Sure, Aaron Carter may have come out on top on Monday's Dancing With the Stars premiere (he earned the night's highest score: 32 out of 40).
But former House Republican Whip Tom DeLay thought his performance wasn't so shabby.
"I have to say I nailed it – I did!" he told Usmagazine.com after he danced the cha-cha to 1960s hit "Wild Thing."
Added the 62-year-old DeLay (who is partnered with Cheryl Burke): "I felt good, my hips were working. Cheryl held me up, and I really nailed it."
Judges weren't so sure. "Parts were magic, parts were tragic," judge Len Goodman quipped.
DeLay finished with 20 points.
"When we were dancing together, he was all about it," Burke told Us of DeLay. "He was all in character, and he had a lot of fun, so Tom surprised me the most. I wasn't laughing at him, but I was laughing, enjoying the moment. I couldn't believe it!"
Watch a video of Mya rehearsing
At the bottom: Ashley Hamilton and NFL star Michael Irvin tied, with 19 points each.
Former teen singer Carter, 21, was thrilled he ranked No. 1 for the night.
His goal for the show isn't to win.
"I'm here showing people who I am and what I want to be," he told Us. "It's hard … people look at me and I'm not 12 anymore.
"You don't want people to just like you for how you were then," he added.
"It's important to know that people do change. They grow up and that's what I'm doing."
The ladies will be performing on Tuesday's show. A male and female contestant will be eliminated Wednesday.
