ABC broadens the definition of “star” with the announcement this morning of its newest contestants in the upcoming 16th season of “Dancing with the Stars.”
Other than Andy Dick, Wynonna Judd, and D.L. Hughley — all of whom are candidates to be first to be eliminated when the season starts March 18 — the names drop off conspicuously to skater Dorothy Hammill, known as much for her haircut as her skating; NFL star Jacoby Jones; “American Idol” country contestant Kellie Pickler; and “Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” cast member Lisa Vanderpump, who also has a reality spin-off about her restaurant, “Vanderpump Rules.”
After that? Well, there’s Zendaya Coleman, the requisite Disney channel performer, who is part of its s”Shake It Up!”; boxer Victor Ortiz, soap opera actor Ingo Rademacher of “General Hospital”; and Alexandra Raisman, member of the Olympic gold medal gymnast.
Once more, some of their professional dancing partners are probably more famous: Mark Ballas with Raisman; Kym Johnson with Rademacher; Karina Smirnoff with Jacoby Jones; Val Chmerkovskiy with Coleman.
There are a few first time pro dancers: Sharna Burgess will be paired with Dick; Lindsay Arnold with Ortiz; and Galeb Savchenko with Vanderpump. I’m not all that familiar with returning Tristan MacManus, who is dancing with Hamill, either.
Other pairings are: Cheryl Burke with Hughley, Tony Dovolani with Judd; and Derek Hough with Pickler.
Hosts Tom Bergeron and Brooke Burke-Charvet are both returning for season 16, as is the panel of judges, Len Goodman, Bruno Tonioli and Carrie Ann Inaba, perhaps the most stable panel of judges in reality TV.