Erin Andrews is ‘funky monkey’ on ‘Dancing’

Posted Mar 23, 2010 by Walt Belcher

Updated Mar 23, 2010 at 12:16 PM

Lead judge Len Goodman called her a “funky monkey” (whatever that means), and the other judges raved on about Tampa favorite Erin Andrews on her nervous but good enough debut Monday on “Dancing With the Stars.”

The 31-year-old ESPN sportscaster, who grew up in the Bay area, looked stunningly beautiful - far more than she ever did on the sidelines of a college football game.

First to go could be soap star Aiden Turner or reality star Kate Gosselin because they looked the most out of place. And sadly, astronaut Buzz Aldrin at age 80 may be an American hero but he’s no Fred Astaire.

Andrews, danced a spirited cha cha with veteran Maksim Chmerkovskiy. The judges said she needed to work on her leg and arm movements. But they liked her effort. They earned 21 points.

Carrie Ann Inaba, 7: “What a nice surprise. You have good moves.”

Goodman, 7: “A funky monkey. Great hips, great movement, full of rhythm.”

Bruno Tonioli, 7: “You’re bringing zest and vitality to the competition.”

Andrews, daughter of News Channel 8 reporter Steve Andrews, took the criticism well. She seemed happy with the outcome. Her sister, Kendra, a professional dancer, was in the audience.

In an exclusive interview with ESPN.com, Andrews said, “I’ve always liked dancing. When I do my stand-ups, I always dance around. And if I mess up, I sometimes kick my leg in the air. I’m always moving.”

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