Eccentric songstress Macy Gray has been on a world tour all summer, but she won’t be at a disadvantage when she reports to the dance floor for the next season of ABC’s
Dancing With the Stars. Producers arranged to have her professional dance partner, Jonathan Roberts, accompany her on the tour to get in shape. Macy, 42, called me from Romania, just two hours before a performance, to update me on her progress.
Hey Macy—how’s the food in Romania?I don’t want to hurt anybody’s feelings, but it’s not very good. They’re not big on food here. The best food was in Warsaw. They had some really good sushi.
When are you due back in L.A. to begin Dancing With the Stars? We fly back on Sept. 17 and then we have rehearsals on the 18th through the 20th and the show starts on the 21st.
You nervous?I was really nervous after I agreed to do it. I wanted to take it back so badly, but I think I finally accepted the fact that I’m going on the show.
Why did you want to pull out?The dancing’s not embarrassing—it’s all that other stuff. Like standing there while they give you a number. Telling you how they feel. That’s going to kill me. Maybe it would be okay if they said it behind my back, but not while I’m standing there.
How long has Jonathan been rehearsing with you?We left on Aug. 24 and have been rehearsing every day since, except for two days when we were partying all day and I totally forgot. He’s excited to come out on stage with me when we get to Moscow, because his wife (
Dancing’s Anna Trebunskaya) speaks Russian.
What dance moves have you excelled at so far?Well, I learned the waltz, which was really hard because it’s this whole new way for me to hold my body. You have to stretch your neck to be elongated magically. Everything is very precise. I don’t just get up and do that every day. And then we’ve been practicing the Cha-Cha-Cha. I’ve learned to operate my body so it looks good. Jonathan’s telling me that every move should look like a picture. So when I go on stage now I’m really conscious of the things I do. And it’s good to compete again for the first time since high school sports.
What did you play in school?I played volleyball, basketball and track.
Are you friends with any of the other contestants?I know Kelly (Osbourne) a little bit. And I know Debi Mazar the best. I met her a long time at one of Madonna’s birthday parties and we’ve kept in touch since.
Who among the competitors is the one to beat?Jonathan told me the athletes are the ones you have to worry about because they’re used to getting up early and training eight hours a day. They’re conditioned mentally to win, which is why athletes always go far in the competition. I’m just focused on having a good time and not making an ass of myself.
What are you hoping will come out of your appearance on the show?I’m really doing it because my mom in Ohio talked me into it. This show is all she talks about. In Ohio,
Dancing with the Stars is the biggest thing you can do. I’m bigger than Brad Pitt right now. So far, everything she said it would do for me has been happening.