Are you watching the current season of Dancing with the Stars? If the Ryan Lochte protestors are set to return, they’re reason enough to tune in. All joking aside, DWTS is celebrating its 23rd season (where did the time go?!), and stars Amber Rose, Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds, Olympic gymnast Laurie Hernandez and Vanilla Ice, to name a few, are just a few of this year’s contestants. In honor of the show’s continued success, let’s take a walk down memory lane and revisit the best and worst Black celebrity contestants to date. And trust us, there are many – good and bad. But who gets your vote? Click on to see who made it on our list.
Alfonso Ribeiro
Everyone watching Season 19 of Dancing with the Stars was probably waiting for Alfonso Ribeiro to do the Carlton. He did it, but the actor did a lot more than that. Quick on his feet, never missing a beat, Ribeiro was the obvious winner and one of the best celebrity contestants on DWTS to date.
Amber Riley
Actress and singer Amber Riley shook her tail feather all the way to the top of Season 17. She nailed every performance, rightfully winning the Dancing with the Stars mirror-ball trophy and bragging rights, of course.
Tamar Braxton
Braxton had to pull out of the competition as she got closer to the finale after finding out that the pneumonia she thought she had was actually blood clots in her lungs. She had the moves to win, but sadly, her illness forced her to step away from the show after killing it nearly every week.
Mya
R&B singer Mya is a real-life dancer, so it’s kind of unfair to include her in this list. But hey, she and partner Dmitry Chaplin did the damn thing. Too bad they were runner-ups and not the winners of Season 9.
Laila Ali
She was elegant, she was gracious, and boxing pro Laila Ali looked like she had a ball during Season 4 of DWTS. She ended up in third place with partner Maksim Chmerkovskiy.
Jerry Rice
Retired NFL player Jerry Rice surprised a lot of folks, including himself, in Season 2 of DWTS. He was a runner-up and narrowly missed defeating singer Nick Lachey.
Chaka Khan
Week 1, Season 21 of Dancing with the Stars. The incomparable, illustrious Chaka Khan had the best. Intro. Ever. Wearing a gold and silver shimmery dress draped in a bright blue boa, she descended from the ceiling in a lift and went straight into her routine. And to top things off, she was dancing to her own music (“I Feel For You”)! Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough to impress the judges. The singer was the first contestant sent home.
Tavis Smiley
PBS host Tavis Smiley wasn’t happy to be the second contestant booted off the 19th season of Dancing with the Stars. In the middle of a book tour at the time, he was also disappointed that the show’s producers didn’t approve his request to do the show in the spring when his schedule would be less hectic. Basically, he claimed that he didn’t have enough time to practice his routines…and it showed.
Wendy Williams
From practice and rehearsals to live performances, Season 12 contestant and TV host Wendy Williams is quick to tell folks how difficult DWTS really is. She didn’t have to endure too much though, because she didn’t last very long on the show.
Metta World Peace
Bless his heart. Metta World Peace, the L.A. Laker formerly known as Ron Artest, tried it. It being the cha-cha, but his one and only performance on Season 13 of Dancing with the Stars fell flat. Very flat.
Master P
Rapper Master P received the lowest score in the history of DWTS. Granted, the show was only in its second season at the time, but still. That’s one for the history books.
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