Bristol Palin Joins Dancing with the Stars Cast for Season 11

Dancing With the Stars Season 11 Welcomes...

ABC unveiled its Dancing With the Stars cast for season 11. Surprising choices are Bristol Palin and David Hasselhoff. Florence Henderson and Michael Bolton make sense, due to their musical pasts. (Of course, to be fair, Hasselhoff also did his fair share of crooning.) Other Dancing With the Stars cast members are Brandy Norwood, Jennifer Grey, Kurt Warner, Margaret Cho, Kyle Massey, Audrina Patridge, Rick Fox and Mike "The Situation" Sorrentino.

A Return to a Tried-and-True Formula?

If Dancing With the Stars 2010 was any indication, Bristol Palin is channeling Kate Gosselin for the addition of drama. Gosselin, going through a (bitter) divorcee at the time, added the drama to the star-studded lineup of the show. At the time of the big announcement, Gosselin's page quickly amassed 464 comments, which was quite a bonanza when compared to Erin Andrews and her 58 comments.

If you are anticipating that Palin is slated to be the drama queen of Dancing With the Stars season 11, the odds are good that you would be correct. Already her "fan page" is littered with more than 100 comments that alternatively call the youngster by a plethora of rude names or express surprise that a teenage pregnancy and (in)famous mother are sufficient to now qualify one for celeb status.

David Hasselhoff, by comparison, thus far has only garnered about 30 comments, most of which are complimentary. Kyle Massey, on the other hand, is only at 19.

To be fair, Dancing With the Stars -- or DWTS, as fans like to casually refer to the show -- has perfected this formula ever since its 2008 season, which featured Kim Kardashian of Keeping up with the Kardashiansfame. She seamlessly took over as notoriety contestantfor Heather Mills from the 2007 season.

Bristol Palin's Dance Card is Filling Up

The season premiere showcasing the season 11 Dancing With the Stars cast is Sept. 20, 2010. While Palin is expected to be shaking a leg that night, she will spend Sept. 8 at a speaking engagement at the Louisville Marriot. The Courier Journal reports that the youngster's appearance is to benefit the Lifehouse, a home for single moms.

Why choose Bristol Palin for the fundraiser? The event organizer is not bashful: "We needed the community to know that we're here," she tells the publication. It goes to show that even charities know how to milk notoriety for their own ends, so why not Dancing With the Stars? Hopefully the teen has a sufficiently thick skin to make it through DWTS season 11 and leave with enough energy to parent her child.

Sources

http://abc.go.com/shows/dancing-with-the-stars/season-11-stars

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/2764620/jon_and_kate_gosselin_to_add_drama.html?cat=9

http://abc.go.com/shows/dancing-with-the-stars/season-11-stars/ThemeGallery/543826

http://abc.go.com/shows/dancing-with-the-stars/season-11-stars/ThemeGallery/543827

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/982170/dancing_with_the_stars_tv_show_announces_pg2.html?cat=33

http://www.courier-journal.com/article/20100822/NEWS01/308220057/1008/rss01