Never bet against a dead dog. That may be the message to take away from the departure of model Joanna Krupa on Dancing With the Stars. Mya, Kelly Osbourne, and Donny Osmond will battle for the Season Nine title next week.

See pictures of Joanna Krupa

Krupa came into the season with one of the lowest profiles of any contestant. Coming from the world of cheesecake modeling as opposed to high fashion, she was probably better known to the male viewers of DWtS than she was to female fans. But while the show has often been tough on models, one exception was Season Seven champion Brooke Burke, who had a similar background to Krupa and was likewise partnered with Derek Hough. Tall and thin (if occasionally ungainly looking), Krupa could be a striking figure on the dance floor. She and Hough were the high scorers in the first week, and were rarely far from the top thereafter. Krupa won the dance marathon in week six, and her "futuristic paso doble" with Hough last week was probably the standout dance of the season thus far.

Dancing with the Stars through the seasons

On Monday, Krupa ended up in the position she has occupied most of the season: a beat behind Mya, but a step ahead of everyone else. However, this was no longer good enough when the competition from below was made up of the phenomenally popular Osmond and Osbourne, who has been adopted as America's sweetheart despite her frequent cursing. Osbourne's growth as a dancer and her visible battle with nerves gave her a narrative that Krupa could not match. The sight of her rehearsing and performing well on Monday despite being depressed over the death of her dog was probably all Osbourne needed. In recognition of her strength this season, Krupa was permitted extra time for her final dance after the announcement of her elimination.

The padding in the results show was more extreme than ever Tuesday, as there were a whopping three performances. Alicia Keys was solid as always, and Leona Lewis showed that her second CD is going to remind everyone of her first CD. Surviving Bee Gees Barry and Robin Gibb performed "You Should Be Dancing" accompanied by Season Eight's Melissa Rycroft, a curious mix of geriatric disco and Texas cheerleader. Strangest of all was a segment showing the final four lip-syncing in a makeshift video for "Under Pressure," which was a total waste of time. I know it's too much to ask that DWtS make the results show a half hour long only, but Tom Bergeron can only stall for so long.

This final three insures that one of the pros will become a champion for the first time: relative newcomer Dmitry Chaplin (Mya); Kym Johnson (Osmond), who has come in second twice; or Louis van Amstel (Osbourne), who has made it to the final week for the first time in his five seasons. The finale figures to be a classic DWtS battle between Mya, easily the best dancer in the field but just as clearly in last place when it comes to connecting emotionally with the audience; and both Osbourne and Osmond, who have been more inconsistent but are being pulled along by viewers who root for their personal stories.

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