Dancing With the Stars is returning with its usual batch of fishies-out-of-water. Most inspired casting, imho: UFC superstar Chuck Liddell. Just check out some of the pics in this Dancing With the Stars gallery and you'll see exactly what I mean. I'm so used to seeing Chuck savage opponents in the ring, it'll be total culture shock to see him do anything graceful.
First, here are the official Dancing With the Stars pairings from ABC.
- AARON CARTER, pop star, teams with KARINA SMIRNOFF, who returns for her seventh season.
- NATALIE COUGHLIN, Olympic champion swimmer, teams with Season 1 champion ALEC MAZO, who returns for his fifth season.
- MARK DACASCOS, "Iron Chef" star, joins LACEY SCHWIMMER, who returns for her third season.
- TOM DELAY, former House Majority Leader, teams up with two-time champion CHERYL BURKE, who returns for her eighth season.
- MACY GRAY, Grammy Award® winner, teams with JONATHAN ROBERTS, who returns for his seventh season.
- ASHLEY HAMILTON, actor and comedian, teams with EDYTA SLIWINSKA, who is the only pro to compete in all nine seasons of "Dancing with the Stars."
- MELISSA JOAN HART, actress, teams up with reigning two-time "Dancing with the Stars" champ MARK BALLAS, who returns for his fifth season.
- KATHY IRELAND, entrepreneur and model, teams with TONY DOVOLANI, who returns for his eighth season.
- MICHAEL IRVIN, NFL Hall of Famer, teams with Season 8's Professional Dancer Competition winner ANNA DEMIDOVA, who makes her debut.
- JOANNA KRUPA, model, teams with Season 7 champ DEREK HOUGH, who returns for his fifth season.
- CHUCK LIDDELL, Ultimate Fighting Champion, teams with ANNA TREBUNSKAYA, who returns for her fourth season.
- DEBI MAZAR, actress, teams with MAKSIM CHMERKOVSKIY, who returns for his seventh season.
- MYA, award winning singer, teams with DMITRY CHAPLIN, who returns for his second season.
- KELLY OSBOURNE, reality star, teams up with LOUIS VAN AMSTEL, who returns for his fifth season. D
- DONNY OSMOND, showbiz legend, is paired with KYM JOHNSON, who returns for her seventh season.
- LOUIE VITO, professional snowboarder, joins CHELSIE HIGHTOWER, who returns for her second season.
With the biggest season yet, "Dancing with the Stars" Season 9 kicks off on MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 21 (8:00-10:00 p.m., ET) when eight teams strut their stuff, while the other eight teams will show off their moves on TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 22 (8:00-10:00 p.m., ET). On a special night and time, two couples will learn their fate and be sent home, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23 (8:00-9:00 p.m., ET).
DANCING WITH THE STARS - ASHLEY HAMILTON & EDYTA SLIWINSKA -- Actor, songwriter, comedian and son of former "Dancing with the Stars" contestant George Hamilton, Ashley is a multi-talented, multi-hyphenate with experience in film, comedy and television. An accomplished singer, Ashley had a 2003 top 20 single released by Sony, and as a songwriter co-wrote the top 10 Robbie Williams hit entitled "Come Undone." He has writing credits for Hillary Duff among other top acts. Hamilton has made various television and film appearances in his career, including a starring role in "Sunset Beach." Since 2007 he has been performing stand-up comedy at the Laugh Factory, the Hollywood Improv, the Comedy Store and Room 5 in Los Angeles. He teams with EDYTA SLIWINSKA, who is the only pro to compete in all nine seasons of "Dancing with the Stars." An all new cast of celebrities hits the dance floor on ABC's "Dancing with the Stars" with the highly anticipated two-hour season premiere, MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2009 (8:00-10:00 p.m., ET) on ABC. (ABC/MITCH HADDAD) EDYTA SLIWINSKA, ASHLEY HAMILTON
