Chelsie Hightower Chimes in on Brunogate: 'He Should Have a Little More Class With It'

By Stacy Jenel Smith Posted Sep 30th 2010 11:30PM

The day after Chelsie Hightower and Michael Bolton's ignominious dumping from 'Dancing With the Stars,' Hightower says she "slept all day" out of sheer exhaustion.

So she wasn't aware until PopEater spoke to her, that the producers had put out a statement in answer to Bolton's demand for an apology from judge Bruno Tonioli, for going over the line in his biting critique of the Bolton-Hightower performance this week. They stated that Bruno should not have to apologize for doing his job. (The judge called their routine "the worst jive [he's] ever seen" and told them, "You should have taken your bone and gone back to the doghouse. You did it all very, very, very badly.)

"In a way, it is what the show is about. He is doing his job," Hightower assents, "but at the same time, I think he should have a little more class with it. It would be one thing if Michael wasn't trying, but he did put the time in, he did try, he did want to do well. This past week, he put in more hours than any time before. He wasn't feeling well -- he canceled shows on his tour and he didn't feel good about doing that -- but he really wanted to succeed. There's a tact level you should have when you're saying that dancing may not be for someone."

While she was sleeping, text messages were rolling in on her phone. Chelsie says she heard from fellow pros as well as contestants. "Everybody is so supportive, hoping I'm okay, that Michael is okay."

"Everyone is there for each other, taking care of each other. There really is a great camaraderie backstage." Did she hear from Bruno or his fellow judges? "No, but we don't really have a lot of contact with them," she says. She did, however, text back and forth with Bolton. "He's fine. Everything is fine."

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"I definitely think he had some things he wanted to get out and I'm glad he had the chance to get them out. He would have been mad at himself if he hadn't gotten it out. I learned a lot from Michael," she adds. "He was a great guy to work with, very down to earth, very caring and genuine, a great student who wanted to do well. He had a lot of great life advice and career advice I was able to take away from this."

The Emmy-nominated dancer-choreographer, who will be back on 'DWTS' for pro dances, is participating in the Latisee Wishes Challenge campaign to raise money for Make-a-Wish. She, Kym Johnson and Edyta Silwinska also have two exercise DVDs coming out this fall. Other than that, she says, she's not sure what's next. "That's what I'm trying to figure out."

Anything she'd do differently? Having Bolton emerge from a doghouse for the "Hound Dog" number? "You know, that's what happens, you do things and you take risks," she says. "If it would have been performed great, everyone would have been like 'Oh, wow!' You do things to attempt to be entertaining, to loosen your partner up. Sometimes they're sold fantastically. Sometimes they don't come across."

Tags: Bruno Tonioli, chelsie hightower, dancing with the stars, dwts, michael bolton

Comments

(354)

Thursday 30 September

By Kay

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I think everyone has forgotten how rude Len was to kurt warner
on the first nite. Was peg leg Kate talked to that way. ?

By great granny

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alrighty then!

Friday 01 October

By BTDT

Try as you will Bruno, you'll never be Simon.

By lenhy

You are right. Kate was never spoken to that way. I really think Mr. Bolton should have gone home. But a three...really no words of encouragement at all.

Saturday 02 October

By JAX

Bruno (what a stupid name - I thought that was a name for dogs) thinks he is Simon C. - he isn't !!

By Julie

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MICHAEL BOLTON IS A SORE LOSER!! GROW UP AND FACE THE FACTS; YOU'RE A LOUSY DANCER WHO HAS AGED POORLY. TIME TO RETIRE.

By lia

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PEG LEG KATE???? WOW KAY ARE YOU STILL IN THE 5th GRADE OR SOMETHIG????

By keyingatmach5

I think Michael should have gone, but I also believe he tried. Everyone who goes on the show should at least get credit for that and the judges have to remember they have feelings.
With that said, I think the lady who interviewed the couple was wrong to say that Chelsie demeaned Michael by putting him in the dog house. I don't believe that was the intent. She should not have said anything.

By casual viewer

I agree Mr. Bolton was not very good, but niether was Kate Gosslin and she wasn't humiliated that way. A score of three, give me a break, a five or six would have been low enough.... I know the judges have to tell it like it is, but Bruno didn't have to be so mean and insulting. Was he trying to be funny at Michael's expense? I think most non-dancing celebs will think twice before accepting a invitation to DWTS. Bruno has lost his charisma!

By Judy

I think Michael Bolton did deserve to be voted off DWTS but he did not derserve the way Bruno spoke to him - Bruno's memory is very short - need I say Kate Gosselin?

By valeskas

KG was last season, Micheal this season and to me it looked, like he did not even try. To me MB is a whiner.

By New York

I agree. I also wonder where is the professionalism? Aren't these judges professionals? You could have fooled me. I think that constructive criticism is fine. This was far from being constructive.

By suzanne

You are so exactly right! Kate did alot of whining and crying and still couldn't dance because she wasn't trying...And she still got much encouragement and simpathy from the judges and the public because of the difficulties she was going through at the time. And she also made it through how many weeks of bad dancing??? Four or five or maybe more, I can't remember, but I was tired of her bad performances and nobody criticked her same same as M.B.

By maria

He was too harsh and rude ,seems to me he has something against Michael? if Michael could be a judge of Bruno singing he will understand Michael is not a dance he is a singer....he was extremely rue and nasty in front oh his mother ,you can see his features he looks like a rabbot when he was telling all those nasty words to him,I lost the respect for him really! giving to him the points #3 that should be enough he humiliated Michael to the extent .....he should be reprimend the other old men is nasty too the girl is okay she can be negative but civil ...

By linda

jusy you are so right!!!! first of all kate should have been sent home the first day she threw one of her infamous tantrums at rehearsal. then when she gave her first hidious performance, someone should have thrown HER a bone and sent her back to her dog house!! seems to me that the judge who was so rude and crude DOES own michael an apology .. BEING BEING SO RUDE AND CURDE AND SOCIAL UNACCEPTABLE!! JMHO

By Hi Beege!

Right! What about Buzz Aldrin? He was so so bad and yet they kept him on to the second dance. They acted like he was a God. Yes, the man was a hero... but NOT when it came to dancing.

By millie

Michael Bolton's dancing was, in fact, awful. But he tried. He cared, he worked hard, and he tried! You have to give the man credit for that! Anyone remember Masta P? He was HORRIBLE and he didn't give a crap! And Kate Gosselin? She was, by far, the WORST female dancer that show has ever had! And the judges praised and encouraged her!

While it may be Bruno's job to critique the dancing, being so harsh and demeaning was just not necessary! And Michael's mother was in the audience! That really had to hurt!

MESSAGE TO BRUNO: You can be tough. You don't have to be mean!

Go millie - you could not have said it better!!!

By Powhatan Boy

MB did not really try. He did not appear to have learned one step, despite Chelsea's dumbing it down for him. He shuffled around the floor and attempted to make himself look better with those lame arm moves. He knows he screwed up and Bruno called him on it. It may have been a bit harsh, but Bruno was spot on calling it as he did. Let the cry-baby go lick his wounds alone. He deserved them.

By xxxooostar1

Very Nicely Said!!

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