'Dancing With the Stars' season 12
DANCING WITH THE STARS - Sugar Ray Leonard, pictured with his dance partner, Anna Trebunskaya, who returns for her seventh season. Credit: ABC/Bob D'Amico
A couple of twists will arrive early on -- for one, "DWTS" will have a classical music week in early April, and some well-known soloists (operatic and otherwise) will accompany a 38-piece orchestra. (Standard orchestra size usually is 100 players.) That will be followed by a patriotic music week.
MY SAY If shows could have nervous breakdowns, then the 11th season of "DWTS" veered as close to the loony bin as a well-oiled prime-time unscripted hit could veer. A perfectly pleasant, modestly talented dancer by the name of Bristol Palin nearly won the whole thing, landing in third place while her fans were thumbing their noses at three judges who seemed at times to wish she would just go away. The entire voting apparatus of "DWTS" -- a whimsical beast in the best of times -- nearly came undone (or at least utterly disavowed) by millions who cast their ballot for Sarah Palin through her daughter. Weirdly, "DWTS" became a referendum on the tea party.
This season, no such thing: It's back to the future with a cast as controversial as a tub of butter.
THE PICKS Bland doesn't mean "bad." There will be some good dancers in this group. Here, Conrad Green, executive producer, offers his own assessment, followed by a quick one by me:
CG: "Really funny . . . a blast to be around."
VG: Gone by the middle rounds. Can't see her getting in shape fast enough to win this.
Mike Catherwood
CG: "Really good-looking . . . funny."
VG: Not much of a known quantity [he's an L.A. radio personality], and the show does dine on fame.
CG: "Always wanted to tap into wrestling . . . he's a great personality."
VG: Athletic ability aside, wrestling's a huge turnoff for female voters.
Chelsea Kane
CG: " 'DWTS' has had a
lot of luck with Disney stars, and she is good."
VG: Actually, it's had better luck with former Playmates (Brooke Burke).
CG: "Has found it harder than he expected."
VG: Yeah, but he's still Sugar Ray. Should go far.
CG: "A dark horse . . . has developed more than anyone."
VG: Should be good, and a voter fave.
CG: "Process has been hard on her because she has been distracted by Japan quake" (her fiance died in a 2004 tsunami, and she was badly injured).
VG: Early exit; models don't get a lot of female votes.
Romeo
CG: "A heartthrob."
VG: If he dances like dad, Master P, he's gone in an hour.
Hines Ward
CG: "He's got a lot of what Emmitt has."
VG: The winner of season 12.
CG: "Great personality, pretty good dancer."
VG: If CG says so.
CG: "It will be intense for her because she's also recording her talk show."
VG: She'll be gone by mid-to-late rounds, exhausted.
