Dancing with the Stars: Good Move for ESPN's Erin Andrews After Invasion of Privacy Ordeal

After a tumultuous year during which she became a victim of a stalker- peeping- tom photographer, and unwilling internet sensation, ESPN reporter, Erin Andrews is Dancing with the Stars.

Erin Andrews is blond beautiful and bright. The daughter of six time Emmy award investigative TV reporter, Mike Andrews and his wife, Paula Andrews, Erin Andrews was born in Lewiston, Maine and grew up in Tampa, Florida.

She graduated from the University of Florida with a degree in tele-communications. From 2000-2001, she was a member of the Dazzlers, the Florida Gators basket ball dance team. At the same time she was a Tampa Bay reporter for the Tampa Bay Lightning, and a host for Turner Sports TV.

Even as a little girl, Erin Andrews wanted to be a TV reporter like her dad. She would hold a pretend microphone and conduct pretend interviews with her friends. As she grew older, her college degree, her intelligence, her Barbie Doll- like good looks and sunny personality, plus her father's connections in the TV industry opened doors for her.

Her big break came in 2004 when she became a sideline reporter for ESPN. She covered college football, basketball, and baseball. She worked hard and was always well prepared and knowledgeable in her presentations. She soon became an ESPN favorite among players and fans as well. She knew her stuff. And she was adorable.

However, her charmed career almost ended in July 2009 when she was told that nude photos of her had surfaced on the internet. Andrews was left feeling sick and terrified. She had been dealing with a stalker who unknown to her, had followed her to her hotel and had taken video photographs of her nude and getting undressed. He had cameras hidden in peep holes drilled into the walls of her bathroom and bedroom.

She blamed herself. The pictures will be on the Internet forever. As a twenty something, she felt she had made some mistakes. She had posed for GQ and wore fashionable sexy clothing. ESPN encouraged her to use her blondness and good looks to attract fans and sponsors. She was eye candy for the couch potatoes, and she was paid well.

Some people thought the invasion of Erin Andrew's privacy was no big deal. She was just being a drama queen. Look at the publicity she was getting. After all she didn't get raped or hurt.

Erin Andrews however, was devastated. For months she was scared for her life. Her voyeur stalker could be anywhere, watching her. She was always afraid. She also had to deal with the dirty jokes about her internet photos.

However when the FBI captured the sicko predator who took the pictures, she began to feel better. She became angry and empowered. Her stalker was Michael Barrett, a 48 year old insurance executive who had daughters of his own. He even had more photos of Andrews taken secretly at other hotels which he planned to sell. He also had photos of 16 other women.

He was sentenced to 2 ½ years in prison. He would not look at Andrews, when to his face, she called him a sexual deviant who should be locked up for life.

When she was invited to compete on Dancing with the Stars she thought this would be the perfect time to focus on something positive, and put her nightmare behind her.

Paired with hunky dance instructor Maksim Chmerkovskiy, she scored 3^rd in the judges' points, and was not voted off the show by the audience during the first competition.

Erin Andrews says, "I want to live my life again and not be a victim. I want to smile and not run and hide.".... The girl is on her way.

Sources:

St. Pete Times

Fan House

Wikipedia

Dancing With The Stars