Dancing With the Stars 3 – A Preview

Dancing With the Stars was once called the “feel-good hit of the summer.” ABC could use a little feel-good these days following the laughable failures of its summer shows – snoozer How to Get the Guy, train-wreck The One, and freak-fest Master of Champions.

Perhaps that is why ABC decided to crank up the promotion machine good and early on its thoroughbred ratings-gainer Dancing With the Stars. This year, 11 celebrities will be tripping the light fantastic, and the diversity among them remains astonishing and intriguing.

Dancing this season will be:

Harry Hamlin – The former star of LA Law joins his ex-wife Nicolette Sheridan (Desperate Housewives) on the alphabet network and hopes for a better result than his current wife, former Dancing contestant Lisa Rinna. Hamlin has had a career resurgence of late with a recurring role on Veronica Mars.

Jerry Springer – The maven of everything bad about daytime talk shows and former mayor of Cincinnati (and rumored Presidential hopeful) has accepted the challenge of tangos and quick steps. The show that bears his name ranked high among the list of TV Guide’s worst shows of all-time.

Emmitt Smith – Smith, who so heroically broke the all-time rushing record as a Dallas Cowboy, was the NFL MVP in 1993 and Super Bowl XXVIII MVP. Among those accomplishments, Smith is widely regarded as one of the classiest and well-loved football players of all time. Emmitt hopes to add that tacky trophy to his three gaudy SuperBowl rings.

Mario Lopez – the former star of Saved by the Bell and The Other Half hasn’t ventured far from our television screens, having appeared in Pacific Blue and guest starred on Eve and Popular, but none of those assignments brought him near the success of Bell. Perhaps he can be saved by a waltz?

Tucker Carlson – political pundit Carlson of MSNBC steps away from the sharks of Washington and into the pool of barracudas in the world of ballroom. If Len Goodman gives him the Master P treatment, Carlson is well equipped to debate him into submission.

Joseph Lawrence – the former teen idol and star of Gimme a Break and Blossom has dozens of television and movie credits, and even a gold album. What else could he ask for? The mirror ball trophy!

Vivica A. Fox – already a reality show veteran, judging The Starlet, Fox is well-known for her roles in Independence Day and Kill Bill, but she may be better known for her fantastically ugly breakup with rapper 50 Cent. She’s beautiful, she’s sassy, but how is her Argentine tango? We shall see.

Sara Evans – the first country artist to participate in Dancing With the Stars, Evans has been a frequent visitor to the top of the country charts and is the reigning Academy of Country Music Female Vocalist of the Year. She is an important voice in the new country music movement of the modern era.

Willa Ford – Willa burst onto the music scene as one of many anti-Britney pop singers. Willa wasn’t afraid to admit she would rip up some sheets while Britney and Jessica Simpson maintained their virginity claims. Looks like she chose the wrong fork. Willa had a brief stint as an MTV VJ and was the “host” of the first season of Ultimate Fighter, though her presence was an unnecessary as a rhinestone-encrusted sombrero.

Monique Coleman – a budding young actress, Coleman can be seen in the Disney original High School Musical (that kids can’t seem to see enough times!), and has guest appearances on Boston Public, Gilmore Girls, Malcolm in the Middle, and Veronica Mars to her credit. Being over the age of 12, I have not seen High School Musical, so I don’t know if she did any dancing, but she has a solid lock on the young vote.

Shanna Moakler – another reality show veteran, featured in MTV’s The Barkers with Blink 182’s Travis Barker (they have filed for divorce), Moakler is a former Miss USA (technically, she was first runner-up as Miss New York and gained the title when Miss USA was crowned Miss Universe). Moakler has also starred in Pacific Blue and has appeared on CSI and in Big Momma’s House 2. Moakler lists Dennis Quaid and Billy Idol as former loves, and also had a photo spread in Playboy in 2001.

Returning will be the usual triumvirate of judges, Len Goodman, Bruno Tonioli, and Carrie Ann Inaba, and Tom Bergeron is slated to resume his host duties. The new season of Dancing With the Stars premieres on September 12 with a two-hour show starting at 8 p.m. EST.

Sting7 has been a respected published writer for many years, as a music editor, entertainment critic, columnist, and interviewer. He also has a curious love for pro-wrestling! You can email Stinger at .

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