"Dancing With The Stars" Boots First Two
No big surprises on the first elimination night of "Dancing With The Stars" Tuesday.
Magician Penn Jillette and tennis champ Monica Seles were the first stars to exit stage right on the ABC show's sixth season. Each came into Tuesday's results show in last place, based on the judge's voting.
Although judges had noted that Jillette, 53, was a fun performer to watch, no amount of magic tricks could hide the hulking illusionist's clumsy footwork.
Jillette, best known as the larger half of Penn & Teller, jokingly insisted that he and his professional partner, Kym Johnson, would continue to rehearse daily and planned to perform in the parking lot for fans who didn't make it into the audience.
"There's no way my dance career ends now," he said.
Photos: Star Dancers Perform
Before her name was announced, Seles said being the first woman to leave the show "would be really hard."
Photos: "Dancing With The Stars" Contestants
"I'm not used to losing," said the nine-time Grand Slam champ.
Unfortunately, Seles' athleticism was not tempered by the grace or musicality required for dancing and she struggled in both of her dance numbers on the performance shows.
"You're not a performer, and it's hard for you," judge Bruno Tonioli said.
Still, he called the 34-year-old athlete "a legend."
"Somebody of your stature being here with us really is a privilege, and you threw yourself (in) at the deep end," he said.
The show's first double-elimination round also featured a Cirque du Soleil-style acrobatic dance performance and two live songs by tween faves the Jonas Brothers. The pop-rock group played a cover of a-ha's 1985 hit "Take On Me," which was released before the trio of brothers was born, and the new song "When You Look Me in the Eyes."
The remaining competitors include radio host Adam Carolla, pro football player Jason Taylor, Olympic skater Kristi Yamaguchi, R&B singer Mario, and actors Steve Guttenberg, Shannon Elizabeth, Christian de la Fuente, Marlee Matlin, Priscilla Presley and Marissa Jaret Winokur.
Each will perform the tango or jive on next week's show.