Ricki Lake's Latest 'Dancing With the Stars' Injury: A Bruised Ego

ABC

Ricki Lake is down, but she's not out. The Dancing With the Stars front-runner didn't fare too well during the week 8 instant Jive, earning her lowest score from the judges in weeks.

Backstage after the performance, she was clearly discouraged.

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"Right now, my ego," she said when asked what hurt most. "I'm just covered in bruises, it's the same old, same old. I don't want to complain. I didn't do my best, but J.R. [Martinez] was amazing. My vote would be with him tonight."

Not that he needs it. The Season 13 golden boy walked away with the first perfect score of the season -- and then the second perfect score. He finished week 7 with a perfect 60, topping Ricki's tied-for-second 52 by quite a bit.

After the show, She got some words of encouragement from partner Derek Hough's former celebrity match, and Season 10 winner, Nicole Scherzinger. The X Factor judge snuck over from her gig in the adjacent studio to give her support.

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"She was cheering me on," says Ricki. "She, of course, knows what I'm going through... Brooke [Burke Charvet] also... Jennifer Grey... but I know I'm with the best partner there is. I'm just sorry I didn't do my best tonight, but hopefully next week we'll have a chance."

Hough seems much less discouraged by their scores.

"One dance out of eight weeks, I can't complain with that," Derek says. "We've had a great season."