‘Dancing With the Stars’ First Elimination Sends Frustrated Star Home

Stars in trouble on the ABC reality show based on judges’ scores included Antonio Sabato Jr., Michael Waltrip, Lolo Jones and Betsey Johnson

"Dancing With the Stars" Season 19 Week 1 Elimination
ABC

(Spoiler alert: Please do not read on if you have not yet seen Tuesday night’s elimination episode of “Dancing With the Stars.”)

It’s always hard to be the first one eliminated on reality shows like ABC’s “Dancing With the Stars,” because everyone knows how hard these celebrities have worked in the weeks leading up to the premiere. “DWTS” combines judges scores and viewer votes to determine who to send packing, but viewers were mostly in agreement with the judges this week.

Also read: ‘Dancing With the Stars’ EP Talks Show’s Future: Less Len Goodman, More Julianne Hough

Fashion designer Betsey Johnson and her professional partner Tony Dovolani scored the lowest points from the judges, with Olympic athlete Lolo Jones and her partner Keoikantse Motsepe coming in just slightly above them. Safe for the week, but in definite need of improvement were Antonion Sabato Jr. and Michael Waltrip.

In the end, it was the three-time Olympian who fell short with viewers, becoming the first star to stop dancing in Season 19. It was particularly frustrating for Jones, who has been to two Summer Olympics and one Winter Olympics in her quest for a gold medal. The athlete is a national champion in track and field as well as a world champion in bobsled, but has yet to win an Olympic medal.

She took to Facebook after her “DWTS” elimination, admitting that she was “crushed” and felt broken. She thanked her fans and supporters for their kinds words, writing that they helped her “not fall into darkness.”

See photos: ‘Dancing With the Stars’ Season 19 Cast Revealed

While there’s no way to know for sure, one has to consider the popularity of their professional partners when looking at America’s vote. Dovolani has been with “DWTS’ since Season 2, winning the Mirror Ball trophy with Melissa Rycroft in Season 15. Surely he has a healthy fan-base of his own. Meanwhile, Jones was partnered with Motsepe, who comes to “DWTS” for the first time this season.

That’s not to take away the role the performance itself plays in America’s vote, as the judges agreed Jones and Motsepe were one of the two weakest performances on Monday night’s show. It’s just another factor to consider, at least in part, when considering how America makes their decisions.

Read Jones’ complete Facebook post below.

My prayer tonight is for God to soften me and my heart. When you go so many times rejected in public you put walls up. When I was dancing last night and messed up I had flashbacks of the three Olympics and that people constantly tease me about. I thought oh no here it comes again. People are going to ridicule me. I’m so tired of feeling embarrassed.

I joined the other competitors upstairs and I couldn’t force a smile on my face. I felt like vomiting and in between the other dances I went in a back room and fought back tears. I felt so broken. So unlovable. Embarssed.

My brief time on ‪#‎DWTS‬ was a lasting lesson. I really wanted to stay on the show and have the layers of hurt wash away by showing the public how hard I work. I wanted to come away a victor for once. I wanted to do so good performing in public that the haters would stop teasing me.

But that is my way of thinking. Not Gods. Instead I need to trust God that he would heal my heart. That I would not work so hard for the world to validate and redeem me but know that God already conquered that for me on the cross.

My time was brief but the lesson is lasting. Thank you everyone who wrote me kind messages. You were helping me not fall into darkness.

Love ya guys (see I’m getting softer )

My prayer for tonight
Psalm 147:3
He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.

“Dancing With the Stars” airs back-to-back again next week Monday and Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET on ABC, before settling into its usual once-a-week schedule every Monday at 8 p.m. ET.

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