Get Ready to Dance!

The new season of Dancing With the Stars, one of my favorite shows, starts Sept 22nd. Here is the line up of this season's stars (Has anyone noticed that they're going more A list than the Blist they were a couple of years ago?):

LANCE BASS - Lance Bass has sold over 50 million records as a member of the phenomenally successful pop group *NSYNC. He also executive produced and starred in a number of film and television projects. In 2002 he successfully trained to be a cosmonaut at Russia's Star City and was certified by both the Russian Space Program and NASA for a mission aboard a Soyuz capsule. Lance has also released his memoir, Out of Sync, for Simon Spotlight Entertainment. The 2006 U.S. Youth Latin Champ and 2007 World Swing Dance Champ Lacey Schwimmer teams up with Lance to make her series debut.

Lance has come out of the closet and said he's gay. Too bad he didn't get a male partner this season. That would have been interesting. Who would have lead? Actually, the fact that he got Benji Schwimmer (Dancing with the Stars Winner)'s sister, Lacey, for a partner is interesting enough. She's not a pro in most of the dance styles on the show. I wonder how that will work out. I bet they'll get a lot of votes.

TONI BRAXTON - The winner of six Grammy Awards, Toni Braxton is a Billboard chart-topping singer and actress, selling over forty million records worldwide. Her U.S. number-one hit Un-Break My Heart is the second biggest single by a female artist in history. She has also appeared in two Disney Broadway shows: Beauty and the Beast and Aida. Dancing with the Stars marks her return to the spotlight after a six-month health hiatus. She teams up with season one champion, Alec Mazo, who returns for his fourth season.

Toni Braxton is gorgeous. She wouldn't have to unbreak my heart if I got to watch her dance in a beautiful dress. She's definitely in my top picks to take the mirror ball trophy.






BROOKE BURKE (Affectionately referred to as "Boob Burke" in our house from her Wild On days)- A host, actress, entrepreneur and celebrity mom, Brooke Burke has truly done it all. She has graced numerous magazine covers, has her own top-selling swimsuit calendars, and is regularly ranked in men's magazines as one of the sexiest women in the world. Recognized worldwide as host of the hit travel series Wild On!, Brooke has since hosted several high profile network series, including Rock Star: INXS and Rock Star: Supernova. On the acting front, she has guest-starred on such television series as Las Vegas, Less Than Perfect, Eve, It's All Relative, The Bernie Mac Show, Monk, Rock Me Baby and That's Life. Brooke is a mother of four and recently launched her own babystore BabooshBaby.com, a site where she shares her secrets (and some products she used) to get back in shape after giving birth. Brooke teams with Derek Hough who returns for his third season.
I'm pretty sure every red-blooded male in America is going to watch this show just to vote to keep Brooke on. She could dance like my Grandpa, but if she gets to wear skimpy outfits week after week, she just might win it.





ROCCO DISPIRITO - The James Beard Award-winning celebrity chef and author Rocco DiSpirito combines his world-class cooking with a passion for empowering home cooks. A graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, Rocco opened the 3-star Union Pacific in New York City in 1997. In 2003 he launched Rocco's for the reality series, The Restaurant. Rocco will next appear on the A&E series, Rocco Gets Real, beginning in October, along with its companion cookbook, Rocco Gets Real: Cook at Home Every Day. He teams with Karina Smirnoff who returns for her fifth season. Karina teamed with R&B singer, Mario, last season.

Don't be fooled by the cute face. Rocco is kind of a beast. I'm not sure if he'll be as bossy on the dance floor as he is in the kitchen. .. Karina might have met her match!





MAURICE GREENE - The winner of two gold medals, in the 100m sprint and the 4x100m relay at the 2000 Sydney Summer Olympics, track star Maurice Greene was dubbed the "World's Fastest Man" during his career. In addition to being the former world record holder in the 100m sprint, and winning multiple world championships, he also won silver and bronze medals at the 2004 Athens Summer Olympics. He is the current Indoor World Record holder in the 60m at 6.39 seconds. He teams up with two-time champion, Cheryl Burke. Cheryl returns for her sixth season.

I can't say much about Maurice--I didn't watch the track part of the Olympics--But the athletes typically fare pretty well. Plus he's with Cheryl, a 2x champion. Could be the couple to beat.







KIM KARDASHIAN - Actress, model and reality television star, Kim Kardashian shot to stardom after the first airing of her hit E! reality series, Keeping up with the Kardashians. The series follows the exploits of Kim, her siblings, her mother Kris, and her stepfather, Olympic Gold Medalist Bruce Jenner. Kardashian recently completed her first feature film, Disaster Movie and will also be seen on The N's series Beyond the Break. She teams up with defending champ, Mark Ballas, who returns for his third season.

Ugh! Is this what we've stooped to? Picking up trashy reality TV stars? I don't give her long, despite her humps, her humps her humps her humps, her lovely lady lumps.

CLORIS LEACHMAN - Actress Cloris Leachman's storied career has been recognized with nine Emmys®, a Golden Globe, and an Academy Award®. She has the distinction of being the only woman to win eight Primetime Emmy® Awards and one Daytime Emmy®. Leachman has starred in a wide range of theater, television and motion picture projects, creating such indelible characters as Phyllis in the TV series Phyllis and The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Frau Blucher in Young Frankenstein, Nurse Diesel in High Anxiety, and Ruth Popper in The Last Picture Show (for which she won an Oscar® and a BAFTA). In 2008 she has already completed three new films; The Women, American Cowslip and New York I Love You. She is in the process of writing her memoir and is currently touring the U.S. with her one-woman show CLORIS! Cloris teams with World Latin Champion and Mark's father, Corky Ballas, who makes his series debut.
Oh! So that's who Cloris Leachman is! I never put the name with the face until now. Well, I guess she's this year's nod at the senior contribution. I don't expect her to do too well. She's no George Hamilton.





CODY LINLEY - Cody Linley will be the youngest contestant ever to compete on Dancing with the Stars. He is best known for his role as Jake Ryan on the wildly popular Disney Channel series Hannah Montana, a role in which he was nominated for a Young Artist Award. He also helped the show garner an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Children's Programming. Cody's film credits include My Dog Skip, HOOT, Miss Congeniality, and Cheaper By the Dozen. He teams with two-time Dancing with the Stars champ, Julianne Hough who returns for her fourth season.

I guess they paired this pipsqueek up with Julianne so it wouldn't look like he was dancing with his mom. It'll be interesting to see how this duo works out. It might remind me of prom if they're not careful.

SUSAN LUCCI - As the most famous face in daytime television history, Lucci has held audiences spellbound for years as the sexy, sassy, beautiful woman you love to hate, Erica Kane on All My Children. In May 1999, all of America stood and cheered when Susan Lucci won the Emmy® Award for Best Actress. While competing on the show, she will continue her work on All My Children, and celebrate her 10,000th episode this November. In addition to her performances on Broadway and in cabarets across the country, Susan is an entrepreneur, having launched successful cosmetic, fashion, and jewelry lines on HSN. She teams with Tony Dovolani who returns for his sixth season.

I see this one turning out about like Jane Seymour. Susan Lucci looks like she might have some natural grace, but she probably won't be able to keep up with the young blood very long.

MISTY MAY-TREANOR - Beach Volleyball champion Misty May-Treanor and partner Kerri Walsh captured their second Olympic gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics and became the first team ever to repeat as back-to-back champs. The victory also marked their 108th straight match win. Misty and Kerri were distinguished as AVP Team of the Year for four consecutive years (2003 through 2006). Misty was also named Most Valuable Player in 2005 and 2006, Best Offensive Player in 2004, 2005 and 2006, and Best Defensive Player in 2006. She now joins a new teammate, Maksim Chmerkovskiy, who returns for his fifth season.

Misty is living proof that no matter how fit you are, how much you exercise, and even how chisled your body is, you can still look not-perfect in a swim suit if you have a small boos, a thick waist and small hips. Still, I wish I had that problem. I'd take small hips and ripped abs over curvy hips and a blubbery tummy any day of the week.






TED MCGINLEY - Actor Ted McGinley's extensive television credits include Married&with Children, Hope & Faith, Happy Days, recurring roles on the critically-acclaimed series The West Wing, Sports Night, Charlie Lawrence, Dynasty, and The Love Boat. He has also starred in such films as Pearl Harbor, Daybreak, Dick, Major League: Back to the Minors, Wayne's World 2, and the cult hit Revenge of the Nerds. Newcomer Inna Brayer will be paired with Ted. Inna is the current US Amateur 10 Dance Champion.

I don't have much of a read on this one. My gut is saying he might do well. I just hope he's not another Steve Guttenberg. The fact that his partner is a newbie might be a disadvantage. He could have to work pretty hard.





JEFFREY ROSS - Comedian Jeffrey Ross a.k.a. the "Roastmaster General," has delivered numerous show stopping performances at celebrity roasts honoring the likes of William Shatner, Hugh Hefner, Donald Trump, Pamela Anderson, Bob Saget and Emmitt Smith, inspiring New York Magazine to crown him The Meanest Man in Comedy. As a comic, Jeff has appeared on several late night and morning shows Jimmy Kimmel Live, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, and The View. Jeff's other TV credits include Weeds and C.S.I. He has also appeared in such films as the Farrelley Brothers' Stuck on You, and the critical sensation, The Aristocrats. Jeff continues to tour regularly. He teams with Edyta Sliwinska, who is the only pro to compete in all seven seasons of Dancing with the Stars.

Uh...who?

WARREN SAPP - Recently retired defensive tackle and Superbowl Champion Warren Sapp played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Oakland Raiders during his 13 year career. His 96.5 career sacks are the second-highest career total sacks for a defensive tackle in the NFL. Warren was named the NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 1999, played in seven consecutive Pro Bowls and won Super Bowl XXXVII with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2003. This Fall, Warren will co-host Showtime's Inside the NFL and will be a studio analyst and game commentator for the NFL Network. He is teamed with Kym Johnson who returns for her fifth season.

Well, I don't know anything about Warren Sapp himself, but he's got some BIG shoes to fill. Both Jerry Rice and Emmit Smith, also football players, did very well on Dancing With the Stars. If Warren can't shake his booty like I hope he can, he's going to get a lot of crap in the locker room after this.



Who are your picks to make it to the finale? And the winner?