BEHIND-THE-SCENES WITH "DANCING WITH THE STARS"

 SOMEONE ALWAYS GETS INJURED ON "DANCING." GUESS WHO THIS IS?????

ME!!!!!!

I am there to be with Valerie and make sure everything is ok. So what happens.....They were about to start rehearsing the opening number and I was standing on the side with Valerie and Karina. All of a sudden we hear--PLACES....IN 5...4....3....

I WALK BACKWARDS AS FAST AS I CAN TO GET OFF THE CARPET AND I TRIP OVER A LARGE FILL LIGHT THAT IS ON THE FLOOR. AS I START TO FALL BACKWARDS, I GRAB WHAT'S IN FRONT OF ME. THAT TURNED OUT TO BE THE NEW PRO DANCER TYNE. SHE WAS MOST GRACIOUS. SO...THAT WAS MY BEGINNING.

The pros are among the nicest people I've ever met. And, they, and the stars, treat Valerie like a queen. We were there for 13 hours on show day. I was exhausted and Valerie wanted to go out to dinner! She is very healthy in terms of stamina, and she's very careful about taking all the right pills at the right time. Her doctors are fine with this. She's not nervous; she's having a really terrific time.

Come showtime I sat with Valerie's husband, Tony Cacciotti and their daughter Cristina. Next to me was the cast from "Glee," and they were really nervous for Amber. I told them before the show started that I had seen Amber in rehearsal and they needn't worry--that she was "going to kill."
At one point on a commercial break, Bruno came over and thanked Chris Colfer was everything he had done to help people. It was very touching. On another break Casper Smart, Jennifer Lopez' boyfriend came over to say hi. He knows all the "Glee" kids. I have to tell you that in person he was well groomed, seemed smart, well-spoken, and was a very real person. Jennifer was over hugging Leah during that time.

Let's just go more to the pictures and you'll learn more:

Val Chermirkovskiy and Elizabeth Berkley He walks around with her shirt open all day. I  WILL TOUCH HIS CHEST AT SOME POINT.

Derek Hough's foot after the show with ice pack.

Chris Colfer in middle

Valerie, Jack Osborne and Cheryl in the on-set make-up area

Valerie having color the day before at Lloyd-Windsor Hair

Leah Remini gave everyone in the case initialed candles

Here's where Cheryl Burke keeps her cell phone on set

Nicole Polizzi is 100% CHILEAN, NOT ITALIAN

After the show is done, the start and pros don't go home. They have a ONE HOUR press line to do. Most of them go barefoot at this point.

Make-up with Julie

Happy campers

The magical parking spots. I get to park in Tristan's space. HE WALKS TO WORK.

The mens' fast-change room on the side of the stage.

Cristina and Tony Cacciotti

Annie Cacciotti, Michael Cacciotti (Tony's son and wife)

Press with George Pennacchio

A moment we never even thought would happen. Impossible to explain the emotion.

Nicole in press line. She has really let "Snooki" go.

EVEN MORE NEXT WEEK..........STAY TUNED.