The most different people possible face off in the "Dancing With the Stars" finale tonight, as "Keeping Up With the Kardashians" brother Rob Kardashian tries to beat frontrunner J.R. Martinez, an Iraq war veteran who sustained burns over much of his body in service to his country.
Just for fun, let's pretend this isn't only a dance contest, but also a look at who we as a country honor and value in our society. It's not a huge leap, since the audience vote makes this, above all else, a popularity contest.
Read more: Meet J.R. Martinez, the 'DWTS' Star Not Just Famous for Being Famous
Makes the show a little more interesting, doesn't it?
On one hand, there's a man who made a dramatic sacrifice and now inspires others to carry on in the face of unimaginable adversity. On the other, there's a guy who became semi-famous after his older sister made a sex tape.
Read more: J.R. Martinez Gets 'DWTS' Standing Ovation for War Vet-Inspired Dance (Video)
Add to the mix once-and-current talk show host Ricki Lake, who has competed closely with J.R. Martinez, also an "All My Children" star, to be the frontrunner in the 13th run of the show.
But Kardashian has slowly emerged as a serious contender recently. And with a perfect-score performance in Monday night's final competition episode of the season, Kardashian and Martinez now appear to be in a close battle for the mirror ball trophy.
Dancing the freestyle to "Minnie the Moocher" with partner Cheryl Burke, Kardashian earned a 30 from the judges for his performance, which included lifting Burke above his head and twirling her around.
"You've just given your all," judge Len Goodman told Kardashian. "Your family should be proud."
Lake and partner Derek Hough earned a pair of respectable 27s from the judges, while Martinez, dancing with an injured ankle, earned a 24 for his first dance, and rebounded with partner Karina Smirnoff to end the night with another perfect score.
Martinez and Smirnoff's spirited freestyle to "Whine Up" earned them their third 30 of the season, more than any other dance duo.
"Two things were revealed: Karina's body and your talent," Goodman said of the dance.
Of course, it's only a dance contest.
But it's not.
Check out video of Kardashian and Martinez's perfect-score performances, and make the call: Will the war veteran or the reality show vet become the champ in tonight's "DWTS" finale? Or does Ricki Lake, who'll launch her new talk show next season, still have a chance?
