The ‘Karate Kid’ tells HollyBaby.com exclusively that being on ‘DWTS’ has even made him a cool dad where it counts most — at home!
Ralph Macchio says teaming up with Karina Smirnoff on Dancing With The Stars has its advantages. He’s been overwhelmed with love from the fans — and now he’s getting respect from an even more critical set of viewers.
“The coolest feedback is all the overwhelming audience support, I wasn’t expecting that excitement,” Ralph, 49, told us at Perez Hilton‘s Blue Ball Birthday Bash in LA over the weekend. “And my kids don’t think I suck for a week, which is nice.”
That’s not as easy as it sounds –his kids, Julia and Daniel, are both teenagers!
Ralph and Karina are the frontrunners so far on DWTS, and Ralph says he’s very comfortable with the pressure — and his professional partner.
“I’d rather have that then to be the one trying to climb up. We have been working real hard and take it one week at a time. It’s a marathon. But I have been having so much fun,” he told us. “We get along and there is a lot of laughing.”
As for their competitors, Ralph has been most impressed with Kirstie Alley. “She really did a great job,” he says, adding “I thought Hines Ward did great as well. You never know what a football player is going to do!”
And we can tell you what Ralph will be performing on tonight’s episode of DWTS: “Jive. I’m really looking forward to it.”
Ralph was out with Karina at the Lakers game at Staples Center on March 27. But his wife Phyllis Fierro — whose not staying with him in LA — shouldn’t worry. When the arena’s kiss-cam focused on Ralph and Karina and then of Ralph and Desperate Housewife Teri Hatcher, he didn’t pucker up.
Lakers fans gave Ralph a big cheer anyway!
