DONNY AND MARIE OSMOND -- AND DONNY'S DWTS PARTNER KYM JOHNSON HAVING FUN

"The show is adding the country two-step and the Charleston," Kym tells Donny and Marie. Watch as the trio joke and have fun!

CLICK HERE TO SEE DONNY AND MARIE, ALONG WITH KYM JOHNSON.

DWTS LOUIS VAN AMSTEL SPEAKS OUT ABOUT HIS PAIRING WITH KELLY OSBOURNE AND THE UPCOMING DWTS SEASON

Dancing With The Stars' professional dancer Louis Van Amstel, who is an original member of the DWTS cast and back for his fifth season, recently opined on his new dance partner Kelly Osbourne and the upcoming season.

Returning to the beginning, Van Amstel that in the first season in 2005, there were only six couples -- and he danced with Trista Sutter.




But in this upcoming season, the number of celebrity dancers has escalated to 16, the largest cast ever. From the beginning to now Van Amstel said that DWTS has been a whole lot of fun -- and he has had the pleasure of gliding across the dance floor with such stars as Lisa Rinna, Monique Coleman and Priscilla Presley.

Van Amstel and his new partner Kelly Osbourne have already started rehearsals. "The format of the show has not changed," said Van Amstel. "You get a celebrity with little or no training." And then laughed and joked to abclocal. "I have my work cut out for me this season. We have so much fun. She's a little naughty, so am I. We're a good team."



Van Amstel also revealed that the show will be spicing things up a bit. "They've added dances none of us has ever done," he said. "There's double elimination in the middle, some weeks where people at home do not vote at all."

Another change this season is that limits have been placed on rehearsal time. "I think it's actually a good thing, too many injuries," explained Van Amstel. "I'm about health. You need to make sure you warm up, cool down, do other activity than just dance."

The first episode of Dancing With the Stars will air on Monday, Sept 21.

TOM DeLAY, MELISSA JOAN HART AND NATALIE COUGHLIN SPEAK ABOUT REHEARSAL FOR DANCING WITH THE STARS

Former Congressman Tom DeLay, who will be dancing on the upcoming Dancing With the Stars, has revealed that he and his partner Cheryl Burke are rehearsing and and doing well.

Delay posted a few messages on Twitter: "Headed to the studio for my first rehearsal and to meet my partner. Hoping it's not Nancy Pelosi :)" And, "I've got the best dance partner in the bunch. I'm very excited." Also, "After two dance sessions I can tell you Cheryl Burke is the most patient person I have ever met." And finally, "In LA for rehearsals and title shoots. Also learning two dances. Cheryl says I am progressing very well."

Also competing this season will be Olympic swimmer Natalie Coughlin who, after a bit of dancing rehearsal with her partner Alec Mazo, confided, "It's frustrating, but fun." She confided, "I don't do much on land. I'm out of my element." And she explained that swimming and dancing often use entirely different muscles -- so she will need to develop muscles that she has never used when swimming.

"I just hope I don't throw up or cry from nerves," actress Melissa Joan Hart confided to usmagazine about her upcoming stint on Dancing With the Stars.

The Dancing With the Stars gig will not be Hart's first time stepping on a dance floor. She and her musician husband, Mark Wilkerson, choreographed a routine for their wedding that she described as "flashy, fancy and super fun."

Hart, who is paired with DWTS professional Mark Ballas, told usmagazine that she has been assessing the competition. "I think Donny [Osmond] is the most popular of the group, for sure," she said. "And I think he's going to get the popular vote. I just hope he can't dance very well. He can't drive very well -- I beat him in a race a couple years ago, so we'll see if I can duplicate that."

Hart also said, "I think Mya is going to be a big contender, definitely. She looks like she's got the moves and obviously she knows music so she's got rhythm. Aaron Carter, same thing."

But it is former Dallas Cowboys' Michael Irvin that Hart vealed most worries her husband. "My husband's really worried about Michael Irvin -- wide receivers take ballet," she explained. "And the Olympians, they're the ones that have the endurance and they've already got the muscle, the strength, form and coaching. They're used to that rigorous schedule."

And who is Hart most eager to meet at the Dancing With The Stars' studio? Her response -- snowboarder Louis Vito.

"I've snowboarded for 17 years and I'm hoping that when this is all over he'll show me some moves on a half-pipe," she told usmagazine. "But he's able to do things with his body -- jump in the air and twist around and whatnot, so who knows what he's going to be able to pull off on the dance floor."

DWTS KYM JOHNSON TALKS ABOUT HER NEW DANCE PARTNER, DONNY OSMOND

Dancing With the Stars' Kym Johnson, who has been paired with entertainer Donny Osmond for the upcoming DWTS season, is keeping fans up to date with the couples' rehearsal progress by blogging on ok.

She told fans, "As you all know, I have Donny Osmond as my partner this season and when I found out, I had him I was so excited. I’m a fan of his; I think he’s so great and he’s such a nice person. It’s going to be really, really fun season for me. We’ve had a few rehearsals so far in Utah and it’s going really well."



Johnson reminded fans that Osmond has been in the entertainment industry since he was five-years-old -- and said that he is ready to work really hard.

"With ballroom dancing," she expressed, "it’s very different from any other form of dancing — so he’s got to muster technique and work on his posture. He wants to bring out the technical side of ballroom, but he also wants to do a good job of entertaining the audience, which is what I want to do as well."

Johnson said that she and Osmond are having fun -- that he makes her laugh.

"The first day, I met his five sons and his wife, who all came to support him in rehearsal," Johnson revealed. "It’s going to be a big family affair and I’m sure they’re going to be there every week. Donny’s sister Marie Osmond has given him the advice to be prepared to work really hard. He has his stage show with Marie in Vegas as well so he’s incredibly busy doing that and rehearsing for DWTS. He’s in really good shape, slim and toned. And he’s got the right attitude, dedicated to working hard and putting on a show."

Johnson also opined that she thinks that Osmond has the potential to be in the finals. "This time's the lucky one, maybe?!" she hoped. "This time I might get that mirror ball trophy!"

ACTOR ASHLEY HAMILTON WILL DANCE WITH HIS DAD'S FORMER DANCE PARTNER, EDYTA SLIWINSKA

On Monday morning Dancing With the Stars revealed their list of celebrity and professional dancer pairings for Season 9. Now the question is whether they are perfect matches or matches that will not work at all.

Rehearsals are already underway for the first DWTS episode to air on September 21.
No doubt, as the couples begin to spend time gliding across the dance floor or practicing a funky jive, they will begin to figure out and reveal whether they are happy with the new matches.

But actor Ashley Hamilton has already revealed that his partner was a surprise -- professional Edyta Sliwinska. It was actually Sliwinska who instructed his dad, actor George Hamilton, when he was a contestant on the show.



“My partner is a bigger celebrity than I am,” exclaimed Ashley Hamilton, clearly pleased with his pairing.

Singer Mya is likely happy with her new partner, Dmitry Chaplin – meaning that her concern is not her dancing other-half. But she has voiced a different concern – about a fractured foot that she suffered last year. “I had an injury last year, a foot fracture” Mya said in an interview with CY. “I think I need to take the proper precautions in rehearsal and not overdo it and be very smart with what kind of shoes I wear.”

DANCING WITH THE STARS ANNOUNCES CELEBRITY AND PRO PAIRINGS ON GOOD MORNING AMERICA

Dancing With the Stars unveiled their celebrity and professional dancer pairings on the Good Morning America show this morning. The list confirmed our previously leaked matches, and are as follows:

Snowboarder Louis Vito and Chelsie Hightower

Singer Macy Gray with Jonathan Roberts

Actress Melissa Joan Hart with Mark Ballas

Model Kathy Ireland with Tony Dovolani

Former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay and Cheryl Burke

Singer Aaron Carter and Karina Smirnoff

Entertainer Donny Osmond and Kym Johnson

The Osbournes star Kelly Osbourne and Louis van Amstel

Actor Ashley Hamilton and Edyta Sliwinska

Retired Dallas Cowboys star Michael Irvin and new professional dancer Anna Demidova

Olympic gold medalist swimmer Natalie Coughlin and Alex Mazo

Singer Mya and Dmitry Chaplin

Actress Debi Mazar and Maksim Chmerkovskiy

Actress Joanna Krupa and Derek Hough

Food network host Mark DaCascos and Lacy Schwimmer

Mixed martial arts fighter Chuck Liddell and Anna Trebunskaya

ALL DANCING WITH THE STARS PAIRINGS HAVE BEEN LEAKED

On Monday Dancing With the Stars will announce the pairings of professional and celebrity dancers for its upcoming fall season on the Good Morning America television show. But a complete list of the pairing has already been leaked.

Recently added to the list of expected pairings is:

Snowboarder Louis Vito and Chelsie Hightower

Singer Macy Gray with Jonathan Roberts

Actress Melissa Joan Hart with Mark Ballas and

Model Kathy Ireland with Tony Dovolani



Previously revealed pairings were:

Former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay an Cheryl Burke

Singer Aaron Carter and Karina Smirnoff

Entertainer Donny Osmond and Kym Johnson

The Osbournes star Kelly Osbourne and Louis van Amstel

Actor Ashley Hamilton and Edyta Sliwinska

Retired Dallas Cowboys star Michael Irvin and new professional dancer Anna Demidova

Olympic gold medalist swimmer Natalie Coughlin and Alex Mazo

Singer Mya and Dmitry Chaplin

Actress Debi Mazar and Maksim Chmerkovskiy

Actress Joanna Krupa and Derek Hough

Food network host Mark DaCascos and Lacy Schwimmer

Mixed martial arts fighter Chuck Liddell and Anna Trebunskaya

Confirmation of the matches will come on Good Morning America tomorrow.

MOST DANCING WITH THE STARS CELEBRITY/PRO PAIRINGS HAVE BEEN LEAKED

On Monday Dancing With the Stars will announce the pairings of professional and celebrity dancers for its upcoming fall season on Good Morning America. But the names of most dancing couples have already leaked out.

Thus far, of the 16 couples that will dance:

Former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay an Cheryl Burke

Singer Aaron Carter and Karina Smirnoff

Entertainer Donny Osmond and Kym Johnson

The Osbournes star Kelly Osbourne and Louis van Amstel

Actor Ashley Hamilton and Edyta Sliwinska

Retired Dallas Cowboys star Michael Irvin and new professional dancer Anna Demidova

Olympic gold medalist swimmer Natalie Coughlin and Alex Mazo

Singer Mya and Dritry Chaplin

Actress Debi Mazar and Maksim Chmerkovskiy

Actress Joanna Krupa and Derek Hough

Food network host Mark DaCascos and Lacy Schwimmer

Mixed martial arts fighter Chuck Liddell and Anna Trebunskaya

DANCING WITH THE STARS' PROFESSIONAL DANCER KARINA SMIRNOFF TALKS ABOUT THE SHOW AND HER LIFE

Karina Smirnoff, is a professional dancer, on Dancing With the Stars. She was interviewed by Jeff Rivera of Huffington Post.

DWTS STARS KARINA SMIRNOFF CHATS MORE ABOUT HER LIFE AND THE SHOW

"Karina Smirnoff -- she's what I like to call, 'a real cool chick," wrote Jeff Rivera who interviewed Smirnoff for The Huffington Post. "She's just very down-to-earth, genuine, smart and, hey guys, she can cook too! She likes to joke around as well."

TOM DeLAY WITH CHERYL BURKE AMONG DANCING WITH THE STARS PAIRINGS BEING REVEALED

Slowly the pairings of professional dancers and celebrity dancer on the upcoming new Dancing With the Stars are being revealed.

Former Congressman Tom DeLay is paired with former DWTS champion Cheryl Burke.

Singer Aaron Carter is paired with Karina Smirnoff.

And singer/actress Mya will be doing her dancing on the DWTS stage with Dmitry Chaplin.

Previously revealed pairings were: Entourage star Debi Mazar with Maksim Chmerkovskiy, actor Ashley Hamilton with Edyta Sliwinska, swimmer Natalie Coughlin with Alec Mazo -- and rumors are that entertainer Donny Osmond will dance with Kym Johnson.

KELLY OSBOURNE DISCUSSES HER UPCOMING ROLE AS A CELEBRITY DANCER ON DANCING WITH THE STARS

RUMORED DANCING WITH THE STARS PAIRINGS

Dancing With the Stars celebrity dancers are meeting the professionals with whom they have been paired and some are already beginning to learn how to glide around the dance floor in unison.

Rumors have circulated regarding some pairings – some of which are:

Actress Debi Mazar and Maksim Chmerkovskiy

Olympic swimmer Natalie Coughlin and Alec Mazo (“We both went to Cal Berkeley and studied Psychology at the same time,” Natalie tweeted. “Go Bears!”)

Entertainer Donny Osmond and Kym Johnson (who reportedly have begun rehearsals)

Actor Ashley Hamilton and Edyta Sliwinska (revealed by Ashley’s dad, actor and former DWTS participant George Hamilton)

SOME CELEBRITIES WHO WILL APPEAR ON DANCING WITH THE STARS THIS SEASON SAY THEY LOVE TO COMPETE

Some of the dancers who will grace the Dancing With the Stars stage this season will be there at least partly because they love to compete.

"I want to compete on 'DWTS' 'cause I love competition, pop singer Aaron Carter told Entertainment Tonight. "I'm not really too prone to this dancing style, but you got to learn new stuff all the time. I don't know any ballroom steps, nothing like that, so it's a whole new kind of thing for me."

Carter also said that he is anxious to compete against former Dallas Cowboys star Michael Irvin. "I know about them football players," Carter explained. "They have good footwork. I had been doing this football-combined training in Tennessee when I heard about this opportunity, so I started training in endurance and stamina. I was doing the ladders and footwork stuff. I know what it is with those football guys. They got it."

Olympic swimmer Natalie Coughlin says she "definitely (feels) the pressure to live up to what other Olympic athletes before her have accomplished. Speed skater Apolo Anton Ohno won in Season 4, figure skater Kristi Yamaguchi in Season 6 and gymnast Shawn Johnson walked away with Dancing With the Stars' trophy this past season.

Coughlin voiced a few of her fears in a mercury news interview. "I'm a swimmer, for crying out loud," she exclaimed. "I don't do much on land. I'm out of my element.

"When I'm competing I tend to make a lot of faces -- burrowing my brow and things like that," she continued. "In my sport, it doesn't matter. But now I'm going to have to put on a smile and perform for the audience and judges."

Even so, Coughlin says that she is "more excited than nervous," and looking forward to competing.

She also told timesherald, "the competitive nature I have will help in training and competition. The most difficult part for me is doing something athletic while maintaining a smile. ... I don't do any sort of upright balance in swimming, so I'll definitely use a lot of muscles I never used before and probably don't even have."

And former light-heavyweight champ Chuck "The Iceman" Liddell told ufc.com, "I want to win. I don't like losing in anything so I'll work as hard as they'll let me."

Model Kathy Ireland loves challenging herself. "You've gotta face your fears. When you're afraid of a challenge, you just have to go for it. For me, this is the ultimate challenge. Walking in high heels is an extreme sport."

Kelly Osbourne is also out to challenge herself. "I don't care if I win, she told americansuperstarmag, "I'm not doing this to try and prove I'm better than someone else. I'm doing this because it scares me. ... I'm so excited, but I cannot tell you how terrified I am. Dancing is something that I've always wanted to be able to do, but never had the confidence and the technique. I'm not not very graceful, so it's just something that absolutely terrifies me."

SOME OF THE NEW DANCING WITH THE STARS CELEBRITY COMPETITORS HAVE HAD "BRUSHES WITH THE LAW"

Dancing With the Stars on Monday released the names of the show’s largest ever cast of celebrity dancers. A total of 16 celebrities have agreed to compete, among them headline entertainer Donny Osmond and the show’s biggest surprise name, former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay.

But there is one statistic being reported about the competitors that is raising a few eyebrows – nearly half have at one time or another had a brush with the law.
“Seven of the 16 hopefuls have had brushes with the law,” reports cbsnews crimesider.

DeLay, of course, was “indicted by a Texas grand jury on criminal charges that he had conspired to violate campaign finance laws. He pleaded not guilty, but Republicans Conference rules forced the 62-year-old to resign from his position as Majority Leader in the U.S. House of Representatives. His case has not gone to trial.”

Kelly Osbourne got into a wee bit of trouble in London where she earlier this year was “arrested for a 2008 nightclub incident that allegedly ended in Osbourne slapping celebrity blogger Zoe Griffin across the face, said cbsnews. Griffin claimed that Osbourne hit her after Griffin made fun of Osbourne’s boyfriend.

Macy Gray’s problems go back to her youth – when she was “arrested for stealing gasoline in 1989 while at the University of Southern California” and then later was “caught driving under the influence,” reports cbs. “Gray openly spoke about her former drug habits and lifestyle in an April 2007 interview with The Guardian,” according to the cbs article. “’I’d been very self-absorbed and really stupid and just caught up in myself, you know, doing stupid … like just partying all the time. I picked up a couple of drug habits, and I was always with the wrong guy.”

Then several others were cited for drug use.

Snowboarder Louis Vito was “likely nabbed for pot possession Aug 8, 2009 in New Zealand, according to ESPN.com. The site matched Vito to a local newspaper report, which said cops stopped a 21-year-old snowboarder set to represent America in the Olympics and a friend for a random roadside breath test and found ‘not an insignificant amount’ of marijuana in their car. Vito was known to be in New Zealand at the time,” reads the cbsnews.report.

Former Dallas Cowboys’ performed community service after being arrested for cocaine possession in 1996, and later cited for possession of drug paraphernalia after police discovered a marijuana pipe and plastic bags in his car, the cbsnews article revealed.

And singer Aaron Carter was arrested for possession of at least two ounces of

DANCING WITH THE STARS DISAPPOINTED THAT THEY WERE UNABLE TO NAB PAULA FOR THE SHOW

There was a special anticipation and excitement around the release of Dancing With the Stars’ celebrity line-up. And that excitement was less about the list in general than about whether Paula Abdul’s name would be there.

Alas, the list was revealed – and there was no Paula. But that only fueled speculation that perhaps Idol executives and Paula might be talking about her return to the show again.

“The people at the very top of ABC were really vocal about getting her (Paula) on board for ‘Dancing,” msnbc quoted a source familiar with talks between the network execs and the Idol former judge. “By not exactly keeping it secret, it made Paula’s value more apparent to Fox.”

The negotiations are called “talks” by msnbc – “since dubbing them ‘negotiations' suggests that one side is budging.

“Paula isn’t lowering her price in any meaningful way. She wants a Seacrest-level deal,” msnbc quotes the source. American Idol host Ryan Seacrest reportedly inked a three-year, $45 million deal.

“If there is a scenario that gets Abdul back on the show, it’s likely that her return would be limited to the live shows only, according to several people who are close to the talks. This will allow the original offer made by the show to stand, but Abdul would have a shorter time commitment,” offers the msnbc article.

ABC was extremely disappointed that they were unable to nap Paula. “They didn’t really want Tom DeLay as their most-buzzed-about contestant,” a source told msnbc.

Throughout the summer Abdul has always expressed that she wanted to return to the American Idol judging panel – and there has been chatter that her friend and fellow judge Simon Cowell has been supporting her behind the scenes. Judges Randy Jackson and Kara DioGuardi have apparently been supportive as well.

So with talks resumed and a real possibility that she might be back on Idol, it is no wonder that Paula sounds so happy in her Twitter messages.

One of Paula’s recent Tweets reads, “thx for all the support. Never give up on your dreams. Fight for what you believe in. And never stop believing in yourself. xxP”

Another reads, “The positive thinker sees the invisible, feels the intangible, and achieves the impossible.”

It seems that Paula may be thinking very positively these days!

DANCING WITH THE STARS -- COMPETITORS EAGER TO DANCE

Celebrity dancers for the upcoming Dancing With the Stars competition have been revealed. Fans no longer have to wait and wonder. Paula Abdul’s name is not among them – but there are some surprising names nonetheless, including the first ever big-name politician!

Easily the biggest shock is that former U. S. House Majority Leader Tom DeLay will take a whirl on the dance floor. Fans have become accustomed to seeing some seemingly unlikely competitors on Dancing With the Stars -- broadcasters, technology gurus and professional football players. But who could have imagined that a former U. S. congressman would step outside the political world to resurface in dancing shoes on a television talent show! And, in fact, DeLay is the first politician ever to make the bold move.

DeLay told usatoday, “I really am a big fan of the show. I couldn’t believe they asked me to do this. It didn’t take me five minutes to agree.”

And show’s executive producer Conrad Green expressed his amazement that DeLay agreed to join the celebrity dancers, “I was astonished when he said yes. There (are) no agents or lawyers. He’s in it to have some fun.”

"The entire DeLay family is ecstatic about the Hammer’s transformation to Dancing Machine,” reports the Washington Post – and they say that he actually has dancing talent!

“He’s been working hard all summer trying to get in shape, improve his flexibility, endurance, etc. He’s lost 12 pounds already!,” daughter Dani DeLay Ferro is quoted in the Post article. “He’s taking this very very seriously and we are all sooooo excited! People probably don’t know that he’s a really good dancer!”

She described her eagerness “for America to get to know the funny, caring man that I’ve grown up with and worked for. They won’t know what hit ‘em.”

But DeLay is not a newcomer among Dancing With The Stars show fans. Back in 2007 he “heavily lobbied the show’s viewers to vote for the seemingly wholesome country singer Sara Evans” reported the Post, adding that it all “backfired on the Hammer when Evans quit the show in the midst of a nasty divorce” ….

DeLay is set to begin rehearsal tomorrow in his hometown – Sugar Land, Texas – and in a few weeks will to go Los Angeles to stay there until he is voted off the show or possibly wins.

Some of the announced celebrity dancers had already been rumored to be on board with Dancing With The Stars -- Osbourne family member Kelly Osborne, actress Debi Mazar, pop star Aaron Carter, actor Ashley Hamilton and entertainer Donny Osmond.




As for Osmond, his name has been hinted as a possible dancer since the days when he showed up to cheer on his sister, Marie Osmond, when she was a contestant. Osmond proclaimed on Monday that he would be happy to do half as well as his sister, but then joked that he actually wanted to do even better than she did. “Gotta beat her,” he laughed.

Osmond was actually on the Good Morning America set with Dancing With the Stars host Tom Bergeron when the list was revealed. He said, “What am I thinking about? Here’s the deal. I’m doing a full production show in Las Vegas with Marie every week. What am I thinking? I must be an idiot.”

It was apparent that Osmond is actually excited and eager to dance in the competition. Even though he, like some other contestants, is known to have done a bit of dancing through the years, he is eligible for the show because he lacks training and experience in the ballroom and Latin dance styles.

R&B singer Mya, like DeLay, has a Washington, D.C. connection -- hers is that she was born in the District. She, like Osmond, has done some dancing. She studied tap, performed a solo dance at the Kennedy Center and danced in films, reports examiner.

Model Kathy Ireland expressed her reasoning for joining the celebrity cast, “You’ve gotta face your fears. When you’re afraid of a challenge, you just have to go for it. For me, this is the ultimate challenge. Walking in high heels is an extreme sport.”

And former light-heavyweight champ Chuck Liddell – who said that he likes to dance, but has no dance training – exclaimed that he wants to win the Dancing WithThe Stars competition.

Liddell told ufc.com, “I want to win. I don’t like losing in anything so I’ll work as hard as they’ll let me. … I’m gonna go out, be myself and show what kind of people we do have in this sport. I’m sure the reaction will be mixed (among fight fans). My friends are gonna be excited, and I’ll never hear the end of it because they’ll make fun of me – but it should be fun and I think everyone will like it.”

Iron Chef America host Mark Decascos can probably cook up a tasty turkey, but on Dancing With the Stars the question will be whether he “cook” in a jive, tango or paso doble?

What could possibly be more entertaining than watching a dance-off between a former Congressman, a former light-heavyweight champion, an Iron Chef America host, a former Dallas Cowboy star, an Olympic swimmer and a professional snowboarder -- along with a group of recording artists, models, singers and actors.

Definitely it should be an interesting Dancing WithThe Stars competition!

TOM DeLAY, FORMER HOUSE MAJORITY LEADER, AMONG FINAL EIGHT COMPETITORS NAMED FOR DANCING WITH THE STARS

Tom Bergeron returned to naming the final eight competitiors for the upcoming season of Dancing With The Stars. Perhaps the biggest surprise is "The Hammer" -- former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay.

9. Osbourne family member Kelly Osbourne

10. Actress Debi Mazar

11. Former light-heavyweight champion Chuck "The Iceman" Liddell

12. Olympic swimmer Natalie Coughlin

13. Model Joanna Krupa

14. Snowboarder Louis Vito

15. Pop Star Aaron Carter

And the big surprise 16. Former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay

FIRST EIGHT CELEBRITY DANCERS, INCLUDING DONNY OSMOND

Tom Bergeron this morning on Good Morning America announced the first eight celebrity dancers for the upcoming season of Dancing With the Stars:

1. Model Kathy Ireland

2. Grammy winning Macy Gray

3. Sabrina the Teenage Witch's Melissa Joan Hart

4. Grammy winning R & B artist Mya

5. George Hamilton's son, Actor Ashley Hamilton

6. Wide receiver Michael Irvin

7. Iron Chef America host Mark DeCascos

8. Entertainer Donny Osmond

MONDAY'S DANCING WITH THE STARS LINE-UP ANNOUNCEMENT SHOULD PROVIDE AT LEAST A CLUE OF WHERE PAULA IS HEADING

Obviously, something has Paula Abdul expecting that she will be back to work shortly! With Dancing With The Stars' announcement of new celebrity dancers on Monday, the picture should become clearer as to whether that show and ABC is in her future.

On Twitter, Paula wrote, "I feel like a normal girl getting some time off 2 take care of myself & 2 hang out w/family & friends, but it won't be for long!"

That sounds like Paula knows where she is headed -- and that it will happen soon!

She also wrote, "I've never retired. that's why I've lasted in this business for over 20 yrs. I've only scratched the surface. Hang tight! xoP"

Could hang tight mean that an announcement will come soon?

Paula wrote to a Twitter address with a Ryan Seacrest connection, "Hi honey! I hope your having fun on the road. I guess you're in Boston now. I'm doing great! I miss you all! Big Hug & kiss"

Not sure if this Twitter address was for "the" actual Ryan Seacrest, but Boston sounds like the address might be of someone connected with the show.

On Aug 14th that same address posted some Paula related Tweets: a retweet of Paula's quote, "'The best way out is always through' - Robert Frost." And it had a @PaulaAbdul Follow Friday. And it sent a @PaulaAbdul, "Hang in there kiddo ;)"

Paula also told fans that she was getting medical appointments out of the way. She wrote that she had her teeth cleaned, and added "I was accosted in an underground parking lot with my chiropractor running interference! and it didn't end there! thank god for my officer friend mike who stopped traffic to assist in the great escape"

Paula also wrote that she took her office out to lunch.

Could the lunch have been a celebration -- perhaps of a deal? And were the medical appointments to clear the schedule for upcoming work?

Whatever is going on, Paula seemed in high spirits, writing, "I've having a wonderful weekend!" and "Hope you guys are having a wonderful weekend! What a beautiful day to get outside!"

Leaving Paula's Twitter messages aside, there is word that Paula really wants to be back on American Idol. "Sources connected to Paula Abdul say Miss Paula wants back on 'American Idol," reports TMZ.

"Our sources say Paula's Twitter is retracted -- at least in her mind -- if the price is right. As we first reported, the magic number is $10 million," continues TMZ.

Also, Paula's meetings with ABC "didn't really go anywhere," said TMZ. "She doesn't want to do 'Dancing with the Stars' -- we're told, in no small part, because she wants to be able to jump on a plane at a moment's notice to rejoin her fellow judges on 'Idol.'" As the story goes, Paula also got miffed at the producers of "Ugly Betty" for leaking that they were talking to her about doing the show -- "She's not going to do it now," added TMZ. "As for 'Idol,' as far as we know they've been pretty hard-nosed and haven't contacted her reps, but we're not positive. In the end, we're thinking 'A.I.' isn't gonna let a little Twitter torpedo one of its golden geese."

But TMZ posted an update revealing that Paula was sighted at Boa on Saturday night -- that she "didn't quite know ... whether or not she would be joining 'Dancing with the Stars.' Hmmm ..."

Of course, first American Idol Kelly Clarkson has opined to MTV that she thinks the American Idol/Paula thing is all about "drama" -- and that Paula will return to Idol.

"I totally think they're doing that for drama," Clarkson said. "I know those producers -- they're doing that for drama. She's totally probably going to come back."

So everyone has an opinion and is trying to follow the clues to where Paula will go next.

One clue may come on Monday morning when Dancing With the Stars releases the names of competitors for this season. If Paula's name is not among them, it may be a clue that she has not inked a deal with ABC.

Of course, "So You Think You Can Dance" wants Paula -- so that's a possible job for her.

Oh, and theurbandaily has reported that Paula "is secretly planning to launch her own daytime talk show -- even if her bosses at American Idol met her ... salary demands for the hit show's ninth season."

"Paula is unpredictable and not afraid to speak her mind -- but she also leads from the heart and really connects with people," theurbandaily quotes its source. "Studio execs feel those are the kind of personal attributes that would make her perfect for a daytime talk show."

So the saga continues. Where will Paula go next? What possible deals are in the works -- or even already spelled out in a possible contract deal?

As Paula wrote on Twitter, her time off "won't be for long."

DANCING WITH THE STARS' SURPRISE CONTENDER WILL BE THERE WHEN CELEBRITY LINEUP IS REVEALED ON MONDAY -- WILL THE SURPRISE BE PAULA?

Paula Abdul and ABC entertainment chief Steve McPherson got together on Tuesday afternoon, according to website TMZ.

While no announcements have been made citing a deal between the Network and the former American Idol judge, there are rumors that there might be a "package" that could include Abdul's taking to the dance floor of hit show "Dancing With The Stars."

If such a deal is in the works, there also might be a rush to finalize arrangements because the names of celebrity competitors for the upcoming season on Dancing With the Stars are to be announced on the Good Morning America show on Monday.

And word has come from ABC that one of the contenders is expected to be on hand for an interview following the announcement of celebrity contender names -- heightening the suspicion that Paula and ABC may have a deal and that she will be the surprise contender!

"We're told Paula has a show in mind with her name on it," TMZ added -- so a Dancing With the Stars appearance could be just the beginning of an association between Abdul and ABC.

In addition, there have been rumors that Abdul has agreed to appear as a guest star on an episode of ABC's Ugly Betty.

If all rumors are to be believed, the American Idol judge stint may have actually been just the beginnings of even bigger things for Paula -- including possibly a show of her very own!

La TOYA JACKSON SAYS SHE WILL NOT BE A CELEBRITY ON DANCING WITH THE STARS THIS SEASON

The names of celebrity dancers for the upcoming season of Dancing With the Stars will be announced Monday on Good Morning America. But one name expected not to be on that list is La Toya Jackson.

“I won’t be doing it,” Jackson told Access Hollywood, “simply because of the circumstances going on at the moment.”

Jackson confirmed that she was approached to be one of the celebrity contestants on the dance competition program, but said, “I can’t see putting myself into there right now, dancing every single day when I’m still trying to find out what exactly happened to my brother. That’s the most important thing for me at this moment.”

Jackson said that both she and her mother, Katherine Jackson, love to watch “Dancing With the Stars,” and that her mother would have loved seeing her compete.

“I love that show,” LaToya Jackson told Access Hollywood. “It’ s not only one of my favorite shows, it’s my mother’s as well. They had on television that I was doing it, and she goes, ‘Oh honey! Is that going to be you?’ And I go,’Mother, that’s just a rumor.’ She just perked up! We watch it together.”

But it also appears that American Idol is another of her favorite shows. “I would love to do American Idol,” Jackson revealed. “I would love to be a judge on that show. I think I would do well with Simon.”

DANCING WITH THE STARS ADOPTS NEW SAFETY MEASURES--AUDRINA PATRIDGE UNLIKELY IN CELEBRITY LINEUP

“Dancing With The Stars” are reportedly adding a whole new set of safety measures this season that are aimed at keeping the dancers free from injury, according to reports.

“There will be mandated 30-minute breaks for every two hours of rehearsal, contestants will not be allowed to train for more than five hours daily during the first two weeks and everyone must take off one full day every week,” reports suntimes.com.

Among injuries of contestants, singer Jewel was forced to drop out of the competition when she was diagnosed with fractured tibia in both legs. And Access Hollywood host Nancy O’Dell exited before the competition even began when she suffered a torn meniscus that required surgery.

Professional dancer on the show Cheryl Burke had high praise for the changes, but does think that the five-hour daily limit at the beginning of training should actually be less. “I think it should be four hours,” she told eonline. “Your body still needs to get into it.”

Training for the upcoming Season Nine will begin in less than two weeks. And an announcement of celebrity competitors will be made on Monday on Good Morning America.

One celebrity unlikely to be on the celebrity lineup is Audrina Patridge who reportedly wanted to show her moves on the dance floor, but MTV said no.

“They won’t let Audrina do it,” a source is quoted on Hollyscoop. “They told her it would be impossible because of scheduling conflicts.”

DANCING WITH THE STARS DEREK HOUGH AND MARK BALLAS PARTIED AT HEFNER'S MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM BASH

Dancing With the Stars professional dancers Derek Hough and Mark Ballas, along with Hough’s dancing partner last season Shannon Elizabeth, were among stars who partied with legendary Hugh Hefner and "lingerie-clad" models at the Playboy Mansion on Saturday night.

The annual "Midsummer Night's Dream" party, Hefner's biggest event of the year, was held at the 83-year-old Hef's Hombly Hills home. Men were expected to wear their finest pajamas, while the ladies were to don their skimpiest lingerie.

A total of 800 guests attended the party -- with the mansion said to be decorated in a Greco-Roman style with ostrich feather fans, painted murals and sequins.

Among guests were American Idol’s Ryan Seacrest, Simon Cowell and Randy Jackson, along with other celebrities -- Jon Voight, Jack Osbourne, James Van Der Beek, Justin Chatwin, Bridget Marquardt, Shane West, Crispin Glover, Mark Ballas, Brett Ratner, Ty Pennington, Bill Maher, Garry Marshall, Pauly Shore, Brody Jenner and David Cassidy.

Performances were given by Three 6 Mafia and Sean Kingston.

La TOYA JACKSON MIGHT BE HEADED FOR DANCING WITH THE STARS

La Toya Jackson, sister of pop star Michael Jackson, is the newest celebrity rumored to possibly don dancing shoes for the upcoming season of Dancing With The Stars, according to MTV.

Jackson has reportedly been approached with a firm offer by producers of the popular celebrity dance competition show.

"She's a big fan of the show," her representative reportedly told Us. "And being from a musical family, it would be a good fit."

But so far everyone has been mum on Jackson's answer to the dancing show. Will she or won't she?

If La Toya Jackson has the same kind of dancing talent that her brother, Michael, had, this could possibly be an amazing season!

DANCING WITH THE STARS' MARK BALLAS THINKS THAT PAULA SHOULD JOIN THE SHOW AS A CELEBRITY COMPETITOR

Dancing With the Stars' professional dancer Mark Ballas does not believe that Paula Abdul should be added to that show's already full judging panel, but would like to see her on the show as a dancing celebrity competitor.

Of course, Abdul is meeting with several potential new employers -- and, while Dancing With the Stars executives have said that they would love to add Paula to the show, it remains unclear where she will eventually go or whether she will judge, choreograph, sing and/or dance. And So You Think You Can Dance producer/judge Nigel Lythgoe has been vocal in saying that he would love to have Paula join SYTYCD, probably as a guest judge and choreographer.

At this point, though, it does appear that Abdul will not return to American Idol and is looking at her new options.

"I think we are good with our judges," Dancing With the Stars' Ballas told eonline. "I think she should be on the show as a competitor.

"She would be great as a competitor," he said. "She's a great personality. Everybody loves her, and she makes great TV."

It is unlikely, though, that Abdul will be offered a spot on the Dancing With the Stars judging panel since show executive producer Conrad Green has opined that the judges table is "already full." But he, too, said that he would love to see Paula as a guest judge or as a competitor."

As to whether Abdul would even qualify to be a celebrity dancer instead of considered a professional dancer, Ballas explained, "She can't be a professional because she's not a ballroom or a Latin dancer."

Ballas also said that he does not yet know who he will be paired with this season, but that training will begin with his new partner in two weeks.

DANCING WITH THE STARS WILL BATTLE SYTYCD FOR FANS AS RESULTS SHOWS WILL OVERLAP

Dancing With the Stars will premiere on Sept 22 with 16 celebrity dancers, according to the show’s executive producer Conrad Green. It appears unlikely that American Idol judge Paula Abdul will be sitting at the judges table because Green said that table is “already full” – but he acknowledged that the show would welcome her as a guest judge or even as a competitor.

“This is going to be our biggest-ever cast,” Green confided to ET. “We are going to start big, and then about halfway through we are going to do double eliminations back-to-back. The middle of the season is going to be brutal when half of our cast goes in three weeks.”

There has been a lengthy list of celebrities who have either confirmed that they have been invited to participate as celebrity dancers – or are rumored to be in consideration. But Green is not offering names. Instead, the announcement will be made on the Aug 17 edition of Good Morning America.

Also adding drama to the season, “Dancing With the Stars” and “So You Think You Can Dance” may end up battling for viewers since part each of the results shows will overlap.

In order to accommodate the number of new celebrity dancers, Dancing With the Stars will add professional dancer Anna Demidova. The Russian model has accumulated multiple dance titles, including International Grand Ball 10 Dance Champion, USA Dance National Standard Champion and was two-time U.S. Youth International Standard Champion.

However, it appears that no new professional dancers will be sliding over from “So You Think You Can Dance” as has been the case in past seasons. Chelsie Hightower, Dmitry Chaplin and Lacey Schwimmer are all SYTYCD alumni.

“We were turning into their alumni show," Green laughed, “but we may bring in one or two new faces. We haven’t decided yet whether to bring in new faces or more of our favorites.”

As for Abdul, Green said, “She has never been trained in ballroom and Latin so that (her appearing as a competitor) is a possibility …. It is for Paula to work out. At the moment, the world is her oyster. Everyone wants her. At our show, we are great fans of Paula.”

Green explained that the reason why the show will have an increased number of competitors includes the fact that there is a two-hour time slot to fill and it is important to change the show from season to season. It is expected that fans will see more athletes, including those from sports not formerly represented on the show; some rather eccentric personalities and a couple of celebrities that fans would never expect to be dancing.

DANCING WITH THE STARS SWEETHEARTS HAVE BROKEN UP

Shannon Elizabeth and Derek Hough, who met on “Dancing With The Stars” and began dating shortly after they were paired, announced Friday night on Twitter that their romance has ended.

“Hi everyone, we wanted you all to know directly from us, that Shannon and I have decided to end oour relationship as boyfriend & girlfriend,” Tweeted Hough.
And Elizabeth confirmed with, “however, we love & care about each other very much & will remain friends & in each other’s lives.”

Hough, a former world champion in Latin American dance, taught Elizabeth her routines on the dancing competition show. The brother of former “Dancing With The Stars” professional Julianne Hough, he and Elizabeth finished contest in seventh place.

It seems that Twitter is becoming a popular site for significant announcements. American Idol judge Paula Abdul also notified fans of her departure from that show in a Twitter message.

RUMORS OF SEASON 9 'DANCING WITH THE STARS CELEBRITIES'

With Dancing With the Star's opening segment less than two months away, show fans are anxiously awaiting the list of "celebrities" who will be paired with professional dancers for competition this year.

In fact, typically this is just about the time that the dance show unveils the names of the dancing celebrities.

But in the midst of the wait, there has been plenty of buzz about who might have been invited and who might not have garnered an invite.

Dancing With The Stars' pros Karina Smirnoff and Maksim Chmerkovskiy have supposedly said that they extended an invitation to possibly out-of-work Paula Abdul, recently announced as leaving American Idol. But it was unclear whether the offer was to come and watch in the audience, join as a professional dancer or participate as a celebrity. She seems hardly right for the celebrity dancer role given her extensive dancing and choreography history. But, regardless, there was no mention as to whether she would even be coming anywhere close to the show this year.

Also from American Idol, finalist Adam Lambert's name has been mentioned. But given his heavy touring and recording schedule, it is hard to imagine that he has a moment to spare for dancing.

There has been speculation that Katie Holmes might appear -- having weeks ago donned dancing shoes for a Judy Garland tribute on So You Think You Can Dance. But she seems an unlikely candidate because of a hectic schedule and busy family life. Still, perhaps if SYTYCD was a barrel of fun, she must just surprise and say yes.

Incredible Hulk star Lou Ferrigno has termed a sure thing, but evereone knows that a sure thing never is until it officially is.

And word has been afloat that wedding gown designer and former figure skater Vera Wang is among the list of most likely candidates. She reportedly acknowledged being invited -- and some say accepted.

Next, actor Dean McDermott told etonline that indeed Dancing With the Stars have "expressed an interest in me, and I haven't heard back from them yet so I don't know. We had talks." He also told People, "I'd love to be on Dancing With the Stars." So he seems another strong possibility. And could this be a "couples" year? McDermott added that his wife Tori Spelling gets asked "every year." Will this be the year when she says yes?

Winding down our list, The View co-host Sherri Shepherd mentioned that she, too, was approached -- and was considering the possibility.

Other names tossed into the rumor hat include Olympic gold medalist and pro wrestler Kurt Angle, along with Entourage's Debi Mazar.

Soon the names will come, but in the meantime it is fan's latest guessing game!

JEANINE -- SYTYCD PRINCESS WITH A TENDER HEART

Newly crowned “America’s Favorite Dancer” Jeanine Mason, so often praised for her humor, hard work and sensational dancing, is even more special than perhaps most people realize.

As part of her prize package, Mason will collect $250,000 – which she plans to donate to the charity Making Memories which aids people with Altzheimer’s Disease, according to website Hollyscoop.

Also, during SYTYCD competition Mason frequently donned clothing of designer Peace Love World. While she frequently wore the brand herself, but she “took it upon herself to spread the peace and love by sharing her clothes with her competitors,” said brand creator and designer Alina Villasante to pr.com. The stated mission of this clothing line is to “spread peace, love and happiness everywhere possible and to do so in an environmentally-conscious way that shows how much we love each other and the world in which we live.”

With her outgoing personality, sensational talent and extreme humbleness, it is hard for even fans who supported other dancers to feel disappointed with Mason’s win. But her generosity in the interest of Altzheimers patients and in the interest of peace, love and happiness highlights that there is considerably more her than fans saw on SYTYCD’s performance stage. It highlights her fine character, precious warmth and caring nature.

Upon being voted to the coveted dancing title, the 18-year-old from Pine Crest, Florida told Us, “I feel so humbled and so excited to be here. It’s the best feeling ever just to know that people love what you are doing.”

Indeed, fans love what Jeanine does on dancing stage, but they will likely love even more what she does with her heart! Jeanine Mason is dancing's new royal Princess, but she is also the dancing world's Princess of Tender Heart and Generosity!

"SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE" CROWNS A DANCING PRINCESS

It was a glittering and sparkling moment in the history of So You Think You Can Dance when popular and powerful JEANINE MASON was crowned “America’s Favorite Dancer!”

SYTYCD presented both a show and a winner that sparkled a brilliantly as stars in the universe – or, on a lighter note, as brilliantly as the diamonds adorning judge Mary Murphy on this final dance competition night!

Even on this evening of her coronation, Jeanine appeared a Princess – the most brilliant jewel in a crown of dancing talent!

It was a season with, according to judges, the highest level of talent ever. “A quarter of a billion” votes were cast over the weeks, 21.6 million votes during finale week – and it appeared the SYTYCD kingdom had a Princess who deserved to win!

Quickly fans thrilled that the winner was Jeanine -- popular, powerful, skilled and talented.

As the show progressed, one by one the judges named their favorite dances of the season – and Jeanine was the “girl” in a significant number of those performances! Judge Adam Shankman’s favorite was a hip-hop with Jeanine and Phillip Chbeeg. Mary Murphy’s favorite was a Travis Wall choreographed contemporary kiss routine by Jeanine and Jason Glover. Another Murphy favorite was a paso doble performed by Jeanine and runner-up Brandon Bryant during the grand finale last night!

If there is anything that the evening of exquisite performances proved, it was that a Dancing Princess was crowned on SYTYCD! Hail to the Princess – Princess Jeanine Mason!

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AMERICA LOVES ITS "BOYS-NEXT-DOOR" -- BUT CAN ONE ACTUALLY BEAT THE FRONT-RUNNER AGAIN?

"Boy-next-door" Kris Allen captured America's hearts and surprised America by winning 2009 American Idol. Can the same thing happen on "So You Think You Can Dance?"


The “So You Think You Can Dance” grand finale found four of the nation’s most talented and blooming young dancers competing for what might be the opportunity of a lifetime. On the line is the title of “America’s Favorite Dancer,” along with $250,000 and a cover appearance on Dance Spirit magazine.

Approximately 3,000 people jammed into Hollywood’s Kodak Theatre to witness the most important performance night of the popular dance competition show and to cheer on their favorites. From the thousands who gave their best efforts in show try-outs -- there remained only four, Jeanine Mason, 18, from Pinecrest, FL; Evan Kasprzak, 21, from West Bloomfield, MI; Kayla Radomski, 18, from Aurora, CO and Brandon Bryant, 19, from Salt Lake City, UT.

The highlight of the evening -- that one stand-out moment, though, seemed not to be the dancing, the choreographed routines or even the comments of the judges. It was the moment when the theatre erupted with chants of “Ev-an! Ev-an! Ev-an!”

Whether Evan Kasprzak is the strongest dancer has been debated in Main Street USA coffee shops and online message boards – but, regardless, there is little doubt that he has captured the hearts of America!

The clean-cut, “boy-next-door” has catapulted America, now suffering one of the most difficult economic periods in its history, back to the magical age of Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly – the golden era of Hollywood when musicals dominated at movie theaters and life seemed so much simpler and purer.




Throughout the evening, though, it almost appeared that SYTYCD judges feared that Kasprzak might win the dance competition, just as Kris Allen took the American Idol crown, based more on his personality and likeability than his actual dancing talent. They seemed spellbound to ensure that fans voted for the dancer they deemed technically strongest instead of with their hearts.

On Twitter and the message boards following the finale, fans questioned why the judges were so “mean” to Evan. He had, after all, been voted into the finals – and typically in reality show finals judges highlight contestant’s strengths rather than dwelling on the weaknesses.

But while the SYTYCD judges over and over pointed out Evan’s “good guy” character and massive popularity, they seemed unable to bring themselves to compliment even single elements in his dancing routines. As one Twitter user put it, they "really pounded him."

When Evan performed a Sonya Tayeh choreographed jazz routine with Jeanine, judge Mary Murphy said that the pair “delivered”, but added “Jeanine stood out a little more.” Judge Nigel Lythgoe complimented Jeanine on her strength and personality, but warned Evan that while he was well-loved by the fans, he would have to step up his dancing if he wanted to win.

But when Brandon and Kayla performed, Murphy exclaimed, “You are the front-runners for me.” And Lythgoe went so far as to say, “I think that the show is beginning now.” – an obvious insult to Evan and Jeanine’s routine.

After the finale fans questioned why Evan and Brandon were ever asked to perform a Laurieann Gibson designed “Nasty.” This unquestionably played into the hands of Brandon, and could not have been more outside of the world of Evan. Even the judges acknowledged that this put Evan at a disadvantage. Murphy quipped, “Evan, what is the nastiest thing you have ever done?” Evan joked that there were too many “nasty” things to list – and the audience roared. But the judges all agreed that Evan did not have a “nasty” bone in his body and had never done a “nasty” thing in his life.

Evan’s best chance to shine and extract praise from the judges came with his solo. While this was likely not his strongest ever, again the judges took full advantage of the opportunity to criticize more than praise. Choreographer/judge Adam Shankman pointed out that this routine was a slightly altered version of his audition piece -- and shook his Head. Murphy at least praised Evan for reintroducing America to the Fred Astaire/Gene Kelly style of dancing, but had little to say of his performance. And Lythgoe delivered the ultimate stinger when he, after saying that America had fallen in love with Evan, asserted that Evan is not as good as strong as Brandon and Jeanine.

The situation did not improve for Evan. After he jived across the dance floor with Kayla, Shankman exclaimed that he unsure that this was a finale level routine – it “didn’t reach out to me.” Murphy called the routine was strong, but said that the dancing was not -- adding, “Kayla, you stole the show.” And Lythgoe finally did compliment, saying that both dancers came out with guns blazing.

But as the show progressed toward the final dance, fans probably expected that the final comments for Brandon and Jeanine would be strong. The pair was gifted with a paso doble that played right into their hands since strength is considered among their highest attributes.

The judges to their feet for Brandon and Jeanine -- and the audience cheered. There was the sense that the judges got exactly what they wanted from what seemed their favorite dancers. Shankman complimented the transitions, intensity and movement. Murphy could not contain herself, awarding her famous scream over and over and over again. Lythgoe placed his hands over his ears as a protection from Murphy's high-volume shrieks. And then Lythgoe offered that Brandon was “like a race horse snorting to get out of the stall, and she was ready for it.” He concluded his critique with the final words, “You two are the front-runners!”

SYTYCD judges opined that Evan has captured the hearts of the nation -- and they seemed all the tougher on him because of his popularity.

If the judges have their way, clearly only Brandon or Jeanine are in real contention for the coveted title of “America’s Favorite Dancer.”

But the question remains, what will America do? Will Brandon, who garnered clearly the highest praise from the judges all evening long, walk away with the coveted title? Will either Jeanine or Kayla, shining stars all season, be crowned? Or will fans ignore SYTYCD judges and vote with their hearts? SYTYCD fans wait for the answer!

In viewing several online polls, it appears that the judges may get their way -- since Brandon and Jeanine are generally leading. But it was also expected that Adam Lambert would be crowned 2009 American Idol, and instead the nation chose "boy-next-door" Kris Allen. Can a "boy-next-door" also surprise and win SYTYCD?

PAULA ABDUL TO MEET WITH "SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE" EXEC TO DISCUSS POSSIBILITY OF HER JOINING THE SHOW

So You Think You Can Dance executive producer Nigel Lythgoe is not about to pass up a great opportunity! Nabbing Paula Abdul as judge and choreographer would be a real coup for the popular dance competition show.

Weeks ago Lythgoe opined that Fox would no doubt reach an agreement with Abdul because they would be crazy to let her go -- but that is exactly what Fox did.

Within hours of the announcement that Paula was exiting American Idol, Lythgoe and Paula arranged to meet to discuss the possibility of her joining SYTYCD.

"She's on the East Coast at this moment in time," Lythgoe revealed to LA Times. "Hopefully we're going to meet this weekend in Vegas. We go out to do our Vegas Week this week, and Paula's gonna come out there and we'll sit down and talk about what opportunities are available -- if I can afford her."

Lythgoe hailed Abdul's talent and qualifications as a dancer, choreographer and reality show judge. "I don't know anyone more qualified than Paula Abdul," he enthused.

Lythgoe said that he and Abdul did not discuss her contract negotiations with Idol executives. "All we discussd is that, yes, this is the situation at the moment -- and she may well be free to come and join us on SYTYCD," he told LATimes.

Lythgoe has also been vocal that Fox's contract negotiations with host Ryan Seacrest and judge Simon Cowell should have remained private. "That would have aggrieved anybody else and you'd want more money, I would think, when you see those numbers," he told LA Times. "Negotiatons should be held behind closed doors ... no embarrassment on either party."

American Idol fans let it be known that they saw no need for four judges after Kara DioGuardi was added to the panel last season. Shows became rushed in order to squeeze in comments from four judges -- and still critiques on the latest appearing contestants were rushed and show on occasion interfered with other programming.

"I'm not a fan of four judges," Lythgoe he told the Times. "I don't mind it as guest judges, but when it is every week you run out of time as you well know. My Tivo didn't like the fact there were four judges. I also didn't like the fact that on some weeks Simon didn't get to critique some of the singers. And, to be frank, I wanted to hear what he's got to say about everybody. So it made no sense to me to put a fourth judge in there.

"Plus, without question, for me, it lost some of its chemistry," Lythgoe told Times. He said that Randy Jackson, Paula and Simon "are the true ingredients of great judging. They're historic now. Whenever judges are discussed on reality shows, they are the ones you want to emulate. They're the ones whose names will be written in history books of televison."

And Lythgoe opined that the chemistry between Abdul and Cowell cannot be duplicated. If Kara begins to act as Paula did, he doesn't think that fans will accept it as real.


Among messages posted on Twitter with respect to Abdul joining SYTYCD:

"Paula would be a wonderful addition to SYTYCD!! But don't replace @HOTtamaleTRAIN cuz the show would bite without her."

"If you're watchinng SYTYCD now, admit it! Wouldn't Paula Abdul be a great judge instead of the revolving choreos?"

"U r so loved Paula! If not on Idol u should totally be on SYTYCD!"

"Agree they need some Paula Abdul on the show."

And, "I hope Paula Abdul agrees to Nigel's proposition."

PAULA ABDUL INVITED TO BE GUEST JUDGE/CHOREOGRAPHER ON "SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE"

It appears that departing American Idol judge Paula Abdul will not need to search "Help Wanted" ads or pound the pavement to find a new judging opportunity! So You Think You Can Dance executive producer and judge Nigel Lythgoe, at Tuesday night's taping of the dance competition finale, repeated his invitation for Paula to become a guest judge and choreographer on the show, according to sources.

Lythgoe, former executive producer of American Idol, had previously opined that Fox would be crazy to let Paula go -- and should contract negotiations between Fox and Abdul completely break down, SYTYCD would happily take advantage by inviting her to join their cast.
Abdul, equally as famous for dancing and choreography as for singing, has worked with many celebrities, including Janet Jackson.

"We've certainly invited her here," Lythgoe told MTV. "And we've invited her to do some choreography this season as well. We just haven't been able to get it together at the moment, obviously because negotiations with Fox have been at the top of her mind."

Abdul was reportedly earning between $2 million and $3 million for her American Idol stint -- and wanted a raise with any new contract. American Idol presented her with an offer that she "didn't like at all," a source said according to TMZ. Abdul countered AI's offer -- but the show's executives would not agree to her request so sent a counter offer to her.

"Rather than responding to the second offer, Paula shocked everyone by tweeting her goodbye," reported TMZ. "The weirdest thing ... 'AI' took the tweet seriously and responded with an official sayonara."

However, Paula maintained frequent contact with her fans through messages on Twitter. She revealed that she wanted to return to Idol, but "I hope you can understand that I can only return to Idol if the deal is fair."

Rumors flew that after host Ryan Seacrest inked a $45 million contract with the show and Simon was in talks for a contract with big numbers, Abdul wanted a significant salary increase. Adding to this speculation, Lythgoe said, "I'd never been involved in negotiations when I was with the show (American Idol), but having spoken with (Fox president of alternative programming) Mike Darnell, I know Fox wants to keep Paula. The figures that have been quoted for Simon and Ryan are great figures. I don't know if they're true, but Paula seeing those figures would make her pretty upset."

So it appears that Paula finally decided that it was time to move on. In her final messages to her fans on Twitter, she wrote, "It is with sadness in my heart, I've decided not to return to #IDOL. I'll miss nurturing all the new talent, but most of all being a part of a show that I helped from day 1 become an international phenomenon."

But with the SYTYCD offer on the table, it doesn't seem that Paula's days of nurturing young talent are necessarily over. Fans wanted her back on American Idol, but the suspicion is that they will equally enjoy watching her display her judging and choreography skills on the popular dance competition show!

'HULK' OF A MAN MAY BE HEADING TO "DANCING WITH THE STARS" STAGE

Another new star -- actually a "hulk" of a man -- has been added to the list of celebrities who may be heading for the dance floor of "Dancing With The Stars" next season.

It may be difficult to imagine a a large, burly man gracefully gliding to a lovely waltz, but that task may await Incredible Hulk star Lou Ferrigno who is reported among the shows new recruits, according to Life & Style.

"I had a good meeting with the producers for Dancing With the Stars," Ferrigno told theinsider. "It was really positive, and they loved the idea of having me on the show. I've never done that type of dancing before, so I know that I'll have to train hard. I'm a glutton for punishment, so I'll give it my best shot."

DANCING WITH THE STARS ALUM MARIO LOPEZ TO HOST "AMERICA'S BEST DANCE CREW"

Mario Lopez, who charmed audiences with his dimpled smile and dancing moves on the third season of "Dancing with the Stars," will host the premiere of MTV's reality dance competition, "America's Best Dance Crew" airing on Sunday evening.

"America's Best Dance Crew," presented by American Idol host Randy Jackson, features teams of dancers from across the U.S. who perform energetic choreography in styles including hip hop, pop-and-lock and even clogging.

Lopez, who early-on garnered fans' attention on "Saved by the Bell," is well prepared for his hosting duties, having already stood at the helm of the 2009 Miss America Pageant and entertainment news show "Extra." And hosting a dance competition should also be a natural for the easy-stepping Lopez who was a fan favorite in his stint as a contestant on Dancing with the Stars."

Lopez opined that hosting comes easy to him, and "it's just fun. I like hosting, whether it's dinner parties at my house or national TV shows. I just like people. Filling in on 'Regis and Kelly' or 'Larry King Live,' it comes very natural."

As for his ability on the dance floor, Lopez commented, "I've always loved music and loved to dance, whether it is at a wedding or a club. I just sort of love to move, but I never really had any aspirations (for becoming a dancer). When I was a kid, Mom put me into a bunch of activities. I was hyper."

With Lopez' extensive hosting experience and weeks of impressing on the Dancing With the Stars dance floor, Lopez will no doubt prove the perfect choice to host "America's Best Dance Crew."