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J.R. Martinez Gets Longest-Ever Standing Ovation on 'DWTS' (VIDEO)

by Catherine Lawson, posted Oct 4th 2011 7:55AM

Karina Smirnoff and JR MartinezLast night on 'Dancing With the Stars' was so very emotional.

Dancing to the theme of the most memorable year, the celebrity contestants and their partners pulled out all the stops to deliver the most intensely personal performances we've seen so far.

None more so than wounded war veteran, now actor, J.R. Martinez, who danced the rumba with his pro partner Karina Smirnoff.

At the end of their performance there wasn't a dry eye in the house, and they earned what's reportedly the longest-ever 'DWTS' standing ovation from the crowd.

Martinez chose as his most memorable year the one in which he almost died after suffering 40 percent burns in a Humvee accident while on active service in Iraq. Dedicating his performance to all the fallen heroes, he danced to Tim McGraw's 'If You're Reading This.'


The song tells the gut-wrenching story of all those service wives reading letters notifying them that their loved one won't be coming home.

Watching Martinez from the audience was his guest, Jenna Bullen, who suffered 95 percent burns over her body from a gasoline fire when she was just three years old.

Although the performance had the weeping audience standing and applauding for longer than any other 'DWTS' performance, Martinez was still beaten in the overall scores by Ricki Lake and her partner Derek Hough. He and Smirnoff finished in joint second place with 26 points.

'Dancing With the Stars' airs Mondays at 8PM ET and Tuesdays at 9PM ET on ABC.


'Dancing With the Stars' Season 13 Cast Photos





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dmbnihil1

Not doubting his courage, but let's be realistic. The military of today is not the idealized military from the 1940's and WWII. The military of today is nothing but a glorified jobs program for people who have little opportunity for much else in this country. Let's not forget that these "heroes" get paid for their "service". True heroism is giving without expecting anything in return....like a paycheck, housing, medical care, college tuition, and other benefits for life. I think America has been duped into believing that the military is full of young people who volunteer to go fight oppressive regimes under Hitler, the Japanese, and Stalin for the sake of world peace....as we rightly did starting during WWII. This is completely false, the military is full of paid mercenaries who carry out the political whims of the government. So please stop saying that our military is full of heroes....it is full of paid government employees.

October 18 2011 at 9:46 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
djeaninew1066

He deserved the stnding O no matter how long it lasted. I expect him to make it to the finals and possible take the trophy.

October 08 2011 at 2:02 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
AlphaKingBetU

wow longest standing ovation...okay...it was like 5 seconds....gimmie a break. yea kudos to JR but gimmie a break

October 05 2011 at 12:10 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
abudotcom

Congrats JR. Your Rock.... I get goosebumps everytime he goes on th dance floor, he has the MOVES,,,, I admire and respect him, and Thank Him for his services to our country. He is my favorite this season. I hope he wins...

October 05 2011 at 9:45 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
leemy49

JR YOU ROCK !!!! The man can dance..... He fought for us not like the bums in the streets doing drugs and killing people....

October 05 2011 at 4:17 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
maureenandfrank62

We think that JR is doing a really good job on the show. So are the other contestants, with the exception of Chaz Bono. It seems that he is like Kirstie Alley with the weight issue, very slow and not quite 'with it'. They were both lucky that the viewers voted for them.
We would like to see JR end up in the finals. His dancing is coming from the heart.

October 05 2011 at 3:35 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Amy

I had never heard of J.R. before. He's an amazing human being. He seems to totally over look his own physical frailties and that man can dance with all his heart. I think he has the capabilities to take the win. He's a GOOD example of an American hero in every sense of the word.

October 04 2011 at 11:22 PM Report abuse +1 rate up rate down Reply
gonro2

Ricky's performance though not bad was not better. I think judges were afraid to give a justifyable higher score for fear of being accused of giving a sympathy vote. He was deserving of a better score based on execution, style and expression of which he gave all.

October 04 2011 at 8:11 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
djeaninew1066

It was well deserved. This man has literally given more than most to serve his country. He is remarkable!

October 04 2011 at 5:19 PM Report abuse +3 rate up rate down Reply
trollinabucket

a true hero now get that "it" Bono off of there "It" doesnt deserve to be in the same space as J>R>

October 04 2011 at 4:07 PM Report abuse -3 rate up rate down Reply

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