TV

This was a very emotional week for Ruby, both on the high end and the low end.

We’ve known for a while that her beloved dog Lucy was not well, as her kidneys were failing. Each night Ruby lovingly gave her shots for treatment, and she and friends prepared for the worst. The relationship Ruby has with her dogs is as definitive of man’s best friend as you’ll find. “I don’t think I’ve ever had love like they give me,” Ruby tearfully remarks.

Her roommate and close friend Jeff said that Lucy’s loss would be “like losing a child for her.” In this episode, Lucy does leave Ruby and it’s one of those emotional hurdles that has Ruby questioning if she’ll end up throwing away all of her hard work thus far.

On this week’s More to Love, Luke and his four remaining gals, Malissa, Tali, Anna and Mandy, continued to learn more about each other as tensions, jealousies and the competition hit new levels.

He took a tough and almost scrutinizing look at all women peppering them with serious questions about commitment, marriage and children. Tension was high, particularly during the elimination ceremony where Anna was not given her ring back.

As he walked her out, Luke confessed that he had a hard time envisioning a romantic relationship with the plus-sized model and instead felt that the foundation of their relationship was that of friends, not as romantic partners.

Today I interviewed Dance Your Ass Off winner Ruben and the show’s executive producer and creator Lisa Ann Walter. Here is a recap of this conversation, just one day following the season finale of this weight loss competition series.

DIR: How has the show changed your life?

Ruben: It sounds corny, but it changed my life and everyone else’s on the show. I was the oldest contestant by at least 11 years and I fully committed to what would happen. I knew this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and I committed to it. I took advantage of all the nutritionists, doctors and motivation and it paid off. I am still taking dance classes and I do it for myself because it’s fun, not for the competition aspect of it.

An exercise video is going to come out where people can learn the dances, have fun, sweat and lose the pounds all from their living room.

The season finale of Oxygen’s Dance Your Ass Off had a bit of everything: Moves and grooves, cheers and tears, and flash and cash.

The final three, Ruben, Shayla and Pinky took the stage one last time and hopped on the scales for their final weight loss tally.

So who won the coveted $100,000 prize?

Ruben!

On this week’s episode of More to Love, Luke took the girls to the beach where they not only bared their bodies in bathing suits, but also their insecurities, vulnerabilities and fears.

As the competition for Luke’s coveted gold rings gets fiercer, the claws of the six remaining girls sharpen. Kristian confessed to being heartbroken if she was not given another ring and also bared her soul by professing her love to Luke. Mandy commented that she would “break” if she was not given a ring and Tali shared her feelings of being emotionally and mentally exhausted during this entire ordeal.