RICK PERRY GETS VOTED OFF THE DANCE FLOOR
Ex-governor cut from ABC show after paso doble came up short.
Former Gov. Rick Perry’s brief foray into reality television has ended.
Fifteen days after his first appearance on ABC’s “Dancing With the Stars,” Perry was sent packing Tuesday night. He was just the second contestant eliminated.
The two-time GOP Republican presidential candidate seemed to embrace his new role of dancer— he said it was one of the hardest things he’d ever learned how to do — but his third dance, a paso doble routine, didn’t stack up to the competition.
After his elimination, show host Tom Bergeron asked Perry about his daughter Sydney’s wedding on Oct. 15.
“I can promise you I will look good on the dance floor for her,” Perry said.
Perry told the American-Statesman last month that he plans to use a portion of the show’s minimum participant payout of $125,000 to pay for the wedding.
In his first appearances, Perry played to Texas clichés, dancing to the 1993 country song “God Blessed Texas” and the theme song from the “Green Acres” TV show, before dressing as a matador this week.
Last week, he was at the bottom of the rankings but was spared elimination by votes from viewers. On Monday, he fought through an ankle injury during rehearsals to receive his highest combined score of the competition, but still among the lowest of the contestants.
“I admire Rick for his determination. You know the judges, we knock him down, but he gets up and comes back and gives it his all,” head judge Len Good-
man said.
But Goodman gave the nod to rapper Vanilla Ice when he tied with Perry in a head-to-head matchup Monday night, which put Perry at risk of being eliminated.
Perry has said he wanted to use his appearance on the show to raise awareness of veterans’ issues.
He said Tuesday, just before the credits began rolling: “I’m doing it for all
the veterans out there, and I hope everybody will find a great veterans cause to go help these guys.”
Perry’s professional dance partner, Emma Slater, called him “humble and hilarious.”
“This man is a love bug and a big softie no matter what he tries to have you believe!! I’m here to tell you his massive heart is full of nothing but love for everyone,” Slater posted on her Instagram account. “I will miss you. Thanks for being my partner, you were incredible in every sense.”