Season 21 of the ABC juggernaut "Dancing With the Stars" has something increasingly rare: an actual star or two!
I say both pop star Andy Grammer and recent triple-crown winner Victor Espinoza qualify as exactly what the title of the hit promises: dancing with some stars.
The first dance airs this Monday.
Other "stars" include Toni Braxton's kid sister Tamar. The talk show host and reality TV personality landed Valentin Chmerovskiy for a partner.
Then there is Hollywood problem child Gary Busey, who at one time was paid attention to by the Academy, but now pretty much says crazy things on everything from HBO's "Entourage" to both "Celebrity Wife Swap" and "Celebrity Apprentice." He scored Anna Trebunskaya for a partner.
One to look out for will probably be Backstreet Boy Nick Carter. No stranger to choreography, Carter still tours hard with his Backstreet brothers, and will have Sharna Burgess on his arm.
The controversial casting? (Because there is always at least one.) Paula Deen, one-time foodie darling whose fall from grace was well-documented just a year and a half ago, seeks to redeem herself on the dance floor with Louis Van Amstel.
The relatively unknown Hayes Grier is the obligatory youngest contender. At just 15 years old, Grier is a rising star in the social media world, with more 3.5 million followers on Vine and more than 2 million Twitter follows. For whatever that's worth. Partner: Emma Slater.
Late "Crocodile Hunter" Steve Irwin's daughter looks to fill the Rumer Willis slot. Now 17, Bindi will trip the light fandango with none other than Derek Hough. Will be an early favorite.
Then there's Chaka Khan, the royalty casting. An international music icon ten-time Grammy winner (I didn't know either!), fear the wrath of Khan on the dance floor! Her partner is Keo Motsepe.
The "Spy Kid" all grown up, Alexa Penavega, has been to Broadway and back since that franchise wrapped, plus appears on ABC's "Nashville." She'll do her thing with Mark Ballas.
Penavega's husband is her competition too! singer Carlos Penavega has Witney Carson on his arm.
Army National Guard Specialist Alek Skarlatos became a worldwide hero in August when he helped avert a massacre aboard a Belgian train. The 22 year-old will dance with Lindsay Arnold.
Kim Zolciak Biermann, mother of 6 children, and from Bravo’s hit show, Real Housewives of Atlanta, dances with Tony Dovolani.
As for Espinoza, he is without his beloved American Pharoah, but does have Karina Smirnoff on his side.
And Andy Grammer, singer of "Keep Your Head Up," will try to do just that alongside Allison Holker.
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