Pia Toscano: Next stop will be Dancing with the Stars
ABC-TV has announced that next week, their hit show Dancing with the Stars, will feature a performance by Pia Toscano. Pia, who was long considered a favorite to win FOX's American Idol was eliminated from the competition two weeks ago.
While several theories circulated about the reason for Pia's early ousting from the show, including sexism by 12-year-old girls and poor guidance by the judges, the most logical explanation focused on Miss Toscano's obsession with ballads, general lack of stage presence, and inability to dance.
So it is not without a twinge of irony that Pia's first post-American Idol performance will be on Dancing with the Stars.
Not to worry though, it seems Pia will leave the dancing to her rumored boyfriend, pro dancer, Mark Ballas. Mark will be dancing to Pia's vocals with Karina Smirnoff, another DWTS pro dancer, turned Playboy model. While there has been no official announcement on what song Pia has chosen to perform, Mark Ballas hinted that she would be singing something "slow and romantic." No surprise there.
And while Mark and Pia continue to deny rumors that they are dating, they seem in no hurry for the speculation to cease (no doubt producers of both shows are very pleased with the media fascination with the pair).
In addition to Pia and Mark's DWTS performance, Mark was also in the American Idol audience Wednesday night for an encore performance featuring Pia and other recently eliminated contestants. Now, the audience of American Idol is often peppered with stars from other shows: Glee, Fringe, Breaking In; but all of these shows have something in common. They are all FOX shows.
So why is FOX featuring a star from a competing network in their audience? Could it be that true love conquers even corporate interests? Perhaps.
But it is far more likely that Jimmy Iovine from FOX Music / Interscope Records has a vested interest in keeping the Pia hype on high. Rumors have been circulating since her elimination that Pia would be signing a record contract with Interscope. If rumors of a burgeoning romance with a competing network's star keeps Pia in the headlines, then it really is a match made in heaven . . . for FOX and ABC, that is.
