Trio 'Dancing' into the finale

THE SHOW "Dancing With the Stars," ABC/7, 8 p.m. Monday; finale 9 p.m. Tuesday

WHAT TO EXPECT Monday night's final performance show has two dances -- the first will be one each of the couples has yet to do; the second, the freestyle. Tomorrow night, each couple performs their favorite dance of the season, then the two couples with the highest fan vote/judge score go on to perform the Instant Samba. Winner gets the Mirror ball . . . Also: Lady Antebellum sings what "DWTS" is saying will be the TV debut of new song "Dancing Away with My Heart."

MY SAY Let's all pretend that "Dancing With the Stars" truly is a popularity contest or -- better yet -- a show where the best person and not just the best dancer wins. This person, in other words, has all the right moves and the right character. How nice would that be? It seems to me that the otherwise unremarkable 13th season has suddenly presented us with just such a golden opportunity. Will the best person win? Let's take a look . . .

ROB KARDASHIAN

The gaudiest surprise of the entire season, Kardashian seems to have done the impossible -- prove that he's not a Kardashian. He actually seems to be a reasonably modest guy with a genuine heart. He came into this thing absent a hope or prayer and yet turned in some of the most dazzling (last week's Samba) performances of the 13th. But, alas, he is still a "K" and therefore it's impossible for me to look at him or any of them -- Khloe, Kourtney and especially Kim -- without thinking that any TV appearance is just another hustle calculated to help build the Empire.

RICKI LAKE

Fox had the extreme bad taste to announce last week the launch of its all-new syndicated "Ricki Lake Show" for next fall. In other words, this whole run has been an elaborate promotion for a new series? It feels that way now. I'm actually old enough to remember the original "Rick Lake Show" -- a talk cesspool of hookers and transvestites that foundered because advertisers were finally too embarrassed to put commercials in it. Another one of those? Probably not: Ricki, who's nothing if not shrewd, will try to fill the void left by Oprah. She's an excellent dancer -- yes -- but now this run feels tainted.

J.R. MARTINEZ

On April 5, 2003, Martinez -- who was assigned to the 101st Airborne Division -- was driving a Humvee at the head of a column when it struck a mine. Engulfed in flames he blacked out, and as he told The Washington Post in 2004, he had a vision of his mother standing by his grave, then another of his sister who had died as a child: "She told me I couldn't go because my mom needed me. When I heard that, I just started screaming." After he recovered, he went on to become spokesman of the Coalition to Salute America's Heroes -- a group that helped other wounded veterans -- and he's gone on to become a motivational speaker. Martinez may not win the judges' votes tonight -- he hurt his ankle last Saturday -- but he should certainly win yours. Martinez is this season's real winner.