( CNN ) -- This week 's lesson from `` Dancing with the Stars '' : Maybe it 's not the best idea to be on a book tour while dancing in the competition . That became the downfall of contestant Tavis Smiley , who was sent home Tuesday night after performing a disco-inspired cha-cha earlier in the week . Although the routine earned the talk show host a 28 , when viewer votes were counted it was Smiley and NASCAR driver Michael Waltrip who were in danger of going home . Smiley thinks the underwhelming response to his routine had something to do with his lack of practice time . He has just released a book on the Rev . Martin Luther King Jr. , and that work got in the way of his rehearsals for `` Dancing with the Stars . '' `` This is hard , ( this show is ) so much harder than it looks , '' Smiley told ABC 's `` Good Morning America , '' `` Our competitors on the show had 35 to 40 hours a week to rehearse . In the midst of a book tour , the most we could do were eight or 10 hours a week . You can not perfect the cha-cha in eight or 10 hours ; I do n't care who you are . '' Now we 're down to 11 dancers still sweating it out for the Mirrorball Trophy . `` Fresh Prince '' star Alfonso Ribeiro was in the lead at the start of the season , but in the second week `` Back to the Future 's '' Lea Thompson took the top of the scoreboard with her jive . She earned 35 points , and was trailed closely by `` Pretty Little Liars '' actress Janel Parrish , whose foxtrot to `` Call Me Maybe '' earned 34 points . Although he 's now done with the show , Smiley said he has no regrets . `` ( I ) wanted to do something for himself , '' he said . `` I 'm glad I did it . ''
`` Dancing with the Stars '' is down to 11 contestants . The show has been a ratings hit for ABC since it debuted in 2004, but its popularity waned after star judge Julianne Hough left last year. Lea Thompson and Janel Parrish were the top points-earners .