Dancing With the Stars - Fall 2021

[robinb]

Gleb posted a behind the scenes video, sound cuts out at time but it’s got the end that we all miss https://www.instagram.com/tv/CWmkMVil9sc/

Thank you! That was all kinds of awesome.

I sure looked like Gleb thought JoJo was going to win.

 

[Imzadi]

Gleb posted a behind the scenes video, sound cuts out at time but it’s got the end that we all miss https://www.instagram.com/tv/CWmkMVil9sc/

Thank you! That was all kinds of awesome.

Yes, we needed to see this! The show spent so much time coming up with filler moments, with way too much talk. And they couldn't time it, so we see some of the celebration.

Iman was so happy. he said he dedicated the mirror ball to his mom. And this morning on GMA, he was asked where the mirror ball trophy would be going? He said he and his wife & kids will celebrate and dance around the trophy for a little bit. But, the trophy is going to stay at his mom & dad's house, just like all the other trophies they supported him to win, throughout the years.

 

[Imzadi]

I sure looked like Gleb thought JoJo was going to win.

I think a lot of people thought that. I just noticed in Gleb's video that JoJo & Jenna were dressed in little mirror ball outfits. Their costumer probably planned it so that they would have matched the trophy, had they won.

 

[AustinTink]

Just an observation- I popped over to DWTS’s FB page to see what people were saying over there and found it so weird that they haven’t posted a congratulatory post announcing their winning of the mirrorball. The last post is about Jimmie Allen’s performance. Just seems odd to me to post the dances and even the lawyer bit they did but not make a big deal over the winner.

Like they already had posts and video created and ready to auto-send for Jojo's win and had to cancel them.

 

[AustinTink]

I just noticed in Gleb's video that JoJo & Jenna were dressed in little mirror ball outfits.

Because they were so certain it was a done deal. I honestly didn't even notice the mirror ball outfits yesterday.

 

[robinb]

I just read that our dear M-M-Maks is stuck in Kiev, Ukraine right now. He posted a terrifying video with the sirens blaring in the background. M-M-Maks was born in the Ukraine, but is now a US Citizen.

(Some NSFW language midway through video)
https://www.instagram.com/stories/maksimc/2781329678202355983/******

 

[TLSnell1981]

I just read that our dear M-M-Maks is stuck in Kiev, Ukraine right now. He posted a terrifying video with the sirens blaring in the background. M-M-Maks was born in the Ukraine, but is now a US Citizen.

(Some NSFW language midway through video)
https://www.instagram.com/stories/maksimc/2781329678202355983/******

Maks states in a recent video that he is safe and not trying to leave at this time. Although men are not being allowed out of Ukraine. He commented that dancers he was judging have now taken up arms to fight. Can’t imagine what goes through one’s mind in these moments.

 

[robinb]

Maks states in a recent video that he is safe and not trying to leave at this time. Although men are not being allowed out of Ukraine. He commented that dancers he was judging have now taken up arms to fight. Can’t imagine what goes through one’s mind in these moments.

I thought I read that he could leave, but isn't trying to at this time. He's now a US Citizen but I'm not sure if he has dual citizenship. I admire him for staying there in the country of his birth, but from a selfish standpoint I wish that he could come home to safety and his wife and child.

 

[TLSnell1981]

I thought I read that he could leave, but isn't trying to at this time. He's now a US Citizen but I'm not sure if he has dual citizenship. I admire him for staying there in the country of his birth, but from a selfish standpoint I wish that he could come home to safety and his wife and child.

He is a US citizen but not sure that’s any guarantee unless he can safely make it to the border. Scary situation!

Though Chmerkovskiy said he wanted to depart Ukraine and return to his family in the United States, he is staying put for now.

“I’m not currently trying to leave,” he said in a video posted to Instagram. “I’m staying here. I’m gonna do my best to make sure I’m safe as possible but I’m not moving towards the border. I heard it’s not safe. Unfortunately some of my friends are right now on the route, on the road to (the) Polish border. But they’re also reporting that it’s quite dangerous.”

Chmerkovskiy said he would continue to update his followers. He posted his first video about the situation Thursday, standing on a balcony in Kyiv.

“Contrary to what I should’ve probably done a while ago, but again, everybody has sources and resources and I have mine and I trust my sources and no one saw this coming,” Chmerkovskiy said. “Not that no one saw this coming, but everyone was hoping that the finality of the situation would be averted ... that it’s not going to be this kind of aggression, this kind of aggressive measures.”

 

[Imzadi]

I thought I read that he could leave, but isn't trying to at this time. He's now a US Citizen but I'm not sure if he has dual citizenship. I admire him for staying there in the country of his birth, but from a selfish standpoint I wish that he could come home to safety and his wife and child.

He is a US citizen but not sure that’s any guarantee unless he can safely make it to the border. Scary situation!

He's NOT staying out of choice anymore. He posted on Instagram from one of the subway-turned-bomb-shelters that he has sources he highly trusts and they told him to NOT try to leave the country via Poland, (which thousands are trying to do) as it just isn't safe to do now. So, he's staying put and is going to tough it out for the next few days, which he says is dire already, as they see what is going to happen there.

Here is a video of him. It's hard to get just his videos without news/media commentators interrupting. But, Instagram only allows 60 second videos, so they've had to splice them together. If you don't have an Instagram account, it's almost impossible to go to the site and see anything. After a minute or so, the site boots people out. So, these spliced videos with commentators are the best we got.

https://people.com/politics/maksim-chmerkovskiy-ukraine-new-updates-situation-pretty-dire/

 

[Imzadi]

I think I found two videos that have compiled Maks' Instagram video postings together.

This first one, uncut, was from yesterday, when he was still where he was staying, up on the balcony, talking about how how scared and emotional he is as they are getting ready to head to the makeshift subway-turned-into bomb-shelter.

This second one is many updates of him down in the shelter. Part of it was posted earlier, where he said it's unsafe to get to the Polish border and he was staying put. Then later, updates when they are out again. (He even said it is an up/down, into and out of the bomb shelter all the time.) He mentioned how some friends made it to the border and what it took. How dangerous it has become, not even with war stuff. (Probably robbers, opportunists along the way, causing violence to people escaping, etc.) He said one car of his friends was shot at and shots were fired over them, etc.

Some may then want to skip the middle where he talks about getting the word out to help Ukraine, and jump to the 10:43 mark. Maks talks about how Real Housewives Bethenny Frankel is on the Polish side of one of the Polish border crossings helping women & children get across safely and get some aid. He said the men aren't able to get across with their families. So these Ukrainian families are being separated as the women and children are able to make it across. Maks later gives an update of where Bethenny & her people are and that (for now) that seems to be the safest place to get out,

if one can make it that far.

 

[Imzadi]

Mini update on Maks:

He posted on Instagram that he's alright. He talked more about his friends he mentioned a few days ago. One headed to the border by bus. It should have been a short, short trip. Instead, the bus ride took 17 hours to get there. Yet, even near the border, she still isn't off the bus. All of them have been sitting on for the past two days. At night, the bus shuts off to conserve gas, and it gets extremely cold overnight.

Maks had been temporarily arrested today, when he walked outside. He's fine. He said it was the least traumatizing thing that's happened to him so far. (He didn't elaborate, but probably showed his U.S. passport.) He said it was a wake up call for him. (Probably the police had a loooong talk with him, perhaps saying that passport won't help him if worse stuff happens there.)

He's decided now is the time for him to head to the border. He repeated he's got more resources and friends (and networking) than most, so he will (hopefully) be alright.

But, he's going radio silent for the next several days. He will only be talking to Peta, his parents and his brother. If we get any updates, it will probably be through Peta.

View this content on Instagram

View this content on Instagram

 

[Imzadi]

In other DWTS news:

Cheryl Burke filed for divorce several days ago from Matthew Lawrence. They had been married for 3 years.

Some happier news: Sharna is pregnant. Brian Austin Green is the baby daddy.

 

[TLSnell1981]

Maks' posts give us a very intimate account of what many are going through in the Ukraine. It is horrifying . Continued prayers for peace and safety for all affected...

 

[AustinTink]

I found myself on both Maks and Peta's instagrams trying to find out more about Maks' situation. I went down a rabbit hole looking at all their old posts. Maks is so demonstrative about his love for Peta and their son. I honestly didn't know he had such a soft side. It was so beautiful to see that glimpse into their lives. Praying for their family.

 

[TLSnell1981]

Update…Maks is safe and in Poland! I know his family is very relieved.

 

[Imzadi]

Maks FINALLY back on the ground in Los Angeles and reunited with Peta.

Watch the whole video. It has none of the irritating commentators. Just footage of Maks, Peta, and being followed by a horde of reporters. At the car at 1:30 Maks finally addresses them, he talks about how he was told to get a gun to protect himself. The decision he made instead. Towards the end of the video at 2:38, he talks about how volunteers from neighboring countries, some military personnel have been coming into Ukraine and fighting on the ground with the Ukrainian people, even though they aren't officially called a "military operation." And of course, how all the civilian volunteers in Poland helped get him and the million refuges (at today's count,) who've made it across the border because of their tremendous generosity and solidarity.

 

[AustinTink]

Maks FINALLY back on the ground in Los Angeles and reunited with Peta.

Watch the whole video. It has none of the irritating commentators. Just footage of Maks, Peta, and being followed by a horde of reporters. At the car at 1:30 Maks finally addresses them, he talks about how he was told to get a gun to protect himself. The decision he made instead. Towards the end of the video at 2:38, he talks about how volunteers from neighboring countries, some military personnel have been coming into Ukraine and fighting on the ground with the Ukrainian people, even though they aren't officially called a "military operation." And of course, how all the civilian volunteers in Poland helped get him and the million refuges (at today's count,) who've made it across the border because of their tremendous generosity and solidarity.

Through this whole thing with Maks and his journey home I have been so struck by his humanity, thoughtfulness and intelligent insights into the situation. It's a side of him we don't get to see on DWTS.

 

[Imzadi]

Through this whole thing with Maks and his journey home I have been so struck by his humanity, thoughtfulness and intelligent insights into the situation. It's a side of him we don't get to see on DWTS.

Yes, I'm sure that won't be the last video of him during his time in Ukraine. Once he gets some sleep, eats, spends time with Peta, Val and the rest of his family, and "unpacks" his brain, he probably will go back through and edit and compile more videos of what's going on there. From the eyes of the Ukrainians going through this. (Not from a reporter's perspective of witnessing it happening to others.) At the beginning of one of his Instagram videos last week, he had said there HAS to be a reason and purpose for him being there and going through all of it.

I think he's found it.

I think it's also interesting to note, two winners of different DWTS, Maks, here in the U.S., and the president of Unkraine, a winner in the Ukraine version, have proven they have more grit, strength, courage, depth and humanitarianism than being simple fluff dancing around a dance floor.

 

[Imzadi]

Maks' first interview back:

TJ Holmes, the GMA host, asked him if he felt guilty for leaving. (According to TMZ, there are some idiots on social media who are cyber shaming him, calling him a coward for not staying and fighting - while posting from the safety of their homes and keyboard. Even Harvey Levin on TMZ Live ripped those idiots anew, saying "How many of them are leaving to go fight?" The other host said, "It is incredibly courageous for anyone who goes to fight. Yet, that doesn't mean anyone who chooses not to is a coward.")