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<\/a>How is it season 33 already?<\/p><\/div>\n
And that one is convicted felon Anna Delvey<\/strong>, (whose real last name is Sorokin, and who was found guilty of grand larceny, among other crimes.) How could they do that? I\u2019m just praying that she is the first to go, so we don\u2019t have to see her anymore. She needs to be deported back to Germany, actually, rather than to offend our senses, (and sense of decency!,) on American television. She was convicted of eight offenses in 2019, and sentenced to twelve years in prison, but was, shamefully, conditionally released just two<\/em> years later. She\u2019s supposed to still be under house arrest, and then deported home, with no access to social media, so I have no idea how this atrocity is happening now. But I can\u2019t waste another moment of my life researching the topic. I just hope that not even one person votes for her, if voting is even how it still works on DWTS<\/em> nowadays. (They change the rules and voting processes so often that it\u2019s hard to keep up!)<\/p>\n I know many of us haven\u2019t loved some of the crackpots the series has subjected us to over the years, (i.e. Republicans Shawn Spicer, Rick Perry, Tom Delay, Tucker Carlson, and Bristol Palin,) but this thief<\/em> is a new low for them. I can\u2019t imagine how her pro partner, Ezra Sosa<\/strong>, or the other cast members, will be able to deal with a felon in their midst.<\/p>\n Delvey\u2019s inclusion will dwarf the same-as-usual fact that there are few stars<\/em> among these mostly wannabes and has-beens. Reginald<\/strong> VelJohnson<\/strong> and Tori Spelling<\/strong> fit into the latter grouping, and I\u2019ve never even heard<\/em> of Phaedra Parks<\/strong>, Chandler Kinney<\/strong>, and Brooks Nader<\/strong>. With those monikers, I don\u2019t even know if they\u2019re guys or gals! Hopefully, they\u2019ll all be forgotten the second this season is over, as have most of the non-star competitors over the years. (They really<\/em> need to change the title of the show to something more along the lines of the British<\/em> original, Strictly Come Dancing<\/em>, because this American<\/em> version has nothing to do with stars<\/em> dancing, unless they\u2019re referencing the more-famous-than-their-supposed-star-partners pro dancers!)<\/p>\n Karen Salkin and Dwight Howard. Photo by Hilary Clark.<\/p><\/div>\n There being thirteen<\/em> contestants this year says it all. Bad luck all the way around.<\/p>\n But on a happier note, I have fun connections to two of the male competitors. First up is basketball player Dwight Howard<\/strong>, who I met one morning about eight years ago. I was at the Hotel Bel-Air at what I refer to as \u201cthe crack of dawn,\u201d (but it was really about 10AM,) for a beauty business event, and was sitting in their tiny lobby with a friend before it began. All of a sudden, who do I see walking in from the rooms area of the hotel but Dwight! (Duh\u2014otherwise why would I be telling you this story in my section about him<\/em>???) I jumped up to tell him that I was upset that the Inside the NBA<\/em> crew had been somewhat mean to him recently, and I\u2019m happy to report that he was darling to me. The concierge started to tell me that I can\u2019t talk to the guests, (even though no one else was in the vicinity,) when Dwight cut him off and told him it was fine. And then we took a photo together, which he was totally amenable to. So I\u2019m a fan. (And I\u2019m thrilled that the DWTS<\/em> producers blessed Dwight with pro partner Daniella Karagach<\/strong>, the absolute best choreographer on this show, so he has a shot at doing well.)<\/p>\n Eric Roberts and his wife the day I met them. I guess my crazy stories about Mr. X and me inspired them to be lovey-dovey! Photo by Lauren Bennett..<\/p><\/div>\n The other man I have a slight connection with is actor Eric Roberts<\/strong>, who is actually a distant cousin-in-law of mine! We discovered that relation when he, his wife Eliza Garrett, and I had lunch together at an Oscars event about a dozen years ago. As we talked about Brooklyn, Eliza and I realized that our mothers were second cousins, (or something like that,) which makes us some sort of relative once or twice removed. We talked about our love relationships, (well, basically, I just regaled them with tales of Mr. X and me,) and I loved that they laughed at just about everything I said. We should have kept in touch, but at least Eliza had her son email me from time to time. He\u2019s a musician, so I\u2019ll be curious to see if his stepdad can dance!<\/p>\n But I have a feeling that my favorite contestant, (I know he will be Mr. X\u2019s,) will be recent two-time bronze Olympic medalist gymnast Stephen Nedoroscik<\/strong>, who became the sensation of the Olympics for securing that medal for the USA team in their event, and mainly for\u2026rocking glasses! That\u2019s crazy. But I\u2019m so happy for him. He\u2019s also a Rubik\u2019s cube whiz, so that\u2019s a bonus. Now can he dance<\/em>? (He\u2019s partnered with adorable youngster, Rylee Arnold<\/strong>, so he should be sticking around for a long while. I\u2019m guessing people will love them together! And I predict that a bit of his pommel horse routine will make its way into their choreography.)<\/p>\n Karen Salkin and Sasha Farber, who is Jenn Tran’s pro partner this year. I hope that I’m bringing them luck here! Photo by Marc Winer.<\/p><\/div>\n I\u2019m always<\/em> happy to see known<\/em> professional athletes on the show, so former footballer Danny Amendola<\/strong> and Olympics rugby star Ilona<\/strong> Maher<\/strong> also fill that bill.<\/p>\n But, I\u2019ll mainly be cheering-on Dwight, Stephen, and\u2014as ashamed of myself as I am to say this\u2014the most recent Bachelor<\/em> and Bachelorette<\/em>, Joey Graziadei <\/strong>and Jenn Tran<\/strong>. Actually, especially<\/em> Jenn, because she really<\/em> deserves some happiness now. (If you missed it earlier this week, you can read my article on her recent season of The Bachelorette<\/em> right here, including what I think can happen for Jenn and her DWTS<\/em> pro partner, Sasha Farber: \u00a0itsnotaboutme.tv\/news\/televisionjuicy-gossip-the-bachelorette-season-21-jenn-tran<\/a>.)<\/p>\n At the very least, we\u2019ll get to see Derek Hough<\/strong>\u2019s handsome face again, and hear his most knowledgeable commentary, with a few little dance lessons, which I adore, thrown in.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/a><\/a>