Dancing with the Stars: J.R. Martinez Wins!

USMagazine, Tuesday, November 22, 2011, 8:27pm (PST)

The winner of Dancing with the Stars is…

J.R. Martinez!

The 28-year-old veteran and actor beat out Rob Kardashian and Ricki Lake for the coveted Mirror Ball Trophy on Tuesday's finale.

PHOTOS: Look back at DWTS' season 13 cast!

"First and foremost, I want to think everybody who voted for us for 10 weeks," Martinez gushed. "Thank you, America, for believing in us!" For Martinez's pro partner, Karina Smirnoff, the Mirror Ball Trophy was the first she'd won in her 10 seasons with the show. 

Season 13's runner-up? Rob Kardashian! "I'm super thankful," the 24-year-old reality star gushed. "I definitely am not sad. I won in my book."

VIDEO: Carrie Ann tells Rob he's the best Kardashian"

But before Martinez, Kardashian and their partners could face off in a final samba, Ricki Lake was sent home based on the lowest score from a combination of the judges' scores and viewers' votes.

"I went out with a bang!" Lake, 43, exclaimed. "I've loved basically every minute of this... I've done something that I really didn't think I could do."

The talk show host's partner Derek Hough, 26, couldn't have been prouder. "She is an absolute winner," he said. "She knocked it out of the ballpark the entire season... She exceeded my expectations week by week and was just a joy to be around."

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After Lake's elimination, Martinez and Kardashian were left to perform their final dance on the show -- the samba! -- to a cover of Ricky Martin's 1999 hit "Shake Your Bon Bon," and they both scored perfect 10's from all three judges.

Bruno Tonioli told Martinez, "You can turn it on at will... You just bring it on the dance floor, and they love you."

"And Rob," Tonioli added, "You really learned to use your bon bon!"

Carrie Ann Inaba pointed out to the men that "for one of you, that was your victory dance. But I think both of you are winners."

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Martinez described his favorite part of the experience. "Just learning every week," he smiled. "[And having] an amazing partner teaching you a new step every day, and a beautiful way to move your body."

After Martinez was announced as DWTS' season 13 winner, he and Smirnoff held the Mirror Ball Trophy high in the air as the audience cheered. As their former competitors surrounded them and cheered for their victory, Hough, 28, hoisted Martinez onto his shoulders as confetti rained down.

Tell Us: Are you glad J.R. Martinez won DWTS?

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