Where do you go after spending 14 years rolling back Texas abortion access and executing the mentally ill? The dance floor, baby!
Former Texas Governor and twice-failed Republican presidential candidate Rick Perry will, naturally, be competing in season 23 of Dancing With the Stars, and let’s hope he doesn’t forget his quick step like he forgot the name of the Environmental Protection Agency!
ET reports that Perry will be joined by a top-notch cast that includes Olympians Laurie Hernandez and Ryan Lochte (gotta make up for those hemorrhaging sponsorships somehow), as well as Brady Bunch star Maureen McCormick, Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds, Amber Rose, actor Jake T. Austin and Little Women: LA star Terra Jole. We’ve also got One Tree Hill actress Jana Kramer, former actress/health guru Marilu Henner, Vanilla Ice, retired football player Calvin Johnson, and Indy race car driver James Hinchcliffe.
Returning pros include Cheryl Burke, Maksim Chmerkovskiy, and Derek Hough.
I reached out to Jezebel’s own Dancing With the Stars expert Joanna Rothkopf for comment:
This season has one of the most relevant casts in recent memory. I feel confident that Laurie Hernandez and Val Chmerkovskiy will be champions, probably in fiercely competitive finale against Amber Rose and Val’s older brother Maksim Chmerkovskiy (fellow pro Peta Murgatroyd’s fiancé and proven winner) and Marilu Henner and Derek Hough (he was off last season performing on Broadway or something but he is also notoriously a tough competitor who hates to lose).
Joanna made no mention of Rick Perry, however, which I found odd, as YouTube provides evidence that he is at least decent at the hora:
Well, I know where I’m putting my money. Don’t let me down, Rick!