'Dancing With the Stars': Who Will Win Season 14?
It seems the "Dancing With the Stars" franchise is increasingly scraping the bottom of the barrel to get its so-called celebrities, as this season is filled with largely obscure people. However, while they are largely nobodies, some of these unfamiliar faces happen to have a modicum of dance ability, at least based on the first week. There weren't any real embarrassing moments, so this season might actually turn out to be a true competition and not just a popularity contest.
Donald Driver
Why You Know Him: If you follow football, he's a receiver for the Green Bay Packers. If you don't, he's an athlete, so just go with it.
How He'll Do: 2 to 1. Athletes always do well on this show, and he is likely to be no exception. He seems to have the crowd on his side already as he's very charming. He's definitely the one to beat.
Gavin DeGraw
Why You Know Him: His song "I Don't Want to Be" has been ruined by countless contestants on reality singing competitions. He's currently assaulting the airwaves with his single, "Not Over You."
How He'll Do: 40 to 1. He's one of the most awkward contestants, and dancing is clearly not his forte. But he's got a legion of loyal fans who might help him stick around longer than he should.
Gladys Knight
Why You Know Her: She's an R&B legend, with or without the Pips. She's best known for her landmark renditions of "Midnight Train to Georgia" and "I Heard It Through the Grapevine."
How She'll Do: 22 to 1. She's likable, but she might get awkward when it gets down to the sexier dances. At least she's not saddled with Corky Ballas as a partner, so hopefully we can avoid some Florence Henderson/Cloris Leachman embarrassment.
Jack Wagner
Why You Know Him: It depends on if you like soap operas of the daytime or nighttime variety. He was on "General Hospital" as Frisco and "Melrose Place" as Dr. Peter Burns. He's also a one-hit wonder, thanks to "All I Need."
How He'll Do: 20 to 1. He's pleasant and seems to move well on the dance floor, but he might get lost among the flashier and younger contestants.
[Photos: Check Out Pics of This Season's 'DWTS' Pairings]
Jaleel White
Why You Know Him: A nasally "Did I do that?" was the catchphrase of his "Family Matters" character: the annoying, suspender-wearing neighbor Steve Urkel.
How He'll Do: 6 to 1. If he continues to channel his inner suave Stefan Urquelle instead of his dopey Steve Urkel alter ego, he should do just fine. He's definitely got a bigger fan base to tap into than many others.
Katherine Jenkins
Why You Know Her: She's a classical singer. So you've probably never heard of her, unless you are super invested in that world.
How She'll Do: 25 to 1. She's very graceful and moves beautifully on the dance floor, but she's more than a little boring. And she's stuck being partnered with the obnoxious Mark Ballas, which isn't a good pairing at all.
Maria Menounos
Why You Know Her: She's a host on the gossipy news show "Extra."
How She'll Do: 13 to 1. She's going to have to tone down that obnoxious laugh, but she's fine at the actual dancing once she loosens up.
William Levy
Why You Know Him: You probably don't, unless you watch a lot of Univision's telenovelas, or have an obsession with "Single Ladies." There's got to be someone, right?
How He'll Do: 15 to 1. He's attractive, and the Latin dances should not be a problem. He's just not a household name, which could be a major hurdle to overcome.
[Related: Learn More About 'Dancing' Hunk William Levy]
Martina Navratilova
Why You Know Her: She's a professional tennis legend, who has more championship titles than we can really count.
How She'll Do: 9 to 1. It's a little unlikely that a mirror ball will be added to her trophy collection, as she looks more than a little uncomfortable to be in a dress and on camera. On the other hand, she's got a shot as she has both physical fitness and name recognition on her side.
Melissa Gilbert
Why You Know Her: She played Laura Ingalls on "Little House on the Prairie," which women of a certain age (which is probably this show's demo) just loved.
How She'll Do: 17 to 1. She's like an awkward little duckling on this show, and nostalgia can carry her only so far.
Roshon Fegan
Why You Know Him: Do you have a child under the age of 10? If so, Roshon will look familiar from the tween show "Shake It Up" or the "Camp Rock" movies.
How He'll Do: 4 to 1. He stars on a show about dancing, but it doesn't give him much of an advantage here as he mostly does hip-hop. That said, the Disney Channel has been running ads for "DWTS" incessantly, so if he can get the tweens to vote for him, he'll sail through to the finals like Kyle Massey before him. Hell, we'd vote for him just to keep his adorable partner Chelsie around.
Sherri Shepherd
Why You Know Her: She co-hosts "The View," and sometimes talks about how she thinks the world is flat. We prefer her as Tracy Jordan's wife on "30 Rock."
How She'll Do: 12 to 1. She reportedly started practicing before she was cast on the show, which might help her with the judges… if not the audience.
Watch last week's "Dancing With the Stars" performances in full right here:
"Dancing With the Stars" airs Mondays at 8 PM and Tuesdays at 9 PM on ABC.
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