'Dancing With The Stars' Season 13 Pairs Revealed

Having announced the celebrity contestants for the next season of "Dancing With The Stars" on Monday night, ABC gave fans a day of debate and speculation before revealing their professional partners on Wednesday morning.

Perhaps most discussed was who Chaz Bono, the show's first transgender contestant, would dance with; the answer, it turns out, is Lacey Schwimmer.

Maksim Chmerkovskiy, the always bemused partner of surprise contender Kirstie Alley last season, will team with American soccer star Hope Solo, while model and George Clooney ex Elisabetta Canalis is paired with his Maxim's brother Val.

The season's inspirational story, soap opera and badly burned Iraq vet J.R. Martinez lucked out, as he's partnered up with fan favorite Karina Smirnoff.

David Arquette and reigning champ Kym Johnson are teaming up for what should be one of the more fun couples.

Tristan MacManus will work to avoid the wrath of Nancy Grace, the bombastic Headline News host.

Ron Artest, famously reformed Los Angeles Lakers player is teamed with Peta Murgatroyd.

Rob Kardashian, brother-in-law of Artest's teammate Lamar Odom, lucked out with Cheryl Burke.

Chynna Phillips and Tony Dovolani will kick it.

Ricki Lake, back with a vengeance, is paired with Derek Hough.

Kristin Cavallari also has a top partner in Mark Ballas.

Carson Kressley, finally, will make a great showing with Anna Trebunskaya.

Comments

[shadowgirl52]

01:58 PM on 09/01/2011

I love J. R. Martinez. He and Karina will make an ellegant couple. I can't wait.

[Margo Arrowsmith]

01:14 AM on 09/03/2011

Fanned,  I hoped for him the last two seasons, but never thought they would really do it.

[3fingerbrown]

01:01 PM on 09/01/2011

What a crew. TV's sorriest collection of has-beens, never-beens, and never-shoulda-beens since the Love Boat last dropped anchor.

[sarac]

11:24 AM on 09/01/2011

Yesterday on GMA, Carson said he was going to 'beat Nancy's butt'. This morning, Nasty said she couldn't even discuss 'Carson's butt' this early in the morning. How does she think we feel, just having to look at her face at any given time??!! Changed the channel.

[yellowdoggie]

07:35 AM on 09/01/2011

How...meta.

[modelaford]

03:35 AM on 09/01/2011

Glad to see Derek back this season - he's a great dancer. I don't care what anyone thinks about this show - I enjoy watching it - it's one of the few guilty pleasures I have in watching tv. I love dancing and it's fun to watch people who can't dance (well most of them can't) learn how to dance.

So yes I'll be watching again. Don't have any favorites but Nancy Grace is donating any monies she makes to a worthy cause - more than I can say for some of the rest of them. Will have to see how she does and the rest of them. And Max is always a fan favorite - he finally seemed to loosen up last year with Kirstie.

Hey - with all of the depressing news everywhere - this is a show that gives my overworked brain a break from reality. so bring it on.

[KickShot]

07:56 PM on 08/31/2011

Nancy Grace????

[yellowdoggie]

08:05 AM on 09/01/2011

How many times do you suppose someone will pun off her name? "Nancy Graceful"...etc.

[AsISaid]

07:06 PM on 08/31/2011

Bizzarre.

[p c r]

06:28 PM on 08/31/2011

I wish they has paired Carson with a male. THAT would have been interesting and appropo. As it is, I haven't watched since the Bristol fiasco when her mommy skewed the results and put a really bad dancer in the finals. I won't watch this season either, I guess.

[johnnygoodwud]

06:24 PM on 08/31/2011

dancing with the i don't know whats, but definitely not stars.

[jb7143]

08:21 PM on 08/31/2011

Totally agree, what "stars" are dancing. Has beens, girlfriends/boyfriends of "minor league" stars. What happened here?

[yellowdoggie]

08:06 AM on 09/01/2011

I blame the Kardashians.

[kaib57]

06:04 PM on 08/31/2011

Whatever happened to Jonathan Roberts? They haven't used him as a dancer for the last couple of seasons. He's married to the abrasive Anna Trebunskaya (who I could do without). Did they split up or something, so that's the reason he's not on anymore?

[lea171]

06:00 PM on 08/31/2011

I think who is in the audience is probably more important to DWTS than the dancers themselves. This year, it's obvioiusly Cher. I have to admit I like spotting the celebrities in the audience too. I probably won't be watching this season though. I was pretty bored last season, and only watched it because of Kirsti Alley, so I just waited until the next night and caught her dance on Hulu. There isn't anyone I know this season.

[abuckley23]

04:02 PM on 08/31/2011

OMG, OMG, OMG!! This is so exciting!!! ...or at least it would be if the headline read 'Dancing with the Stars Cancelled Due to Overwhelming Amounts of Lameness'

[labman]

03:25 PM on 08/31/2011

They've officially broken through the bottom of the barrel. Now they're digging in the sand pile

[Margo Arrowsmith]

01:20 AM on 09/03/2011

Nonsense.  People say that every season, but then get interested.  This is one of the best groups ever although there are some I am not interested in

JR Martinez is a great idea.

[olddognewtrick]

02:38 PM on 08/31/2011

I want Chaz and Nancy to be called...CHANCY!

[olddognewtrick]

09:52 PM on 08/31/2011

they can't pair them on the same dance floor without reinforcing the floor...

[PrincessPotato]

02:34 AM on 09/01/2011

Ouch!

[Urbane Worrier]

02:32 PM on 08/31/2011

ABC are so chicken!

It would have blown the roof off the place if they had partnered Carson with a male pro.

I know they wouldnt, but still...

/disappointed.

[socraticus]

03:19 PM on 08/31/2011

Right on. I was hoping for the same. I think the bigots-who-think-they're-not would have a field day with that, even more of one than they are now.

[Urbane Worrier]

04:23 PM on 08/31/2011

You are so right.

The "Im-not-a-bigot-but..." brigade are actually the worst kind.

[Scobes]

05:43 PM on 08/31/2011

Wouldn't have that been offensive? Chaz identifies as a male, and ballroom is always done with a male and female. Partnering him with a male would have come across as not recognizing the sex change operation.

[NoOona]

05:51 PM on 08/31/2011

I think they are talking about Carson, who is openly gay, not Chaz.