'Dancing With the Stars': Sizing Up the New Cast

Who's got the inside track on ballroom glory this fall? See our scouting reports, weigh in by voting in our polls
By Jennifer Armstrong
Updated August 30, 2010 at 11:00 PM EDT

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Mike ''The Situation'' Sorrentino

Jason Merritt/Getty Images

Occupation: Having spectacular abs on reality smash Jersey Shore
Outlook: The Sitch has definitely found his niche — said spectacular abs will benefit him at least as much on Dancing as it does on Shore. Even better, he'll come with his own spray tan.

Take Our Poll Which would best describe your emotional response to this contestant?Market Research

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DAVID HASSELHOFF

Everett Collection

Occupation: Personification of cheesy TV (Knight Rider, Baywatch) and sometime pop star
Outlook: If Germany can vote, there may be no stopping him. And he'll likely be entertaining to watch, one way or another.

Take Our Poll Which would best describe your emotional response to this contestant?Market Research

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BRISTOL PALIN

Astrid Stawiarz/Getty Images

Occupation: Professional teen mom
Outlook: If she can publicly tango as well as she's publicly tangled with baby-daddy Levi Johnston — and steal the spotlight as deftly as mom Sarah — she could be a contender.

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KURT WARNER

Christian Petersen/Getty Images

Occupation: Retired Arizona Cardinals quarterback
Outlook: Never underestimate a football star on this show — particularly one this female-audience-friendly (read: hot).

Take Our Poll Which would best describe your emotional response to this contestant?online surveys

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FLORENCE HENDERSON

Everett Collection

Occupation: Mrs. Brady!
Outlook: The lovely lady started on Broadway, so she might have some stealth dance skills in addition to being a surefire fan favorite.

Take Our Poll Which would best describe your emotional response to this contestant?online surveys

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AUDRINA PATRIDGE

Matthias Clamer/MTV

Occupation: Hmmm...we think it has something to do with that show The Hills
Outlook: We're not sure she's got enough pull with the voting public to last long. But we are sure she'll look great in a skimpy Dancing With the Stars costume.

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MICHAEL BOLTON

Bob Leafe/Retna Ltd.

Occupation: Balladeering sensation
Outlook: We predict an epic cheese-off between him and Hasselhoff — though Bolton might want his '90s hair back to cinch that.

Take Our Poll Which would best describe your emotional response to this contestant?online surveys

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BRANDY

Occupation: Singer/reality star
Outlook: The girl can definitely dance — the question is whether she can out-fanbase nostalgic crowd-pleasers like Henderson and athletes like Warner.

Take Our Poll Which would best describe your emotional response to this contestant?online survey

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KYLE MASSEY

Disney

Occupation: Actor, Disney Channel's Cory in the House
Outlook: His tween audience has serious voting potential — plus the kid's got enough charm to make up for any dancing missteps.

Take Our Poll Which would best describe your emotional response to this contestant?Market Research

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RICK FOX

Joe Murphy/NBAE/Getty Images

Occupation: Retired Los Angeles Lakers forward
Outlook: He's sexy, athletic, and no stranger to TV cameras — having appeared on The Game, Ugly Betty, and Tyler Perry's Meet the Browns, among other shows. An early favorite, especially if he gets girlfriend Eliza Dushku (Dollhouse) in the audience and taps into the always-supportive Whedon fanbase.

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MARGARET CHO

Austin Young

Occupation: Actress, Drop Dead Diva, and comedienne
Outlook: She's hilarious, has an insanely passionate following — and she's done her share of burlesque, so don't put it past her to rock Dancing.

Take Our Poll Which would best describe your emotional response to this contestant?customer surveys

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JENNIFER GREY

Occupation: Actress
Outlook: She kept up with Patrick Swayze in Dirty Dancing — this is hers to lose! If we don't see that magnificent ''(I've Had) The Time of My Life'' lift and at least one ''Nobody puts Baby in a corner'' joke by the end of the season, we will feel cheated.

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By Jennifer Armstrong