enlarge
  • La Toya Jackson with Karina Smirnoff and Aaron Carter
  • La Toya Jackson interviews Aaron Carter at ‘Dancing With the Stars,’ Sept. 23, 2009
  • Aaron Carter and Karina Smirnoff on ‘Dancing With the Stars’ (September 21, 2009)

1/3

  • Access Hollywood

    La Toya Jackson interviews Karina Smirnoff and Aaron Carter for Access Hollywood

  • Access Hollywood

    La Toya Jackson interviews Aaron Carter at ‘Dancing With the Stars,’ Sept. 23, 2009

  • ABC

    Aaron Carter and Karina Smirnoff on ‘Dancing With the Stars’ (September 21, 2009)

 
 

FIRST PUBLISHED: September 23, 2009 3:24 PM EDT
LAST UPDATED: September 23, 2009 3:39 PM EDT

LOS ANGLES, Calif. --

Aaron Carter is heading into tonight’s “Dancing With the Stars” elimination round as the highest scoring male celebrity in the competition. But besides the high marks from the judges, the pop star also has two big fans on his side – Katherine and La Toya Jackson.

“My mother and I, we watch [‘DWTS’] together and she said, ‘Oh my God! Isn’t he great?’” La Toya, Access Hollywood’s “DWTS” correspondent, told Aaron following last night’s show. “You were absolutely wonderful. We loved you so much.”

But Aaron, who scored a total of 32 out of 40 points on Monday’s broadcast, the highest score out of the men, and second in overall rankings (Joanna Krupa and Derek Hough are in first with 34 out of 40), puts all the credit on his professional partner, Karina Smirnoff.

“Thank you,” the pop star told La Toya. “It feels good to be back and I have the greatest partner. She’s really strict, she’s really sexy, she just knows what to do.”

Although Aaron is sitting pretty with his score, he expects competition from his fellow men, including one former NFL star in the coming weeks.

“I think Michael Irvin is going to step up a lot and I think he’s really going to start doing a lot better,” Aaron said. “He’s a competitor… Next time he comes out on the dance floor, expect something completely different from him.”

And while others will be bringing their game face in the coming weeks on “Dancing,” provided they survive tonight’s elimination, Aaron is ready to go.

“I’m really going to step my game up,” he said. “I’m here to win with [Karina].”

Karina even offered a hint of what’s to come for the couple, who are expected to carry on into Week 2 of competition.

“With [the] quick step we’re going to tap into a little bit of a show business and a character dance ‘cause we’re dancing to a very popular song,” she revealed. “He’s going to be Kermit the Frog and I’ll be Miss Piggy, so next week is going to be very, very fun.”

Copyright 2009 by NBC Universal, Inc. All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Keep your Access to everything in Hollywood! Breaking news and personal commentary from Nancy, Billy, Tony, Shaun, Maria & all of our producers! Follow us on and now!

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

What Do You Think?

How many times will you see ‘New Moon?’

  • Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson in ‘New Moon’
     
  • Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart chat during the presentation of their new film ‘The Twighlight Saga: New Moon’ during the HVB youth event at the Olympic Hall on November 14, 2009 in Munich, Germany
     
  • Taylor Lautner and Robert Pattinson arrive at the afterparty for the premiere ‘The Twilight Saga: New Moon’ at the Hammer Museum on November 16, 2009 in Los Angeles, California
     
  • Robert Pattinson runs his fingers through his hair as he hits ‘The Twilight Saga: New Moon’ premiere red carpet, LA, Nov. 16, 2009
     
  • Michael Sheen in Summit’s ‘New Moon’
     
  • Alex Meraz, Kiowa Gordon, and Chaske Spence as werewolves in ‘New Moon’