It's not just for "entertainment" purposes. Laurie gets thousands of dollars per episode that she stays on. And she probably gets several thousand more on top of her weekly salary if she wins. Plus, if she wins, she gets to negotiate for even more money as a headliner in the DWTS tours. She's sweet, she's cute as a button, and like Bindi, she's an incredible attraction for the show. The show has been subtly pushing it on us that they've been positioning her to win.
Every other star that is in the Finals has another successful career to go back to that will continue. They can literally afford to leave. Being a gymnast, Laurie's days are numbered and they will depend on product endorsements and doing things like the DWTS tour once she stops being a competitive athlete. I'm sure this is also one of those situations that her parents had to factor in. And would her grandmother have wanted her to continue dancing in spite of her death?
I DO find it an interesting coincidence that VAL is the pro partner of both Laurie and Ginger, whom we all know the producers had also pushed on us to win. I have to wonder how much he had in any decision to keep this from her, how much he HAD to comply with what the producers ordered him to do, and how much he also really wants another win under his belt, having been so close last season when he & Ginger expected to win, if it hadn't been for the backlash from the audience who caught onto ABC's obvious hand in the manipulations to have Ginger win?
That might not have been his decision. The producers pick what songs they dance to, for the most part. They probably handed him the song and said, "You are doing a tribute to her grandmother."
All this is true too.
I don't necessarily fault Val. Like you said, I'm sure he was doing what the producers (his boss) told him to do.
I just felt really sorry for Laurie - again, all the adults around her knew &, for different reasons (both good & bad) didn't tell her, and, in a sense, turned her grandmother's death into a performance - that Laura had to play out in the spotlight.
And I'm sure her grandmother would have wanted her to dance. I would want the exact same for any of my children or grandchildren.
But for me, again, there's a bit of a difference in the following 2 scenarios & how one, to me, feels more "manipulative" than the other:
Olympic Announcer: "And, now, ready to do her floor routine is Laurie Hernadez. As you know, Bob, 3 days ago, Laurie's grandmother passed away, &, when I talked to Laurie earlier this morning, she told me she was doing her routine as a tribute to her beloved grandmother. Her grandmother always supported Laurie, and I know the 16 year old gymnast feels her presence with her this afternoon. And, of course, she has America behind her as well."
DWTS Producer: "Okay, let's show the video of Laurie w/ her grandmother. Then cut to a black screen w/ the announcement. And then we'll play some sad music while pictures of Laurie & her grandmother scroll across the screen. Oh, & then, at the end, let's have a clip of her grandmother talking to the camera. I've spoken to Val, & he's choreographing a nice routine."
While she's *now* a celebrity gymnast, it's a very recent life change for her - unlike some of the other celebrities, I would think she hasn't yet really had a chance to know exactly how to handle all the "stuff" that goes w/ being in the public eye. That said, I thought she handled herself very well & was very poised & gracious.
After she received 3 10s from the judges, DH commented & said, "Of course she received a perfect score! Who's gonna give the girl whose grandmother just died an 8?"
Anyway, it's not the first time DWTS has used a star's personal life to their advantage, & I'm sure it won't be the last. And, admittedly, I'm sure many of the stars capitalize on their personal stories too.
Lindsay's shoe looked like it got stuck when Calvin was pushing her and she picked up her foot to re-position it, and Carrie Ann calls that a lift. 
