Huge ratings and big stars like the Situation have made 'DWTS' a 'go-to TV show,' says one pop-culture expert.By Jocelyn Vena
"Dancing with the Stars" cast
Photo: ABC
With names as recognizable as the Situation, David Hasselhoff, Audrina Patridge, Michael Bolton and "Brady Brunch" vet Florence Henderson, the 11th season of "Dancing With the Stars" is shaping up to be one of the most pop-culturally relevant in the show's five-year history. And experts contend that the show, which premiered on Monday night, now has enough clout to book not only celebrities with a legitimate footnote in pop-culture history but also stars at the peak of their careers.
"Well, I think it's just the nature of the beast, both the show and reality TV in general, that they are bigger now than they were when 'Dancing With the Stars' started," said TVGuide.com staff editor Joyce Eng, explaining why this season packs so much star power. "Two of [the contestants] are reality stars. I don't think it's that surprising for them to do another reality show, especially for the Sitch, capitalizing on his fame now."
David Caplan, an entertainment journalist who has worked at celebrity magazines including People and Star, had another explanation, saying that the show has gone beyond camp value and is now considered by many to be legitimate work. " 'Dancing With the Stars' has established itself as a go-to TV show," he said. "It has incredible ratings, and by doing this show it allows a lot of people to expand their platform. You go on 'Dancing With the Stars' and you generate so much more press. For instance, some celebrity weekly will do a 'How Bristol Palin Got in Shape' story."
So how did it happen? Well, Caplan said, each new season added to a snowball effect. "It started off small," he added, "and then progressed each season as more relevant people realized, 'This is good for my career.' "
Eng added, "As for other big names [besides Audrina and the Situation], the show has pursued certain people for years, and I think it's entirely possible that some stars were skeptical, tentative about signing on in the earlier seasons," she said. "But now that the show has blown up or friends/ old co-stars have gone on [cough] the Hoff [cough], '90210' people, they've joined."
Brad Witter, a reporter at US Weekly, noted that season 11's contestants have the celebrity factor that makes them appealing to viewers — and the tabloids.
"In the past, 'Dancing With the Stars' got the reputation that it's for washed-up people, but as the seasons have gone on, it's gotten more popular, and the ratings are huge," Witter explained. "A lot of people that are on this season are people that have been in the spotlight up until now and are still running in our magazine. This season, it's people that America already cares about and are invested in."
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