"Dancing With the Stars" fans are used to seeing great moves, feuds, battles with the judges, injuries, wardrobe malfunctions, fainting, “showmances” and other assorted dramas throughout the course of the season.
But perhaps because everyone on “All-Stars” has already been through the competition before, viewers haven’t seen much drama yet in week one, though there have been some digs.
Take for example the barbs exchanged between former boy banders Drew Lachey (of 98 Degrees) and Joey Fatone ('N Sync). As Fatone noted on the premiere, rival Lachey is known as “Lackey” to him. “I’ll bust his chops,” Fatone joked to reporters after the premiere show.
But it’s all in fun, Lackey ... er ... Lachey said, adding, “Joey and I have a great relationship. We go back 15 years and we’ve both been around the block a few times.”
Though viewers may have expected trouble when actress Pamela Anderson griped in her clip that season 11 finalist Bristol Palin had the whole Tea Party behind her when it comes to viewer votes, not even that seems to have stirred up any drama between the two ladies.
“It’s all in good fun,” Palin told reporters of the comment after the show. “It’s a friendly competition.”
“I love Bristol,” Anderson said. “But it’s true – she does have the Tea Party (vote). That’s a lot of people!”
Things may seem friendly at the moment, but the fireworks will come, one cast member promised.
“Everybody’s on their best behavior right now. Wait a few weeks,” teased pro dancer Louis Van Amstel.
“Then the claws probably do come out,” chuckled Sabrina Bryan, Van Amstel’s celebrity partner. “It’s like Drew said: We’re a dysfunctional family.”
Michael Maloney is the author of "The Young and Restless Life of William J. Bell, creator of The Young and the Restless and The Bold and the Beautiful."
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