- Video: Exclusive backstage interviews
- Slideshow: Night 2 of premiere
- Slideshow: Stars' first dance
- Bios: Complete list of celebs, dancers
Comedian Jeffrey Ross became the first celebrity eliminated in Season 7, and it was not for a lack of trying. You may know that he scratched his cornea earlier in the week during a rehearsal. The injury hurt him with the judges. He got triple-4s Monday night, and then he got 86 from the competition Tuesday night.
"I think if we didn't get hurt, we would have had a much better chance, because honestly, our cha-cha-cha was looking pretty good in rehearsal," said Ross after being eliminated. "Listen, these things happen. You've got to be in it to win it. I'm glad I did it."
With Jeffrey Ross now out of the competition, 12 teams remain in it.
Twelve teams took turns twirling and twisting and dancing the night away. When the dancing was done, the scores were close. But Monday night's leading team topped the leaderboard Tuesday night, too.
"We've had five weeks to learn these two dances and now we have less than a week, so the whole game kind of changes right now," said Brooke Burke.
"She has a natural rhythm in what she does, and obviously to adjust to ballroom, there's a little bit of a twist," said Alec Mazo, Toni Braxton's partner. "But she'll keep getting better and better."
"I matured, I'm a man," said Cody Linley in a deep voice.
"That voice freaks me out every time," said Julianne Hough, Cody's partner.
"I felt so, so proud. I was proud," said Cody.
"Listening to her, going in that gym and work it out like we've got to work it out for the next weekend," said Warren Sapp. "I'll see you Monday night."
"It felt wonderful to get those marks, but the truth is, what made me smile was the dancing," said Susan Lucci.
"We're just going to have to keep entertaining," said Lance Bass. "You know, it's all about America's vote, really. And I think they're going to like what we do."
"I just went out there, wanted to have fun, wanted the fans to get into it," said Misty May-Treanor. "And I think that happened."
"I think he can outdance me, you know? " said Cheryl Burke, Maurice Greene's partner. "In rehearsal, I'm just like, 'Where did all this energy come from?' And then I go away and I can't stop dancing when I go back to my apartment. My friend's like, 'What's wrong with you?' He gives me so much energy, it's crazy."
"Making progress and being recognized is a phenomenal thing, and it serves as incentive to do better, so there's no question we're going to do better and better and better," said Rocco DiSpirito.
"His hips were going wild," said Inna Brayer, Ted McGinley's partner.
"I can't stop them," said Ted.
- Raw interview: Susan Lucci, Tony Dovolani
- Raw interview: Maurice Greene, Cheryl Burke
- Raw interview: Lance, Lacey
- Raw interview: Cloris Leachman, Corky Ballas
- Raw interview: Brooke Burke, Derek Hough
- Raw interview: Inna Brayer, Ted McGinley
- Raw interview: Julianne Hough, Cody Linley
- Raw interview: Kym Johnson, Warren Sapp
- Raw interview: Rocco, Karina
- Raw interview: Misty, Maksim
- Raw interview: Jeffrey Ross, Edyta Sliwinska
"We did the best that we've ever done," said Kim Kardashian. "I just felt really good about it, so I kind of am just tuning them out."
"Can you imagine me doing a quick-step?" asked Cloris Leachman.
"No, I can't," said Leachman's partner, Corky Ballas. "It's going to be some new, it's going to be unstoppable."
"It's my favorite dance, I just have to do it," said Leachman.
"She goes from ballroom dancing to emergency-room dancing," said Jeffrey Ross as he crept up to Leachman's side and hugged her. "Great job tonight. Great job. Cloris Leachman has a huge following: a doctor, a nurse and a mortician. I'm outta here."
"No, don't go!" cried Leachman.
Jeffrey and Cloris are friends, so he didn't have to worry about what he was saying. Ross's dancing days are not over though: His partner, Edyta Sliwinska said they will get to do their quick-step on Wednesday night's show.
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