Who Should Win Dancing with the Stars?

I came into this season of Dancing with the Stars begrudgingly, thinking that I might just be over the whole thing. Boy, was I wrong.

I fell hook, line and sinker for Apolo and Joey, Laila and even Heather. Sure I have my gripes about the show (I can't stand that Samantha Harris!), but some of the dancing was so entertaining I was able to look past even the biggest of my complaints (those bloated results shows!) Adding to the excitement if that we've got a final 3 that actually deserve to be there. I'm looking forward to a real fight to the finish.

So who's gonna win this thing? Each has their strengths and weaknesses, but I kinda think any of the three would be worthy winners:

Joey is undeniably entertaining -- he just turns it on as soon as he hits the dance floor, and he manages to add some serious showmanship into all of his routines. Whether he wins this thing or not, I have no doubt he'll back on Broadway by year's end.

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Laila has proven herself to be much more versatile than I would have thought she would or could be -- she is graceful and elegant one moment, sexy and kittenish another. As the only woman left in the competition for the past few weeks, she has definitely had a harder task, having to compete with the professional ladies, but she has more than lived up to the challenge. I would put her up there with Stacey Kiebler as one of the best female dancers ever to be on the show.

And then there is my boy Apolo, adorable Apolo. His determination and passion is clear every time he performs, and he's managed to really infuse his personality into his performances, which is all the more impressive because he is an athlete and not an entertainer. I mean, that is a movie star smile, people, and he's not even a movie star! I think he and Julianne are the best matched couple, as well as the most ambitious, and personally, I'm hoping they take home the prize.

Even though Apolo will get my vote on Monday night, I don't actually think he's going to walk away victorious. The judges seem to be very '10' happy these days, but if they are likely to slip a '9' into the batch it will be for Apolo, whose dancing sometimes loses a sense of sharpness in the midst of all of the tricks he attempts. Laila is almost sure to grab all '10''s, as is Joey, which would leave Apolo at a disadvantage going into the voting round.

So who's gonna win? My prediction (before having seen the final predictions) is Laila -- I think she sealed the deal with the blown kiss to her father, and her dancing really is spectacular.

But, really, any of this could change once the contestants take to the floor on Monday evening -- Apolo just might come out and blow the other two away! Whatever happens, it should be exciting!

Remember, even after American Idol and Dancing with the Stars come to an end, there will continue to be updates on former Idol contestants (including this year's crew), along with recaps and commentary on summer shows "So You Think You Can Dance," "On the Lot," "Top Chef," "Big Brother," "Pirate Queen" and more (see Summer TV) So bookmark Idol Thoughts now!

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