Las Vegas Weekly

September 20, 2010 · 11:26 AM

Will The Situation survive DWTS with only four days of rehearsals?

By Robin Leach

Mike "The Situation" Sorrentino at the Sugar Factory grand opening in Planet Hollywood's Miracle Mile Shops on Feb. 14, 2010.

Photo: Scott Harrison/Retna/www.harrisonphotos.com

There are so many questions swirling around tonight’s Season 11 premiere of ABC’s top-rated Dancing With the Stars:

*Can Mike “The Situation” Sorrentino survive the first cut with only four days of rehearsals because of his conflicting schedule for MTV’s Jersey Shore?

*Will Bristol Palin shock viewers and her mother Sarah Palin, who will be watching in the audience, when she rips away half of her conservative suit for a more risque slashed-up-to-here ballroom outfit?

*Will David Hasselhoff overcome his long legs and height in dancing the cha-cha with pro partner Kym Johnson to the surprising “Sex Bomb”?

Photo: Craig Sjodin/ABC TV

Mike "The Situation" Sorrentino and Karina Smirnoff.

*Will Brandy have brother Ray J there to help conquer her nightmares of sliding, slipping and falling when she performs the Viennese waltz to “Cry Me Out” with partner Le Reve choreographer Maksim Chmerkovskiy?

*Will hometown beauty Julianne Hough be in the audience flashing a new engagement ring from Ryan Seacrest while watching defending champion brother Derek Hough dance the Viennese waltz with Jennifer Grey to “These Arms of Mine”?

Who will shock? Who will surprise? Who will fail? Who will start off tops? Who will finish at the bottom?

Here’s what we do know: The Situation, known as a heartbreaker on his reality TV show, will be dancing appropriately to Taio Cruz’s No. 1 heartbreaker hit “Break Your Heart” with pro partner Karina Smirnoff, which also happens to be his drink of choice. No idea how the judges will react when he adds fist pumps to the routine. Meantime, his castmates are predicting doom for him “because he can’t dance.”

Bristol should certainly raise eyebrows when she dances with partner Mark Ballas to Three Dog Night’s “Mama Told Me Not to Come” -- in fact, Mama will be there to root for her. But will the same enthusiasm continue when Bristol sheds her schoolteacher outfit with spectacles halfway through in a tear-off wardrobe and continues in a very sexy number?

The Internet is ablaze with rumors that American Idol host Ryan is getting engaged to former Las Vegas resident and DWTS two-time pro champion Julianne. We’ll see if she flashes the new diamond ring tonight when she cheers on brother Derek with odds-on front-runner Jennifer of Dirty Dancing fame.

Safety personnel will be on hand for the final dress rehearsal and the live broadcast from Los Angeles at 5 p.m. because of the pyrotechnics involved with David’s “Sex Bomb” sunglass number with Kym.

Brandy has confessed that she’s endured six nights of terrifying nightmares about tonight’s premiere in which she’ll dance a Cinderella-themed waltz. She fears losing her dance shoes and having to go barefoot, and Maksim has had to reassure her in rehearsals in addition to teaching her the steps. He’s even had her dance barefoot in an attempt to conquer her nerves and says he has three backup plans in place to disguise her nerves live on the show if she slips. Brandy and Ray J reteam on the reality TV show Family Business on VH1 in December.

Photo: David Becker/WireImage

Andrew Ragone, Chelsie Hightower, Michael Bolton, Kristi Holden and Anthony Crivello at Phantom -- the Las Vegas Spectacular at The Venetian.

In addition to Las Vegas regulars Audrina Patridge, David, Derek and The Situation, we also can tell you that on tomorrow night’s results show, Las Vegas has even more visibility when Hard Rock Hotel resident headliner Santana performs with Daughtry and india.arie. Audrina, who will dance the cha cha cha to the obvious “California Gurls,” will film DWTS rehearsal segments here when she appears at Rob Dyrdek’s Skateboard Street festival Saturday. Tonight, viewers also will see Las Vegas coverage of contestants Margaret Cho and Michael Bolton, who were in town this past weekend for shows at Palms and Sunset Station, respectively. Michael also watched Phantom -- the Las Vegas Spectacular at The Venetian with pro partner and Las Vegas native Chelsie Hightower while in town.

Photo: Greg Zabilski/ABC TV

Rick Fox and Cheryl Burke rehearse for Season 11 of ABC's Dancing With the Stars.

Each of the 12 celebrity couples has helped design official team T-shirts with sales going to Stand Up to Cancer. Your favorite fox-trotters have decorated them with whimsical, fun and insightful art, and they may be purchased at ABCTVStore.com. The couples created designs that play off their celebrity, dancing inspirations and of course their team names: Team TorinA, Audrina Patridge and Tony Dovolani; Team Bran DMC, Brandy and Maksim Chmerkovskiy; Team Ballin, Bristol Palin and Mark Ballas; Team DanceHoff, David Hasselhoff and Kym Johnson; Team Florky, Florence Henderson & Corky Ballas; Team Jenougher, Jennifer Grey and Derek Hough; Team KurtAnna, Kurt Warner and Anna Trebunskaya; Team Schmurgles, Kyle Massey and Lacey Schwimmer; Team Van Cho, Margaret Cho and Louis Van Amstel; Team Bolt Tower, Michael Bolton and Chelsie Hightower; Team Sitchoff, Mike Sorrentino and Karina Smirnoff; and Team Fox-C, Rick Fox and Cheryl Burke.

Photo: Greg Zabilski/ABC TV

Jennifer Grey and Derek Hough rehearse for Season 11 of ABC's Dancing With the Stars.

Here’s the rundown of tonight’s two-hour special: Audrina and Tony, cha cha, “California Gurls”; Brandy and Maksim, Viennese waltz, “Cry Me Out”; Bristol and Mark, cha cha, “Mama Told Me (Not to Come)”; David and Kym, cha cha, “Sex Bomb”; Florence and Corky, cha cha, “Kiss Me Honey Honey (Kiss Me)”; Jennifer and Derek, Viennese waltz, “These Arms of Mine”; Kurt and Anna, Viennese waltz, “This Ain’t a Love Song”; Kyle and Lacey, cha cha, “My First Kiss”; Margaret and Louis, Viennese waltz, “We Are the Champions”; Michael and Chelsie, Viennese waltz, “Life After You”; The Situation and Karina, cha cha, “Break Your Heart”; and Rick and Cheryl, Viennese waltz, “Crazy.”

Editor’s note: Vegas DeLuxe will have full photo coverage right from the heat of the dance floor tomorrow and again Wednesday after tomorrow night’s first elimination. We’re not tweeting spoiler alert messages or posting a same-night spoiler alert story this season until we reach the semifinals.

Robin Leach has been a journalist for more than 50 years and has spent the past decade giving readers the inside scoop on Las Vegas, the world’s premier platinum playground.

Follow Robin Leach on Twitter at Twitter.com/Robin_Leach.

Follow Vegas DeLuxe on Twitter at Twitter.com/vegasdeluxe.

Follow VDLX Editor Don Chareunsy on Twitter at Twitter.com/VDLXEditorDon.

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