Dancing with the Stars Press Conference

From PureDWTS, ABC.com

After the announcement over live television last night of the Season 11 cast of Dancing with the Stars, the press conference continued on the web. Access Hollywood, People, Extra, and other outlets were there to ask questions to the celebrities and judges participating. View more videos and a Q&A transcript under the cut.Q&A transcription from PureDWTS.com:First Access Hollywood got a chance to ask a couple of questions…

Access Hollywood: I understand, Florence, you campaigned the hardest to get this position. What did you actually do for them to call you and say ‘ok we want you on’?Florence: I took all my clothes off. No, uh, I have loved this show since it began. I absolutely love it, I’ve been in the audience so many times and I was never asked, really. But they would leak every year that I was going to do it.Tom: Luckily this season we didn’t have to worry about that at all. Those pesky leaks.Florence: I’m just so thrilled that they called me and I’m on it. It’s just fantastic for me.Access Hollywood: One last question before I give the microphone to my colleagues. First of all I’m Shawn Robinson from Access Hollywood.Florence: We know you.Access Hollywood: David, who has better abs, you or the Situation?David: Well we would just have to find out. You just have to watch.Brooke: I think Maks is gonna wanna chime into that one too.Tom: Yeah, probably.

Anyway, the hosts asked a couple of questions.

Brooke: Kurt, we had so many football players on the show that have done really well. Do you feel like that natural competitive nature gives you an advantage on the ballroom floor?Kurt: I hope so. But I’m not so sure, I know that they have done well in the past. One thing I have to fall back on is the fact that I am the first quarterback. And so I’m the first non-athlete of the NFL players to actually get out on the dance floor. So we’ll see if it carries over, if I could meet the standard that they’ve already set.Tom: So we have humility and the potential for nudity on this show in Season 11.Tom: Margaret I almost asked a question about your partner, but I won’t because that’s going to be revealed later in the week. But what are you looking forward to most and least in the training.Margaret: I’m really looking forward to just watching everybody dance. That’s the exciting thing, we know everybody from other things. So I’m excited to watch everyone and excited to learn it. I’ve never done any ballroom dancing, I’ve got some stripper moves, so maybe…Brooke: Which could come in handy. Especially if you have to do the solo this year.Margaret: Oh! So I’m magic on the pole. Watch out.Brooke: Which also means she’s brave. Half the battle.Tom: I’m really loving this season so far.

So someone from the press by the name of “George” asked a couple of questions, I didn’t catch who he was working with.

George: This looks to me like the tallest season of Dancing with the Stars yet and then in the back row there sits Kyle. Kyle what is your strategy to take these three dudes on?Kyle: Basically being the youngest, that means that I’m the hip one of the group.Brooke: Young and bold.Kyle: They’ve been throwing short jokes at me all backstage. We’re all going to dance our hearts off, but it’s just the battle of the best.George: And before I pass the mic over, how many of you already fear the power that is America’s mom, Florence Henderson. By a show of hands. (Everyone raises their hand) Ok so Florence, everyone’s hand went up.Florence: Well, let me just say Jennifer Grey was worried about being 50, I’m 76, so.

Back to the hosts…

Tom: Bristol what made you decide to do this?Bristol: I wanted to get out of Alaska for a few weeks.Tom: Oh really?Brooke: We’re going to have to ask you in a few weeks if you still feel the same way.Bristol: I know, I’m like melting. And I just wanted to get in shape and have a good time.

Anyway, the Insider got their turn.

Chris Jacobs: Rick, there’s two athletes in the cast this season and you guys have hoisted championship trophies in the past. Any inner competition to outlast your fellow athlete, Rick?Kurt: For me there is.Rick: Kurt threw down the gauntlet in the back already. It’s hard not to compete, this is what we all are going to be doing. We’re going to be competing, not only to learn how to dance but also to hopefully hoist the trophy. It’s been eight years for me. So I’m looking forward to competing for it.

Anyway, next up.. AOL! Wait, since when did AOL have their own media outlet? Ugh, I feel old.

AOL: Mike from AOL. Without giving away who your partners are. Do any of you have input into who would be selected as your dancing instructor.Kyle: I had no clue. It was completely just, “alright walk into that room and you’d meet your partner”. And I was like, “alright”.AOL: Ok so ladies, you did not fight over who gets MaksFlorence: They are all so great. We would have been happy with anybody, really.Margaret: I used “the secret” to get my partner.Jennifer: I did campaign for Edyta, because I thought it would br good to have the first girl on girl… but I heard that she’s not willing.Brooke: everyone’s bringing a little edge. I was actually going to ask you that, Brandy, were you hoping for someone in particular.Brandy: I was just happy to be part of the cast, I didn’t really care I just wanted to learn how to dance

Anyway… back to the hosts.

Tom: Did you all start training with your respective partners? So you all started?David: You guys have all started?Girl: Yesterday.Girl: Two days.Guy: SomewhatBrooke: Audrina, how do you feel that your experience working in reality is going to give you an advantage in this competition.Audrina: I’m really nervous about performing in front of a live audience. Because with reality there maybe people around yet you’re filming and you know it’s going to be edited and that, this is going to be live and so it’s very different.Tom: A little bit of a MTV smack down do you think?Brooke: Does anyone have any dance experience?Margaret: Strippers! Already said.

Now In Touch had a chance to ask questions….

In Touch: Florence I’m just wondering, do you have any stipulations on costumes. Is there anything that you will not wear?Florence: Not that I can think of, I’m so excited. I love doing new things, I love new challenges, whatever they want me to wear that I can keep on. I’m a little concerned because at my age your arms, you stop waving your arm keeps waving, things like that. So I’m sure they’ll take care of me. It’s the most fantastic costume show ever. I’m looking forward to it.

Now it’s People Magazine‘s turn!

People: Brandy you have some experience in the entertainment industry, you’ve done lot of dancing. Do you think you have an added edge?Brandy: Absolutely not, because the dancing that I’ve done is completely different than the dancing that we’re going to be dancing on the show.Jennifer: What about that ballroom dancing you did on Cinderella?Brandy: Girl that was camera fauxBrooke: Yeah, there’s no faking here on the show. It’s all the real thing.

So Ingrid from the Outside (has anyone heard of this magazine?) gets to put in her question.

Outside: Bristol, everybody we know from TV or movies or sports, a lot of America doesn’t know that much about you, what do you think people would be surprised about you and your personality?Bristol: Like you said, a lot of people don’t know who I am. I hope people just realize that I’m a hard worker and that I’m going to put my heart into this and I’m just excited to be part of the cast.Outside: Two of you were former judges on another reality showDavid: Yeah, we’re in troubleOutside: You’re in big trouble. How do you think that’s going to affect you being on the other side of the camera this timeDavid: it’s going to be awful. All the people that we voted off are going to buzz us out quick. They are just waiting.Brandy: Thank god I was nice as a judge, and I’m glad I was only on there for one year. Sorry David.David: Oh, oh noOutside: Do you think it would make it more likely for you to talk back to the judges on this show.Brandy: Yeah I’ve been talking back since I was a kid. So I probably will anyway.David: I’m just going to smile alot, I’m just going to have fun. It’s all about fun, it’s a fun show, it reaches so many people at every age. It’s like America’s Got Talent, it’s the same thing, it’s good solid entertainment it’s what the world needs to watch. That’s why I’m hereTom: From your lips to Nielsen’s ears.

Nice public ribbing between two ex-judges of another reality talent show. Anyone else find it odd that Dancing with the Stars got the two ex-judges of America’s Got Talent in the same season? How the heck did that happen? Or just one hell of a coincidence?Now it’s Inside Edition‘s turn

Inside Edition: Pam Anderson we saw her last season on the show, did she give you any pointers for your appearance on this season? Did she give you any advice?David: She just said, stand like this, and you’ll go far. I’ve been working on that. I saw her at the Central Comedy roast after she annihilated me and she goes, “I think you should do Dancing with the Stars” she said that she had a blast and she was never in better shape and she did really well, I actually voted for her, I thought she did great.

I have to find that central comedy roast that they were on. So that’s why David came on the show, because Pamela said, “go do this.” Man if all women had that kind of power…. And finally a question from Extra

Extra: Jennifer this if for you, from Dirty Dancing to Dancing with the Stars, do hope you get to perform I’ve had the Time of my Life.Audrina: I doJennifer: I’m just really thinking about getting through the first dance at this point. I’m open to surviving on this thing honestly.Audrina: Freestyle!