According to Wikipedia:
ringer – Horse racing: An impostor, especially one who misrepresents his or her identity or ability in order to gain an advantage in a competition. Originally used in horse racing, when a fast horse was substituted for a slower one that it resembled (a “ring-in”), the term now applies to any athlete entered in a competition under false pretenses
So for this post we are going to substitute dancer for athlete. And it isn’t so much “false pretenses” but the fact that they have more dancing experience or a more devoted fanbase than the other celebrities. It seems we have quite a few ringers this season. You might not agree with my opinions on this and that’s cool because it would really boring if we all liked the same celebrity and the competition would non-existent.
Mya
Mya Marie Harrison (born October 10, 1979), professionally known mononymously as Mya, is an American R&B singer-songwriter, record producer, actress, dancer, and choreographer.
I pulled the above DIRECTLY from Wikipedia. Yes, she is a wonderful dancer. BUT she should be…she‘s a ringer!! She has had lots of experience. She was in ‘Chicago‘, ‘Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights‘, and ‘Shall We Dance?’. And what was with the romance thing…she needed rose petals and candlelight to learn a dance routine (the rumba)? I will give you that Shawn and Mark did a similar thing with the prom thing last season. Maybe it’s because I’m biased (and it probably is) but Shawn and Mark’s didn’t feel quite as hokey to me. And I believe she said she helped Dmitry with the choreography on the Lambada. RINGER! I think Len agrees that she is a ringer and that’s why he has been so tough on her.
Donny Osmond
Donny is a ringer mostly because of his fan base although he is a very experienced performer. There is a rumor that he has been taking lessons for a year before starting on DWTS. And it’s kinda true(from Yahoo News)…
And as it turns out, Donny may have an unfair advantage over the competition this season, as a source has told Access that Donny has been using a dance coach in Utah for the past year.
“Rumor has it that you’ve been rehearsing for a year with a private trainer in Utah. Is that true?” La Toya asked him on Tuesday night.
“No, that’s not true,” Donny initially replied.
However, the Osmond brother then changed his tune about his ballroom background.
“I will clarify because I have been taking dancing lessons to learn ballroom for the dances that we do in Vegas,” he continued, referring to his Las Vegas show with sister Marie, who previously competed on the show. “That’s part of the choreography, but it’s a whole different thing than what we’re doing here.”
Does that count? I personally think so! It definitely makes him a ringer!
Aaron Carter
Okay…I’m gonna be honest. I have a special place in my heart for Aaron Carter but it’s because he is Nick Carter’s little brother. In high school I was a HUGE Backstreet Boys fan and my little sister forced me to a Aaron Carter concert (she got to meet him…he was like 11!) But…Aaron’s a ringer. He has the dance and entertainment experience. Not as much as Donny and Mya but he’s been on stage for most of his life. He also has what I’m going to call the “Steve-O effect.” We know he has had some trouble with the party lifestyle (drugs, alcohol, and the such) and like someone (I’m sorry I can’t remember who or where) said earlier that can translate to votes. I don’t know about his fan base. In a previous post’s comments section there was some argument that Aaron wouldn’t get votes. I argued that Backstreet Boy fans would vote but a few people disagreed. They said he was rude and unlikable. I still disagree. I think he’s mischievous and a little immature but a good dancer…although he’s had a couple of bad weeks. Either way…he’s a ringer.
Okay…these are my picks for ringers. Do you agree? Is there someone I missed? It’s very possible…there are too many celebrities to remember them all. 🙂 Feel free to tell me what you think…unless you disagree! Just kidding! Can’t wait to hear from you!