Pavelka choked back tears when he addressed the crowd after being told he would not return, saying he was "honored" to appear on the widely-watched U.S. TV dance contest.

Jake Pavelka was sent home from 'Dancing With the Stars.'

Despite Len Goodman's protests, Erin Andrews and Maksim Chmerkovskiy were the first to go to the safe zone. Chad Ochocinco and Cheryl Burke received the judge's encore and performed their smoldering tango for the second time.

Melissa Etheridge performed songs from her new CD, 'Fearless Love.'

Unlike last week, Pamela Anderson found herself safe from the bottom two, with Niecy Nash joining Jake Pavelka at the bottom.

After being ejected, Pavelka and Hightower went backstage to walk the press line where they spoke to AOL TV. The former 'Bachelor' star got choked up as he gave all the credit for making it as far as he did in the competition to Hightower.

"Chelsie was my secret weapon this season," Pavelka says, "I'm sorry we didn't get a win. Chelsie's good enough to win this. She deserved to win."


The ejected dancer has appeared in three reality series for ABC -- 'The Bachelorette,' 'The Bachelor' and now, 'DWTS' -- is he open to a fourth, say, if ABC wants to broadcast his wedding to fiance Vienna Giradi?

"I don't know," he responds. "I'll tell you what -- ABC has been so good to me. I've enjoyed everything that they've gotten me involved in. I couldn't imagine doing the wedding without ABC there. They're our family. They introduced us. As far as having cameras [there], at this time I don't know. I don't know if we want to have a [televised] wedding."

Hightower's plans for the future include appearing on the results shows on Tuesdays and, hopefully, future seasons of 'DWTS.' "Jake and I will be at the finale, too," she says with a smile. "We've worked our butts off. We have worked so hard. Now, I'll have some down time and will enjoy that."





Tags: dancing with the stars elimination april 27, dancing with the stars elimination april 20, dancing with the stars april 26, who got voted off dancing with the stars tonight, jake pavelka, abc lost