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‘Dancing with the Stars’ debuts: Jason Mraz dazzles, Matt Walsh goes home

By George Costantino Sep 27, 2023 | 7:30 AM
ABC/Eric McCandless

Jason Mraz not only felt like dancing when the 32nd season of Dancing with the Stars kicked off on Tuesday, September 26, but he also proved he was pretty good at it.

Jason and his partner, Daniella Karagach, ended the night tied for second place with Ariana Madix and partner Pasha Pashkov, earning 21 out of a possible 30 points for their cha cha to his song, “I Feel Like Dancing.”

The Grammy-winning singer-songwriter revealed in a pre-taped segment before the dance that despite his success, he’s “faked his way through dancing all this time.”

“Time to do something about that,” he added.

“In college, I studied musical theater, but then one day I got to the door of the dance studio and said, ‘I’m not going back in there,” he told Karagach, explaining, “I knew what was in that room — humiliation. Because the students had a lot more experience than me and I’d see all my weaknesses.”

“I just went and focused where I could focus and sing immediately, which was like busking on the sidewalk and playing in coffee shops,” he continued.” Since then, I’ve hid behind a guitar, but a part of me still wants to go through that door.”

Waiting on the other side were raves from the DWTS judges, starting with Bruno Tonioli, who declared Jason was “a dancer.” Carrie Ann Inaba hailed it as “the best dance of the night” and Derek Hough called it “spot on.”

Elsewhere, former Bachelorette Charity Lawson topped the leaderboard with 22 out of 30. Reality star Harry Jowsey was at the bottom with the lowest score, 12 out of 30, tied with model and actor Tyson Beckford and Veep alum Matt Walsh, the last of whom was sent home.

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