Reginald VelJohnson brought to tears on ‘Dancing With the Stars’

Reginald VelJohnson might not get the highest scores from the Dancing With the Stars judges, but he generates plenty of love.

The Family Matters star deeply moved the judging panel on Monday’s Soul Train Night, even bringing Carrie Ann Inaba to tears, as judge Derek Hough marveled at VelJohnson’s energy on the dance floor.

“I don’t know why this is making me so emotional,” Inaba said through tears. “There’s something so sweet and innocent when you dance. I wish I could give you 10s and 10s for bringing us such joy.”

Guest judge Rosie Perez rounded out the praise, adding, “I just love you.”

The Die Hard actor is relatively stiff on the dance floor, and he’s been open about his challenges moving at 72 years old. But he always brings a bright energy and enthusiasm to the ballroom, which has captured the hearts of the judges (and apparently, the audience too, as cohost Julianne Hough mentioned how his scores have been buoyed by viewer votes.) “They’re rooting for you,” Hough said.

All of this made VelJohnson cry as well, and the tear stains were still visible on his cheeks when he and pro partner Emma Slater went to the sky box to await the scores for their foxtrot to Johnny Nash’s “I Can See Clearly Now.”

The actor will need all that audience love to stay in the competition. Despite the goodwill from the judges, he and Slater only nabbed a score of 21 points total, marking the lowest score of the night. All of the judges gave either a five or six, which is consistent with what Slater and VelJohnson have received the previous two shows (though, at least, this time, there were no fours).

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The duo will get a second chance on Tuesday night’s Hair Metal episode, which will end with at least one elimination after combining the judges’ scores from both Monday and Tuesday nights with those of the audience.

Slater and VelJohnson are slated to deliver a cha cha to “I Wanna Rock” by Twisted Sister.

Dancing With the Stars airs Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET/PT on ABC and Disney+.