Carrie Ann Inaba Interviewed On The New Season Of DWTS, Her Engagement To Robb Derringer, And More

AOL interviewed Carrie Ann Inaba about Dancing With The Stars and the new season approaching. She’d like to see Bruno Mars dance. She also talks of some behind the scenes secrets…

The “Dancing with the Stars” premiere date was just announced, so I have to ask, who’s the No. 1 star you’d love to see compete?

Oh, the No. 1 star I’d like to have? You know, I would love to have Bruno Mars. He’s just such a fantastic performer, full of life, and he’s from Hawaii — and there’s just such a cool vibe about him. I don’t know if we could ever get him, but I think he would be so much to fun to have on the show.

He would be good, don’t you think?

Yeah, he’s an amazing dancer! He, and I also think, Ne-Yo …

Ne-Yo’s great. We’ve had Ne-Yo perform on the show a couple times, he’s been wonderful. He’s such a nice guy. And we always get Pitbull, and he comes up and gets judges — he’s always such a joy, as well.

So fun! Do you have any behind-the-scenes secret to share? The show’s been on for so long, longtime viewers probably feel like they know everything about it — but is there anything you feel even the biggest fans don’t know?

I feel like maybe even the biggest fans don’t know that the judges are kept completely separate from the dancers. People always ask me, “what are the secrets?” and I don’t really have any, because the judges’ trailers are on the opposite side of the CBS lot. We’re on the opposite side, and we’re not allowed into the studio … ever. You know how we do the judges’ pick and we go in and choreograph? That’s the only time we’re ever allowed in the studio before the show starts.

Yeah, so people think we know all the secrets, but we know nothing! We’re totally separated. It’s hysterical. I guess we have Standards of Practices, so we have to.

Lots more at AOL including talk on her new partnership with P.F. Chang’s Home Menu and her engagement and wedding to actor Robb Derringer. Note how Carrie Ann will help co-host Live With Kelly next week. We’ll be sure to post anything she says on Dancing With The Stars.