The story about Tom DeLay appearing on "Dancing with the Stars" was bouncing around all day. Tonight, USA Today posted an interview with him. He's just all the rage now:
"I can't answer the phone. My e-mails are out of sight, I can't keep up with my Facebook, and TV reporters have been outside my house since this morning," says DeLay, 62, nicknamed The Hammer for his forceful handling of political opponents. "I knew Dancing was popular, but I didn't know it was this popular."Disco DeLay. Who knew?
Executive producer Conrad Green and senior producer Deena Katz had talked to politicians about signing on before. But "I was astonished when he said yes," Green says.
DeLay's political career fizzled when a grand jury indictment on money laundering charges in 2005 forced him to step down from the House leadership post and later from Congress. No trial date is set.
DeLay, who now runs a political consultancy, says his love of ballroom dance, not image enhancement, is the prime reason he's on Dancing.
"To be honest, I hope people will see another side of Tom DeLay," he says. "But you can't be a Texan and not love to dance. I've always been able to two-step and polka. My wife (Christine) and I even took disco when that was hot."
