Marc Malkin

ABC/Kelsey McNeal

Did Len Goodman really have to conjure up images of Britney Spears' va-jay-jay on last night's Dancing With the Stars?

Read on for my exclusive chat with Mario to hear what he says about Goodman's remarks, being deemed a prince and getting nearly naked with Karina Smirnof...

What is up with Len? He said your ballroom dancing reminds him of "Britney Spears getting out of a car: Not very elegant, you sometimes see odd things you'd rather not…"
Len has lost his mind. I don’t know what that was all about. Honestly, his comments go in one ear and out the other. I want backstage, and I was doing interviews, and they were like, “What did Len say?” And I was like, “I have no clue.”

However, Bruno called you "Prince Mario."
I’m wearing a crown today. [Laughs.] I think I’m going to get a crown made for me. Jason Taylor is the swan, but I’m Prince Charming.

You and Karina practiced your lifts in a pool. Did producers make you do that just to get you two as naked as possible on television?
That would have been a scandal. [Laughs.] But you know what? I’m comfortable with Karina in that way, and I feel like she’s comfortable with me. We respect each other so it’s all good...Practicing in a pool is a safe thing to do. The pool makes you a little lighter, so we could practice countless amounts of lifts. My shoulder was kind of bothering me, so it was a great way to practice.

What happened to your shoulder?
I’ve been training, weightlifting, as well as doing the show. I kind of—I don’t want to make it seem like I have an injury like Cristián [de la Fuente]—but I hurt my shoulder a little bit.

Were you surprised with how well Cristián did?
I was very shocked—it was his best dance! But one week you’re golden, and the next week you’re bronze. It’s tough right now, and the pressure is really on!