Ox Notes: October 8, 2008

I'm back from a refreshing trip to the Pacific Northwest just in time to catch up on a crazy week of Dancing with the Stars 7 news. Rocco DiSpirito tried to stay upbeat after finding out on last night's Results Show that he would've been a goner if not for Misty May-Treanor's season-ending injury.

He told Us Magazine: "Every week I wanted to know where I stood, and now I know exactly where I stand!" He also joked with OK! that he's "a charity case" for partner Karina Smirnoff, who looked frustrated by the evening's proceedings when Access Hollywood and ET interviewed her after the Results Show.

Talking to E! after Monday night's DwtS Performance Show, Rocco described his frilly white outfit as "Venetian gondolier/ice cream man."

Two ousted dancers are still keeping up with DwtS 7. Maksim Chmerkovskiy called EW last night to report that Misty is doing well after surgery. He said he'd love to finish the season as a fourth judge alongside Len, Carrie Ann and Bruno. And Kim Kardashian blogged for MSN that she loved every performance on Monday night.

Though it's safe to safe that Kim and partner Mark Ballas won't be taking over the spot vacated by Misty & Maks, I like what Corky Ballas told OK! about his son's possible return: "Mark would come back like a tiger. With a vengeance!"

In the event of another serious rehearsal injury this season in which the celebrity was fit to continue with the show but not able to perform on a Monday night (e.g., Jeff Ross suffering a scratched cornea hours before showtime), TV Guide learned that the producers are going to allow couples to submit their dress rehearsal footage for broadcast and review by the judges in lieu of dancing live. The pairs run through their full routines at least three times on the stage before the show, and all of the run-throughs are recorded.

Derek Hough told People that he shares a home with Shannon Elizabeth and three of his Almost Amy bandmates, but that he still has a room in an apartment he shared with Mark Ballas for those times that he needs a little privacy. Great, but what does Shannon do when she wants to get away from the three twenty-something musicians you moved into her house, Derek?

Maureen Ryan of The Chicago Tribune's blog The Watcher writes that she's abandoning NBC's increasingly convoluted Heroes. I did the same last year, and now I feel even better about the decision.

A Japanese television network is suing ABC, claiming that Wipeout is a rip-off of Takeshi's Castle.

The lawsuit between NBC Universal and the Weinstein Co. could delay the premiere of Project Runway 6 until Summer 2009. Part one of the Season 5 finale airs tonight on Bravo at 9 ET.