Image Credit: Todd Williamson/Getty Images; Theo Wargo/WireImage.com; Chris Hatcher/PR Photos; Tommaso Boddi/PR Photos; Chris Hatcher/PR PhotosIt’s not so easy topping a lightning rod like Bristol Palin so ABC decided to steer clear of politics with the new cast of Dancing With the Stars. It’s doubtful this round of amateur hoofers will rally the Tea Partiers to park their butts in front of the TV but hey, stranger things have happened on the ABC competition show that returns March 21.
Here’s the full cast:
Ralph Macchio, 49, the baby-faced star of three Karate Kid movies and My Cousin Vinny
Kirstie Alley, 60, starred in Fat Actress, Veronica’s Closet, and, of course, Cheers
Petra Nemcova, 31, a Czech model who’s been linked to James Blunt and Sean Penn
Wendy Williams, 46, a frank talk-show host
Sugar Ray Leonard, 54, the Olympic gold-medal-winning boxer who, as a pro, famously claimed world titles in five weight divisions
Psycho Mike, a.k.a. Michael Catherwood, 31, a popular deejay for KROQ in Los Angeles
Chelsea Kane, 22, best known for playing Stella on Disney Channel’s Jonas L.A.
Romeo, 21, once known as Lil Romeo, is a rapper, actor, and son of past DWTS participant Master P
Kendra Wilkinson, 25, the former star of E!’s The Girls Next Door and the current star of her own eponymous reality show
Chris Jericho, 40, a pro wrestler who won 23 championships in the WWE
Hines Ward, 34, an NFL Pro Bowler from the Pittsburgh Steelers and the third wide receiver to appear on DWTS
EW also picked up some intel about the new season from exec producer Conrad Green. We can expect more theme weeks like last season’s tributes to rock & roll and TV, as well as those nail-biting instant dances. Just don’t think Dancing voting will suddenly be transparent simply because Palin prompted talk of a ballot-rigging conspiracy.
“It kills the suspense of the show,” Green told EW. “If you know how people are voting, it will skew things massively. We’re happy to explain how the voting works, but most people’s eyes just glaze over.”
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Read more:
‘DWTS’: The season 12 celeb-pro pairings!
EW.com’s ‘Dancing With the Stars’ Central
wendy williams?!
I know, scary huh? meh
Well I wonder who the ringer is this time? Looks like a bunch of non dancers so that might keep me watching for a little while. Little Romeo should be banned for life after his dad did the show such a diservice. I feel for Kirstie.
I know 7 of them! C’mon now. Who doesn’t know The Karate Kid??
I am still trying to overcome my SHOCK that Daniel-San is 49 years old!?!
And still looks like he’s about 18!
She’s a man, I swear, she’s a man
I agree !!! The first time I saw him/her, I said, “that’s a man, there’s no way that person was born a woman”. Glad to know I’m not alone with that thought.
If Wendy Williams is a man then I must be gay – I think she’s hot!
See you at Fire Island, Eric.
She is not a man but she sure is manly. Pair her with Karinna!!!!
She actually reminds me of Lord Voldemort
I feel sorry for her dance partner? Can you imagine how heavy she is to lift her. Good lord! I hope he doesn’t crack a rib lifting her huge ass off.
I feel sorrier for Kirstie Alley’s partner…
Have you ever watched the show??
They arent allowed lifts. So keep you FAT jokes to your fat mouths!
What Tami said. You fool. BTW I myself am quite thin but also not a jealous ugly beyatch like you.
@ @ Rachel: Spoken like a true fatty!
The only thing fat on me are my DD’s. Otherwise I am a 5’6″ size 4.
@ Tami — Before you snipe, you might want to remember that there ARE lifts in the Argentine tango and the freestyle, among others.
Her show airs live from NYC, how is she gonna swing this?
That’s what I was wondering about too. Plus, she’s said a few times that she’d never be interested in DWTS, but I guess the increased publicity it would garner her became too enticing to resist.
My understanding is she’s taking time off from her show to do DWTS.
HUH? the show is based in LA and always has been. Where have you been?
Holy crap. Is anyone going to watch this disaster?
big wendy fan here … hope she does well .. i see the Haterarde is already in full-force.
Wow, I actually know only two names. Strange
I agree. Besides Sugar Ray, Kirstie and Ralph Macchio, I’m not familiar with any of the others. I guess I’m getting old at 55. I bet there’s other Baby Boomers and older folks who are in the same boat!
I’m with you, Sue. Maybe it is our age group, but those were the only 3 names that I knew too!
HARDLY! I’m a boomer and know all of the new cast members except two. Don’t you read the newspapers? Evidently not. Probably just Dear Abby. I think it’s a good cast- all even in their abilities. I remember reading about the model. She was in that tsunami, saw her boyfriend get swept away and she finally was found hanging in a tree where the waves pushed her. Spent a long time in the hospital.
The same, only knew three of them and all three of them are long past their prime. Their careers have to be in the toilet to even want to be on a show like this.
i’m 30 and only know a few of them. Ralph, Kirstie, Sugar Ray, Kendra and Romeo.
You don’t know Kendra? She used to date Hugh Hefner. Sweet Petra is a model who lost her fiance to the Tsunami while they were vacationing in Thailand. And I recognize 4 others, that makes me know 6 names. Kirstie is a pretty good dancer, BTW. I think she’ll do well doing Tango. Ralph is still cute. The guy will never looked old. Lucky him!
What a boring season! Not one decent z-list star even! Snoozefest!
Yeah, I have no interest in any of the ‘celebrities’. However, I will enjoy watching ‘The Soup’ even more now that Wendy Williams is on ‘Dancing’!. Haha.
That’s totally what I was thinking. I wish I could have seen Joel McHale’s reaction when he found out she was doing DWTS. I can’t wait for this week’s Soup!
I agree. I even heard that Max wasn’t going to be on the show. Snoozefest for sure!
No Maks, no Derek. No stars. Sugar Ray and Kirsty are the only ones I have really heard of.
You mean Kirstie? Really, you never heard of Hines? Wendy? Not saying I am a fan of them but you must live in a convent.
I heard Maxism was paired up with Kirstie Alley.
“Snoozefest?” Really?
Sweetie, you are the boring one.
Kirstie used to be the biggest-Cheers for you little children out there-she is 60 and trying this-would you have the guts?
Ralph is the only one I like, so I definitely will not be watching this season.
Is it me, or is this a complete YAWN of a cast??
I kinda agree, I wish that pamela anderson or kyle massey had been on this year. I’m only looking forward to kirstie alley and ralph macchio.
I agree, other than Ralph Macchio, worst cast ever!
Is Kirstie Alley really 60 years old?! Wow!! I have to admit, Wendy Williams will probably be pretty entertaining to watch!
How YOU doin?!
Wow… who are these people?? This is the best they could do?
Boy do I agree with you. Doubt I watch. “z” list so called celebs.
I was hoping for Charlie Sheen… afterall, he’s got some time on his hands, now, right?
Now that would draw viewers! Great idea!
And Denise Richards. Now THAT would provide more “drama” than the producers could ever hope for.
@jrod – Wasn’t Denise Richards already on the show? I believe she was on the same season that Holly (ex-playmate) was on but they both got voted off very early in the season they were so bad.
That would be great drama!!
He wouldn’t shut up long enough to dance.
winning
WOW…lackluster cast.
Really boring cast. I’ll still watch but, not very exciting.
Agree.
lol FAIL
OH Thank GOD. NO CONTROVERSY. No politics or stupid crack heads that are media *****
no, just a bimbo who slept with a 90 yr old for fame.
I can’t believe Kendra’s only 25 – I could have sworn she was in her 30s. Maybe it’s because she has dead eyes.
You obviously don’t know who MIke Catherwood is. “Psycho Mike” is a Howard Stern-wannabe dj in LA whose horrible comments about rape on The Daily 10 show on E! helped lead to its early cancellation. I won’t watch anything he’s on.
They’re having a deejay on there? Come on. Really? At least Wendy will do some funny stuff that Joel can make fun of on the Soup.
I know, a radio deejay from LA? So pretty much only people from LA could have ever heard of him.
Yes! I cannot wait for all the stuff that the soup will come up with now that wendy williams is on dancing with the stars
He does Love Line with Dr. Drew. It airs across the country.
Too bad – the only potentially interesting cast member is Kirstie Alley. After she’s eliminated, this show is bound to lose viewers.
I can’t believe she’s 60.
Wait….they got a random local DJ as part of the cast? I do love the idea of Ralph Macchio and Chris Jericho. And Romeo is intriguing only because of how godawful his father’s ability and attitude was on the show; any discussion of that with Romeo could be interesting.
Romeo was suppose to compete in season two, but he withdrew due to an injury.
Yeah, I remember that…possibly the most devastating injury to ever hit the ballroom, because it gave us the zombie abomination that was Master P on the dance floor.
He’s Dr. Drew’s sidekick on Loveline, he’s freaking funny.
So funny he helped lead to the cancellation of the Daily 10 on E!
How did he lead to the cancellation?