'Dancing With the Stars': Meet the cast

 
It's that time of year again: ABC has unveiled its next batch of "celebs" who will quick-step their way through the 13th season on "Dancing with the Stars." 

And the contestants have a lot to live up to: Season 12 of ABC's dance contest, which featured contestants such as Kirstie Alley and winner Hines Ward, averaged 22.5 million total viewers -- up 4% compared with the 11th season, according to the Nielsen Co. -- putting the show No. 2 behind "American Idol."

The new season premieres Monday, Sept. 19.

Here’s a look at the next victims of Bruno’s unruly remarks:

 -- Nancy Grace: She’s better known these days as the HLN host who coined the term “tot mom” -- and found a way to insert it into every other sentence -- in her crusade against Casey Anthony. Now the former prosecutor-turned-TV personality will be judged on her leg extensions and posture. Perhaps this is the beginning of “Fox Trot mom”?

-- Ricki Lake: Tracy Turnblad is back! Long before she introduced us to women who thought they were "all that" on her syndicated talk show, Lake proved she could wiggle her hips and tap her toes way back when in “Hairspray.” Let’s hope she doesn’t resurrect the beehive hairstyle (or this dance).

--Hope Solo:The U.S. women’s soccer star's stalwart leg muscles are likely to come in handy when the 30-year-old goalie joins the cast. But can she score a mirrorball trophy?

--Ron Artest (or as we prefer to call him, Metta World Peace): The Los Angeles Laker forward is putting on his incredibly big dancing shoes to demonstrate his fancy footwork on the reality series. But if his publicist is right, maybe his fancy footwork has its limits.

--Elisabetta Canalis: Notice to future ex-girlfriends of George Clooney and stars of “Deuce Bigelow  European Gigolo": This is your future.

--Chyna Phillips: The “Bridesmaids” golden touch even extends to one hit wonders. One-third of '90s pop trio Wilson Phillips -- which had a climatic scene in the Kristen Wiig flick -- the 43-year-old singer is trying to “Hold On” to a comeback.

--David Arquette: He acts. He produces. He designs clothes. He sometimes wrestles. He talks to Howard Stern about his sex life. Now Arquette is going to tango and jive? Let’s hope he doesn’t disclose intimate dancing positions to Stern.

-- Rob Kardashian:  When you’re the only boy in the Kardashian clan, extreme measures need to be taken to prove that you actually exist.  For Rob, that means being open to plunging necklines and sequined-lined pants as he follows in sister Kim’s footsteps as a contestant on the show. The dancing gene didn’t make it in Kim’s DNA -- as Prince will tell ya -- but maybe Rob got lucky.

--Chaz Bono:  The 42-year-old, who was born Chasity Bono, recently underwent a sex change and is about to see if her rhythm survived the operation. 

--Kristin Cavallari:  More veteran in the reality circuit than all the contestants combined — having appeared on MTV’s “Laguna Beach” and its spin-off “The Hills” — Cavallari now has a gig that will make her red carpet presence slightly more valid. Wonder if she’ll get the vote of Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler.

--J.R. Martinez: He plays Brot Monroe in ABC’s “All My Children.” The retired soldier, who suffered sever burns to his body while serving in Iraq,  will now see if his resilience can endure glittery outfits and Bruno’s outbursts.

--Carson Kressley: Formerly of Bravo's "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy," Kressely now hosts "Carson's Nation" on the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN). Given the less-than-stellar performance of the network since its launch, it's probably a good thing he's finding other ways to make money.

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Jimmy Kimmel's 'Uncle Frank' Potenza Dies

-- Yvonne Villarreal

twitter.com/villarrealy

 

Photos: This season's cast of 'Dancing with the Stars.' Credit: Associated Press / Getty Images / Reuters / Los Angeles Times

 

Audrina Patridge gives reality another try in new VH1 series

The cameras never really stop following Audrina Patridge. If the reality starlet isn’t having her life documented by them for millions of viewers to consume, she’s getting ambushed by them for tabloid fodder. Her arrival at a popular Hollywood restaurant on a recent afternoon meant dealing with the latter as paparazzi stood by while she exited her Mercedes SUV.

“It’s so bizarre,” the 25-year-old reality veteran somewhat ironically said. “Like, how did they know I’d be here? It’s always strange.”

Patridge went from being an unknown aspiring actress who happened to be sitting poolside when an MTV executive was roaming by (“I thought I was getting scouted to appear on an episode of 'Dismissed' ”) to a reality star on one of the network’s most popular series, “The Hills.”  She would go on to display her dancing abilities as a contestant on "Dancing with the Stars.” And now she’s helming her own show, "Audrina," on VH1.

And to think, Justin Bobby’s ex-girlfriend had intentions of becoming a psychologist.

Tweeter's Digest: The week in TV tweets, Charlie Sheen edition

In Tweeter's Digest, we look at the events of the week as seen through the eyes -- or more specifically, the Twitter feeds -- of TV personalities. In between the self-promotion and the fan-love, celebs sometimes come together on an important subject. This week the name that brought everyone together? Charlie Sheen. 

Pushing aside other timely topics (disastrous Oscar hosts, conflict in Wisconsin and the Middle East), the Twitterati jumped into the Sheen fray. 

TV folks from Neil Patrick Harris (@actuallyNPH) to Christina Applegate (@1capplegate), legendary TV creator James L. Brooks (@canyonjim) to Vinny from "Jersey Shore" (@VINNYGUADAGNINO) all added something to the week's "winning" conversation. Even Sheen's own "Young Guns" co-star Lou Diamond Phillips (@LouDPhillips) joined in.

And then, of course, Sheen himself joined Twitter and showed all the other celebs that a little (or, uh, lot) of gnarly behavior will nab you a million followers. And counting. 

 

RELATED:

Tweeter's Digest archive

Full Show Tracker coverage of Charlie Sheen

-- Joy Press

twitter.com/joypress

Tweeters' Digest: The week in TV tweets

In between the self-promotion (watch my show!), the responses to fans (thanks for watching my show!) and the revelations of personal minutiae (I'm going to the gym before I watch my show!), famous people take to Twitter to comment on the news of the world.

With Rob Lowe and Anderson Cooper on the revolution in Egypt, Donald Glover and Adrian Grenier anticipating the SuperBowl and Damon Lindelof still defending the final episode of "Lost," here are some highlights of the week — after the jump — as captured in tweets from actors, show runners, TV anchors and reality stars.

— Joy Press

twitter.com/joypress

Photo: Rob Lowe. Credit: Al Seib / Los Angeles Times.

No future for 'The City'?

New York City. It's the concrete jungle where dreams are made of -- or so Alicia Keys would have us think. But it looks like the reality of a certain MTV show set in the Big Apple isn't so dream-like.

Following months of speculation, the future of "The City" is nonexistent, according to the show's star.

Whitney Port called into Ryan Seacrest’s radio show Monday and offered this nugget of info: "As of right now, it doesn't really look like we're doing it anymore," said the 25-year-old fashion designer.

Guess even Olivia Palermo couldn't accessorize the show into safety.

The East Coast spin-off of MTV's golden child, "The Hills," premiered in 2008 and follows the glossy life of Port, the former sidekick of Ms. Lauren Conrad. Rumors of its demise have shadowed the show since its predecessor wrapped its six-season run earlier this year.

When probed about whether it's possible that the show could find life on another network, Port said, "No, at this point it's not."

On Monday, an MTV spokesperson said no decision had been made on the fate of the show.

[Updated Oct. 26, 11:11 a.m.: How quickly decisions are made! MTV released this statement Tuesday: "'The City' will not be returning to MTV for season three. Whitney has been a part of our family for many years and we wish her and the cast the best, and hope to collaborate with them again."]

-- Yvonne Villarreal
twitter.com/villarrealy

Photo: Whitney Port. Credit: Getty Images

Lauren Conrad to star in her third MTV reality show

Lauren Conrad hasn't had her fix of reality TV just yet.

The "Laguna Beach" star will let MTV's reality cameras follow her again, this time as she launches a new fashion house, the network announced on MTVNews.com on Friday.

TV viewers first met Conrad in 2004 on "Laguna Beach." Conrad later moved to Los Angeles to pursue her career in fashion and star in her own spinoff show, "The Hills."

The new series will be produced by Gail Berman and Lloyd Braun.


--Maria Elena Fernandez
twitter.com/writerchica

Photo: Lauren Conrad. Credit: Los Angeles Times

 

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Bad reality show idea of the day: JetBlue quitter Steven Slater

If the TV world bestowed on innocent viewers the wonder that is “Britney & Kevin: Chaotic” and “Married by America,” just about anything is possible. 

The last decade has seen a flurry of shows inducted into the hall of reality shame, from “Who Wants to Marry a Multi-Millionaire?” (2000) and “Temptation Island” (2001) to “Are You Hot” (2003) and “Amish in the City” (2004). And there’s no end in sight.

Heidi Montag and her BFF Jennifer “Jen” Bunney are shopping around their Malibu-based series. Ryan O'Neal and his estranged daughter Tatum are in talks to document their reconciliation for a new reality show, according to reports. Who needs privacy when there are TV cameras there to capture such an intimate moment? And Levi Johnston, Bristol Palin's former fiance, with the help of Stone and Co. (“The Mole,” “NYC Prep”), is apparently looking to star in his own show, “Loving Levi: The Road to the Mayor’s Office.” That’s not sarcasm -- it’s really the name they’re pitching. The show would document the 20-year-old’s political aspirations. (We're guessing Sarah Palin will not serve as a mentor.)

Now the folks at Stone & Co. are looking to add yet another candidate for worst reality show -- a category we hope the Emmy folks will consider adding to the mix. The latest slippery slope is courtesy of a man and his slide.

Flight attendant Steven Slater, who became an instant star after quitting his JetBlue job via a slide (and with the help of some beers), is just about everywhere these days. Heck, he even met Barry Manilow! Need more proof of his induction into the pop culture zeitgeist? Donald Trump called him “despicable” on CBS’ “The Insider.”  Now there are reports that the disgruntled employee is being approached by Stone & Co. to host a show in which unhappy workers quit their jobs in outlandish ways. 

Calls to Stone & Co were not immediately returned.

But if a show such as “Cheaters” can stay in the game for 10 seasons, there must be a method to the reality madness, right?

Show Trackers, do any of these sound like shows you would watch? (Be honest.) What other bad reality shows had you scratching your heads? Who do you think might be the next contender for a reality show?

--Yvonne Villarreal
twitter.com/villarrealy

Image: A screen grab from MySpace shows Steven Slater. Credit: MySpace

RELATED:

JetBlue's Steven Slater: What's the right pitch for his TV movie?

Jet Blue flight attendant Steven Slater CG reenactment

 

'The Hills' series finale: brilliant or lame?

 After six seasons, 102 episodes — and far too many shots of L.A. hotspot Les Deux — it was finally time to part ways with Kristin Cavallari, Audrina Patridge and Brody Jenner (yes, even Justin Bobby) as MTV’s long-running hit series "The Hills" ended its run Tuesday night.

The show, which premiered in 2006, initially followed “Laguna Beach” alum Lauren Conrad and the glittery lives of her friends and frenemies in Los Angeles.  Conrad left the series in the middle of Season 5, and long-time rival Cavallari took over as star of the show.

In the finale, the gang is moving on to the next stage in their life. Lo and Scott decided to live together. Audrina is moving near the beach (and a cute lifeguard). Stephanie Pratt landed herself a boyfriend. Brody is swimming in pools with sunglasses. And Kristin is moving to Europe?

But things ended with one final head-scratching moment. 

In the last scene, we see Kristin departing for the airport. After she says her “final” farewell to on-and-off-again flame Brody, cameras slowly pan out to show cameramen and crew members on a bustling studio set.

"The thing is, as you saw on the end — what's real and what's fake, you don't know," Jenner said during the live after-show program on MTV. "Our relationship, the entire time, could have been fake. That’s one of the questions: What was real and what was fake? And we left it [open].”

Wait. So is the rest still unwritten? Or is it written? Did "The Hills" just get deep? Is the joke on us? 

Share your thoughts on the final scene in the comments section below.

If you haven't seen the final scene, take a look for yourself:

— Yvonne Villarreal

twitter.com/villarrealy

Photo: Audrina Patridge and Lauren Conrad at "The Hills" finale party. Credit: John Shearer / WireImage.

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2010 MTV Movie Awards: Lo Bosworth doesn't 'buy' Speidi's separation (VIDEO)

This summer, after five long seasons, "The Hills" will come to a close on MTV. And according to one of the show's stars, Lo Bosworth, things are ending at a perfect time.

"I'm looking forward to it coming to an end," admitted Bosworth on the red carpet at the MTV Movie Awards on Sunday. "But it's bittersweet, too. I love the crew, I love MTV. And it's kind of like leaving a family. So it's sad."

But it's unlikely that Bosworth's roommate and former "Hills" star Lauren Conrad will be making an appearance on the show's final episode.

"I don't think she's coming back. That ship has sailed," Bosworth said.

Of course, we couldn't let the girl go without getting her thoughts on the current Speidi situation -- are Heidi and Spencer really separating?

"No. I don't buy into it at all," Bosworth said definitively. "I'd advise you to not either."

-- Amy Kaufman (follow me on Twitter @AmyKinLA)

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The Speidi Chronicles: Break-up...or publicity stunt for a new series?

Breaking up is hard to do … unless you’re not really broken up.

They are the unofficial King and Queen of reality TV: Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt. The couple shot to tabloid fame as the frenemies of “The Hills” star Lauren Conrad. And viewers watched the couple's evolution documented on the MTV series — and just about every outlet willing to give them the time and space. So it's no surprise that news of their split has people wondering if the duo is really over or just testing how far they can push a publicity stunt.

The fame-hungry couple has filed no legal separation papers. But Montag’s pal Jennifer “Jen” Bunney, who appeared in earlier seasons of “The Hills” — most infamously for the so-called rendezvous she had with Brody that left a bad taste in Lauren’s mouth — says the couple isn’t pulling a fast one.

“This isn’t a joke,” Bunney said in a telephone interview. 

But before the ink on the headlines announcing Speidi’s split could even dry, details emerged on Montag’s new venture in the reality genre: a Malibu-based series featuring her and Bunney. Filming of the show, which Bunney said was Montag’s idea, is expected to start in July.

Which version of 'The Hills' do you prefer?

We know "The Hills" premiered on MTV last night, and it was all, like, fascinating and stuff, but here's the version of "The Hills" that we prefer.  (Hollywood agents: Great actors in our midst!)

-- Maria Elena Fernandez (Follow me on Twitter @writerchica)

Video: LandlineTV.com

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Forget 'The Hills': Audiences embrace the harsh realities of 'Teen Mom'

For the last couple of years, MTV has often been both branded and buoyed by the success of its reality show sensation “The Hills.” But the juggernaut, which trails impossibly beautiful and thin twentysomethings around Los Angeles, has recently begun to falter; during the fifth season, when Kristin Cavallari took over for fan favorite Lauren Conrad, ratings fell.

Meanwhile, other of the network’s shows featuring arguably less glamorous lifestyles have become surprise hits – there’s “Jersey Shore,” of course, which followed a bunch of self-proclaimed tanned "guidos" and "guidettes" around Seaside Heights as they danced the night away at local night clubs.  There’s also “Teen Mom,” a documentary-style show that debuted in December about four teen mothers struggling to cope with their new realities. Only last week, MTV announced it had greenlighted a second season of “Teen Mom,” which averaged 2.4 million viewers per episode this season. The show -- whose reunion special airs Tuesday evening -- is a spinoff of “16 and Pregnant,” which followed a handful of girls from the point at which they discovered they were pregnant until they gave birth. (A second season of that show begins Feb. 16.)

The concept for “16 and Pregnant” was spawned by the headlines surrounding the pregnancies of Jamie Lynn Spears and Bristol Palin, said Liz Gateley, senior vice president of development for the network.