Top 5 Most Popular Celebrity Slideshows
May 21, 2008 9:28 am US/Eastern
Yamaguchi Beats Jason Taylor For "Dancing" Title
LOS ANGELES (CBS4) ―
Miami Dolphins defensive end Jason Taylor is a true competitor on and off the field but unfortunately the pro football star turned "Dancing With The Stars" participant came in second place behind Kristi Yamaguchi.
Yamaguchi was crowned the new "Dancing" champ on the show's season finale Tuesday night. Her victory over fan favorite Jason Taylor broke the string of four consecutive male winners and she became the first woman to win the mirrorball trophy since the show's inaugural season.
"This is just the icing on the cake," Yamaguchi said after her victory. "I honestly thank all the fans out there... everyone who's made this a dream experience."
Jason Taylor said "I never, ever thought I would get to this point."
Taylor, the massive but graceful pro football star, called Yamaguchi "just perfect," adding that he "grew up watching her compete for our country." Christian De la Fuente, who was eliminated early in the two-hour season finale, said "it was impossible to beat her."
Though Taylor and de la Fuente didn't win, each was victorious in his own way. Besides forming a close friendship with each other, Taylor, an aspiring actor, has taken meetings with Hollywood heavyweights, and de la Fuente learned an important life lesson.
The actor ruptured a tendon in his biceps while dancing on April 28, but delayed the surgery necessary to repair it so he could continue in the contest.
"It's about wanting something in life and going for it," he said. "In this case it was a dance show, but it can be anything
that you're afraid of. Go for it. Do it. The reward that you get when you put your heart, your soul, everything you've got in something, it's priceless."
Each of the season's celebrity contestants returned to the ballroom for the season final. Tennis champ Monica Seles, magician Penn Jillette, radio personality Adam Carolla, R&B singer Mario and actors Marissa Jaret Winokur, Marlee Matlin, Priscilla Presley and Steve Guttenberg each reprised their last dances and talked about their time on the show.
Past champs, including Drew Lachey, Kelly Monaco and Helio Castroneves, also appeared.
(© 2008 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
