ABC made the long awaited announcement for the "Dancing With the Stars" season 16 lineup on “Good Morning America” on Feb. 26, and several names fans might like to have seen were not on the list. With DWTS being a hit show that could boost stars’ ratings (and egos), why would a celebrity repeatedly say no when asked to join the cast?
The reasons vary from one celebrity to another, but I’m sure there’s some overlap. Competing on a full season of “Dancing With the Stars” is extremely demanding, from a physical standpoint as well as in the amount of time it requires. Any other engagements will definitely take a back seat during competition as dancers must practice for hours every day, as well as perform two live shows each week. Not everyone can keep up that pace for weeks at a time and still maintain some semblance of normalcy in their life. Season 1 winner Kelly Monaco managed to make it all the way to the finals again in season 15 while still filming “General Hospital”, but you could see the tremendous toll it was taking on her from week to week.
Fans might have enjoyed seeing Jason Alexander’s much-loved character from “Seinfeld” twirl around in a skimpy costume, and he should have been proud to show off his new bod after losing some of his paunch, but nay, Alexander nixed the idea, saying he “values his privacy”. He obviously can be bought to give up said privacy, though; is a spokesman for weight-loss guru Jenny Craig paid more than a celebrity dancer on “Dancing With the Stars”?
Seven-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong has said no when asked to compete on DWTS, and that could be good or bad for the cyclist. He’s still experiencing bad press from the backlash of being banned from cycling competition due to doping, but a “Dancing With the Stars” gig might have brought him up a notch or two. It’s understandable why he opted out in previous years, as the demands of competing on the dance floor might have affected his cycling workouts and training, but was that a factor in why he nixed the offer yet again in season 16, or was it more that he wanted out of the spotlight entirely? Could he have even completed the competition without the use of drugs? Does ABC require drug testing of dance competitors?
Chef Bobby Flay can whip the competition in the kitchen and he says he loves to dance, but he’d rather be remembered for his cooking skills and not fancy footwork. Too bad, because he’s got the looks and charisma on camera to pull it off.
Celebrity bad girl Lindsay Lohan has been asked to appear on DWTS several times, and I’m not disappointed that she has consistently declined. If her dancing ability is as disastrous as was her role as Elizabeth Taylor in “Liz & Dick”, some might have paid her NOT to compete. It's likely that court appearances would interfere with rehearsals anyway.
It’s too bad Jamie Lee Curtis has no interested in appearing on “Dancing With the Stars”, because the 50-something actress still looks pretty good, considering it’s been 35 years since we screamed along with her in “Halloween”. And whether he can dance or not, it might have been fun to see if rocker Tommy Lee could outdo ex-wife Pamela Lee’s horrible performance that got her canned after the first week in 2012’s All-Star season 15 competition, after having made it to week 7 during season 10 in 2010.
On second thought, he needn’t bother. Anyone could have.
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