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DWTS Online Campaigning For Season 14: Beth Chapman, Marina Sirtis, Greg Louganis

It seems every season we see massive online campaigning for certain celebrities to dance on Dancing With The Stars. Well, season 14 is no different. For instance, I’ve noticed a lot of twitter chat for Beth Chapman (aka @MrsDogC) to dance on Dancing With The Stars. In case you don’t know, Beth is the wife to the “Dog The Bounty Hunter. Below is a recent picture of the two….

Would she be cool? I can see her paired up with Louis.

Another popular celebrity campaign is for Star Trek’s Marina Sirtis! This isn’t a new campaign. Her fans were campaigning hard for her last season as well. She has expressed great interest in doing the show. In fact, below is a quote from Trek News before last season started.

HERE is a quote from her twitter from a few days ago. Will Season 14 finally be Marina’s time to shine on the dance floor?

“I’ve been trying to get on Dancing With The Stars for the past 2 years as it’s one of my favorite shows,” Sirtis told TrekNews.net. “it’s time Star Trek was represented [on the show]” she added.

“I’m sure we have as many followers as the reality shows that are represented every year.” Sirtis said.

On the topic of how a viral Twitter campaign began to have her nominated for the Dancing With The Stars, Sirtis said “I mentioned my desire to appear on the show at a couple of conventions and of course the fans picked up the ball and ran with it.”

I’d love it if this were to happen! She definitely has a dancer body too. I still vision her with Tony like last season.

Now here is an interesting candidate and his name has come up before in many of our previous reportings…and that is Olympic Swimming Champion Greg Louganis!! Even more interesting yet is that Greg was pictured with some of the pros in Cabo San Lucas last June. Now he has recently expressed interest in dancing on Dancing With The Stars. Below is a take from LgbtqNation. What a cool message he’d have for the show too. I see Anna with Greg.

“Being on Dancing With The Stars is more than me being on the show, it sends a positive message — an ‘It Gets Better’ message. And that message is still important- kids are still losing hope. I want to do what I can for them.”

There have been gay men on DWTS before — Lance Bass, Carson Cressley and Louis Amstel — and Chaz Bono broke the transgender barrier last season. But if his bid is successful, Louganis would be the first openly HIV positive contestant. And it’s about time, say HIV activists.

“In a generation that is trying to end AIDS, it’s great to have openly HIV positive sports figures like Greg Louganis in the spot light,” said Tom Donohue, founder and executive director of Who’s Positive, an HIV/AIDS advocacy and awareness organization.

“Not only can his presence be a reminder for folks to be tested, his appearance on ‘Dancing With The Stars’ can reemphasize how those living with HIV/AIDS can live normal and active lives.” said Donohue, who is also on the board of directors for The National Association of People with AIDS (NAPWA).

So, what do you think if any of these three were picked to dance? Who do you see them paired with? Stay tuned as Heidi is planning a “That’s Not Going To Happen” post again soon! 😉

SPECIAL NOTE:: THIS IS NOT A “CAMPAIGNING” POST for fans to campaign for their favorite celebrity. It’s just a news post announcing the popular online campaigning going on currently, what you think of the above three celebrities, and who you’d like to see them paired with. If you use the comment section to campaign, your post will be deleted. You can do campaigning at the Dancing With The Stars Official site here.

January 24, 2012 I Written By

"Dance is the hidden language of the soul" ~ Martha Graham. That's what DWTS makes me think of every Monday night. To read more about me and my other interests, see Lisa Kay Photography. You can also follow me at Voguerista Twitter & Voguerista Soundcloud.

DWTS13 Casting Rumors – The Typecasting of Season 13, Part I

It’s that time of year, again – time to take all the wacky rumors and all the wacky casting patterns we see from season to season and hypothesize who we might actually get to see 🙂 This year is interesting, in that we already definitely know one of the celebs, are fairly certain about two others, and have got definite suspicions about another two – almost takes a bit of fun out of the guessing, no? 🙂 But I’m sure there will be at least one celeb who’s name we haven’t heard – and at least one we’ve never heard of, too…thankfully, even unpredictability becomes predictable after awhile! But let’s get it on with it, shall we? Oh, and if you’re feeling nostalgic (and want to see how effective using these cast types as a template can be), check out the typecasting of season 10, season 11, and season 12 🙂

The Olympian

Previous examples: Kristi Yamaguchi, Shawn Johnson, Apolo Ohno, Natalie Coughlin, Misty May-Treanor, Maurice Greene, Louie Vito, Evan Lysacek

Advantages: The winningest of the 12 types, their obvious advantage is their athleticism – you won’t see these guys struggling with strength or endurance moves.  In addition, the same tireless work ethic that helped them medal in the Olympics will likely carry them through the toils of the competition. They also seem to be adored by the masses, as many are seen as “hero” figures – which translates into a formidable voting fanbase.

Disadvantages: For those specializing in sports that are less “artistic” (i.e. swimming, running, volleyball), it might be a bit hard to really get into the character of the dance and truly perform to the crowd.  Previously incurred injuries (or the fear of incurring an injury that might hinder their participation in subsequent competitions in their sport, a la Misty May-Treanor) may also slow them down & limit their mobility. Read more..

August 26, 2011 I Written By

Ultrasound sales specialist by day, semi-knowledgeable DWTS fan by night...with a smattering of hair & makeup enthusiast, occasional model, baker, and crazy cat lady peppered in to make things REALLY interesting ;-) I might pee my pants in happiness if Donnie Wahlberg ever does DWTS - or if they ever use "Sunglasses at Night" as a paso doble.

DWTS Search Engine Round-Up – Week of June 17, 2011

 Oh you crazy kids and the things that get you searching 😉 Seriously – I still scratch my head every week when perusing the search terms for the site…I have to wonder how exactly Google brought you here to answer some of these quirky queries…but alas, I feel obligated to answer nonetheless.  I should start calling this feature “Ask Courtney”…

Ted Volynets

This has easily become the most searched term since the show wrapped – far more hits than any of the other troupe members.  Apparently Teddy’s got some of you ladies feenin’ 😉 Unfortunately, there’s not a whole lot of info about Ted out on the net…but here’s the best dossier I can give you.  He’s a senior at NYU (economics major), he’s likely 21 or 22, he’s Jewish, he & his sister both trained at Maks’ studio, he’s bff with Val, and has appeared as a Latin dance coach on MTV’s Made and has also appeared on Real Housewives of New JerseyHe also likes really small sweaters.  Ok, I may have been drawing my own conclusions on that last one 😉 Anywho – for a better glimpse into the life & times of Teddy V., you might check out his Facebook page or follow him on Twitter

Bachelor Ukraine naked video

Ok, I admit it: I was only kinda half-paying attention when some of the Maksettes were Twittering away about this last week.   I like Maks & all, but I’m just not passionate enough to sit through entire episodes of Bachelor Ukraine when they’re completely in Russian, and I simply don’t have the patience for Google translate.  So thankfully, the Maksettes on my Twitter timeline were able to fill me in when I was begging for info last night so I could relay the message to you guys 😀 Special thanks to Maria (@MariaNiwiwiN) and Marlene (@marleneb4) for sending me some links I was too lazy & uninformed to find myself 😉 I’m afraid the story isn’t as salacious as this search term would suggest – basically, Maks mooned the production crew a few times while filming, and it ended up on the gag reel they showed on the “After the Final Rose” post-show for Bachelor UK.  Here’s a still of it (I have to give a shoutout to Tracy – @FLLottoDreamer – for having the most comprehensive DWTS picture gallery I’ve ever seen on the net…she’s got season 12 AND Bachelor UK on lock!), as well as a YouTube video of the gag reel – a short montage of Maks’ great continental divide is visible at 3:25, but I recommend watching the whole video, as it’s got some priceless footage of Maks engaging in some tomfoolery we’re not used to seeing from him.  It’s funny in any language, trust me 🙂

Will there be a DWTS tour in 2011?

No official word yet, but it seems doubtful, considering there hasn’t been one since the last one wrapped in early 2009Derek mentioned last fall that there might be one in the winter of 2010…and clearly, that didn’t happen. I think it’s likely quite a bit harder for them to do a tour now than it was 3 years ago, with so many of the popular pros busy with movies, music, and other ventures in the off-season – plus the celebs themselves seem to be of a higher caliber now than the first few seasons of the show, so the possibility of getting someone as famous as Kirstie or Nicole to go out on tour is not very good…plus the cost would likely be exorbitant.  And honestly, I’m not sure that the tour was ever super-profitable in the first place…I went to the one in Indy back in 2009, had pretty good seats, and didn’t pay much for my tickets (in comparison to, say, the ridiculous amount of money I’m gonna plunk down to see NKOTBSB :-D)…and the arena was maybe a little more than half-full.  If you’ve got fairly famous celebs and nearly-equally famous pros to pay and you aren’t selling out arenas – I don’t know how this could be a profitable venture.  You know what they say…if it don’t make dolla$, it don’t make sense.

What color necktie does Pitbull wear in the “Give me Everything” video with Ne-Yo?

It appears to be red.  More specfically, a shade of cranberry. 

Shantel Vansanten Cabo

The One Tree Hill actress was in Cabo San Lucas at the same time Louis, Jonathan, Anna, and Dmitry were there doing a wrap party and also a little vacationing.  Greg Louganis was also there, which I find interesting, considering he’s been trying to get on the show for a few seasons now…then again, maybe Cabo is just a popular spot for celebs to go & play, and his being there was pure happenstance. 🙂

Best ballroom dance for “Addicted to Love”

If you’re going with the original Robert Palmer version, I’d go with a cha-cha.  But if you’re using the Florence + the Machine version, which is much slower & sexier, I’d do a rumba to it.  It’s not ballroom, but SYTYCD season 7 contestant Adechike did a contemporary routine with all-star Kathryn to the latter version – quite sexy.  And here’s your little ballroom trivia tidbit for the day, kiddies: slow down any song with a cha-cha tempo and you can do a rumba to it.  Both are in 4/4 time with a break on the 2.  </smartypants> 🙂

Edyta bulge/Anna Trebunskaya cameltoe/Derek Hough topless/Zac Hanson shirtless/etc.

Ok, now I’m CONVINCED that you guys are just being cheeky and searching random, absurd stuff in order to get here 🙂 Not sure what type of bulge you’re referring to, since I’m fairly certain Edyta is a girl; and I’m not even going to entertain the Anna one, because I love her too much.  Once again, any requests for pix of various parts of Derek’s anatomy (pinky fingers, elbows, that hangy thing in the back of your throat, etc.) should be directed to Pure Derek Hough; and as for Zac…oh what the hell, I’ll humor you 🙂 After all, 13 years ago I was screeching over them along with all the other teenyboppers…glad I grew out of that phase.  Then again, “grab Donnie Wahlberg’s ass” is still on my bucket list…  

PSSST! Have you gotten your votes in for our End-of-Season Awards yet? Time is running out…let us know what you think! 🙂

June 18, 2011 I Written By

Ultrasound sales specialist by day, semi-knowledgeable DWTS fan by night...with a smattering of hair & makeup enthusiast, occasional model, baker, and crazy cat lady peppered in to make things REALLY interesting ;-) I might pee my pants in happiness if Donnie Wahlberg ever does DWTS - or if they ever use "Sunglasses at Night" as a paso doble.

DWTS 2011 – Not All Play And No Work For The Dancing With The Stars Pros Who Traveled To Cabo San Lucas, Mexico

As well as some of our pros in Las Vegas this past week, Louis Van Amstel, Jonathan Roberts, Dimitry Chaplin, and Anna Trebunskaya traveled to Casa Dorada Los Cabos Resort & Spa in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico for some fun and relaxation in the sun. They also danced for one of the nights for some lucky guests while they hosted a Wrap Party. Above is a picture of the four with Greg Louganis and One Tree Hill actress Shantel Vansanten who were also enjoying some time at the resort. Apparently, Louis injured his calf muscle during a dance on the last day, But, he was able to get some extra spa time in and hopefully, it will heal up soon. Here is a picture Anna tweeted from her twitter account too. I love her hat! 🙂

June 8, 2011 I Written By

"Dance is the hidden language of the soul" ~ Martha Graham. That's what DWTS makes me think of every Monday night. To read more about me and my other interests, see Lisa Kay Photography. You can also follow me at Voguerista Twitter & Voguerista Soundcloud.

DWTS Season 12 Casting Rumors – The Typecasting of Season 12, Part I

Whenever the time comes to start speculating about the next season’s cast, one useful “tool” we all seem to use is the patterns in typecasting over the seasons – we know there will likely be at least 1 athlete, perhaps a reality TV star, a singer or two, etc.  But when you REALLY take a good look at the casting “types” over the seasons, it becomes clear that each season has been a carefully-crafted combination of celebs to appeal almost every demographic…and I think we’ve cracked that code 🙂

Prior to the cast announcements, I’ve done a typecasting analysis for both season 10 and season 11, and both casts have fulfilled almost every subtype (with some celebs fulfilling more than one “type”).  So why not take a look at the casting rumors for season 12 and see which might fit into the casting equation, shall we? 🙂

The Olympian

Previous examples: Kristi Yamaguchi, Shawn Johnson, Apolo Ohno, Natalie Coughlin, Misty May-Treanor, Maurice Greene, Louie Vito, Evan Lysacek

Advantages: The winningest of the 12 types, their obvious advantage is their athleticism – you won’t see these guys struggling with strength or endurance moves.  In addition, the same tireless work ethic that helped them medal in the Olympics will likely carry them through the toils of the competition. They also seem to be adored by the masses, as many are seen as “hero” figures – which translates into a formidable voting fanbase.

Disadvantages: For those specializing in sports that are less “artistic” (i.e. swimming, running, volleyball), it might be a bit hard to really get into the character of the dance and truly perform to the crowd.  Previously incurred injuries (or the fear of incurring an injury that might hinder their participation in subsequent competitions in their sport, a la Misty May-Treanor) may also slow them down & limit their mobility.

Possible candidates this season: Since we didn’t get an Olympian last season, I can almost guarantee we’ll get one this season – and the most likely candidate seems to be Nastia Liukin, who has been a rumor for a few seasons now and has started following Mark on Twitter within the past few days.  Other possibilities: Greg Louganis, who seems to have been trying for several seasons now to get onto the show; and while it may be a long-shot, Johnny Weir fans are still campaigning for a “Team Weirnoff” partnership.

The Athlete

Previous examples: Chuck Liddell, Warren Sapp, Emmitt Smith, Michael Irvin, Helio Castroneves, Laila Ali, Floyd Mayweather, Ty Murray, Evander Holyfield, Jerry Rice, Clyde Drexler, Monica Seles, Jason Taylor, Lawrence Taylor, Chad Ochocinco, Kurt Warner, Rick Fox

Advantages: As with the Olympians, their athleticism & work ethic make them well-suited to the competition.  An edge they might have over their Olympic counterparts: sports like football, auto racing, & mixed martial arts tend to have a larger, more mainstream following than some of the Olympic sports.

Disadvantages: Again, a lack of “artistic” experience & previous injury (especially with the football players, who have really taken a beating over the years). Some of the more muscular athletes in hard-hitting sports may also have difficulty with the refined, precise moves of some of the dances.

Possible candidates this season: This category has been oddly devoid of really “solid” possibilities this season, aside from the Brett Favre debacle – doubtful, but stranger things have happened on the show! Chris Jericho was also kicked around as a possibility again this season, and it looks like WWE Diva Maria Kanellis is still gunning for a spot on the show.

The Model/Playmate/Beauty Queen

Previous examples: Kelly Monaco, Rachel Hunter, Tia Carrere, Shanna Moakler, Paulina Porizkova, Shandi Finnessey, Josie Maran, Albert Reed, Shannon Elizabeth, Brooke Burke, Holly Madison, Kathy Ireland, Joanna Krupa, Pam Anderson

Advantages: All the costumes seem to look fantastic on them (and they can get away with wearing the really skimpy ones) and so do their pro partners – easy to imagine a “showmance”, which always seems to grab votes.  Also seems to have cornered the votes of the small population of male viewers, for obvious reasons

Disadvantages: Despite making a career out of looking great posing & strutting down the runway, many of them have proven to be rather awkward movers outside of that context, and some seem to have a hard time carrying around their taller than average stature.  They also run the risk of getting lost in the shuffle among attractive male competitors, who seem to draw in more votes from the predominantly-female viewing population.

Possible candidates this season: A strong possibility seems to be Kendra Wilkinson, who would be following in the footsteps of her Girls Next Door co-star Holly Madison.  Rumored contestant Lee Meriwether is also a former Miss America.

The Legend

Previous examples: Cloris Leachman, Wayne Newton, Donny Osmond, Tatum O’Neal, Marie Osmond, Jane Seymour, Marlee Matlin, Susan Lucci, Florence Henderson

Advantages: These individuals are extremely well-known & respected in the entertainment business, with many years of experience (and fans) under their belts, as well as an award or two. Also masters of the stage & screen – perhaps the best at emulating the emotions of the dances.

Disadvantages: With many years of experience comes an older age than many of their competitors – which comes with an increased risk of injury & fatigue that could limit the difficulty of their routines.

Possible candidates this season: We’ve got two ladies with quite a sterling reputation in show business – Faye Dunaway & Lee Meriwether. One was the original “Bonnie”  of Bonnie & Clyde; the other was the original Catwoman.  Who do you think we’ll get? 🙂

The Soap Star

Previous examples: Kelly Monaco, Cameron Mathison, Lisa Rinna, Susan Lucci, Aiden Turner

Advantages: The demographic of soap opera viewers overlaps heavily with the demographic of viewers of DWTS, and most soap opera viewers have been watching those shows for years (I started watching General Hospital when I was 6!), so they often have a fierce loyalty to their favorite characters (and the actors/actresses who portray them).

Disadvantages: This group likely has the most grueling schedule to contend with, as most soaps tape year-round, and some of them are taped in New York, forcing the stars (and sometimes their partners) to fly coast-to-coast several times a week to practice.  Many also have absolutely no background in any kind of sport, making them a real “project” for the pros to take on.

Possible candidates this season: The lovely Lee Meriwether could do triple duty this season, by fulfilling this category by virtue of her role of Ruth Martin on All My Children. From the online voting for this season’s cast, it looks like Colleen Zenk & Crystal Chappell are also big favorites.

The Comedian

Previous examples: Penn Jillette, Jeff Ross, Adam Carolla, David Allen Grier, Ashley Hamilton, Niecy Nash, Margaret Cho

Advantages: Let’s face it, they’re fun to watch, and they definitely inject some much- needed hilarity into the show. 

Disadvantages: They often come across like they don’t take the competition seriously, instead favoring their usual schtick over actual dancing. Some of their on-show humor (Jeff Ross’ in particular) can also be rather polarizing – hilarious to some, offensive to others. And again – often no background in any sort of sport, let alone dancing.

Possible candidates this season: None that we’ve heard of…but who would you like to see? I’m holding out for a member of the Blue Collar Comedy Tour to sign on – Ron White would be a hoot!

So do you guys think I’m onto something with this season’s rumors? Tune in for my next installment, where I dissect just who we might get this season from the teen idol, host, actor, reality star, singer, & wild card categories!

February 27, 2011 I Written By

Ultrasound sales specialist by day, semi-knowledgeable DWTS fan by night...with a smattering of hair & makeup enthusiast, occasional model, baker, and crazy cat lady peppered in to make things REALLY interesting ;-) I might pee my pants in happiness if Donnie Wahlberg ever does DWTS - or if they ever use "Sunglasses at Night" as a paso doble.

DWTS Season 11 Casting Rumors – The Typecasting of Season 11, Part I

Prior to the cast announcement last season, some of you may remember me analyzing the typecasting of DWTS – basically, the patterns in celeb casting over the seasons which can help us to predict who we might see each season.  Interesting to note – last season’s cast fulfilled all 12 of my types (counting Nicole as both a “Teen Idol” and a “Singer”).  So why not examine those types again and see what we might get for this season? 😉

The Olympian

Previous examples: Kristi Yamaguchi, Shawn Johnson, Apolo Ohno, Natalie Coughlin, Misty May-Treanor, Maurice Greene, Louie Vito, Evan Lysacek

Advantages: The winningest of the 12 types, their obvious advantage is their athleticism – you won’t see these guys struggling with strength or endurance moves.  In addition, the same tireless work ethic that helped them medal in the Olympics will likely carry them through the toils of the competition.

Disadvantages: For those specializing in sports that are less “artistic” (i.e. swimming, running, volleyball), it might be a bit hard to really get into the character of the dance and truly perform to the crowd.  Previously incurred injuries (or the fear of incurring an injury that might hinder their participation in subsequent competitions in their sport, a la Misty May-Treanor) may also slow them down & limit their mobility.

Possible candidates this season: Johnny Weir fans (including Karina Smirnoff) have been tweeting like crazy trying to get him cast this season, but I don’t see them succeeding.  I see more possibilities with swimmer Greg Louganis, who has been trying to get on the show for several seasons now, or gymnast Nastia Liukin – a teammate of Shawn Johnson’s & an alleged former flame of Lysacek.

The Athlete

Previous examples: Chuck Liddell, Warren Sapp, Emmitt Smith, Michael Irvin, Helio Castroneves, Laila Ali, Floyd Mayweather, Ty Murray, Evander Holyfield, Jerry Rice, Clyde Drexler, Monica Seles, Jason Taylor, Lawrence Taylor, Chad Ochocinco

Advantages: As with the Olympians, their athleticism & work ethic make them well-suited to the competition.  An edge they might have over their Olympic counterparts: sports like football, auto racing, & mixed martial arts tend to have a larger, more mainstream following than some of the Olympic sports.

Disadvantages: Again, a lack of “artistic” experience & previous injury (especially with the football players, who have really taken a beating over the years). Some of the more muscular athletes in hard-hitting sports may also have difficulty with the refined, precise moves of some of the dances.

Possible candidates this season: At this point, the numerous (reputable) news outlets reporting that Kurt Warner is going to be on season 11, along with Kurt’s own coy dodging of questions regarding his participation, make him almost a lock for this season in my eyes.   Don’t see a whole lot of hope for wrestler Shelley Martinez. Landon Donovan is a toss-up for me – maybe, maybe not. We here at Pure DWTS would love to see a representative from a more unique sport – such as jockey Chantal SutherlandTroy Aikmen – nice try, but we’re pretty sure you’re just joshin’ us 😉

The Model/Playmate/Beauty Queen

Previous examples: Kelly Monaco, Rachel Hunter, Tia Carrere, Shanna Moakler, Paulina Porizkova, Shandi Finnessey, Josie Maran, Albert Reed, Shannon Elizabeth, Brooke Burke, Holly Madison, Kathy Ireland, Joanna Krupa, Pam Anderson

Advantages: All the costumes seem to look fantastic on them (and they can get away with wearing the really skimpy ones) and so do their pro partners – easy to imagine a “showmance”, which always seems to grab votes.  Also seems to have cornered the votes of the small population of male viewers, for obvious reasons 😉

Disadvantages: Despite making a career out of looking great posing & strutting down the runway, many of them have proven to be rather awkward movers outside of that context, and some seem to have a hard time carrying around their taller than average stature.  They also run the risk of “pretty girl backlash” – the female viewers may turn on them due to jealousy or perceived arrogance, or just never vote for them in the first place, instead giving their votes to the attractive male participants.

Possible candidates this season: Rumors have been flying about UFC ring girl Arianny Celeste, and True Beauty contestant Amy Schmoldt has been hinting that she’d like to do the show.

The Legend

Previous examples: Cloris Leachman, Wayne Newton, Donny Osmond, Tatum O’Neal, Marie Osmond, Jane Seymour, Marlee Matlin, Susan Lucci

Advantages: These individuals are extremely well-known & respected in the entertainment business, with many years of experience (and fans) under their belts, as well as an award or two. Also masters of the stage & screen – perhaps the best at emulating the emotions of the dances.

Disadvantages: With many years of experience comes an older age than many of their competitors – which comes with an increased risk of injury & fatigue that could limit the difficulty of their routines.

Possible candidates this season: The Betty White rumor seems to be kaput, so that only leaves Ryan O’Neal, whose name we’ve heard only a few times as a possible contestant.

The Soap Star

Previous examples: Kelly Monaco, Cameron Mathison, Lisa Rinna, Susan Lucci, Aiden Turner

Advantages: The demographic of soap opera viewers overlaps heavily with the demographic of viewers of DWTS, and most soap opera viewers have been watching those shows for years (I started watching General Hospital when I was 6!), so they often have a fierce loyalty to their favorite characters (and the actors/actresses who portray them).

Disadvantages: This group likely has the most grueling schedule to contend with, as most soaps tape year-round, and some of them are taped in New York, forcing the stars (and sometimes their partners) to fly coast-to-coast several times a week to practice.  Many also have absolutely no background in any kind of sport, making them a real “project” for the pros to take on.

Possible candidates this season: The most likely is probably Nancy Lee Grahn, since she’s on an ABC soap.  Although I’d love to see Martha Byrne’s campaigners succeed in getting her on the show! As for the men – seems like the only name we’ve heard is Antonio Sabato Jr., and that really just seems more like wishful thinking on the part of his fans.

The Comedian

Previous examples: Penn Jillette, Jeff Ross, Adam Carolla, David Allen Grier, Ashley Hamilton, Niecy Nash

Advantages: Let’s face it, they’re fun to watch, and they definitely inject some much- needed hilarity into the show. 

Disadvantages: They often come across like they don’t take the competition seriously, instead favoring their usual schtick over actual dancing. Some of their on-show humor (Jeff Ross’ in particular) can also be rather polarizing – hilarious to some, offensive to others. And again – often no background in any sort of sport, let alone dancing.

Possible candidates this season: The only name we’ve heard is Heather McDonald, and we can’t even telling if she’s serious or kidding 😛

Tune in for part II, when I make my predictions for who we might see in the way of reality TV stars, teen idols, and much more!

August 25, 2010 I Written By

Ultrasound sales specialist by day, semi-knowledgeable DWTS fan by night...with a smattering of hair & makeup enthusiast, occasional model, baker, and crazy cat lady peppered in to make things REALLY interesting ;-) I might pee my pants in happiness if Donnie Wahlberg ever does DWTS - or if they ever use "Sunglasses at Night" as a paso doble.

DWTS Season 11 Cast – Rumors, Innuendo and Campaigns

Ahhh…less than a month until the cast announcement (most likely). This is when it starts to get a bit fun, and tiring. We have campaigns out the wazoo, random (and possibly baseless) rumors, and comments that make you go whut? This is also the time of year that I do a rumor round up. Well, guess what? The producers are on to people like me – and have pretty successfully clamped down on the loose celebrity lips that marked DWTS two seasons ago. So, more than anything, we have people begging to be on the show and not many real rumors. I do have a really random, based on absolutely nothing rumor – and that is Kurt Warner. A couple people on twitter asked him if he was doing DWTS this season; he didn’t answer and I couldn’t find any reason as to WHY they would be asking him such a thing – so it’s likely nothing. Isn’t he still playing football?? Maybe they are being mean to him and I didn’t get it. 🙂 I’m much too lazy (it’s, like, 500 degrees here) to research what is likely baseless. 🙂 At least a couple of the tweets claimed they were “seriously” asking the question.

First things first – I also usually recap rumors from previous seasons, because sometimes it takes a few seasons for something to come true. I’ll do that in a follow-up post, as this one is already kind of long. New rumors for this season, all of which I’ve already written about, are few and far between thus far:

Arianny Celeste – UFC Ring Girl
Xzibit – Rapper. I doubt this one. The offer may have been made, but it doesn’t sound like he’s going to do it.
Mike “The Situation” Sorrentino – I don’t know if this is a rumor or wishful thinking…but remember I said the same thing about Kate Gosselin. 😉
Landon Donovan – US Soccer team. This is another one that keeps popping up.
Chris Jericho – WWE Wrestler and host of the show Downfall (an ABC show, which bodes well for him in the future).

The campaigns for this season are numerous and, in some cases, extraordinarily annoying. 🙂 Lay off the Twitter, Johnny Weir fans, PLEASE. Most of you campaigners should take notes from the Martha Byrne fans, although they could lighten up a bit on the twitter too. 🙂 Here’s a break down of the campaigns I know about:

Nancy Lee Grahn – actress (General Hospital)
Leslie Jordan – he’s been working on this since before Season 10; he’s started a Facebook Campaign Page.
Greg Louganis – still has a minor campaign going. Greg was driving his campaign last season, don’t know if he still is.
Antonio Sabato Jr – relatively new campaign, with relatively annoying fans. 🙂 Antonio is on board with this one.
Tenley Molzahn (The Bachelor) has a little campaign that fans started for her, but she’ll be quite happy if they succeed.
Pete Wentz?!?! Could he really want this? Well, his fans have started a petition.
Shelley Martinez – female wrestler who has been campaigning for a good bit and is still going strong.
Martha Byrne – soap actress. This is the strong, non-annoying campaign.
Johnny Weir – Olympic Ice Skater, with Karina Smirnoff in his corner. I kid you not a few of his fans were tweeting THE SAME THING several hundred times a day, before they realized they were bugging the ever living hell out of a good number of people.  I’m not even exaggerating in the slightest. I actually feel sorry for ABC’s various twitter accounts because I guarantee they saw nothing but Johnny for days on end. NOT HELPFUL.
Bern Nadette Stanis – Thelma from Good Times
Melissa Peterman – actress (Reba). Melissa has a few fans who have been tweeting ABC; nothing on the level of Johnny Weir or Martha Byrne.
Amy Schmolt – Model (True Beauty). Amy was on a show I hate with the passion of a thousand burning suns. 🙂 It’s just bad. She tweeted this earlier today:

Tune in later this week, when I recap rumors from previous seasons that could still happen. Sig Hansen, for one. 🙂

July 26, 2010 I Written By

I'm a nerd and proud of it. Two degrees in geology also means I love BEER. :-) I'm also a Derek lover - proud of that too. So don't scream at those of us on this site and call us a bunch of "biased Derek-lovers" - it's just ME. :-) It may sound like I hate DWTS at times, but really, I'm just a snarky nitpicker from way back. And I'm cynical and jaded too. But I do love DWTS. :-)

The Usual Suspects: The Typecasting of DWTS, Part I

Each season, as the announcement of the next cast draws nearer, our imaginations run wild with thoughts (and dreams!) of who this season’s celebs might be.  While the possibilities are truly endless, we can still hypothesize based on the casting of previous seasons – we know there will be at least one athlete, an actor/actress of some sort, perhaps a model, maybe a singer or two.  The producers really do seem to aim for a mixed bag of celebs each season, to make it interesting – but how do they measure up? I have broken it down into the 12 major recurring “usual suspects” that comprise the cast – let’s examine previous examples, possible advantages/disadvantages, and possible candidates for each.  The first six, for your consideration & discussion:

 The Olympian

Previous examples: Kristi Yamaguchi, Shawn Johnson, Apolo Ohno, Natalie Coughlin, Misty May-Treanor, Maurice Greene, Louie Vito

Advantages: The winningest of the 12 types, their obvious advantage is their athleticism – you won’t see these guys struggling with strength or endurance moves.  In addition, the same tireless work ethic that helped them medal in the Olympics will likely carry them through the toils of the competition.

Disadvantages: For those specializing in sports that are less “artistic” (i.e. swimming, running, volleyball), it might be a bit hard to really get into the character of the dance and truly perform to the crowd.  Previously incurred injuries (or the fear of incurring an injury that might hinder their participation in subsequent competitions in their sport, a la Misty May-Treanor) may also slow them down & limit their mobility.

Possible candidates this season: I’ve heard the names of several male figure skaters thrown around – namely Johnny Weir & Evan Lysacek – but I find it hard to believe they’d be able to throw themselves headlong into dancing after the grueling pressures of the winter games.  Other names whispered: Michael Phelps (seems like a possibility), & Greg Louganis (has expressed interest in doing the show). 

The Athlete

Previous examples: Chuck Liddell, Warren Sapp, Emmitt Smith, Michael Irvin, Helio Castroneves, Laila Ali, Floyd Mayweather, Ty Murray, Evander Holyfield, Jerry Rice, Clyde Drexler, Monica Seles, Jason Taylor, Lawrence Taylor

Advantages: As with the Olympians, their athleticism & work ethic make them well-suited to the competition.  An edge they might have over their Olympic counterparts: sports like football, auto racing, & mixed martial arts tend to have a larger, more mainstream following than some of the Olympic sports.

Disadvantages: Again, a lack of “artistic” experience & previous injury (especially with the football players, who have really taken a beating over the years). Some of the more muscular athletes in hard-hitting sports may also have difficulty with the refined, precise moves of some of the dances.

Possible candidates this season: Rumor has it that San Diego Chargers player Kassim Osgood may already be partnered with Cheryl Burke this season, and fans of notorious NFL showboater Chad Ochocinco of the Cincinnati Bengals have been tweeting up a storm about his possible participation.

The Model/Playmate/Beauty Queen

Previous examples: Kelly Monaco, Rachel Hunter, Tia Carrere, Shanna Moakler, Paulina Porizkova, Shandi Finnessey, Josie Maran, Albert Reed, Shannon Elizabeth, Brooke Burke, Holly Madison, Kathy Ireland, Joanna Krupa

Advantages: All the costumes seem to look fantastic on them (and they can get away with wearing the really skimpy ones) and so do their pro partners – easy to imagine a “showmance”, which always seems to grab votes.  Also seems to have cornered the votes of the small population of male viewers, for obvious reasons 😉

Disadvantages: Despite making a career out of looking great posing & strutting down the runway, many of them have proven to be rather awkward movers outside of that context, and some seem to have a hard time carrying around their taller than average stature.  They also run the risk of “pretty girl backlash” – the female viewers may turn on them due to jealousy or perceived arrogance, or just never vote for them in the first place, instead giving their votes to the attractive male participants.

Possible candidates this season: Pam Anderson, whose name has been coming up more & more often as the announcement of the cast draws closer.

The Legend

Previous examples: Cloris Leachman, Wayne Newton, Donny Osmond, Tatum O’Neal, Marie Osmond, Jane Seymour, Marlee Matlin, Susan Lucci

Advantages: These individuals are extremely well-known & respected in the entertainment business, with many years of experience (and fans) under their belts, as well as an award or two. Also masters of the stage & screen – perhaps the best at emulating the emotions of the dances.

Disadvantages: With many years of experience comes an older age than many of their competitors – which comes with an increased risk of injury & fatigue that could limit the difficulty of their routines.

Possible candidates this season: Highly doubtful, due to her extensive dance background, but Paula Abdul has been a name that has popped up season after season (often from Paula herself) as a possible participant.

The Soap Star

Previous examples: Kelly Monaco, Cameron Mathison, Lisa Rinna, Susan Lucci

Advantages: The demographic of soap opera viewers overlaps heavily with the demographic of viewers of DWTS, and most soap opera viewers have been watching those shows for years (I started watching General Hospital when I was 6!), so they often have a fierce loyalty to their favorite characters (and the actors/actresses who portray them).

Disadvantages: This group likely has the most grueling schedule to contend with, as most soaps tape year-round, and many of them are taped in New York, forcing the stars (and sometimes their partners) to fly coast-to-coast several times a week to practice.  Many also have absolutely no background in any kind of sport, making them a real “project” for the pros to take on.

Possible candidates this season: None that I’ve heard of, but I’d love to see General Hospital veteran Maurice Benard or long-time Days of Our Lives actress Deidre Hall coming down those glittery stairs.

The Comedian

Previous examples: Penn Jillette, Jeff Ross, Adam Carolla, David Allen Grier, Ashley Hamilton (though this is debatable)

Advantages: Let’s face it, they’re fun to watch, and they definitely inject some much- needed hilarity into the show. 

Disadvantages: They often come across like they don’t take the competition seriously, instead favoring their usual schtick over actual dancing. Some of their on-show humor (Jeff Ross’ in particular) can also be rather polarzing – hilarious to some, offensive to others. And again – often no background in any sort of sport, let alone dancing.

Possible candidates this season: Again, no murmurings yet – but several but several of us here at Pure DWTS have a soft spot for Jimmy Fallon (wishful thinking, we know J ) I personally wouldn’t mind seeing a female comedian on the show – Kathy Griffin could be fun (if she wasn’t so wrapped up in the cesspool of a show that is The Insider), and if Monique doesn’t have anything on her plate in the next few months (again, wishful thinking), she could be another interesting contestant.

What do you guys think? Anyone you’re just dying to see on the show that fit into these groups?  Tune in tomorrow when I analyze  the Teen Idol, Singer, Reality Star, Actor, Host, & Wildcard groups…how will they measure up? 🙂

February 27, 2010 I Written By

Ultrasound sales specialist by day, semi-knowledgeable DWTS fan by night...with a smattering of hair & makeup enthusiast, occasional model, baker, and crazy cat lady peppered in to make things REALLY interesting ;-) I might pee my pants in happiness if Donnie Wahlberg ever does DWTS - or if they ever use "Sunglasses at Night" as a paso doble.

DWTS Season 10 Rumor Round Up – Three Weeks to the Announcement!

So I was talking to John last night – or should I say, lamenting – the complete paucity of blabber mouthed celebs this season. It sucks, quite frankly. Last season at this time I had reported on a significant number of people who had spilled the beans via Twitter (Kelly Osbourne, Debi Mazar, to name two). It seems that, excepting Jason Chambers and Chad Ochocinco (although that was his friends, not him), there is very little to report from Twitter – and I have to think that perhaps the DWTS peeps had wised up about the whole Twitter thing, telling potential stars to SHUT IT. 🙂 So, because we’re less than three weeks out, I thought it was time for a little review of what HAS been rumored and reported on, either here or elsewhere.  I’ll discuss them by the categories I mentally put them in:

The Real Rumors with Real Potential Category

Most recently, the two big rumors have been Pam Anderson and John Stamos. Pam was outed as a potential by RadarOnline, and Karina Smirnoff claims that John was asked for a previous season and had to decline due to his Broadway commitments. I find it highly amusing that she’s putting in a claim on him just in case he changes his mind. 🙂 But, for some reason, I’m not inclined to believe this one will happen – assuming Karina is correct. I just consider John Stamos to be “too big” of a star to actually consider the show. Although it’s possible he could have been asked, I suppose. But I don’t see it happening. Pam Anderson? That one sure sounds likely and I haven’t seen anyone report that Pam denied it.

I guess that the Jennifer Grey rumor goes in this category. I think. Page Six reported that she was in negotiations way back in December but I’ve not heard much about it since then. Very well could be true – we find out in three weeks.

There are a couple of rumors that go here, but not necessarily for DANCING.  Paula Abdul (judge or dancer?), Marie Osmond (shudder – potential new co-host) and Nancy O’Dell (potential new co-host).  I think the Marie thing is more speculation than actual rumor. Billy Bush reported that there were 5 candidates remaining for the co-host job and that he was REALLY rooting for one in particular. That says Nancy O’Dell to me. The Marie thing was, I think, people taking his words and speculating. I HOPE.  And who the heck knows what is going on with Paula Abdul. 🙂

The Blabbermouth Celebrity Category

Jason Chambers is kinda lonely in this category, this season. 🙂 He straight up said he had meetings with DWTS producers, as I discussed in a post back on February 1, 2010.  Because he blabbed, he may have blown his chance. The woman in me hopes like hell he hasn’t. 😉  Chad Ochocinco, on the other hand, was outed by a former team mate as being a possibility for last season. As I said before, celebs rumored for one season often show up on later seasons.  Interestingly enough, I did see some twitter chatter that said Chad was going to LA this week – the speculation by these people was that his trip was related to DWTS.  I guess we’ll see.  And I almost forgot – Dirt Nasty (aka Simon Rex)!  He claims he met with the producers back in early January.  Did I read that this guy now does porn, or did I imagine that?

The PLEASE PUT ME ON DWTS Category

This is a surprisingly large category. 🙂  I’ll just make a list of the ones I’m aware of, starting with the oldest one (from late 2009)
Flight Time (aka Herbert Lang) of the Harlem Globetrotters by way of The Amazing Race
Jermaine Dupre
Kate Gosslin
Danielle Fishel
Ross Mathews
Greg Louganis (who could also fit in the category below)
– Kevin Federine – this one is per Ryan Seacrest on his radio show this morning.  It seems I’ve heard this one before, but maybe I’m confusing him with someone else.
– Candace Cameron Bure – I think we can safely put her in this category based on what I posted here.

That’s all I could find right now. I’m sure someone will pop in (with links) to remind me of others who want to be on the show. 🙂

And finally….
The “We’ve Heard This one Before” Category

Back on January 4th, I wrote a couple posts detailing rumors from previous seasons. The intent was to keep track of previous rumors to see if any of them came true for Season 10. Those posts were also titled Rumor Round Up and Rumor Round Up Part II – I’m not going to list all that again, so if you’re curious, click!!  Kurt Angle, Bethany Frankel and Vera Wang are the only ones I’ve heard any followup on recently.  It’s all speculation on the part of views, as I recall, so I won’t detail it here.

February 9, 2010 I Written By

I'm a nerd and proud of it. Two degrees in geology also means I love BEER. :-) I'm also a Derek lover - proud of that too. So don't scream at those of us on this site and call us a bunch of "biased Derek-lovers" - it's just ME. :-) It may sound like I hate DWTS at times, but really, I'm just a snarky nitpicker from way back. And I'm cynical and jaded too. But I do love DWTS. :-)

DWTS Season 10 Rumors – Greg Louganis…Again!

Shock of shocks, People.com is reporting that Greg Louganis wants to be on Dancing with the Stars!! Gee…where have I heard this one before? 😉 That’s right, this rumor started a while back and I reported on it here and here and here!  Now, People.com is quoting Greg as saying “put me on Dancing with the Stars”.  What does all this mean? Well, the original rumor was that he was vying for a spot on the show and subsequent rumors have been that he wants to be on the show. “Vying” could mean that he’s just putting it out there, or it could mean he was actually under consideration.  I tend to think that there is a real possibility of Greg being on the show, if not this season, then the next.  Mainly because, as I’ve said before, they had him do a cameo last seasons – that strengthens the possibility in my eyes.

Since I was doing this for the rumored females….potential partner? Well, Greg is 49, an Olympian and 5’9″ tall.  I’m going to say Karina, Cheryl or MAYBE Edyta.

January 29, 2010 I Written By

I'm a nerd and proud of it. Two degrees in geology also means I love BEER. :-) I'm also a Derek lover - proud of that too. So don't scream at those of us on this site and call us a bunch of "biased Derek-lovers" - it's just ME. :-) It may sound like I hate DWTS at times, but really, I'm just a snarky nitpicker from way back. And I'm cynical and jaded too. But I do love DWTS. :-)