Posted Sep 16th 2009 1:45PM by TMZ Staff
So every season of "Dancing with the Stars" TMZ puts its intrepid spies to work -- and this year they are on top of it as ever.
The Diva: Multiple sources on the show say Macy Gray is hands down the most difficult. As one source put it, "She doesn't want to be there" and she has "regrets" she signed on. Another source says she gets so frustrated she leaves rehearsal early -- once after only 10 minutes. We're told another time she blew off a rehearsal altogether. As that source says, "She's just going through the motions and doesn't want to be there."
The Worst: We're told Ashley Hamilton -- George's son -- is not only the worst, he's "painful to watch"
The Best: This one is tougher to call. We're told Donny Osmond, Aaron Carter and Mya are all contenders, but the big surprise is UFC legend Chuck Liddell. Our spies say he's really good and practices like a mutha. One source says he gets to practice early and shuts the place down, with 6 hour, uninterrupted power sessions. And get this -- we're told he's already lost 20 lbs.
The Most Fun: "Iron Chef" host Mark Dacascos by a mile. We're told he's endlessly entertaining, he's having a blast and he's using his martial arts skills to shake it up.
Filed under: Dancing with the Stars, Exclusives, Chuck Liddell
Tags: aaron carter, AaronCarter, ashley hamilton, AshleyHamilton, chuck liddell, ChuckLiddell, dancing with the stars, DancingWithTheStars, diva, donny osmond, DonnyOsmond, DWTS, iron chef, IronChef, macy gray, MacyGray, mark dacascos, MarkDacascos, mya, the best, the worst, TheBest, TheWorst
Posted Sep 14th 2009 12:42AM by TMZ Staff
It's hard to imagine someone being so upset over there not being a new Aaron Carter album that they'd sue -- but alas, there is.
According to a lawsuit filed back in April, a company named Signature Networks won a judgment against Spectra Music for failing to deliver a new Aaron Carter album -- Signature was supposed to handle merchandising.
But here's the thing -- Spectra has gone kaput and Signature can't collect the $574,169.17 judgment. So now they're going after Aaron and his parents (since he was a minor at the time of the deal).
Signature wants what they're owed, plus costs.
Filed under: Celebrity Justice, Dancing with the Stars, Exclusives
Tags: aaron carter, AaronCarter, dancing with the stars, DancingWithTheStars, lawsuit, signature networks, SignatureNetworks, spectra
Posted Sep 9th 2009 10:15AM by TMZ Staff
She's a two-time winner on "Dancing with the Stars," but it was Julianne Hough's pup who showed off stellar movements on a lawn at LAX yesterday.
It takes a mean Quickstep to maneuver around Julianne's pooch.
Filed under: Paparazzi Photo, Critters, Dancing with the Stars
Tags: Dancing with the stars, DancingWithTheStars, dog, Julianne Hough, JulianneHough
Posted Sep 3rd 2009 12:30PM by TMZ Staff
UFC fighter and bar star Chuck Liddell says he's going cold turkey on drinking -- because he doesn't want it to interfere with his exhausting "Dancing with the Stars" training schedule.
That never stopped Cheryl Burke ...
Filed under: Dancing with the Stars, Chuck Liddell
Tags: chuck liddell, ChuckLiddell, dancing with the stars, DancingWithTheStars
Posted Aug 12th 2009 2:00AM by TMZ Staff
Paula Abdul isn't missing a beat. Our spies say she spent part of the afternoon yesterday with ABC entertainment honcho Steve McPherson.
We're told Stevie M. wants Paula to be a contestant on "Dancing With the Stars" in the worst way. We're told there was talk of making her a guest judge but that's not gonna happen, and we know why. Paula and Carrie Ann Inaba don't get along.
But McPherson, who's friends with Paula, wants more from her than "Dancing." There's talk of Paula doing a guest appearance on "Ugly Betty." And we're told Paula has a show in mind with her name on it.
As for that other show ... "American Idol" we think it's called ... Paula is not shutting the door. $10 million, and she's theirs.
Stay tuned...
Filed under: TV, American Idol, Dancing with the Stars, Exclusives
Tags: american idol, AmericanIdol, dancing with the stars, DancingWithTheStars, paula abdul, PaulaAbdul, stephen mcpherson, StephenMcpherson
Posted Aug 8th 2009 1:18AM by TMZ Staff
You would think the couple that tweets together, stays together -- but alas, it is not so.
Derek Hough and Shannon Elizabeth posted matching Tweets last night announcing their breakup. The couple first met when they were partnered together during season six of "Dancing with the Stars."
One of them will probably drown their sorrows at the poker table, while the other will probably spend the day at the hair salon.
Filed under: Break-Ups, TV, Dancing with the Stars
Tags: breakup, dancing with the stars, DancingWithTheStars, derek hough, DerekHough, shannon elizabeth, ShannonElizabeth
Posted Jul 15th 2009 1:43AM by TMZ Staff
Two physically disabled people are suing "Dancing with the Stars," claiming the show's studio is so disabled-unfriendly a cameraman threatened to run over a service dog.
Robert Carr and Arnie Pike claim in a new lawsuit they went to CBS Television City in L.A. last March to watch the show. Carr is a double amputee who is confined to a wheelchair. Arnie Pike is a quadriplegic who also requires a wheelchair.
The men claim they arrived with two companions and a service dog and were forced to watch as the majority of the audience was let in ahead of them.
The suit claims the studio has no "designated accessible seating for persons with disabilities." They claim the staff has "a policy of placing disabled persons where they cannot be seen by the camera or the public."
According to the suit, Pike was placed behind several rows of seats where he could not even see the action on the stage. The worst slight of all -- allegedly -- "his service dog was placed in the aisle where the camera man threatened to run over the dog."
The suit -- which also lists CBS as a defendant -- claims "Dancing" violates the Americans with Disabilities Act and asks for an order forcing the show to institute disabled-friendly policies. The plaintiffs also want damages.
Filed under: TV, Dancing with the Stars
Tags: cbs, dancing with the stars, DancingWithTheStars, disabled, dog, DWTS, lawsuit, service dog, ServiceDog, wheelchair
Posted Jun 7th 2009 1:23AM by TMZ Staff
They may seem like two wholesome guys who sit around on a Friday night playing boardgames -- but "Dancing with the Stars'" Mark Ballas and Derek Hough hit up Bank nightclub in Las Vegas like a pair of seasoned pros ... and without that stupid tambourine!
Filed under: TV, Hot Vegas, Dancing with the Stars, Photo Galleries
Tags: dancing with the stars, DancingWithTheStars, derek hough, DerekHough, las vegas, LasVegas, mark ballas, MarkBallas
Posted May 20th 2009 11:23AM by TMZ Staff
Shawn Johnson won "Dancing with the Stars" last night -- but in more important news, she just banked $365,000 doing it. Repeat: THREE HUNDRED AND SIXTY FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS.
We got a hold of Shawn's "Dancing" contract a while back, which stated she would bank $125,000 up front, then incremental paychecks that topped off at $50k a week for the last 2 episodes.
That's a lotta cheese...
Filed under: TV, Dancing with the Stars, Shawn Johnson
Tags: Dancing with the Stars, DancingWithTheStars, DWTS, Shawn Johnson, ShawnJohnson, winner
Posted May 15th 2009 8:30AM by TMZ Staff
When not "Dancing with the D-list Stars," Karina Smirnoff likes to flash her gorgeous golden limbs playing miniature golf and arcade games.
The 31-year-old babe and her fiance -- fellow Ukranian "Dancing" pro Maksim Something-or-Other -- amused themselves in Sherman Oaks yesterday.
Filed under: Paparazzi Photo, TV, Beauty, Hot Bodies, Dancing with the Stars
Tags: dancing with the stars, DancingWithTheStars, Karina Smirnoff, KarinaSmirnoff, Maksim
Posted May 5th 2009 9:09AM by TMZ Staff
Melissa Rycroft and partner Tony Dovolani got a perfect score last night on "Dancing with the Stars" -- but was the score for their dance, or Melissa's left breast, which made a surprise appearance towards the end of the routine.
Listen carefully -- after ending the routine by jumping on the judges booth, Melissa gets flustered and clearly says "My boob came out!"
Unfortunately, the camera dude missed the money shot...
Filed under: TV, Dancing with the Stars
Tags: boob, breast, dancing with the stars, dwts, melissa rycroft, tony dovolani, video, wardrobe malfunction
Posted Apr 27th 2009 1:16PM by TMZ Staff
A preliminary hearing has been set for the trial of Robert O'Ryan -- the man accused of stalking Shawn Johnson.
O'Ryan and his impressive gathering of chin hair appeared in L.A. County Criminal Court today -- where a judge set the date for June 11.
O'Ryan faces three charges for the March incident -- one felony count of stalking and two misdemeanor counts of carrying a loaded firearm in a vehicle.
Filed under: Celebrity Justice, TV, Dancing with the Stars, Shawn Johnson
Tags: DWTS, robert oryan, RobertOryan, shawn johnson, ShawnJohnson, stalker, stalking, trial
Posted Apr 24th 2009 1:31PM by TMZ Staff
This dude in a Des Moines piano bar had Shawn Johnson as red as the #3 billiard ball on his shirt after he sang a hilarious song in honor of her and "Dancing with the Stars" partner Mark Ballas.
We'll just try and ignore the part where he sings about the 17-year-old's chest.
Filed under: TV, Dancing with the Stars, Shawn Johnson
Tags: dancing with the stars, DancingWithTheStars, des moines, DesMoines, mark ballas, MarkBallas, partner, piano, piano bar, PianoBar, shawn johnson, ShawnJohnson, video
