Maybe it’s just my circle of friends, but I know more gay people who watch Dancing with the Stars than all other reality competition shows combined — with the exception of Project Runway and RuPaul’s Drag Race (hello!!??!). I’ve caught the show on occasion myself, though I’m not nearly as devoted to it as my friends. Still, even since Lance Bass was on, I do wait with anticipation for the big reveal of the cast to see what gays might be participating.
I’m usually disappointed.
But there always is some excitement anyway, just to see what hotties, horrors and “hmmmm”s the producers recruit.
The main hotties this year, of course, is former Disney Channel star Corbin Bleu (pictured — sigh); and Brant Daughtery, best known for appearing on the ABC Family series Pretty Little Liars (directed, interestingly enough, by former North Texan Norman Buckley, the gay brother of B’way star Betty Buckley). Former Dallas Cowboy player Keyshawn Johnson is also on deck, but the other men — Jack Osbourne, Bill Nye (the Science Guy) and Bill Engval — won’t be swoons from me.
Glee star Amber Riley is a gay fave among the women, but there are other gayish icons as well: Actress Valerie Harper (who, earlier this year, was expected to die soon from cancer, only to go into remission), Showgirls star Elizabeth Berkley and “Snooki” Polizzi (who, let’s face it, is basically a drag queen). Former Scientologist Leah Remini and singer Christina Milian round out the cast.
The season premiere is on Sept. 16.
