When the list of celebrities was released for season 5 of Dancing with the Stars, some critics were underwhelmed, and BuddyTV's own John Kubicek calling out the addition of model Albert Reed in particular as especially preposterous because the show is for “D-list celebrities to try to revive their drowning careers. Albert Reed is not on the D-list. He's not on any list.”

With a cast that garnered this response, you might think that ABC is having to dig pretty deep to try to find anybody to actually compete, but apparently there are still some ABC and Disney personalities who are clamoring to join the show.

The New York Post reports that more TV stars are becoming “very vocal” about wanting to join the show.

Paige Hemmis, the carpenter from Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, has said, "It's not if I do Dancing With The Stars…it's when. The only reason I couldn't do it this time was that we're in the middle of our shooting schedule. But maybe by next spring, I'll be in the clear."

Chris Harrison, host of The Bachelor, also wants to participate, but unlike Paige, it's not just his shooting schedule that conflicts; it's actually the airing of his show. "I'd do it in a heartbeat…I'm a big fan and it seems like so much fun…[but] they said it would be awkward if I was on a show that led into my own show.”

Sabrina Bryan's friend and fellow Disney star Corbin Bleu says he'd also like to give the competition a shot, but it would appear that a particular piece of his dance training might put him out of the running. Sabrina Bryan's had a lot of dance training, but it would appear that it's specifically ballroom training that's the problem.

"I'd love to do [Dancing with the Stars],” Corbin said. “I'd go out there and mambo…[but] I don't know if they'd actually allow me to because I've trained in ballroom for two years and I know they don't want that. The whole point is to show people learning to ballroom dance."

Of course, all of the celebrities with this reported hankering to give Dancing with the Stars a try are all also employed by the same company that produces it, so the skeptical might question how sincere their desire truly is. Nevertheless, the show's continued popularity indicates that if more stars want to put their dancing shoes on, there are viewers at home waiting to tune in.


- Leslie Seaton, BuddyTV Staff Columnist
Source: New York Post
(Image courtesy of ABC)