DWTS17: Looking forward… I want to see an Underdog Charmer!

I’m raising my hand, and admitting that some of my FAVORITE contestants on DWTS since season 3, have been the ones that didn’t win… The ones who had a LOT going against them even before they started the season. How many times have we heard one of the following about a contestant?

“How could they cast….?” “NO ONE is ever going to vote for…” “I hope they quit before they start and save themselves the embarrassment!” “Does anyone ever google and see how awful this person is???” It’s DEFINITELY not fair to anyone, when we say or hear things like that. They’re the ones who put themselves out there on the show, and they’re the ones who ended up showing us someone completely different than what we thought. With the help of a very patient professional, they’ve been able to surprise us, and sometimes themselves, and shown a completely different person than who we thought we would see! I love watching the transformations of each of the contestants, and I always love to “see” someone grow and blossom!

This by far ISN’T going to be a complete list, but here are some Underdog Charmers from previous seasons.

Andy Dick from Season 16 taught by Sharna Burgess. Andy’s fresh in our minds, and I am NOT going to go back through his history, since it wasn’t that long ago that it was all brought up again. But, he DEFINITELY ended up charming everyone, and showing a side of himself that I don’t know he even knew he had!
Here’s Andy’s dances for you to enjoy again!Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4Week 5 Week 6Week 7

Lil Kim from Season 8 and Joanna Krupa from Season 9 both taught by Derek Hough. I’m putting both of them together for a reason. Kim came into her season with people determined to hate her, thinking that there was NO WAY that she should be on, since she had spent some time in jail. Joanna came into her season after attempting another reality competition show, where she was paired with a professional athlete, and had a public breakdown, with many words said that were not repeatable. And, since that show aired not long before her season of DWTS, it was fresh in people’s minds, and again, she came in as an underdog. Here are most of their dances to relive!
Lil Kim: Week 1Week 2Week 3Week 4Week 5Week 6Week 7Week 8Week 9
Joanna: Week 1Week 2Week 3Week 4Week 6Week 7Week 8Week 9 *I did not include Week 5 for Joanna, because Derek was ill with the flu, and was replaced by Maks for that week only. I could have included that week, but chose not to, just to make it easier on me.

Adam Carolla from Season 6 taught by Julianne Hough. Adam is the first one that I can remember, where there was “visible noise” surrounding his announcement, both over his questionable past, and being paired with Julianne. They even had precautions in place, since they weren’t sure “who” he would end up being on the show. I remember that the trigger-happy censors were so sure that he would need to be bleeped, that they ended up bleeping Julianne instead! He survived 4 weeks, against all odds! It was fun rewatching his dances, because he definitely knew how to crack everyone up back stage! Week 1 Week 2 Week 3Week 4

Soo…… I didn’t put everyone that I could have included in this post, we’ve had MANY contestants that would fit here, so I’m looking to do more posts, with MORE of our Underdog Charmers! Who would YOU include, and why? Who do you think people were NOT looking forward to see dance, because of their pasts, only to be charmed by THEM?