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| Hosts Tom Bergeron and Brooke Burke-Charvet, above, with their all-stars |
BEVERLY HILLS, CA–ABC had seven of the 12 competitors for Dancing with the Stars: All-Stars before critics Friday at press tour–but only one got the lion’s share of the questions.
Bristol Palin was asked about everything from her family’s growing involvement in reality television to would she dance with a gay partner to why she is doing this at all.
The 21-year-old’s answers had critics debating later if she was overly media trained or not media trained at all. In any event, the way she danced around questions, you’d have to give the edge to Palin in this all-star edition of DWTS.
“God provides opportunities like this,” was her favourite answer. Some in the room wondered if God maybe wasn’t more wrapped up in more important things–like getting a deal done with the cast of Modern Family.
It was suggested during the session that, aside from the Kardashians, the Palins may now be the first family of reality programing. Bristol is already starring in her own Lifetime reality series Life’s a Tripp. Mom Sarah–the centre of attention at an earlier TCA gathering–continues to be a featured commentator on Fox News. Dad Todd is among the contestants on NBC’s Stars Earn Stripes.
The Palin factor was so sweeping at the DWTS session that poor Pamela Anderson only got one question throughout the entire press conference. What’s a girl to do?
The 12 All-Star competitors are: Kirstie Alley, Pamela Anderson, Helio Castroneves, Joey Fatone, Shawn Johnson, Drew Lachey, Gilles Marini, Kelly Monaco, Apolo Anton Ono, Bristol Palin, Melissa Rycroft, Emmett Smith. A 13th contestant will be chosen by fans from among three other past performers: Sabrina Bryan, Carson Kressley and Kyle Massey.
Six of the returnees won the Mirror Ball trophy the first go-round: soap star Monaco (the first winner), Lachey, Smith, Ohno, Castroneves and Johnson.
An ad showing Kressley campaigning for votes was shown up on the ballroom screens. Shouldn’t the other two get equal time?
After the session, most of the all stars busted a move for the exits. Lachey stuck around and chatted, as did the producer, but all the others were whisked out the side doors. ABC continues to live down to its well-earned TCA reputation as the most locked down network where media access is concerned.
Dancing with the Stars: All-Stars premieres Sept. 24 on ABC and CTV.
