The popular athlete’s big victory was revealed after a near-perfect evening on Monday, when he and partner Peta Murgatroyd scored 59 out of a possible 60 points. They followed with a sexy — and shirtless! — Cha-Cha on Tuesday that earned them an additional 30 points, for a combined total of 89 out of 90 points.

The 37-year-old hunk from Houston, Texas, had a slow and steady ride to the coveted Mirrorball Trophy. After a somewhat rocky week 1, in which he scored near the bottom of the leaderboard, with 21 out of 30 points, Donald built up his game week after week, all the way to Monday night’s clincher, when he at long last earned his first set of straight-10′s from judges Carrie Ann Inaba, Len Goodman and Bruno Tonioli.

Naturally, Donald was more than elated when he got the good news, and fell to the floor after the announcement was revealed.

“This is awesome,” the elated Donald said, once he was able to pick himself back up.

In what was often dubbed the most competitive season in the history of Dancing With the Stars, Donald beat out a pack of finalists that included Welsh singer Katherine Jenkins and model William Levy, who finished in second and third place, respectively.

'Dancing With the Stars': Season 14's Craziest Fashions

11 Photos »

“Well done, Donald. We love you!” Katherine proclaimed, following her second-place finish.

Donald joins a long list of athletes who have won Dancing With the Stars. Past winners include football legend Emmitt Smith, figure skater Kristi Yamaguchi and gymnast Shawn Johnson.

*****

Tonight’s two-hour finale kicked off with a streamer-filled opening dance, which saw the return of the entire season 14 cast — everyone from Gladys Knight, to Jaleel White and Gavin DeGraw — for one final dance around the ballroom floor.

In fact, the majority of the first hour acted like a mini-reunion of sorts. After an encore performance of Donald’s perfect freestyle from Monday — and a lot of mindless filler — booted contestant Sherri Shepherd acted out every woman’s fantasy by dancing the Cha-Cha to ‘It’s Raining Men,’ with partner Val Chmerkovskiy, Val’s brother, Max, and a whole lot of bulging biceps. Not fair. Like, not fair at all.

Then it was Martina Navratilova, Jack Wagner and Gavin DeGraw’s turn to return to the spotlight, in routines that included elegance, blow-up sharks and, in Wagner’s case, lots and lots of shimmying. (Who’s laughing now, Amanda Woodward?!)

The Final Three 'Dancing with the Stars' Couples

10 Photos »

Later in the hour, proving there can never be enough Gladys Knight in our lives, the legendary Motown singer made her first of two appearances of the night, in a classy routine with partner Tristan MacManus. Gladys sang Barbra Streisand’s Oscar-winning classic ‘The Way We Were’ a bit later, in the second hour of the finale.

Following Gladys were, in order: Jaleel White, who performed the Paso Doble to the Shaft theme, in a routine that would have made his Family Matters alter-ego, Stefan Urquelle, very, very proud; Melissa Gilbert, who heated up the ballroom floor one last time, with a little help from the Chmerkovskiy brothers; and 20-year-old Roshon Fegan, who showed America what they missed out on with an epic Freestyle.

In a major shift of gears, singer Kelly Clarkson led the second hour with a medley performance of her new single, ‘Dark Side,’ and her chart-topping hit, ‘Stronger.’ Kelly also performed ‘Dark Side’ at the Billboard Music Awards, on Sunday, where she showed off her ridiculously awesome-looking new figure. (Haven’t seen the photos yet? Click here.) Kelly will later appear on ABC’s new reality-competition series, Duets, beginning this Thursday.

Getting back into the swing of things — quite literally — were Maria Menounos and partner Derek Hough, who followed Kelly’s performance with a sexy tango that had us wishing there could be four spots in the finals.

Maria, of course, was the last contestant to be eliminated before this week’s finale. Which meant that tonight’s episode could finally (finally) get down to business, as the three remaining finalists competed one last time for the judges’ all-important score. As we learned early on in the show, the contestants got to pick their own routine; however, their song choice wasn’t given to them until 24 hours before the show.

Kelly Clarkson Films 'Dark Side' Music Video

8 Photos »

With the pressure mounting, William Levy was the first to perform, dancing a breezy Salsa with partner Cheryl Burke that earned even more raves from the judges.

Maria Menounos Bikinis in Las Vegas with Derek hough

8 Photos »

“Nobody does it better than William!” Bruno proclaimed, as he rose to his feet.

The routine earned 30 out of 30 points. Combined with their scores from Monday, William and Cheryl went into the results with 89 out 90 possible points.

Then it was Katherine Jenkins’ turn to impress the judges — a tall order, considering she earned two perfect scores on Monday. But impress them she did with a Jive that had lots of smiles — not to mention lots of orange.

“You are the complete package,” said judge Len.

And, as luck — okay, and lots of talent — would have it, the Jive earned Katherine and partner Mark Ballas one last perfect score, to give them 90 out of 90 points.

Donald Driver was the last to perform — and as luck would have it, he took his shirt off within five seconds of his Cha-Cha. Naturally, the judges were floored by his routine, with Len going so far as to say, Donald was the best dancer the show has seen.

“I think you are the one to beat,” added judge Carrie Ann. (And right she ultimately was!)

The judges’ enthusiasm was quickly reflected in their scores; Len, Carrie Ann and Bruno each rewarded Donald with perfect 10s, for a combined score of 89 out of 90 points.

William Levy and Son Christopher at dodgers stadium in la

5 Photos »

Unfortunately, with the results looming, the good news could only last so long. One commercial break, and a performance by Gladys Knight, later, it was time to send someone home. The first person to get the boot: 31-year-old former model William Levy, who ended his successful run on season 14 in third place.

“It was an amazing experience. I thank you guys for all that you’ve done.” he said.

Then it was time to announce the winner of the Mirrorball Trophy — which, as we’re sure you’ve read by now, went to Donald over Katherine, in one of the closest Dancing With the Stars results, ever.

What do you think? Should Donald have won the Mirrorball Trophy? Or should it have gone to Katherine or William? Sound off now, below!

William Levy and partner Cheryl Burke face off against Katherine Jenkins with her partner Mark Ballas and Donald Driver, who is partnered with Peta Murgatroyd.

All three couples have had close scores from week to week with just a few points in between them. We all know it really comes down to the final round voting round!

Who should win DWTS? Take our poll!

There have been surprises all season,  including the most recent elimination of Derek Hough and Maria Menounos — who many picked to win early on.

William Levy, probably the least well-known celebrity, has become a breakout star of the show with his sexy moves and humble personality.

'Dancing With The Stars' William Levy: 10 Things You Don't Know

10 Photos »

NFL wide receiver Donald Driver has a built-in fan base that kept him going; but his performances have also been impressive enough to get top scores each week. Classical singer Katherine Jenkins has surprised with her ability, nearly earning a perfect score from the judges more than once.

Though season 14 was a bit on the conservative side in the fashion department, there were still plenty of eye-popping outfits that had everyone talking.

From Maria Menounos’ yellow Vegas showgirl-inspired look, to Katherine Jenkins’ leather-clad rock outfit, this year’s crop of contestants had a lot of fun pushing their ensembles to the max.

In honor of this week’s season finale, we’ve pulled together some of the zaniest looks from this past season. Have a look at them in our gallery now, then tell us: Which wacky outfit was your favorite?

Dancing With the Stars airs tonight at 8PM on ABC.

Maria Menounos Bikinis in Las Vegas with Derek hough

8 Photos »

]]> http://www.celebuzz.com/2012-05-21/dancing-with-the-stars-season-14s-craziest-fashions-photos/feed/ 1 http://www.celebuzz.com/2012-05-15/dancing-with-the-stars-all-star-edition-will-get-complicated-says-pro-val-chmerkovskiy-exclusive/ http://www.celebuzz.com/2012-05-15/dancing-with-the-stars-all-star-edition-will-get-complicated-says-pro-val-chmerkovskiy-exclusive/#comments Tue, 15 May 2012 21:25:21 +0000 Amber James http://www.celebuzz.com/?p=10511801
Dancing With The Stars will be launching its first-ever “all-star” season this fall. ABC’s entertainment president Paul Lee confirmed to reporters that he “can’t talk about the casting yet, but I’d love to see some of the fan favorites from the past seasons come back.” With rumors swirling about which All Stars will be returning,...Read more»

]]> Dancing With The Stars will be launching its first-ever “all-star” season this fall. ABC’s entertainment president Paul Lee confirmed to reporters that he “can’t talk about the casting yet, but I’d love to see some of the fan favorites from the past seasons come back.”

With rumors swirling about which All Stars will be returning, current dance pro Val Chmerkovskiy isn’t completely sold on the idea, telling Celebuzz:

“It’s a fun idea, but there are a lot of pluses and minuses though. What if one of my past partners comes back but she’s with another dancer. Now we’re competing against each other, so it’ll get complicated.”

We’re liking the unique twist! Which former DWTS cast members would you like to see return? Tell us in the comments.

The Kardashians Celebrate After Rob's Big 'DWTS' Night

13 Photos »

During a conference interview, the ABC president also went on to say, “We’ve had many favorites over the 14 seasons that we’ve got. So, fingers crossed. We’re out casting now, and I hope we come in with a really interesting cast of people who our audience is passionate about.”

Possible candidates may include Season 2 winner Drew Lachey, actress Kirstie Alley, Stacy Keibler, Kelly Osbourne, Lisa Rinna or Jerry Springer — just to name a few.

No further information has been given about when the show is slated to air or when they’ll announce the official cast.

Lacey Schwimmer%u2019s Skin-Revealing %u2018DWTS%u2019 Outfits

17 Photos »

]]> http://www.celebuzz.com/2012-05-15/dancing-with-the-stars-all-star-edition-will-get-complicated-says-pro-val-chmerkovskiy-exclusive/feed/ 2 http://www.celebuzz.com/2012-05-14/hope-solo-im-not-watching-dancing-with-the-stars-this-season-video/ http://www.celebuzz.com/2012-05-14/hope-solo-im-not-watching-dancing-with-the-stars-this-season-video/#comments Mon, 14 May 2012 22:00:13 +0000 Wes Ferguson http://www.celebuzz.com/?p=10503182 How does U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team Goalkeeper Hope Solo deal with the pressure of the upcoming Olympics? “There’s so much pressure,” she says. “But I’m okay with it. It’s all about learning how to manage your emotions, manage your anxiety. I do get nervous before games, but I like that. It means I care about...Read more»]]> How does U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team Goalkeeper Hope Solo deal with the pressure of the upcoming Olympics?

“There’s so much pressure,” she says. “But I’m okay with it. It’s all about learning how to manage your emotions, manage your anxiety. I do get nervous before games, but I like that. It means I care about what I’m doing and it allows me to play at the highest level I can play at. I had to learn to manage those nerves, it’s not like I could ignore them.”

The Dancing with the Stars alum also reveals why she isn’t watching the show this season:

“I hate to admit it, but I haven’t [been able to keep up with it],” she says. “I’ve been on the road so much, I haven’t seen one episode this season.”

As she’s training for the biggest sporting event in the world, who could blame her?!? Guess this is one alum who might be too busy for the upcoming all-star season.

To stay in top shape, Hope says eating right is very important. “We don’t usually diet,” she says. “We need more calories to perform at a high level.”

Sexy Sports Stars

22 Photos »

Off the field, fans can enter for a chance to win a trip to L.A. and meet Hope in person! Just hit up EscapeWithHope.com — plus get details on Simple Skincare, the new product line that keeps her looking great!

Opening up about the media mogul, he gushed about his dream of teaching her to salsa and jive.

“I would do my best to teach her some dance moves. I’m a huge fan, and I admire her,” the 26-year-old dancer told Celebuzz at the Dr. Scholl’s “Get Up & Go!” Event in NYC.

So does he think Oprah could win the Mirror Ball trophy?

“She has what it takes to be humble and learn the moves. She has the drive to be successful. Those are the qualities I’d want in a partner,” Chmerkovskiy said, adding that she’d likely make it to the end.

“Someone as successful as her wouldn’t be where she is, if she didn’t have good work ethic… I don’t need a supermodel, or athlete. I just want someone who has the desire to do well and put in the work,” the sexy dancing pro added.

Do you think Oprah should be on Dancing With the Stars? Sound off in the comments — and watch the video below to see Val teaching La La Anthony and Wilmer Valderrama to salsa.

She does admit that the stage will be pretty empty with only four couples standing!

When it came down to the actual performances,  Anna says that there was great dancing all-around:

I thought it was good dancing. I definitely feel with having two professionals it made it easier for celebrities to look good. I think the pros made the celebrities look really good and they worked around their strengths.

‘dancing with the stars’ season 14 couples

10 Photos »

She adds, “I feel that this is the grind. Last week just proved again how strong this season is.”

Which DWTS duo do you think will win? Sound off in comments below!

“Week seven is the classical week,” she says. “For me, its one of the best themes because I think the whole ballroom comes alive.”

But when it comes to the couple that got sent home, she’s confused:

“Jaleel White got eliminated Tuesday,” she ponders. “Why? I don’t know. They looked good, they had good chemistry, their routine was very smooth, their outfits were cool and elegant.”

'DWTS' Stud William Levy and Son Christopher at Dodgers Stadium

5 Photos »

She adds, “He was improving. He was getting better and better.”

Who do you think should have gone home? Tell us in the comments below!

Jaleel White, best known for his portrayal of the nerdy Steve Urkel on the ’90s sitcom Family Matters, was eliminated from Dancing With the Stars season 14 on Tuesday, in yet another nail-biting Dancing Dual.

Jaleel, who was in the bottom two a couple of weeks ago, was at a slight disadvantage heading into tonight’s elimination episode; his military-inspired Vietnamese Waltz barely impressed the judges on Monday, earning the actor three eights for a total of 24 out of 30 points.

Obviously, Jaleel’s performance in the Dancing Dual on Tuesday didn’t impress the judges enough, either, who chose to save Roshon Fegan — another familiar face in the bottom two — from elimination instead.

Still, despite the bad news, Jaleel remained in high spirits as he spoke to hosts Tom Bergeron and Brooke Burke Charvet following his elimination.

“I really only thought I would last about three dances in this competition,” he said, humbly.

Jaleel’s run on Dancing With the Stars was marred by controversy when, midway through the season, news broke that he got into a heated tiff with his partner, Kym Johnson, during rehearsals. Jaleel later spoke about the incident and the subsequent tabloid rumors in an exclusive interview with Celebuzz, admitting, “I probably wouldn’t have signed up for the show if I had been able to look into a crystal ball.”

“But, I tell you: I don’t have any regrets about doing the show because I don’t know how the experience ends. Why would I regret anything when I don’t know the outcome? You go through ups and downs; you go through moments of personal frustration. Hopefully, at the end, you triumph,” he added.

The season finale of Dancing With the Stars season 14 airs later this month on ABC. The Dancing Dual was implemented a few weeks ago so that the judges could save a stronger contestant from being eliminated too early. (Think: the American Idol judges’ save, but with fringe.)

Do you think Jaleel should have been eliminated? Sound off in the comments, below!

Dancing a vampire-inspired Paso Doble that would make Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart blush, Maria Menounos and her partner, Derek Hough, sexed up the ballroom floor in a flawless routine, that wowed both the crowd, the viewers and of course, the judges, who awarded the couple with a perfect score. Not bad, if you ask us!

It gets even hotter after the jump!

The couple’s routine put them at the front of the line as season 14 moves closer and closer to the finale, airing later this month. But will Monday night’s perfect routine help them take the coveted Mirrorball Trophy?

Check out the performance now, then make your predictions in the comments!

Maria Menounos Celebrates Kreiss Furniture's 75th Anniversary

7 Photos »

The two were talking about Gladys Knight‘s elimination when he blurted out the news. “I thought she was doing amazing,” he said, adding, “You know what, Kelly? They’re doing a Dancing With the Stars: All-Stars this next season. They called me to do it.”

His announcement trumps any word from ABC, the network that airs DWTS. Whoops!

As for Mario being on the show, “I just don’t know how I’d be able to pull it off,” he said.

Shirtless Mario Lopez Goes for a Jog

8 Photos »

Who would you like to see come back as an all-star? We’ve picked some of our favorites in the gallery above.

Maybe not on a midnight train to Georgia, but legendary singer Gladys Knight was sent packing from Dancing With the Stars Tuesday evening after a relatively close Dance Dual against Roshon Fegan.

The 67-year-old Motown legend certainly put up a good fight, dancing the jive for the judges’ save; however, in the end, she was no match for her 20-year-old competitor, whose routine won the votes of Len and Bruno — enough to keep him in the game for another week.

Gladys was admittedly at a disadvantage heading into tonight’s elimination, given that she received the lowest score of the week on Monday (21) — which might explain why she took the bad news on Tuesday like a seasoned pro.

“It’s been absolutely extraordinary,” she said of her experience on Dancing With the Stars season 14. “I’m just overjoyed.”

Ironically, Gladys, who for decades was the lead singer of the popular group Gladys Knight & The Pips, was eliminated during Motown week, which featured a live performance by Smokey Robinson.

For the first time ever in Dancing With the Stars, the show has implemented a Dance Dual, in which the bottom two contestants dance for a judges’ save. Last week, the judges unanimously chose to save Jaleel White over Gavin DeGraw.

The Dance Dual will remain in effect for the next couple of weeks.

What do you think? Should Gladys have been eliminated tonight? Sound off in the comments!

William Levy and Son Christopher at dodger stadium

5 Photos »

]]> http://www.celebuzz.com/2012-04-24/gladys-knight-eliminated-from-dancing-with-the-stars/feed/ 12 http://www.celebuzz.com/2012-04-24/%e2%80%98dwts%e2%80%99-melissa-gilbert-on-her-divorce-%e2%80%98i-could-barely-leave-the-house%e2%80%99-exclusive/ http://www.celebuzz.com/2012-04-24/%e2%80%98dwts%e2%80%99-melissa-gilbert-on-her-divorce-%e2%80%98i-could-barely-leave-the-house%e2%80%99-exclusive/#comments Tue, 24 Apr 2012 11:00:23 +0000 Nicki Gostin http://www.celebuzz.com/?p=10388512 It’s hard to imagine Melissa Gilbert doing anything but the cha-cha-cha or the waltz on Dancing With The Stars.  But, in a refreshingly candid interview with Celebuzz, the former Little House on the Prairie star revealed that her divorce left her incapacitated for the last few months, before taking to the dance floor. The 47-year-old, who’s currently paired...Read more»]]> It’s hard to imagine Melissa Gilbert doing anything but the cha-cha-cha or the waltz on Dancing With The Stars. 

But, in a refreshingly candid interview with Celebuzz, the former Little House on the Prairie star revealed that her divorce left her incapacitated for the last few months, before taking to the dance floor.

“I couldn’t have done this show while I was going through my separation and the throes of the divorce,” Melissa confessed to Celebuzz. “I could barely leave the house.”

Melissa’s hunky new Parisian boyfriend, Thierry Gauchet, is surely helping her overcome the pain.

“He came to visit for three weeks. Right now he’s driving my Mustang through the desert. The relationship is brand new. I’m trying not to have any expectations. I’m just cross-eyed!”

'Dancing With the Stars': performance pics

12 Photos »

The former Little House on the Prairie star, who will forever be known as Half-Pint, is paired with the infamously outspoken Maksim Chmerkovskiy and the two seem to be getting along swimmingly as she is giving it back as good as he dishes it out.

“The key with Maks is not to take it personally,” she explains. “He’s a perfectionist. Our rehearsals are long and arduous and difficult but
everyone’s are. Maks is more publicly vocal than anybody else. But by week five everybody was ready to kill their pros and the pros were ready to kill their celebrities.”

This week the pair will be performing a waltz and Melissa says that when they rehearsed it a second time the experience was, “almost indescribable. It was perfect. Our bodies were moving at the same time, our breath was coming at the same time. It was really magical.” 

So ahem, did the magic continue?

“Yeah that’s the instant assumption. But it does not exist between the two of us.” Although she does see how easy it is for couples to hook up on the show.

“It’s very intimate and we’re on each other literally all day. There are very few bodily fluids we have not exchanged,” Melissa says giggling. “And he’s there with me designing the costumes, lifting my boobs out of the way and asking me things like, ‘Will I wear bootie shorts?’ I guess in other worlds that would translate to two people sleeping together.”

Last night, Gavin DeGraw got the boot after his Samba was trashed by the judges, and landed him and partner Karina Smirnoff with a disastrous 19 out of 30 points, the lowest score of the night, on Monday.

“I think they were ok about it,” Anna says. “I’m sure they weren’t excited.” 

She also touches on the new dance-off elimination that’s new this season. “What’s the point of voting if the judges get to pick who stays and goes?” 

Roshon Fegan: From Disney to 'DWTS'

9 Photos »

“Well America,” she explains, “you never want to see your favorites in the bottom two!” 

Watch the video for more with Anna! 

“Oh my gosh, I did not see that coming,” Anna says. “She was one of my favorite girls on the show. I wanted to watch her …  to see her go, it was way too early.”

As evidenced by Anna’s own equally surprising elimination, “it’s a really unpredictable season,” she adds. 

Which contestant she think is improving the most? Watch the video to find out! 

Celebrities Our Readers Would Like to See on 'DWTS'

13 Photos »

]]> http://www.celebuzz.com/2012-04-11/dwts-pro-anna-trebunskaya-reacts-to-sherri-shepherds-shocking-elimination-exclusive-video/feed/ 2 http://www.celebuzz.com/2012-04-04/anna-trebunskaya-on-dwts-elimination-were-the-example-of-bad-luck-exclusive-video/ http://www.celebuzz.com/2012-04-04/anna-trebunskaya-on-dwts-elimination-were-the-example-of-bad-luck-exclusive-video/#comments Wed, 04 Apr 2012 19:30:13 +0000 Wes Ferguson http://www.celebuzz.com/?p=10272711 Oh no! Anna Trebunskaya and Jack Wagner have been shuffled off the Dancing floor!  “We’re the example of bad luck, by people not voting,” Anna says in her exclusive Celebuzz video blog. Five couples had the same score, making it difficult for viewers to choose who to vote for — especially when many presumed they’d be...Read more»]]> Oh no! Anna Trebunskaya and Jack Wagner have been shuffled off the Dancing floor! 

“We’re the example of bad luck, by people not voting,” Anna says in her exclusive Celebuzz video blog. Five couples had the same score, making it difficult for viewers to choose who to vote for — especially when many presumed they’d be safe.

This is especially true with Anna!

“What can I say?” she adds. “I think Jack should have gone all the way to the finale.” Guess we know who she voted for…

'Dancing With the Stars' Season 14 Couples Portraits

10 Photos »

Even though her run ended this week, she encourages fans to continue to vote for their favorite couple and “keep watching.” 

In brand-new our weekly video blog series, Anna will reveal her thoughts on her competitors, the judges table, and all things DWTS!

This week marked the first elimination,  which sent Martina Navratilova packing. The 55-year-old champ struggled in both of her routines over the last week, earning a combined score of just 37 out of 60 points, well behind the rest of the competition. Monday’s jive in particular drew major criticism from the judges, who slapped Martina and partnerTony Dovolani with a 17, the lowest score of the night. (see the complete recap) 

'Dancing With the Stars' Season 14: Week 2 scorecard

12 Photos »

“She’s a very sweet lady,” Anna says of Martina. “You don’t expect her to be so approachable and so nice. She really liked dancing and she really wanted to be in the competition, so it was a little sad. She was getting better! That’s always the tough part about Tuesdays, you never know who’s going home.”

The 55-year-old champ struggled in both of her routines over the last week, earning a combined score of just 37 out of 60 points, well behind the rest of the competition. Monday’s jive in particular drew major criticism from the judges, who slapped Martina and partner Tony Dovolani with a 17, the lowest score of the night.

Of course, being the professional that she is, Martina took the elimination with grace and a sense of humor.

“It was an amazing experience,” she said. “I just wish it had lasted longer. I gave it everything I had; but I blew it yesterday, and it cost me, unfortunately.”

Also in jeopardy tonight were Roshon Fegan & Chelsie Hightower and Gavin DeGraw & Karina Smirnoff.

What do you think? Should Martina have been sent home? Or should it have been someone else?

'dancing with the stars' week 2 scorecard

12 Photos »

]]> http://www.celebuzz.com/2012-03-27/martina-navratilova-eliminated-from-dancing-with-the-stars/feed/ 2 http://www.celebuzz.com/2012-03-27/carrie-ann-inaba-reveals-worst-part-of-being-dwts-judge-exclusive/ http://www.celebuzz.com/2012-03-27/carrie-ann-inaba-reveals-worst-part-of-being-dwts-judge-exclusive/#comments Wed, 28 Mar 2012 00:00:53 +0000 Wes Ferguson http://www.celebuzz.com/?p=10220171
Being on Dancing with the Stars is a great gig, but there are some drawbacks. Celebuzz talked to the show’s sweet, sexy judge Carrie Ann Inaba, who tells us the WORST part of the job! “The hardest part of being a judge is when there is somebody who is an icon like a Buzz Aldrin...Read more»

]]> Being on Dancing with the Stars is a great gig, but there are some drawbacks. Celebuzz talked to the show’s sweet, sexy judge Carrie Ann Inaba, who tells us the WORST part of the job!

“The hardest part of being a judge is when there is somebody who is an icon like a Buzz Aldrin — or someone who I have so much respect for off the dance floor — and then they come out and do a routine that you know they tried their best, but it may be lacking in a few areas,” she says. “It’s really hard to give a lower score when that happens.”

As a judge, “That is part of my job,” she adds.

“I don’t get to judge them on all their achievements in their whole life. So, that is very hard to do; it’s really hard to hurt their feelings.”

Despite the hard parts of the job, “I love being able to be a part of this whole new trend of dancing coming back into society,” she says. “People are dancing again, people are touching each other, people are interacting with dance, people are getting fit with dance, and people are dancing as a family … It’s wonderful.” 

Carrie Ann Inaba Bikinis in Hawaii

7 Photos »

When it comes to her post-DWTS goals, she already has a plan!

“I’ve always wanted to have an animal sanctuary,” she says. “I’m going to work really hard in this business and I’m going to find a way to be as successful as Tippi Hedren so I can have an animal sanctuary.”

She has been able to follow her passion by helping animal rescue groups and hosting the Humane Society Awards to honor those who do good work in the community.

The animal lover also just debuted a brand-new web series, called Crib Cats, in which she helps find deserving cribs for shelter cats in need of a forever home. The first episode is below — subscribe to the Petsami YouTube channel for new episodes each week!