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Karamo Brown and Jenna Johnson’s Hearts Are Full After ‘Bittersweet’ Elimination From ‘DWTS’ (Exclusive)

Still all smiles. Karamo Brown and Jenna Johnson’s  hearts are full despite being eliminated from Dancing With the Stars on Monday, October 28. In a down-to-the-wire decision, judges chose to save actress Kate Flannery over the Queer Eye star, 38, as the show’s Halloween week came to an end.

“Obviously I’m devastated that we’re not rehearsing right now,” the ballroom professional, 25, exclusively told Us Weekly. “But I think that I’m just so overwhelmed with how amazing this season was that I’m not upset, because I feel like every week we did our best.”

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Karamo Brown and Jenna Johnson Dancing with the Stars Elimination
Jenna Johnson and Karamo Brown on ‘Dancing with the Stars.’ ABC/Eric McCandless

The Real World alum agreed, adding, “It is bittersweet because we went out on a high note.”

Brown admitted that his experience on the ABC celebrity dancing competition turned the tables on his Queer Eye role. On the Netflix show, the licensed social worker helps Queer Eye‘s “heroes” process their emotions and become more vulnerable. Appearing on DWTS helped Brown to remember that vulnerability can be a sign of strength.

“Sometimes you forget that you need to ask for help, and even though I can guide people and I’m great at it, even myself I needed guidance,” the I Am Perfectly Designed author said. “If it wasn’t for Jenna, I would not have been able to make it to even week seven because from week one, when we got low scores, she was like, ‘Don’t worry, you can push yourself.’”

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Johnson, an experienced DWTS professional, told Us that she’s never felt so happy after an elimination before and praised her partner for taking risks. “I feel like Karamo grew so much during this whole competition,” she said.

Not only were the two supportive partners on the show, but they also became fast friends. Brown even says he would love for Johnson to dance at his wedding. The Queer Eye culture specialist popped the question to boyfriend of eight years, Ian Jordan, at Jordan’s surprise 40th birthday party in May 2018.

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Though the mirrorball trophy is no longer in his sights, Brown remains grateful for the new challenges he and Johnson faced together on the show. “It pushed me to say, ‘Can I do this? Can I try this?’” Brown told Us. “I think if anybody out there is thinking to themselves, ‘There’s something I want to do,’ they should go and try it right now.”

Dancing With the Stars airs on ABC Mondays at 8 p.m. ET.

With reporting by Emily Marcus

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