Dancing with the Stars

We didn't know it was possible to become legitimately choked up while watching Dancing With the Stars, but J.R. Martinez proved it possible Monday night.

There weren't many dry eyes left in the room following the Iraq War veteran's moving life story of injury and redemption, followed by an emotional dance.

After J.R. finished his rumba with Karina Smirnoff, the All My Children actor seemed taken aback by what he's been through - not just on DWTS but in life.

Here's Martinez's full segment on last night's show:

J.R. Martinez on Dancing With the Stars (Week 3)

Only Ricki Lake (27) topped J.R. (26) among Monday's Dancing With the Stars scores. Along with Chynna Phillips (26), they look like the three to beat.

You knew an episode centered around the most memorable year of the contestants' lives was going to bring back memories and stir up emotions.

Nevertheless, few were prepared for just how moving J.R. Martinez's story of what happened to him at 19 - and his subsequent rumba - would be.

For the Iraq War vet, that should've been it. When his Humvee hit a landmine, it could've been over, and nearly was. He was critically injured.

He was lucky to even survive, as the many scars he carries remind him daily. That he's become a successful soap opera star is all the more incredible.

Guy can dance, too, it turns out. His 26 points left him only one shy of Monday's top spot, occupied for the second consecutive week by ... Ricki Lake!

Lake's rumba - dedicated to a rough year that culminated in her meeting Christian Evans, now her fiancé - may have established her as the one to beat.

Not that J.R. and Chynna Phillips will go quietly. The latter, obvi, took us back to the early '90s and the heyday of Wilson Phillips' massive hit "Hold On."

Her struggles with addiction, her destructive tendencies, her eventual recovery and meeting hubby Billy Baldwin? A great story. Her score? A strong 26.

After those three, it was a logjam on the leaderboard.

Dancing With the Stars delivered a bit of a surprise last week with the ousting of Elisabetta Canalis after she performed relatively well. It all goes to show:

No one is safe. Every week, you dance for your life.

So far, Chaz Bono has gotten through on confidence and personality, while Canalis and Metta World Peace are watching this season on the couch.

Who will be the third celeb voted off DWTS this fall?

So far, J.R. Martinez, Ricki Lake, Chynna Phillips and Kristin Cavallari have looked good. Even Rob Kardashian has stepped up his game in a big way.

Carson Kressley and Hope Solo have been entertaining, but could be at risk if they falter. David Arquette? He narrowly avoided elimination last week.

It'll take more than another Nancy Grace nipple slip to carry the news pundit through. Bono's gonna have to show some real improvement as well.

It's impossible to tell from week to week, but right now, Nancy, Chaz, Hope, Carson and David look to be at greater risk than the other five dancers.

What do yo think? Who will win Dancing With the Stars?

Rob Kardashian is in it to win it.

Thought by many, including this website, to be one of the weaker celebrities on Dancing With the Stars this fall, he's going strong after two weeks.

After Rob danced the jive on Monday, Carrie Ann Inaba proclaimed that Rob is better than Kim Kardashian at dancing. He could have quit right there.

Turns out he's just getting started.

Rob Kardashian on Dancing With the Stars (Week 2)

Rumored to be an aloof slacker and only doing DWTS because his mom made him, Rob is practicing harder than ever, working out more in the gym AFTER rehearsals, and even bringing partner Cheryl Burke lunch every day.

Looks like someone's trying to prove a point.

Who will win DWTS? Vote in our poll below:

The season's second Dancing with the Stars results show dealt viewers somewhat of a surprise when it was revealed that Elisabetta Canalis was ousted.

George Clooney's ex isn't complaining or making excuses, though.

"Maybe dance isn't my thing. I'm not going to lie," the Italian actress told People backstage after being eliminated Tuesday night. "This show was challenging for me because I had to learn how to ballroom dance."

"I've never done it before. I hope to have learned something."

Canalis' partner Val Chmerkovskiy stood tall by his prótége.

"There are a challenges for everybody," he said, chalking the loss up to her unfamiliarity. "There were huge challenges for her. We're a proud nation."

"We're a welcoming nation, but [Americans] have our idols and our own fan base. This show is about people and fans. We can't compete with that."

"Yesterday, we did [well]," he said. "But unfortunately they gave our score to five other couples. That killed all of our chances [of staying on the show]."

At least she can go out knowing that her best routine was her last, even if she only did two. Here's what turned out to be her final performance:

Demi Lovato performed on the Dancing With the Stars results show last night, moving the audience with an emotional rendition of her hit song, "Skyscraper."

Watching Demi sing her heart out, we couldn't help but notice:

• That she appears to have a pierced nose now.
• That she has, like, been through a lot.

It was certainly a surprise to see the teen queen rocking the nasal piercing. Wonder how her fan base will respond to it. One thing's for sure: Demi can sing!

Demi Lovato - Skyscraper (Live on DWTS)

An injured Chaz Bono was treading on thin ice ... and inflamed knees.

He and partner Lacey Schwimmer ended up with the lowest score of the week Monday - 17 points - for their quickstep, which the judges all agreed was too slow.

When the audience's votes were factored in along with the scores, did the show's first transgender contestant get the boot Tuesday night on the results show?

Chaz was in the bottom three as America cast votes following Monday's performances, along with (drum roll please) ... Elisabetta Canalis and David Arquette.

Arquette and Bono? Not a big shocker right there.

Canalis joining them was a bit of a surprise, given her improvement this week. But that's DWTS for you. So who got the axe when the results were unveiled?

Follow the jump to find out ...

Dancing With the Stars viewers who tuned in last night probably didn't do so in hopes of seeing a Nancy Grace nipple slip, but that's reality TV for you.

She was clearly spilling out of her dress, although she sought to downplay it today. The 51-year-old told Us Weekly backstage after Monday's show:

"Tonight, when we were doing our hopscotch portion of our dance, there was a little bit of movement but it did not rise to a wardrobe malfunction."

The buxom Casey Anthony hater showed more than she bargained for.

As ABC quickly cut away to a static shot of the audience, Grace readjusted her dress and buried her face in partner Tristan MacManus' shoulder.

"On the European version that would be perfectly fine," host Tom Bergeron joked.

"We took every precaution known to man in this dress right here," Grace said. "I'm talking industrial size precaution. There may have been, as Tristan said, a little bit of jiggling but there was absolutely not a wardrobe malfunction."

Riiight. You be the judge:

Kristin Cavallari and Jay Cutler are reportedly reconciling.

The pair is "working it out," a source told People Tuesday. "They're not officially engaged again but they're definitely talking and figuring things out."

The former Hills star and Chicago Bears QB - who got engaged in April after just seven months of dating - abruptly called off their engagement in July.

This should help Jay soften the blow of the Bears' 1-2 start.

Kristin Cavallari was "dumped," "absolutely devastated" and "in shock" over how the dream wedding she was planning for the spring of 2012 ended.

While their previous relationship had moved too quickly, according to sources, the couple will be taking a different approach to dating this time around.

"Everything happened much too fast when they first got together. So this time they're just taking things slow," the source said. "They're talking a lot."

So much for the rumor of her dating Mark Ballas. Those two do have good chemistry ... on Dancing With the Stars. Here's their routine last night:

Elisabetta Canalis bounced back strong on Dancing with the Stars. She quickstepped all the way from one of the worst scores last week to one of the best.

"The gears were grinding, the engine was hot and the pistols were pumping," Bruno Tonioli said, no doubt aroused by the Italian TV personality's routine.

Len Goodman admitted her dance was "not great," he acknowledged there was some real improvement - good enough for a seven (she scored 21 in all).

Watch the model's energetic routine below:

Elisabetta Canalis on Dancing With the Stars (Week 2)

Chaz Bono posted the lowest score of the week (17) and Ricki Lake the best (23). Who do you think will be eliminated on this evening's DWTS results show?