Just one month until “Dancing With The Stars” returns with its new (and biggest) cast! Until then, I thought I’d give you the list of contestants and their partners, and my pick for the winner – though I reserve the right to change my mind!
Couple: Aaron Carter (pop star) & Karina Smirnoff
Why They’ll Win: I’m going to say they won’t. I think Karina will do a fine job making it appear that Aaron can tango, jive and samba. But there’s just something about this young pop star who hasn’t had much stage time of late (at least not with the kind of crowds this show draws). You can follow Aaron on twitter. You can follow Karina on twitter.
Couple: Natalie Coughlin (Olympic Champion Swimmer) & Alec Mazo
Why They’ll Win: Athletes tend to do well on this show. I think Natalie has the drive to win. Alec hasn’t taken home the disco ball trophy since season one, so I’m sure he wants one of those tacky things to complete the set. Unless Natalie doesn’t show any personality, I can’t imagine her not doing well. Then again, I’ve never seen her dance… You can follow Natalie on twitter.
Couple: Mark Dacascos (”Iron Chef”) & Lacey Schwimmer
Why They’ll Win: This is another couple I don’t expect to see in the contest for too long. A dancing Chef? Have you forgotten Rocco’s “moves?” Lacey’s a good dancer who hasn’t drawn a strong partner – yet. Maybe Mark will surprise me. I think I’d rather have him make me salsa than dance for me. You can follow Mark on twitter. You can follow Lacey on twitter.
Couple: Tom DeLay (former House majority leader) & Cheryl Burke
Why They’ll Win: I think this might be the couple! Not being sarcastic at all! “The Hammer” (as Rep. DeLay was known) says he’s danced before. Cheryl has taken the top prize twice. If anyone can push him, she can. Will he have enough hip action for Len? I don’t know. I’m fascinated by this pairing and a little bit worried. It could be uncomfortable – especially if he performs with an open shirt. No one wants to see a former lawmaker like that.You can follow Tom on twitter.
Couple: Macy Gray (singer) & Jonathan Roberts
Why They’ll Win: No. Not going to happen. Not in a million years. If they survive the first elimination round, I’d be shocked! If she dances like she sings, I imagine it’ll be all over the place and bouncy, which is fine if you’re judging elementary-aged kids at the school talent night. Not so good if it’s “DWTS.” I dare them to prove me wrong. TRIPLE DOG DARE!
Couple: Ashley Hamilton (actor/comedian) & Edyta Sliwinska
Why They’ll Win: Hold on. Ashley is a “comedian?” Does he joke about his dad’s constant orange glow? OK. I’m over the shock of that. I fully expect Ashley to embrace the show’s overwhelming spray tans and sparkles. I think Edyta will do her best to wear next to nothing to distract from her partner’s, um, lack of coordination/talent. I do not expect these two to make it to the finale. You can follow Ashley on twitter.
Couple: Melissa Joan Hart (actress) & Mark Ballas
Why They’ll Win: First of all, Mark has won this puppy twice. Second, Melissa was a witch! She could easily cast a spell on the judges AND the viewers to get their support. I give them a fair chance at surviving the first half of the season. I say that because I don’t want Melissa to turn me into a monkey or something. You can follow Melissa on twitter. You can follow Mark on twitter.
Couple: Kathy Ireland (model/entrepreneur) & Tony Dovolani
Why They’ll Win: Hmmm… Kathy is in pretty good shape and, from what I remember, she’s actually a bit athletic. I think she could do quite well. You can follow Kathy on twitter.
Couple: Michael Irvin (former NFL player) & Anna Demidova
Why They’ll Win: If Michael takes this as seriously as some of his peers, I think he could go all the way to the finals. This is Anna’s first season on the show. She won a competition on last season’s “DWTS” to become a pro on the show. She is incredibly tall and a great dancer. She’ll have to push Michael into dancer mode. If she can do that, they’ll be great. You can follow Michael on twitter. You can follow Anna on twitter.
Couple: Joanna Krupa (model) & Derek Hough
Why They’ll Win: Models always seem to look nice in the little sparkly costumes. As for their dance moves…well, not so much. Derek has won the show once before, so it’s possible he could make Joanna one heck of a dancer. I’m not holding my breath (especially after I just looked at her website – yowza!). You can follow Joanna on twitter. You can follow Derek on twitter.
Couple: Chuck Liddell (Ultimate Fighting Champ) & Anna Trebunskaya
Why They’ll Win: I’m not gonna lie. I’m afraid of Chuck. I’ll say he’s going to win it all!
Couple: Debi Mazar (actress) & Maksim Chmerkovskiy
Why They’ll Win: These two could be interesting. For some reason, I think Debi may be able to dance. If Maks does his signature open shirt during the first few weeks, they might generate enough votes to stick around for a few weeks. You can follow Debi on twitter. You can follow Maks on twitter.
Couple: Mya (singer) & Dmitry Chaplin
Why They’ll Win: This couple might surprise me. Mya has danced a bit in her videos, but those moves are not at all like the ballroom and Latin dances the couples are tasked with here. I’ll set the bar low for this couple so I’ll be easily excited when I see them dance. You can follow Mya on twitter.
Couple: Kelly Osbourne (reality show star) & Louis Van Amstel
Why They’ll Win: Nope. Don’t put any money on this one. Kelly is really shy and I think she’ll have a hard time being comfortable in this environment. I do applaud Kelly (and all the stars) for having the courage to tackle this beast of a show. Not that “DWTS” is hounding me, but I’d NEVER do it. Ever. Still, a chance to see Ozzy on the audience, cheering his daughter – that’ll be fun! You can follow Kelly on twitter. You can follow Louis on twitter.
Couple: Donny Osmond (entertainment icon) & Kym Johnson
Why They’ll Win: Puppy love? No. That’s not why they’ll win. OK. I don’t actually think they’ll win. I think Donny’s big fan base will get him to the finals (a la his sister, Marie), but I don’t think he’ll win. I fear many an awkward performance, which means I’ll watch his dances more than once for my own entertainment. You can follow Donny on twitter. You can follow Kym on twitter.
Couple: Louie Vito (professional snowboarder) & Chelsie Hightower
Why They’ll Win: Hmmm… Chelsie did get bull rider Ty Murray pretty far in the competition, so maybe she can do the same with Louie? I don’t know anything about this guy which could mean he’s either really good – or not. I’ll have low expectations and see if I’m slightly impressed after week one. You can follow Louie on twitter. You can follow Chelsie on twitter.
The show starts September 21. You can get a good look at the contestants and pros here. Let me know what you think in the comments section.
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