Chandler and Brandon’s jive to “We’re Not Gonna Take It” by Twisted Sister is epic, with all the shocking attitude and bravado of an 80s hair metal rock music video. But still, they manage to keep the integrity of the jive. The judges are ecstatic. Derek Hough says she’s in a league of her own. Gene Simmons says Chandler “fogged up [his] glasses,” which is a confusing critique. Gene then compliments her beautiful face and her, um, movements. Are we about to see Gene Simmons get canceled in real time? Possible!

Night 1 final scores: 9/9/9/9

Night 2 final scores: 8/8/9/8

Brooks Nader And Gleb Savchenko

If you have eyes, you may have noticed that Brooks Nader and Gleb Savchenko have insane chemistry. And if you’ve seen the TMZ video of the two making out while getting tattoos, then you know that the rumors of a behind-the-scenes look to be true.

Both Brooks and Gleb express disappointment in their scores up until now. When Brooks finds out that they’ll be cha-cha-ing to “Nothin’ But A Good Time” by Poison, Brooks calls up her good friend, Bret Michaels, for a pep talk. Apparently she’s good friends with his model daughter.

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The Russian dancer has been known for his flirty behavior with his DWTS partners.

Brooks starts out sliding down a pole, but she shows a lot of improvement in the actual dance. She finally seems confident and sure of herself. She and Gleb’s steamy off-screen chemistry finally translates to the dance. While not perfect, it’s a major upgrade for the pair.

Gene Simmons starts out the judges critiques, saying Brooks’ vibe and personality are “out of this world.” Bruno Tonioli calls their dance “hot.”

But then, in a rare Dancing With The Stars moment, Gene Simmons admits he made a mistake with his scoring. He originally submitted a 9, but held up the 10 paddle. Scores are tabulated using the 9 score, so Julianne Hough says they need to update the score, docking a point from Brooks and Gleb, meaning they didn’t get a 10.

Tough blow for the extremely hot couple.

Night 1 final scores: 7/7/7/7

Night 2 final scores: 8/8/109/8

Stephen Nedoroscik And Rylee Arnold

Stephen Nedoroscik and Rylee Arnold have been flying high as a fan favorite couple this season. For their foxtrot to “Here I Go Again” by Whitesnake, Rylee urges him to remember that the movements go with the beat. Clearly, Stephen needs to work on his timing, but he says he thinks the musicality portion is starting to click.

Rocking an iconic 80s hair metal wig, Stephen and Rylee perform a crisp foxtrot to the classic power ballad, although Stephen’s grin takes away from the rock star mystique. The judges appreciate that Stephen took their notes to heart, which impressed them. Gene Simmons says he has a lot of personality, and then he compares him to Superman in a way that almost makes it seem as if Gene thinks he’s the first to make the comparison. Which, he’s not.

Night 1 final scores: 8/8/7/7

Night 2 final scores: 8/8/8/8

Dwight Howard and Daniella Karagech

Dwight Howard and Daniella Karagech started out strong, but ended up second to the bottom of the leaderboard last show. They attribute it to the fact that they didn’t have as much time to practice. This time, they are doing a paso doble to “Walk This Way” by Aerosmith, which they hope is their redemption dance.

Daniella is excited to finally be able to use Dwight’s strength during the paso doble. Dwight’s showmanship has improved, and while they’re still not a frontrunning couple, Dwight’s passion for the dance shines through.

Carrie Ann Inaba announces that this couple is back. She says the two dance so well together, she doesn’t even notice their extreme height difference anymore. Derek Hough calls Dwight the “comeback king.” Gene Simmons calls Dwight “a powerful and attractive man,” while Bruno says it was a “return to form.”

Night 1 final scores: 6/6/5/6

Night 2 final scores: 8/7/7/7

Eric Roberts And Britt Stewart

Britt Stewart tells Eric Roberts that hair metal in the 80s was epic, as was he. She asks Eric to recall what he was like in the 80s, and he tells a sad story about how he was in a terrible car accident that has impacted him to this day. Britt wants him to channel all of his emotions into the dance.

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Danny Amendola earned decent scores for his first dance, but the real buzz was who was in the audience supporting him during the premiere of DWTS.

Eric and Britt do a paso doble to “Cherry Pie” by Warrant, which is a tall order for Eric. He’s simply unable to move as fast as the song and the dance require. But it’s admirable that Eric is out there at all.

The judges agree. Derek Hough tells him he loves his determination and spirit. Gene Simmons says Eric ruled. Bruno Tonioli says his “attitude and intent are absolutely brilliant.” Carrie Ann Inaba says she is impressed by the way Eric has reconnected with his body.

Night 1 final scores: 7/6/5/6

Night 2 final scores: 6/5/6/5

Ilona Maher And Alan Bersten

Ilona Maher and Alan Bersten are such a special pair. Ilona is breaking boundaries of what is considered beautiful and strong, so they head to the gym to get some inspo from pumping iron. Ilona says the jive is fast, so she’s comfortable with it because she says it reminds of her training for rugby.

At one point, Alan tries to motivate her by reminding her of her Olympic glory.

Ilona and Alan perform a jive to “Cum On Feel the Noize” by Quiet Riot, and Ilona starts out dancing on the judging table before leaping into Alan’s arms. Her dance, however, feels a little unsteady. She seems unsure of herself, despite all the acrobatics Alan incorporated into the dance. Still, she manages to power through.

The judges, however, are less forgiving with Ilona this time. Though Gene Simmons calls her dance “magnificent,” Bruno Tonioli says there were a lot of mistakes. Carrie Ann Inaba comforts an visibly upset Ilana, and says everyone is rooting for her. Derek Hough calls her a “competitor” who can regroup and come back stronger.

Night 1 final scores: 8/8/7/7

Night 2 final scores: 7/6/7/6

Jenn Tran and Sasha Farber

While Gleb Savchenko and Brooks Nader’s “showmance” might be making headlines, fans are also quietly buzzing about the chemistry between The Bachelorette‘s Jenn Tran and Sasha Farber. Is it just for the show, or is it a more low-key “showmance” simmering in the background?

Jenn says that despite appearances, she actually does have a wild side. She says she “loves to have a rock-n-roll time” and is channeling “wild Jenn” because she doesn’t want to go home.

Jenn and Sasha Farber’s paso doble to “The Final Countdown” by Europe is full of attitude and emotion, which wows the ballroom audience. Jenn is really embracing the spirit of the dance, and she and Sasha absolutely nail their dance.

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It is safe to say that she’s upgrading from Devin Strader.

Bruno Tonioli calls the dance “electrifying.” Carrie Ann Inaba says Jenn’s so exciting to watch because she’s “unpredictable.” Derek Hough says she has a “beautiful, strong calmness” about her. Gene Simmons calls them a “steamy couple.”

Night 1 final scores: 8/8/7/8

Night 2 final scores: 8/8/7/8

Phaedra Parks And Val Chmerkovskiy

Phaedra Parks says she loves the song “You Give Love A Bad Name” by Bon Jovi because she’s been through a bad divorce, which Real Housewives of Atlanta fans know all about. Val Chmerkovskiy says the paso doble has conflict, drama and sassiness, which is perfect for Phaedra.

Val and Phaedra’s dance is fiery and passionate, although they seem a bit disconnected at times. Carrie Ann Inaba calls the performance strong, but notes there were mistakes. She advises Phaedra to make her moves more dynamic. Derek Hough, however, says he thought this performance was dynamic. Gene Simmons says he’s a big fan of a bad girl, which we could guess. Bruno Tonioli agrees that there were issues with the dance.

Night 1 final scores: 8/8/7/7

Night 2 final scores: 7/7/5/7

Joey Graziadei And Jenna Johnson

The Bachelor‘s Joey Graziadei has surprised audiences with his dance skills since week one. He and Jenna Johnson are a powerhouse couple, with a real shot at the finals. The duo are going to tango to “Rock You Like A Hurricane” by Scorpions, which host Alfonso Ribiero mentions was a song chosen weeks ago, before the devastating hurricane currently battering the southeast United States.

Jenna says Joey needs to work on his frame and keeping his shoulders back. Joey admits this is a struggle, but he’s eyeing first place and won’t give up. Their dance is sultry and in sync, as Joey’s momentum shows no sign of slowing down. His frame has improved, and the judges agree. Derek Hough calls it one of the “best tangos [he’s] seen from a male celebrity ever.” Gene Simmons says Joey has the goods, and Bruno Tonioli says “that is how you rock a tango.” Carrie Ann Inaba calls the performance “phenomenal.”

Clearly, the judges are fans of Joey.

Night 1 final scores: 9/9/8/8

Night 2 final scores: 9/9/9/9

Who Went Home During Dancing With The Stars‘ Double Elimination?

And in the end, while guest judge Gene Simmons’ scoring felt wildly random at times, the bottom three were indeed shocking: Ilona Maher, Eric Roberts and Reginald VelJohnson. While host Alfonso Ribiero notes that the bottom three are not necessarily the three lowest scoring couples, the audience is clearly stunned that the endlessly popular Ilona was in the bottom three.

But, ultimately, Ilona is safe and the two who were actually sent home felt more just: Eric Roberts and Reginald VelJohnson.

Nobody can deny that these two weren’t the best dancers, but they gave it their all and the audience had fun watching them do it. Both provided a nostalgic heart for the show, but as the competition heats up, the lesser dancers have to step aside.

Tune in to see which celebrities are eliminated next. Dancing With The Stars airs on Tuesdays at 8 p.m. (ET/PST) on ABC and Disney+.

Dancing with the Stars is a popular dancing competition reality TV show airing on ABC and Disney+. The series features various celebrities who pair with professional dancers to compete in front of a panel of judges. The US version of the UK TV show Strictly Come Dancing premiered in 2005 and was originally hosted by Tom Bergeron for its first 28 seasons.