"Dancing with the Stars" Season 13: Ranking the competitors
The new season premieres on Sept. 19, but before the group starts to waltz, cha-cha and rumba their way into our hearts, we ask - who has the best shot at winning?
We used our knowledge of past seasons and champions to make some early guesses on who will be frontrunners and who will head home early. Here's our (very unscientific) list:
Pictures: "Dancing with the Stars" Season 13
Timeline: Highlights of past "Dancing" seasons
The Frontrunners (Gentlemen): David Aquette, Chaz Bono, Ron Artest
Arquette and Bono have gotten the bulk of the "DWTS" buzz leading up to the cast announcement. Both are newsworthy - Arquette for his separation from wife Courteney Cox and the subsequent bizarre interviews and rehab stint that followed, and Bono for his female-to-male transformation. Bono is getting even more buzz because he's being paired with a female professional dancer (Our guess? Cheryl Burke). Each can - and likely will - use that notoriety to propel them through the competition.
As for Artest, past seasons have taught us that athletes do well on this show. It makes sense - they are used to training hard and know how their bodies move. If you need proof, just look at Season 12 champion Hines Ward.
The Frontrunners (Ladies): Hope Solo, Ricki Lake
The athlete's argument also applies to Solo, and she's likely got redemption on her mind. The U.S. women's soccer team failed to bring home the World Cup, so she's going to want to win that mirrorball.
If you're skeptical of us calling Lake a frontrunner, look no further than Jennifer Grey. Both actresses starred in cult movies (Lake in "Hairspray," Grey in "Dirty Dancing") that have devoted fan bases. Grey used that to her advantage and walked away with the championship. Don't be surprised if one of Lake's first dances is set to a song from the "Hairspray" soundtrack (Broadway musical or movie remake. We're not picky.)
Likely to Leave Early: Nancy Grace, Robert Kardashian
We're looking forward to seeing Grace spar with the judges (and maybe her partner, too?), but the truth is that she's a divisive person. People either love her, hate her or love to hate her. It probably won't be enough to keep her past the first few weeks.
As for Kardashian, remember when his sister competed on the show? No? You don't? That's probably because she left in 11th place (out of 13) in Season 7. But siblings aside, being on a reality show doesn't guarantee you "DWTS" fame - Mike "The Situation" Sorrentino didn't go far either.
Fan Favorites: Chynna Phillips, Kristin Cavallari, Elisabetta Canalis
Like Lake, Phillips has a wide fan base from her music and acting careers, but we're not counting her as a frontrunner. Why, you ask? Because other than a recent (and awesome) Wilson Phillips cameo in "Bridesmaids," younger "Dancing" fans probably don't know who she is. She's going to have to work to win those voters over. Having husband Billy Baldwin in the audience probably wouldn't hurt.
Cavallari should seek advice from fellow "Hills" star Audrina Patridge, who impressed judges and voters alike in Season 11 and made it to 5th place. Talent helped get her that far, but so did extending her likeability beyond the MTV set. That's exactly what Cavallari has to do.
We have just three words to say about Canalis: George Clooney's ex. Being (reportedly) dumped by one of the world's sexiest men will be more than enough to get people interested in her. Oh, and she's also Italian and gorgeous. We have no idea if she can dance, but if she can, she has the potential to do well in the coming weeks.
Ones We're Unsure About: J.R. Martinez, Carson Kressley
Martinez has an amazing story - the actor is also an Iraq War veteran, and suffered burns on 40 percent of his body in 2003 when a humvee he was driving in Iraq hit a landmine. It's sure to touch people's hearts. But it also reminds us of Petra Nemcova, the model who survived the 2004 tsunami and competed on "DWTS" last season. She only made it to sixth place. We're thinking he'll fare about the same, but charm and dancing talent can also go a long way.
Remember "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy"? We do! Kressley has kept busy since then, but none of it was as high-profile as his first hit. He now has a series on OWN, but we'll have to wait and see if his fans can propel him through the competition.
Do you agree with our predictions? Vote in our poll for who will win and tell us your thoughts in the comments.