5 Questions With Maks Chmerkovskiy

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 Adam Rippon Discusses DWTS with ET - March 15, 2018 [x]
Adam Rippon is excited for “what’s next.”


The Olympic figure skater stopped by ET’s Los Angeles studio on Thursday, where we asked him about the possibility of joining Dancing With the Stars’ upcoming all-athlete season. Ever since the 28-year-old athlete became “America’s sweetheart,” fans have been marveling over the fact that he’d be the perfect addition to the dance competition show, with some even speculating that he’s already been cast.


“I think it would be a great opportunity and it would be really fun,” Rippon told ET’s Denny Directo during a special live edition of The Daily Denny. “It would be really fun. I’ve always wanted to learn how to dance, because I’ve just been a solo act, like a one-man show.”


But when we asked Rippon point blank to set the record straight on whether he’s been approached by ABC, he played coy, giving us an adorable answer.


“I would think that, like, it would be, like, such as, umm, the Americas and such as,” he joked, referencing the hilarious speech former Miss South Carolina Caitlin Upton gave during the Miss Teen USA 2007 pageant.


But on a more serious note, Rippon has already committed to the Stars on Ice tour, which runs April 6-May 20. Although the all-athlete season of DWTSwould overlap with the tour, Rippon didn’t deny the possibility of making it work.


“You know, it would be a crazy schedule,” Rippon explained. “Like, the dates are all going on during the Stars on Ice tour, so it would be a lot of traveling. And I’ve never danced with a partner before. I think [my dancing skills] are more like solo skills.”


“Usually I’m a crazy person, like really outgoing, kinda, like, loud, so when I go out, I’ll just start dancing a little bit and I’ll be having a good time and usually people think like, ‘Oh, she’s crazy,’” he continued, poking fun at his dance skills. “They’re not wrong, but usually it looks like I’m going to hurt myself. And that’s by myself! I don’t know what kind of insurance [there is].”


When ET spoke with So You Think You Can Dance alum Benji Schwimmer last month, he said he would love to see DWTS make groundbreaking history by having a same-sex pair compete on the show. Schwimmer and Rippon have been pals for awhile now – the professional swing dancer even choreographed one of the two routines Rippon performed in Pyeongchang this year. So, if the opportunity presented it, he would love to make #TeamAdemji happen – and Rippon is down for it, too!


“I think it would be pretty cool,” Rippon told ET of the idea of competing for the mirrorball with Schwimmer. “I’ve known Benji for a really long time … he’s done a lot of my choreography on the ice. So, if we ever danced together, I would definitely feel pretty comfortable because we’ve known each other for such a long time. It would be really fun. Yeah! Why not?”


Other pros he could hypothetically see himself competing with?


“I do love the girls on the show,” he confessed. “I think any choice would be great. If I did have the chance to do the show, I mean, I always love watching Lindsay [Arnold], Witney [Carson] or Jenna [Johnson]. They’re great.”


Aside from the possibility of doing DWTS, Rippon is also looking forward to other projects off the ice where he can “really be myself” as an entertainer. He told ET he would “die” if he could be a part of Rupaul’s Drag Race, or maybe even experiment with fashion. More on that in the full interview HERE!


Dancing With the Stars’ all-athlete season begins April 30 at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.