Eddie Murphy Considered a Front Runner to Host Oscars

When next year's Oscars take place on February 26, 2012, there is a good chance that the host for the evening will be none other than Eddie Murphy. You remember Eddie Murphy, right? Murphy, of course, was perhaps the most celebrated comedian of the 1980s and early 1990s, after soaring to fame as a cast member on Saturday Night Live. Murphy starred in such 1980s classics as Beverly Hills Copy, 48 Hours and Trading Places, along with some others that didn't quite reach "classic" status. But even as Murphy transitioned into more family-friendly roles like the Nutty Professor, Dr. Doolittle, and eventually the Shrek series, he's remained relevant because of his influence on the leading comedians of today.

From Chris Rock to Howard Stern, almost every successful comedian today will point to Eddie Murphy as one of the all-time great comedic talents. In terms of stand-up comedians, Murphy is considered by many to be the best to ever take the stage. His two feature-length stand-up films, Delirious and Raw, are still among the most popular stand-up routines of comedy fans.

The issue with Eddie Murphy is that few have seen him take the stage to perform over the last two decades. There is no doubt that Murphy has more than enough comedic talent to carry the Academy Awards. He could get by on doing voices and characters alone and have the viewing audience in stitches. But the Academy is always trying to strike that perfect balance between funny and entertaining, while still observing some sense of decorum and respect for the "craft." From that perspective, Murphy would seem to be a perfect fit. I know I'll tune in if he's the host.

10 Famous People Who Died While Performing

All the famous people that I am going to mention in this article have died in the most surprising and shocking way, while performing. The way in which these artists have died is very dramatic and sounds more like a movie script more than a real life story. The famous personalities I have mentioned come from different genres like actors, magicians, musicians, show anchors, singers, comedians, and wrestlers. Their death was sudden and unexpected. One of them died because of a heart attack and one accidentally ended up shooting himself. None of them in their wildest dreams would have imagined that their life would end like this.


10 Famous People Who Died While Performing
Following is a list of the 10 famous people who died while performing. The only thing common between all the personalities mentioned above is the fact that they died while doing something they loved, Performing! They have left their mark in the world history and will be immortal in millions of hearts.

STEVE IRWIN February 22, 1962 - September 4, 2006 Cause of Death: Stingray Spine's Sting Steve Irwin was a man with no fear. He was like Tarzan as he was born with the crocodiles and other reptiles and was actually pally with them. He became famous performing for the wildlife shows on Animal Planet. He Starred on Croc Files, New Breed Vets, and The Crocodile Hunter Dairies. He dealt with all sorts of animals and he loved doing what he did. He directed a few shows and had discovered a new species of turtle and it was named after him. He was certainly the USP of the Channel. However, the 'Crocodile Hunter' died while snorkeling for his documentary 'Ocean's Deadliest' at the Great Barrier Reef, Batt Reef, North Queensland after a Stingray Spine fatally pierced him in his chest. The invincible man was laid down! I wish he never died! Though you can relive him on Animal Planet yet! "I have no fear of losing my life - if I have to save a koala or a crocodile or a kangaroo or a snake, mate, I will save it."

BRANDON LEE February 1, 1965 - March 31, 1993 Cause of Death: Gun Shot He is the son of the legendary martial arts superstar, Bruce Lee. He was gorgeous and only 28 when he died. He died while shooting for a film 'The Crow'. The team of 'The Crow' decided to shoot the scene where another character was to shoot him using dummy cartridges. But unfortunately their negligence they forgot to remove the primers from them. Lee performed his scene in which he was shot. He hit the floor and the crew applauded for his extraordinary performance; but Lee did not rise after the director said "CUT". They rushed to him and realized he was shot in reality and took him to hospital. He was declared dead after an unsuccessful six hour operation was performed to remove the bullet. His last lines were "Bang! Bang! Don't forget to send flowers!". He was asking one of the crew members if the flowers for a dead in the movie were arranged for. "Because we do not know when we will die, we get to think of life as an inexhaustible well. And yet everything happens only a certain number of times. And a very small number really."

WILLIAM ELLSWORTH ROBINSON April 2, 1861- March 23, 1918 Cause of Death: Gun Shot If you Google his name, the first thing that appears on your searched list would be 'Chung Ling Soo'. He was a famous American Magician who claimed himself to be the 'Original Chinese Conjure'. He died accidentally when he was performing a trick where his assistants who act as Boxers with two large guns shoot at William. William's trick was to stop the bullets from hitting him with his hands. Sometimes he would also act as if he has been shot, but would pop out the bullet from his mouth. This time accidentally the gun was not unloaded and it hit him straight in his chest. His last words were, "Oh my God. Something's happened. Lower the curtain!"

TOMMY COOPER March 19, 1921 - April 15, 1984 Cause of Death: Heart Attack Tommy was a very popular magician and a British prop comedian. He died whilst performing an act on 'Live From Her Majesty's'. He was playing the part where he would pull out different props from his robe like it was magical. These props were actually passed on to him by his assistant. Once he was done performing, he was supposed to walk out but instead he fell on his head on the floor and everyone heard the snoring sound. They all assumed it was a joke, but when he did not wake up, that's when it was realized that he passed away after having a heart attack. "I used to be indecisive but now I am not quite sure."

OWEN HART May 7, 1965 - May 23, 1999 Cause of Death: Internal Bleeding Owen was a professional amateur wrestler. He has been the WWF Champion twice, WWF World Tag Team Champion (four times), won USFA Unified World Heavy Weight Championship (once), WWF King of the Ring, WWG European Championship (once). Owen died in the most tragic way while making an entry for the Intercontinental Championship in Kansas City, Missouri. This match was against the Godfather. He was making his entry with a harness and while it was lowering, the equipment malfunctioned and Owen fell from a height of 78 feet. His chest first bumped on the first rope and he then crashed on the floor. He was later taken to the hospital but was announced 'dead on arrival'. He is still remembered as the 'The Blue Blazer'. "Nobody really knows for sure who the Blue Blazer is, but like I said in my interview, there's a little bit of the Blue Blazer in each and every one of us."

DARELL LANCE ABBOTT August 20, 1966 - December 8, 2004 Cause of Death: Shot in the Head Darell was a famous American guitarist who founded the heavy metal bands - Pantera and Damageplan. He was accoladed with the title "One of the most influential stylists in modern metal" and his tine was also included in the "50 Greatest Tones of All Time". His career ended with his life when a gunman 'Nathan Gale' shot Darell. He was shot thrice in his head and died immediately. Besides him the gunman killed a few others too. His motive is not clearly known but it is said that he was a paranoid schizophrenic and ended up killing Darell thinking he was trying to steal his identity. "I was lucky enough to get to see guys like Bugs Henderson, Jimmy Wallace, all those great Texas blues players."

JON-ERIK-HEXUM November 5, 1957 - October 18, 1984 Cause of Death: Shot Hexum was a famous American model turned actor. He killed himself, unintentionally. He was on the set of 'Cover Up' shooting for the 7th episode for the 'Golden Opportunity' Series. He performed a shot but Hexum's director was not happy with the outcome, which made Hexum uneasy and impatient. To change his mood, he started to play around with the revolver and pointed it on his temple like a Russian Roulette game and pulled the trigger. The blanks were made out of plastic, but it can cause injuries if it is fired from a short distance, specially on a very vulnerable place. He was certainly not aware of his actions, but the paper wadding from the black struck him, right in his temple which created a trauma that damaged a part of his skull and caused a massive hemorrhage. He was under treatment for 6 days but couldn't survive any further. "I worry about not being a great actor. I'd hate to die young and never have made Grapes of Wrath. Life goes by so fast...I just don't want to miss out on anything."

KARL WALLENDA January 21, 1905 - March 22, 1978 Cause of Death: Multiple Injuries. Karl Wallenda was a Daredevil. He used to perform with his family known as 'The Great Wallendas' which used to perform stunts like cycling on the wire and four-man pyramid. In 1970, Karl wire-walked across the Tallulah Gorge. The wire was very high and the distance was almost of a quarter mile and he managed it successfully. Approximately 30,000 people watching him do this. He had tried several stunts and in spite of several injuries and damage he never stopped. But unfortunately he couldn't successfully complete his final high wire-walk. Karl undertook a 10 story high wire-walk from one tower of the Condado Plaza Hotel to the other. The wire was about 121 feet high above the sidewalk. He began walking but just then wind started blowing at a speed of 32 miles per hour and made him lose his balance and pushed him off the wire. He fell on the ground and death had laid its icy hands on him. He always said, "Life is being on the wire; everything else is just waiting."

EDITH WEBSTER 1914 - November 22,1986 Cause of Death: Heart Attack Edith Webster was a famous stage actress in America. In 1986, the veteran stage actress was giving her final performance in, 'The Drunkard'- an off-Broadway play. She had played that role throughout the eight years period where she played the character of an old grandmother. In her final scene she was to sing the song "Please Don't Talk About Me When I'm Gone" and then just collapse on the floor. Her performance went really well and the song she sang that is said to be her best interpretation of the song. She sang the song and collapsed on the floor, the audience gave her a standing ovation but she remained motionless in her body without life. She died at the same moment when she actually died in the play because of a fatal heart attack. I guess it was God's wish to call his beloved back before she could retire as performing was the soul of her life.

VIC MORROW February 14, 1929 - July 23, 1982 Cause of Death: Helicopter Malfunction Vic Morrow was an American actor who was known for playing the lead role of the 'Sgt. Saunders' in the Combat series. He died while he was shooting for 'Twilight Star: The Movie'. His death is unimaginable. Morrow along with two other children was shooting a scene where they were trying to escape from a U.S Army helicopter in a Vietnamese village. The helicopter was 25 feet above them and suddenly because of a pyrotechnic explosion the helicopter fell on Morrow and the other two kids in a flash of time and they all were beheaded in the incident. A terribly tragic death. Vic Morrow was once asked about the safety levels maintained in the explosions he films. As a reply he said, "Because we are in a war situation, this can sometimes be dangerous work. But guys like A.D. Flowers and his technicians just take it in stride and get on with the job. In four years, we've never had a serious accident or injury working with all the explosions."

There are many other famous artists who have died while performing but I have mentioned the one's I thought were the most tragic. Other famous celebrity deaths include Roy Kinnear, Eric Morecambe, Sid James, Paul Mantz, J. I. Rodale, Arnold Soboloff, Jackie Wilson,

Singers and Musicians Who Died at 27

I read this quote on some sidey post card a few years ago; and it immediately came back to me as I read about the "Curse of 27" concept. The first thought that came to my mind was that members of the 27 Club probably lived by this quote. Though the word 'miserable' kind of pokes. They didn't really lead a miserable life, not consciously or by choice at least; and yet their lives turned out to be full of pain and misery. You read about singers and musicians who died at 27 and you can't help feeling this pang in the chest. Do you feel sad or pity for them? Not exactly. Do you feel hatred? Not that either. But something just aches deep inside. These are the people who led a true rock n' roll life. Kurt Cobain is one of the later members of the club, but if the former members of the 27 club would have read his suicide note they would have probably lit up their lighters when they came to the end of it... "it's better to burn out than to fade away".

Curse of 27 - Most Iconic Members

The Curse of 27 - or the 27 Club, or the Forever 27 Club - refers to a club of persons (singers and musicians mostly, all dead) belonging to the music industry, who died at the age of 27 years. The club includes many people from the music industry - right from its alleged first member Robert Johnson (1911 - 1938) to the latest Amy Winehouse (1983 - 2011). Here is a brief account of some of its most iconic members. In the context in which this club was formed, the following members are those music-makers whose lives epitomized the rock n' roll life, who perfectly fit the image. They are the 'originals'.

~ Kurt Cobain ~ ("Come As You Are", "Smells Like Teen Spirit", "All Apologies")
Born: 20 February 1967
Died: c. 5 April 1994
Cause of Death: Suicide
Kurt Cobain is probably the best thing to have ever happened to grunge music. Lead singer and guitarist of the most popular grunge band Nirvana, Kurt went through a troubled childhood. Many believe he never really fully recovered from his parents' divorce (they divorced when he was 8 years old). Originally a very energetic, excited, happy and positive child, Kurt's life was full of angst in the later years. He was married to Courtney Love and was father of Frances Bean Cobain at the time of his death. Kurt suffered from a chronic stomach pain that was the cause of much emotional distress to him. He developed a habit for heroin after having consumed the drug for three days continuously to find that it relieved him of the stomach ache. In his suicide note, he said he didn't feel for music the way he used to before, which is held as the motive behind his suicide, apart from his health condition and his failing marriage.

~ Amy Winehouse ~ ("Rehab", "Tears Dry On Their Own", "Stronger Than Me")
Born: 14 September 1983
Died: 23 July 2011
Cause of Death: (unexplained)
Best known for her contralto voice and superb blending of music genres such as jazz, soul and R&B, Amy Winehouse is the latest member to have been included in the 27 Club. Her accomplishments include being the first British female artist to win 5 Grammys, winning the BRIT Award for Best British Female Artist (2007), winning the Ivor Novello Award for Best Contemporary Song among many other. The artist is also known for her famous beehive hairstyle and her 'Cleopatra-inspired' make-up style. Amid many personal difficulties such as being a manic depressive, engaging in violence with husband Fielder-Civil, drug problems and the like, Amy managed to pave the way for unconventional female artists such as Lady Gaga. Her is a musical genius that got wasted in a life of immense emotional turmoil. Her death was mourned by many artists like U2, Nicki Minaj, Kelly Clarkson, Lady Gaga through the tributes they paid her.

VMA Executives Gush Over Lady Gaga’s Performance at Awards Show

Executives for MTV’s Music Video Awards were gushing after seeing how well Lady Gaga did in her role as "Jo Calderone" at the awards show recently. They’ve said she was so in character that it’s as though Gaga wasn’t there at all – that she actually "became" Calderone for the show rather than merely playing a part. Whether you buy that or not, what is clear is that Lady Gaga has more than just pop singing chops. Turns out she can act as well. The consummate entertainer interacted with Britney Spears an wowed both the crowd and the show’s producers.

Said VMA Executive Producer Dave Sirulnick, "We had talked to her about the creative a few weeks before the show. We had a call with her, and it became clear that she’s going to be Jo. She showed up as Jo, rehearsed as Jo. If you said ‘Gaga,’ she wouldn’t respond. After rehearsals, she comes over, she says to me, ‘It’s nice to meet you,’ and I say to her, ‘I know your friend Gaga,’ and she says, ‘That Gaga, what a bitch!’ She did not break character once. She walks in backstage and, in front of a whole bunch of people, went into the men’s room."

Sirulnick went on, describing how dedicated Gaga was to continuing to play the part: "Later we had all the Young the Giant fans line dup waiting for the band to rehearse their performance, and Jo was walking out of the building to her dressing room and someone yelled ‘It’s Gaga!’ But she didn’t respond, just kept on walking, until finally someone yelled, ‘Hey, Jo!’ and then she turned and waved." After performing the character, Gaga also performed her song, "You and I," to great effect. She then came back out on state, still in character, to both pay tribute to Britney Spears and to give her a kiss.

Famous Celebrity Deaths

Hollywood has had its fair share of dramatic instances where tragic death seems to be a normal occurrence and not so much otherwise. In recent weeks, the death of Amy Winehouse caused quite a stir among the music and film industry, with people not surprised about how and why it happened. I for one presumed that it had something to do with either drugs or alcohol, and not a common case like an accident. There are deaths in the fraternity that have famous actors and actresses usually being victims of drug abuse and a life that drives them to take the worst of decisions to end their lives, which we cannot speculate given the haziness of the situation.

Famous Celebrity Deaths Revealed

It is upsetting to turn on the television set or tune into the radio only to hear about yet another celebrity death. Some of us have now accepted the fact that tragedy is Hollywood's way of bidding their best actors and actresses goodbye. The lucky few that died normal deaths didn't stir up such controversy or have something dark going on in their lives to leave us all mouth gaping at their untimely deaths. Let's now explore the different deaths that have occurred in the past years of the rich and famous.

Amy Winehouse 1983-2011 (Singer)

Amy Winehouse, was only 27 when she was found dead in her apartment in London on 23rd July, 2011. She was a talented singer with a voice that was musically acclaimed for its edginess and fresh sound. Her ex-husband Blake Fielder-Civil, reported that she once went into a fit (in a past incident) and stopped breathing post black out, where he gave her mouth to mouth resuscitation to help revive her. Winehouse's autopsy didn't conclude anything concrete, where the evidence that it may have been drugs has not been brought to light.

Ryan Dunn 1977-2011 ('Jackass' Madcap)

The death of Ryan Dunn, star of the hit movie series 'Jackass' was something the cast wasn't prepared for. The blow intensity was felt more by Johnny Knoxville, boss of the 'Jackass' movie runs. Ryan was suspected of drunk driving, while being one of two passengers in the car wreck that killed both present, as the car swerved off the road and burst into flames thereafter. The incident has been termed as an 'auto accident' and not a 'DUI' scenario.

Brittany Murphy 1977-2009 (Actress/Singer)

The death of Brittany Murphy was one of those unexpected tragedies that you wouldn't ever see coming, where although not highly acclaimed as an actress, she did do her bit to squeeze herself into the limelight every now and then. The 'Girl Interrupted' star was known for her quirky acting when it came to comedy and romance like 'Just Married' where she starred opposite funny man Ashton Kutcher. Reportedly, Murphy died from a cardiac arrest while in the shower. Rumors circulated about her having an eating disorder while even dealing with drugs, where her husband Simon Monjack snuffed the bad talk saying that Hollywood was responsible for her death. By that he meant his late wife was under pressure from the film industry, where the final cause of her death was due to stress and depression.

Heath Ledger 1979-2008 (Actor)

Heath Ledger reined in the hearts of the female audiences in '10 Things I Hate About You' as the bad boy Australian who woes actress Julia Stiles as part of a bet, who later ends up falling for her. The star's death created a wave of confusion and talk - being as sudden as the death of Michael Jackson. The star's last film 'The Dark Knight' was the highlight of the actor's career, and a big push rise for his stature as an actor since 'Brokeback Mountain' where it all tragically came to an end in 2008. He was found dead in his apartment, where autopsy reports revealed that the actor had died due to an overdose on prescription pills, due to his insomnia related troubles. Whether it was deliberate or an accident hasn't been made conclusive.

Bruce Lee 1940-1973 (Actor)

Bruce Lee was said to have suffered from cerebral edema, where medical reports called it 'death by misadventure'. He died due to a brain swelling incident that led him to suffer constant headaches and blackouts. Traces of Equagesic was found in his blood stream which acted as both a relaxant and painkiller. Rumors of course followed like they seem to when someone famous dies from a death that isn't concrete in evidence, that drugs were involved as part of Bruce's death.

Elvis Presley 1935-1977 (Singer/Actor)

Elvis Presley touched the hearts of many American folk and belted out rock and roll tracks that took the nation by storm. Much-loved and highly respected for his sultry vocals and fluid dance moves, Elvis Presley was America's sweetheart where his life came abruptly to an end after saturating his system with too many drugs. His body at the time was weak, and he would force himself to perform on stage for his fans, where his death did give them solace to see his suffering end. Overdosing on the drugs led him to believe that they were helping him, and the turnout was shocking when he was found dead on his bathroom floor. He was only 42 when he was found dead.

Anna Nicole Smith 1967-2007 (Actress/Model)

Anna Nicole Smith was beautiful, talented and the center of controversy. She was immersed with problems in and around her life, and probably spiraled out of control after the death of her son. She was found in her hotel room, where she was being resuscitated but without any sign of life after several tries. The drug chloral hydrate when mixed with other prescription drugs that she was on, was a deadly mix that led to her death, where depression was a known side effect. The mystery circulating around the incident was that the drugs that were supposed to be for her husband, was found in her system leading to rumors that this may have been a suicide if not an accidental death.

Gary Coleman 1968-2010 (Actor)

Gary Coleman when seen on the infamous sitcom 'Diff'rent Strokes' could only leave a smile on my face with his adorable chubby cheeks and witty child-like humor. Starting at the young age of 8, Gary Coleman was America's favorite little kid (Arnold Jackson) who died at the age of 42 from congenital kidney disease. He will be missed by many of his fans, where 'Diff'rent Strokes' is still as big a hit as it was back in the day.

Elizabeth Taylor 1932-2011 (Actress)

Elizabeth Taylor was a profound actress who made her mark in the film industry, starting out in black and white while then moving into an era of color and style. Known for her classiness, her strong and subdued way of putting forward a character was both professional and recognized. She was most definitely an iconic actress of her time and is still very much revered even today. She'd been suffering from congestive heart failure for so long, that it finally took a toll on her and led her weak heart to finally give out. She died at age 79.

Bernie Mac 1957-2008 (Stand Up Comedian/Actor)

I'm sure a lot of us tuned in to 'The Bernie Mac Show', where Mac plays himself in a series that were loosely based on his real life. Rising slowly up the ladder of success, Bernie Mac has his way of tickling audiences' funny bone, most often recognized as a class A stand up comedian more than an actor. He suffered from complications due to pneumonia, and was hospitalized and said to be responding well to the treatment being done on him. Sadly his system couldn't take it anymore and he passed away in August 2008.

Peter Falk 1927-2011 (Actor)

Peter Falk was someone any mystery loving fanatic would adore, with his calm demeanor while addressing crimes, and his skeptical and shrewd manner in solving cases as Detective Columbo in the hit series 'Columbo'. He'd been suffering from Alzheimer's disease, battling it out for a while, before passing away this year, 2011.

Michael Jackson 1958-2009 (Singer)

Michael was able to throw a large casting net of influence over people of all ages, making it big for himself as a child when he appeared as the lead singer among his brothers in the music group 'The Jackson 5'. Fans around the world were obsessed with his drive and passion to make music that was both powerful and magnetic. The moonwalker died from a cardiac arrest during the time when he was putting together his much-anticipated concert 'This is It', where only the rehearsal footage was then made public. Fans were devastated world-wide, including members of his family and those who knew him well. He was 50 when he died on June 25th, 2009.

Steve Irwin 1962-2006 (Naturalist)

The infamous crocodile hunter was a hearty Australian that managed to make the most dangerous of situations, a fascinating one. With his eccentric ways and his obvious passion for the wild, Steve Irwin was seen as an iconic naturalist of his time. Steve Irwin was killed in a stingray attack, where his daring self may have pushed the boundaries a tad too much, sadly leading to his demise.

Red Hot Chili Peppers Say Most Recent Album Not a Comeback

It’s been a long time since the Red Hot Chili Peppers have released an album, so one could be forgiven for calling their latest release, "I’m With You," a comeback of sorts. It is, after all, the first album that they’ve released since guitarist John Frusciante left the band. But Rolling Stone’s David Fricke had the gall to call the album a comeback effort and it did not site too well with Anthony Kiedis, the band’s lead singer, or the rest of the band. Noted Keidis, "What did we come back from? Malaria?"

Keidis added, "Maybe in the traditional sense of the word, like ‘coming back’ from our break. But ‘comeback,’ ‘reunion,’ I don’t know. We took a moment to reflect and consider the possibilities, and we’re really fortunate Josh was available and wanting to join forces with us. We didn’t really ever lose full momentum, so it wasn’t like we disbanded and re-banded, we just got kind of flotatious and then reformed together in a new configuration. ‘Comeback’ sounds like you quit and then started again, we didn’t quite quit."

Keidis seems to be talking circles around the issue. Flotatious? Really? Either way, the Red Hot Chili Peppers are back…er, here again? Whatever they are, there’s a new album, and for fans of the band, which reached the peak of its popularity in the 1990s, it’s a good thing. New guitarist Josh Kinghoffer, to whom Keidis referred in his comments, noted, "It’s the first time the band took more than a couple of months off probably in the last 10 years." So there you have it…it’s not a comeback. It’s just a new album.

New Dancing with the Stars Cast Revealed

Dancing with the Stars has the luxury of hand-picking it's celebrity and near-celebrity contestants for every season, and with 12 seasons already under its belt, DWTS knows what it's doing. The show has mastered the art of sprinkling in just enough eye candy, just enough train wreck, just enough controversy and just enough nearly-legitimate celebrity, to appeal to a wide swath of the American viewing public.

This year's cast is certainly no exception and may be one of the more exaggerated groups of contestants that DWTS has managed to produce. Chaz Bono and Nancy Grace are probably the two most provocative contestants - and both are sure to draw fire and scrutiny from the far right and far left among the viewing public. Kristin Cavallari fills the eye candy role vacated by last season's surprise contender, Audrina Patridge. Ron Artest of the Los Angeles Lakers is there representing professional athletes and David Arquette assumes the David Hasselhoff role as the contestant who most closely resembles a legitimate Hollywood celebrity.

Of course, Arquette's appearance on the show may be the most interesting of all, given his ongoing struggles with addiction and his deteriorating marriage to Courtney Cox. Given Cox's still-secure A-list status, it's hard to imagine that Arquette feels like a stint on DWTS is going to offer him any sort of career boost. Assuming that he is still sober, it's a puzzling choice.

But once the dancing and the judging start, celebrity status really just fades away. That's really the brilliance of the show. Viewers get to see the "celebrities" simply as contestants who are trying to compete in a skill that is foreign to many of them.