An all-new cast of celebrities hits the dance floor on ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars” with the two-hour season premiere Monday, March 9, 2009 (8:00-10:02 p.m., ET) on ABC.
Season Eight introduces us to 13 new stars, including Apple Co-founder Steve Wozniak who, we can now report, will team with Karina Smirnoff, who returns for her sixth season.
The first promotional photo of Woz on “Dancing with the Stars” has been released (left).
Also dancing will be the youngest competitor to date, an NFL legend, a female rapper, three music artists, and a “Wildboy.” Additionally, “love is a battlefield,” when for the first time three real life couples take the ballroom floor. Husband and wife, Ty Murray and Jewel, compete for bragging rights while newly engaged professional dancers, Maksim Chmerkovskiy and Karina Smirnoff, go head-to-head. To top it off, country crooner, Chuck Wicks teams with girlfriend and two-time “Dancing with the Stars” champ, Julianne Hough.
The schedule for season eight:
• “Dancing with the Stars,” two-hour performance show, MONDAYS beginning, MARCH 9 (8:00-10:02 p.m., ET) through MARCH 30
• “Dancing with the Stars the Results Show,” one-hour, TUESDAYS beginning, MARCH 17 (9:00 – 10:02 p.m., ET) through MAY 12
• “Dancing with the Stars,” ninety-minute performance show, MONDAYS, beginning APRIL 6, (8:00-9:32 p.m., ET) through MAY 11
• “Dancing with the Stars,” one-hour performance show, MONDAY, MAY 18 (8:00-9:00 p.m., ET)
• Season Finale, TUESDAY, MAY19 (9:00-11:00 p.m., ET)
The 13 stars making their ballroom dancing debut are:
• Belinda Carlisle
• David Alan Grier
• Jewel
• Shawn Johnson
• Lil’ Kim
• Gilles Marini
• Ty Murray
• Steve-O
• Nancy O’Dell
• Denise Richards
• Lawrence Taylor
• Chuck Wicks
• Steve Wozniak: A Silicon Valley icon and philanthropist for the past three decades, Steve Wozniak, a.k.a. The Woz, helped shape the computer industry with his design of Apple’s first line of products, the Apple I and II, and influenced the popular Macintosh. After leaving Apple Computer Inc. in 1985, Wozniak was involved in various business and philanthropic ventures, focusing primarily on computer capabilities in schools and stressing hands-on learning and encouraging creativity for students. In 2000, he was inducted into the Inventors Hall of Fame and was awarded the prestigious Heinz Award for Technology, The Economy and Employment. Wozniak is also a published author with the release of his New York Times Best Selling autobiography, iWoz: From Computer Geek to Cult Icon, in September 2006. He teams with Karina Smirnoff, who returns for her sixth season.
Viewers may cast their votes for their favorite teams via phone on Monday night during and up to 30 minutes after the “Dancing with the Stars” performance shows. AT&T subscribers may also text message their votes by texting the word “VOTE” and entering the number that corresponds to the team they want to support (standard text message rates apply). Viewers may also vote online at http://www.abc.com starting from the opening of each episode on the East Coast and until 12:00 Noon, ET the following day.
Hosted by Tom Bergeron (“America’s Funniest Home Videos”) and Samantha Harris (“E! Entertainment”), the celebrities will perform choreographed dance routines which will be judged by renowned Ballroom judge Len Goodman and dancer/choreographers Bruno Tonioli and Carrie Ann Inaba.
Source: ABC
MacDailyNews Take: Our love of that photo — that background, the juxtaposition of body types, those outfits, and Woz’s grin combine to form the utmost in luscious cheese! — and our anticipation for Woz’s performance(s) defy measurement. We’re praying fervently that Woz is not the first one voted off the island. Note to ABC: We want that photo in poster-size. Release the original high-res file online ASAP!
MacDailyNews Note: Watch Woz in this ABC video podcast (it’s a LOST podcast, but it’s really about Woz) featuring an interview with the Apple co-founder packed into a satin pink shirt!
See also: Woz to Mac users: Watch and vote for me on ‘Dancing with the Stars!’ (with video) – February 20, 2009
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Mr. Reeee” for the heads up.]
