Bristol Palin scores a TV show before Levi Johnston does [poll]

What's Bristol Palin got that Levi Johnston only wishes he had? A reality TV show, that's what. Think he's sorry now?

"Dancing With the Stars" has named its next set of contestants -- in addition to Alaska's best-known single mom, we'll also be seeing Mike "The Situation" Sorrentino of "Jersey Shore," David Hasselhoff and Florence Henderson tripping the light fantastic.

"This season, some of the names make you chuckle, others you're surprised about, and others you think you know, but you're going to see them in a different light," casting head Deena Katz told The Times' Maria Elena Fernandez.

Click the photo of recent winner Nicole Scherzinger at right to see the new contestants, and visit our friends at Show Tracker for the "DWTS" casting chief's take on each star.

Here's Katz's take on Bristol Palin, whom she says she's talked to a lot: "She’s very mature for ...

... her age. A lot has clearly happened to her in just a few years. She’s the only person that after I asked her to be on the show, she drove herself from Alaska. It took her five days. She’s totally self-sufficient. She’s not scared. She just moved yesterday. Her son’s moving down here, and I expect her parents to visit, and she’s a great addition to the cast. I don’t think you’ve heard her talk that much. She’s a great 19-year-old girl with her head totally on her shoulders."

As an exercise, try swapping baby daddy Levi's name into that description. Don't know about you, but we laughed.

-- Christie D'Zurilla

 

Top photo: The new lineup for ABC's "Dancing With the Stars" is, from left, Brandy, David Hasselhoff, Jennifer Grey, Kurt Warner, Margaret Cho, Kyle Massey, Audrina Patridge, Rick Fox, Florence Henderson, co-host Brooke Burke, Bristol Palin and host Tom Bergeron. Not pictured: Mike "The Situation" Sorrentino and Michael Bolton. The new season kicks off Sept. 20 at 8 p.m. Credit: Craig Sjodin / ABC / Associated Press

Second photo:  Bergeron, right, with winner Nicole Scherzinger and her dance partner Derek Hough. Credit: Adam Larkey / ABC

Related dispatches from the Ministry of Gossip:

Political hopeful Levi Johnston surfaces at 'ET' Emmy party

PREACH IT! Levi Johnston will not leave you alone until he is on TV [poll]

Hollywood officially runs out of ideas for what to do with Levi Johnston — so why not make him a politician?

Teen Choice Awards arrivals: Chace Crawford, Lea Michele, Selena Gomez and that guy who played Bristol Palin

Bristol Palin moves back in with Sarah Palin, calls off Levi Johnston engagement

 

Comments

[garyk]

How about calling this season: "Dancing with the used to be stars and other random people showing the depths US pop culture has sunk to."
Too long?

[Brm]

I'm glad I don't pay for this newspaper.

[Criminy]

Well, this "never miss a DWTS" viewer is going to miss this entire season. There is no reason on earth I want to be exposed to that Palin mother. Too bad that it is somebody's dream cast. It is my biggest nightmare. Just sayin'.

[All-Hallows-Eve]

The poll is too childish to respond to.

And why do you need to turn this into a rivalry between the estranged couple? Leave 'em alone. The media pimps the youngsters, just so you can have somebody to rip apart. It's perverse.