DANCING WITH THE STARS ... Life is good

The stars for the third season of "Dancing with the Stars" have been announced. . . and the list DOES include some of the names we'd already heard, like VIVICA A. FOX and JOSEPH "DON'T CALL ME JOEY" LAWRENCE.


--But here's one that came straight outta left field: Daytime TV god JERRY "FREAKIN'" SPRINGER. (!!!)


--The other "stars" that will be competing are. . .


--"Saved by the Bell" Latino stud MARIO LOPEZ

--Former "Playboy" playmate SHANNA MOAKLER. . . soon to be the ex-wife of former BLINK-182 drummer TRAVIS BARKER.

--Annoying, formerly bow-tied MSNBC conservative political analyst TUCKER CARLSON

--"Clash of the Titans" superstar HARRY HAMLIN. . . (--his wife is LISA RINNA, who competed in the second season of "Dancing with the Stars".)

--Country minx SARA EVANS

--Pop skank WILLA FORD

--MONIQUE COLEMAN. . . from the Disney Channel movie "High School Musical".

--And former NFL running-back EMMITT SMITH (--As you no doubt recall, former NFL wide receiver JERRY RICE was last season's runner-up.)


--The new season premieres on September 12th at 8:00 P.M. on ABC.