Dancing With the Stars Finally Boots Chaz Bono

For those who regularly watch Dancing With the Stars, it’s no secret that star power typically wins out over dancing ability. It is, in essence, a popularity contest, where contestants compete within a context akin to high school, where the popular kids always trump the smart ones, no matter that later life will likely bring a reversal of fortunes. Chaz Bono is seemingly one such "popular kid" on the show, and his massive fan base kept him on the show long after it was clear that he didn’t really have the moves to merit a long run on the show.

Author, activist and son of Cher, Chaz lasted an impressive six weeks before he got the boot recently. From the beginning, his scores placed him either at the bottom of the pack or very close to it, and his 19-point tango on Monday represented his season in a nutshell. But was this really a situation where the "popular kid" won out? Far from it, actually. Chaz was a good sport all the way through, despite difficulties, injuries and an earful from the judges. His goal all along, he said, was to "show America a different kind of man."

He explained further, "If there was somebody like me on TV when I was growing up, my whole life would’ve been different. So I dedicate everything I did to all the people out there like me, and especially the kids and teens who are struggling. You’re going to have a wonderful great life and be successful and happy." Turns out that, despite his mass appeal on the show, Chaz was more like the ugly duckling all along. That he used his appearance on the show to offer hope to those who aren’t the pretty, popular ones in high school – or elsewhere along their path in life - is a great indication of what Chaz is really made of.