tom delay

tom delay
Who knew that Tom DeLay was such a dancing machine? The former House Republican leader has been selected as a contestant on the upcoming season of "Dancing With the Stars," joining cultural celebrities such as Grammy award winning singer Macy Gray and '70s icon Donny Osmond.

One thing is clear: the entire DeLay family is ecstatic about the Hammer's transformation to Dancing Machine.

"He's been working hard all summer trying to get in shape, improve his flexibility, endurance, etc. He's lost 12 lbs already!" daughter Dani DeLay Ferro, Dad's former campaign manager, said in a message to the Sleuth via Facebook. "He's taking this very very seriously and we are all sooooo excited! People probably don't know that he's a really good dancer!"

Daughter Dani said she's most excited "for America to get to know the funny, caring man that I've grown up with and worked for. They won't know what hit 'em!"

As Washington Post TV columnist Lisa de Moraes has reported, DeLay's involvement with "Dancing With the Stars" goes back to 2007, when he heavily lobbied the show's viewers to vote for the seemingly wholesome country singer Sara Evans. That all backfired on the Hammer when Evans quit the show in the midst of a nasty divorce in which she accused her husband of verbal abuse, alcoholism, watching pornography in their home and keeping photos of himself having sex with other women.

DeLay Ferro said the slimmed down former congressman, whose ironclad style of rule over House Republicans earned him the nickname "The Hammer," begins rehearsal tomorrow in Sugar Land, Texas, his hometown.

In a few weeks, Dad will relocate to Los Angeles, where the show is filmed. The first show airs Sept. 21.

"He'll stay there until he is voted off which, I hope, isn't till the November finale!" DeLay Ferro told us.

mark dacascos

mark dacascos
The Iceman, the Chairman, the Hammer and the Witch vs. the Puppy Lover?

This season of Dancing With the Stars could get intense.

After weeks of buzz and rumors, the ninth season's cast is no longer a mystery. Emmy-nominated host Tom Bergeron appeared on Good Morning America today to reveal the record number of stars who will face new restrictions, "ballroom bloodbath" double eliminations and still-inevitable injuries in the hopes of waltzing away with that mirrorball trophy.

Paula Abdul won't be there (she won't be on So You Think You Can Dance, either, if Mary Murphy gets her say), and neither will Hills hottie Audrina Patridge or grieving sister La Toya Jackson.

But who will be sashaying into prime time in a matter of weeks?

Donny Osmond appeared on GMA to assist Bergeron with reading the list of names and announce his own candidacy for ballroom glory. In addition to reminding fans of his sister Marie Osmond's run on the show, he attempted to instill fear in the minds of competitors Chuck "The Iceman" Liddell and Tom "The Hammer" DeLay and sap in the hearts of voters by declaring his move-and-shake moniker, the Puppy Lover.

A few other competitors are keeping the Dancing shoes in the family. Ashley Hamilton, ex-husband of Shannen Doherty and Angie Everhart, is preparing to do his father George Hamilton (and season two's 5th place finisher) proud. Michael Irvin, season three winner Emmitt Smith's Dallas Cowboys' "Triplets" brother, will also don a pair of shiny shoes.

Models Kathy Ireland and Joanna Krupa no doubt hope to bewitch the fans into voting for them over Melissa Joan Hart, Kelly Osbourne or Olympians Natalie Coughlin and Louie Vito. Likewise, we're sure Aaron Carter, Macy Gray and Mya hope to use all their tools to whiz past Iron Chef America's chairman, Mark Dacascos.

Here's the full list of "stars" you'll see during the three-day premiere of Dancing With the Stars, kicking off Sept. 21 at 8 p.m. on ABC...

* Kathy Ireland, 46, model
* Macy Gray, 41, singer
* Melissa Joan Hart, 33, actress
* Mya, 29, singer
* Ashley Hamilton, 34, actor-comedian
* Michael Irvin, 43, football player
* Mark Dacascos, 45, actor and martial artist
* Donny Osmond, 51, entertainer
* Kelly Osbourne, 24, singer
* Debi Mazar, 45, actress
* Chuck Liddell, 39, UFC fighter
* Natalie Coughlin, 26, swimmer
* Joanna Krupa, 30, model
* Louie Vito, 21, snowboarder
* Aaron Carter, 21, singer
* Tom DeLay, 62, former House majority leader