Let the DWTS season nine buzz officially begin! ABC has unveiled the latest cast of "Dancing With The Stars," and no, LaToya Jackson isn't on the list. While I'll leave it to others to assess each contestant's potential talents at twirling and hoofing, let's check the "star" quality of each new DWTSer:
- Aaron Carter: a couple of platinum albums, TV, Broadway, Backstreet brother. Yeah, okay.
- Ashley Hamilton: son of George Hamilton, married to Shannen Doherty for about 12 minutes. No.
- Chuck Liddell: UFC Mixed Martial Arts champ and Hall of Famer. Great athletes have always been a part of the show's mix (and usually done well), and it'll be interesting to see whether MMA fans tune into DWTS. Great choice.
- Debi Mazar: more fun for the Entourage fans on this blog, though I'm old enough to remember her from GoodFellas and L.A. Law. Not exactly a star, but well-known enough.
- Donny Osmond: great pick! Just don't faint.
- Joanna Krupa: Maxim magazine calls the Polish-born model one of the sexiest women in the world. Does that make her a star? No. Do I care? No.
- Kathy Ireland: supermodel turned CEO of a billion-dollar design business... and she was the kicker in Necessary Roughness! Score!
- Kelly Osbourne: well, she's a reality TV star, and she'll undoubtedly be entertaining. Okay.
- Louie Vito: the snowboarder isn't as well-known as Liddell, but I suppose the same athlete principle applies.
- Macy Gray: I guess this is part of her latest comeback attempt. She's a Grammy winner, so sure.
- Mark Dacascos: he's the host of Iron Chef America and a Kung Fu champ, so he could be an interesting addition - especially if he and Liddell throw down after Chuck makes fun of Mark's Food Network gig.
- Melissa Joan Hart: she's starred in TV shows and movies, and with two young children, she figures to draw a good chunk of the mom vote.
- Michael Irvin: talented, egomaniacal athlete who can't keep his mouth shut. FANTASTIC selection.
- Mya: multi-talented performer (singing, dancing, acting), plus she also has the one-name thing going for her, which is nice.
- Natalie Coughlin: yet another athlete, and perhaps the most acclaimed of the bunch - 11 Olympic medals in swimming. Can she take the DWTS gold like gymnast Shawn Johnson?
- Tom DeLay: well, he's... wait, what?!? The former House Majority Leader? He's not even a star in DC anymore. Maybe producers told the bookers "get us The Hammer" and they misunderstood.
Okay, start arguing - what do you think of this season's cast?