From the “Hammer” to “Wild Thing”: Tom DeLay Makes his Debut on ABC’s “Dancing With the Stars”

ABC News’ Kristina Wong reports: Donning brown pants and a matching vest lined with leopard print and rhinestones, former House Republican majority leader and whip Tom DeLay made his debut Monday night on ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars.”

In the outfit DeLay described on Twitter as “Elvis meets animal print,” DeLay and his partner Cheryl Burke cha-cha’ed to the song “Wild Thing”.

During the dance, DeLay played the air guitar, slid across the dance floor on his knees, pointed at the camera, and mouthed “Wild thing, I think I love you.” At age 62, the man nicknamed “the Hammer” for his aggressive style of keeping his party members’ votes in line, was, according to judge Carrie Ann Inaba, “very light on his feet.”

“That was surreal,” Inaba said. “Tom DeLay – you’re wild thing!”

“You’re crazier than Sarah Palin!” exclaimed judge Bruno Tonioli. Yet the judges’ scores on DeLay and Burke’s first dance were more muted.

While Inaba said DeLay had “a natural grace,” DeLay and Burke were given a 6, 5 and 5, on aone-to-10 scale, 10 being the best.

“Parts were magic, parts were tragic,” said judge Len Goodman.

Clearly reveling inhis “wild” exhibition, DeLay quipped, “I got bigger critics than those judges.”

DeLay May Have Stress Fracture in Foot — but Still ‘Dancing’

ABC News’ Rick Klein reports: “Dancing With the Stars” fans got quite a scare today with news that one of the show’s biggest draws in the new season has been injured.
“Old age is catching up to me, may have a stress fracture in my foot. no worries, it'll take more than that to keep me off the dance floor!” Tom DeLay wrote on his Twitter feed.

Fear not: “The Hammer” is tough as nails.

DeLay spokeswoman Shannon Flaherty said the former House majority leader injured himself in rehearsals earlier this week, and went to a doctor in Los Angeles today to check it out.

But he hasn’t missed any rehearsals, and still plans on making his “Dancing” debut next week.

“He’s is still OK to go for Monday’s performance,” Flaherty said. “He’s still been rehearsing and is still dancing.”