ABC/Kelsey McNealOlympic cutie Shawn Johnson didn't just go home with a shiny new mirror ball trophy tonight after Dancing With the Stars, she went home with a new attitude.
"He's made me such a better person and brought my personality out and [it] really changed my life," Shawn told E! News backstage after the finale about her dancing partner Mark Ballas. "And I’ve loved every second of it."
"It was just an emotional cluster," said a tearful Mark. "I wanted to laugh and cry, all these emotions at once. I'm so proud of Shawn."
We caught up with this season's contenders after the show and here's what they had to say…
Gilles Marini's Sixth Sense: "We kind of felt and knew. How can you beat Shawn in the final two? I knew that we lost right away when we heard the one percent [difference in scores]."
Melissa Rycroft's Post-Show Pampering: "I'm going to take off my high heels. I'm going to get a pedicure and I'm not working out for two months."
Lil' Kim's Vegas Plan: "My dream is to do this Vegas show. It's going to be more like Cirque de Soleil. It's my own show, not as exquisite as Mel B's show [Peepshow], but still sexy though. I want to sing and dance. I'm going to Vegas in 10 days."
Steve-O's Man Crush: "I have this thing about Gilles. He's gorgeous. He's the only dancer that went topless the whole season."
Ty Murray's Choice: "I did vote. I voted for Shawn."
(Originally published May 19, 2009, at 9:15 p.m. PT)