DWTS14 Maksim Chmerkovskiy Dishes On Melissa Gilbert And Sizes Up The Competition (Video)
Maks was interviewed by Access Hollywood today. They start out by asking him if he’s got a shot at winning the mirror ball this season (while new dress rehearsal costume footage plays in the background of he and Melissa). Maks says he feels like he has a shot every season. His first thought upon seeing Melissa is that she was in great shape. His second thought was that he no idea who she was. Melissa gave him a box DVD set of Little House On The Prairie and told him if he did something, he had to watch it for punishment (lol). He says she is much like Kirstie Alley with her humor. Her dancing is good and she is “determined.” Maks talks of the competition as well saying Urkel is the one to beat. Martina and Tony will be “classy” and “competitive”. Lots more below. I love the part at the end when he mentions how he re-evaluated his life and behaviors from last season.
Maks looks great and I’m happy he has a mature partner who appreciates him. IMO- I think Maks probably re-evaluates his life on a regular basis but he just sort of forgets things in the heat of the moment. It’s his passion for what he does that makes him one of my favorite pros.
At first look it seems like this season will actually have celebs that can dance. Can’t wait until the 19th!
If you don’t want to put up with 2 really annoying interviewers – for one thing they talk over Maks alot and keep him from developing his answers – just read Vogue’s intro as she hits the high points, without the interuptions 🙂
LOL Faby, thanks!! 😉
I agree interviewers are bad but Chris H is a little better than Billy Bush.
ITA Rebecca #4 LOL
I always LOL with Maks’s cluelessness about the little House on the Prairie phenomenon… It reminds me of Anna’s equally dumbfounded attitude a couple of seasons ago (I think it was with Sugar Ray Leonard, but I could be wrong) when confronted with a piece of Western pop culture, to which she answered, “What? I grew up in Russia, I don’t have a clue about that!” or something similar. People more savvy than I will probably be able to pinpoint the exact moment.
EL, that was when Kurt Warner had to explain to Anna what Bewitched was and then she started bragging about these two russian dogs that went to space, or something. Weird. 🙂
Thanks for posting the interview. Loved it and laughed at Maks not knowing Little House on the Prairie.
Thanks for the precision, Zach!
And for those who wonder what we’re talking about, here is the video (the relevant parts happen between the 1:00 and 2:00 marks):
Think Maks might be right about this season being similar to Season 12 in that most all of the cast has likeability and dance ability. However the partnerships (to me) run the risk of paling on the whole, including the one with he & Melissa who I don’t see as having Kirstie’s personality, humor or chemistry with Maks, so I don’t think he’s doing any favors in drawing comparisons. But wish them and all pairs well in a (hopefully) drama free season!
I’m one of the few who despised his attention whoring partnership with Kirstie and hated pretty much every minute of Season 12 because of it. So even if I had planned on voting for him, which I hadn’t (I’m partial to a number of the other celebs), that alone would’ve caused me to cast my votes elsewhere.
No question Maks played things up in S12, as he does in ALL seasons, but he was seen by many to be more palatable than usual that season, so he’s setting a pretty risky expectation in the likening to a more popular than not partnership. Then again, not many outside of his diehard fans and folks of this/like cites will probably even see this interview, so doubt it will matter much anyway.
“Every off season you re-evaluate your past” wasn’t specific to any particular season or an amazing and successful life, however the summary was great, and if you don’t know Melissa personally and you are not a fly on the wall, you can’t deduce that she’s not as humorous and as fun as Kirstie, nor can assumptions be made about their chemistry. Melissa might be a wild woman and a hoot! When I first noticed her tattoos I thought.. get back.. I’m scared of you Miss Thing! Never forget what people that grew up in the entertainment business experience and what they’re exposed to, and ultimately evolve into after a few decades of self discovery. Oh, and trust me, there will be drama, if the editors have to work around the clock piecing pieces and snippets together, there will be drama!
Note: I too despise interviewers that talk over you, interrupt you, put words in your mouth, and those that don’t allow you to answer!
My post was not meant to slight Melissa who I know is capable of bringing humor, rapport and other important elements into this competition. Rather it cited this example to call into question the wisdom of any pro drawing any preseason parallels/standards between upcoming and any previous celeb partners. I think it’s a safer bet to just go into this without any self-imposed expectations and take the chance folks will be pleasantly surprised rather than possibly disappointed.
OMG I just saw and article and the first words in the title were – *Melissa Gilbert Would Date Maks* ….
Seriously, Maks and Melissa need these rumors already??? I guess Maks knows he needs these showmance rumors to stay in the game. Especially with this great cast.
In fairness, that’s probably fault of some gossip site having a slow news day. I have yet to see Maks or Melissa perpetuating that angle unless she’s squeezing it in between rehearsal, family and love tweeting her tres hot French boyfriend.
If I’m remembering the interview correctly, what she said was that she could see herself dating him if there wasn’t that HUGE age difference, or she was 20 years younger. She does have an eye for the handsome – married to Bruce Boxleitner for so many years and now that French hottie that she’s dating? Whoo boy!! (not to mention others that she dated before marrying Bruce.)
Yes, it is better to let each personality come to fruition and not compare anyone to anyone else, because no two people are alike! The relationship rumors are always funny. Derek has been involved with women he’s never met, as has Mark! Hahahaha