# Dancing with the Stars -- DWTS -- Spring 2012 **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 28, 2012, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dancing-with-the-stars-dwts-spring-2012/614253 "2012-02-28T14:05:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2012, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dancing-with-the-stars-dwts-spring-2012/614253/1 "2012-02-28T14:05:40Z")
The cast has been announced, with partners: Jack Wagner (partnered with Anna) William Levy (Cheryl) Maria Menounos (Derek) Gavin Degraw (Karina) Jaleel White (Kim) Melissa Gilbert (Maks) Katherine Jenkins (Mark) Donald Driver (Peta) Martina Navratilova (Tony) Gladys Knight (Tristan) Sherri Shepherd (Val) Glad Tristan will be back. Jaleel White could be fun. Martina – she’ll go early. Several people I don’t know – Disney stars, I’m guessing. (The [link](http://abc.go.com/shows/dancing-with-the-stars/pro-dancers/ThemeGallery/845179)focused on the pros.) ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2012, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dancing-with-the-stars-dwts-spring-2012/614253/2 "2012-02-28T14:08:26Z")
Just noticed – no Lacey! ---
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2012, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dancing-with-the-stars-dwts-spring-2012/614253/3 "2012-02-28T14:23:23Z")
Holy crap, I only recognize three names on that list. Usually I score around six. My ongoing fade from cultural literacy continues. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2012, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dancing-with-the-stars-dwts-spring-2012/614253/4 "2012-02-28T14:26:29Z")
Jaleel White was Urkel, if that helps. ---
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2012, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dancing-with-the-stars-dwts-spring-2012/614253/5 "2012-02-28T14:50:38Z")
> [@twickster](#): > > Jaleel White was Urkel, if that helps. Not familiar with the character, I’m afraid. Also, for a moment there, I confused William Levy with Eugene Levy, who (IMHO) would have been awesome to have on the series. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2012, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dancing-with-the-stars-dwts-spring-2012/614253/6 "2012-02-28T15:02:29Z")
> [@El\_Kabong](#): > > Holy crap, I only recognize three names on that list. Usually I score around six. Welcome to the club. They need to rename the show “Dancing With the Barely-Known Semi-Celebrities.” ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2012, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dancing-with-the-stars-dwts-spring-2012/614253/7 "2012-02-28T15:08:12Z")
I know all but four – William Levy, Gavin Degraw, Katherine Jenkins, Donald Driver – and also know that that’s a sad freakin’ commentary on my pop cultural tastes. ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2012, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dancing-with-the-stars-dwts-spring-2012/614253/8 "2012-02-28T15:22:13Z")
I scored 5 out of 11 on name recognition – the “old fogeys” (Jaleel White, Gladys Knight, Melissa Gilbert and Martina Navratilova) plus Melissa Menounos. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2012, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dancing-with-the-stars-dwts-spring-2012/614253/9 "2012-02-28T15:23:19Z")
> [@El\_Kabong](#): > > Holy crap, I only recognize three names on that list. Usually I score around six. My ongoing fade from cultural literacy continues. This disconnect is the producer’s, not yours. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2012, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dancing-with-the-stars-dwts-spring-2012/614253/10 "2012-02-28T15:36:21Z")
Apparently there \*is \*a 12th “star”: Disney property Roshon Fegan. Donald Driver is an NFL player, Gavin Degraw a singer-songwriter, William Levy a telenovela star, and Katherine Jenkins an operatic singer. [Link](http://yhoo.it/wu1ALZ). ---
**Author:** ![amarinth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3be4f8/32.png) [@amarinth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarinth)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2012, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dancing-with-the-stars-dwts-spring-2012/614253/11 "2012-02-28T15:42:25Z")
I only knew 5. But based on my 2 minutes of online research and never having seen any of them dance and not being entirely certain who half the cast is - I’m guessing Gavin Degraw )_country_ singer songwriter) and William Levy (telenovelas. soap stars do well) will both end up in the top 4. ---
**Author:** ![charmstr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/53a042/32.png) [@charmstr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/charmstr)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2012, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dancing-with-the-stars-dwts-spring-2012/614253/12 "2012-02-28T15:56:39Z")
I only know Katherine Jenkins because she was a co-star (along with Michael Gambon, the guy who played Dumbledore) on the Doctor Who Christmas show a couple years ago. I’ve also seen her on the Graham Norton show. She’s very attractive and seems pleasant and down-to-earth. Oh, and you should check out the picture you get when you google “Katherine Jenkins wardrobe malfunction.” I mean, yes, I suppose if you look really hard you can see her nipple, but the really interesting thing is the idea that an opera singer puts on concert tour stage shows that Cirque du Soliel (or Pink’s Funhouse tour). ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2012, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dancing-with-the-stars-dwts-spring-2012/614253/13 "2012-02-28T16:12:18Z")
Roshon’s partner is Chelsie Hightower, according to Twitter. ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2012, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dancing-with-the-stars-dwts-spring-2012/614253/14 "2012-02-28T16:55:54Z")
Has Edyta officially quit? ☹ I’m surprised to see Maks back – it looked like he was trying to commit career suicide last season. I think I recognized 5 names too, but that doesn’t matter. The fun of the show has nothing to do with the fame of the contestants. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2012, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dancing-with-the-stars-dwts-spring-2012/614253/15 "2012-02-28T17:03:50Z")
We must have stole Katherine Jenkins from Strictly Come Dancing. She’s a Welsh mezzo-soprano and pretty big in classical music. I first learned of her from Doctor Who. DWTS scored Gladys Knight? :eek: That’s got to be the biggest star they ever signed. Hope the Pips taught her a few moves back in the day. Melissa Gilbert has been on my wish list for a long time. I’m glad they made that happen. Sherri Shepherd shots The View in NY? That means NY rehearsals and Red Eyes back & forth to LA. That didn’t work too well for Wendy Williams. ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_T-Cups](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed655f/32.png) [@Sir\_T-Cups](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_T-Cups)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2012, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dancing-with-the-stars-dwts-spring-2012/614253/16 "2012-02-28T17:12:31Z")
Donald Driver is gonna be on there?!? Cool!! As a Green Bay Packers fan that excites me. Hopefully he does well, he’s great for TV ---
**Author:** ![Corcaigh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Corcaigh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Corcaigh)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2012, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dancing-with-the-stars-dwts-spring-2012/614253/17 "2012-02-28T17:18:23Z")
I’m not American, but I tend to know more of the celebs in DwtS than I do in SCD. This season I know who these 5 people are… Jack Wagner (partnered with Anna) Melissa Gilbert (Maks) Katherine Jenkins (Mark) Martina Navratilova (Tony) Gladys Knight (Tristan) The others I might recognise, but not know their names. What I always find hilarious is that Len is the Bad Guy judge, whereas on SCD he’s one of the nicer ones! ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2012, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dancing-with-the-stars-dwts-spring-2012/614253/18 "2012-02-28T17:47:04Z")
Louis is out again this season. I miss him. Good thing he started LA Blast. He’s very busy traveling and teaching new instructors for that exercise program. Lacey’s out too. She’s been busy filling in at her Dad’s dance studio. He had a heart attack right after dwts ended last year. He’s doing better but obviously not 100%. Always glad to see Chelsie Hightower back. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2012, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dancing-with-the-stars-dwts-spring-2012/614253/19 "2012-02-28T17:56:27Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > Lacey’s out too. She’s been busy filling in at her Dad’s dance studio. He had a heart attack right after dwts ended last year. He’s doing better but obviously not 100%. God, I hope that lively performance with Chaz didn’t do him in! ---
**Author:** ![Diceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Diceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diceman)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2012, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dancing-with-the-stars-dwts-spring-2012/614253/20 "2012-02-28T17:59:36Z")
I only recognize 3 of them: Jaleel White, Gladys Knight and Martina Navratilova. The only one I’m even marginally curious about is Jaleel White. I’d say the show is scraping the bottom of the barrel, but they broke through the bottom a few years ago, and are now digging a hole underneath it. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dancing-with-the-stars-dwts-spring-2012/614253.md?page=2)