Dancing Drops to Six

Another celeb had to go Tuesday on Dancing With the Stars. No, really. Someone absolutely had to go.

Find out if Julianne has reason to kick her recovery up a notch, whether Brooke and Susan's injuries hurt them in the eyes of America, and if the cynical folks over at Vote for the Worst finally gave it a rest last night.

Did your least favorite get the boot, or will you be Houghing and puffing next week, as well?

Sorry, folks. It was bound to happen eventually.

Cloris Leachman took her final funny bow and, well, we'd say that she made her final quips, as well, but she'll probably be back for the finale.

"You know, I'm not leaving," said the 82-year-old Oscar winner, who made Samantha Harris and Tom Bergeron conduct the first-ever seated goodbye Q&A. "I should get a pretty costume and be here next week. I'm going to sit right over there. I can't go home—are you serious?"

Besides, "I can't get up now," she joked.

But she managed to right herself again, of course. "Thank you, everybody," she said, giving the crowd a wave.
Cloris Leachman, Dancing with the Stars ABC/KELSEY McNEAL

Also, to quell further controversy, she told Carrie Ann Inaba, "I know you didn't mean what you said, and I love you," in reference to the judge's remark last night that she was sad because Toni Braxton was eliminated before Leachman.

In the bottom two for the second week in a row, meanwhile, was Susan Lucci, who will need all of everyone's children to vote for her next week if she wants to stick around.

Figuring there wouldn't be much drama in making them sweat it out, Lance Bass and Lacey Schwimmer were the first declared safe tonight after a 27-caliber jive left them at the top of the leaderboard Monday.

"It's nice to know that our hard, hard work paid off," Bass said backstage.

Also not made to quake in their boots (or hospital gown) was Cody Linley and the absent Julianne Hough, who underwent an appendectomy today and will miss about a week of DWTS preparation. Edyta Sliwinska will let Linley twirl her around in rehearsal while Hough recuperates.

Afterward, the always amusing Tom Bergeron weighed in with an update on Hough's health: "She's just completed the bicycle portion of the Ironman Triathlon," he quipped. And more seriously, "Come back soon, my dear."

Following a performance by elimination-show staple Pussycat Dolls, this time joined by Missy Elliott, Warren Sapp, who toned down the bounce for his sensual rumba, and Kym Johnson were ushered to safety.

Then, after guest judge Michael Flatley had tapped up a firestorm, Brooke Burke and Derek Hough got the good news.

Finally, Maurice Greene and Cheryl Burke (the latter pair actually had the second-lowest score last night—a 22—after the judges were way too generous to Lucci) learned that they were safe for another week.

Next Monday, each star will be judged on a team dance, as well as on their partner numbers.

Well! Was tonight's elimination positively weeks in the making, or were you kinda sad to see Cloris go? Better yet, who's next? Do share—and there's no need to accentuate the positive or eliminate the negative!