Ali as a dancer? Fits like a glove
It’s no surprise that Laila Ali is floating like a butterfly on “Dancing With the Stars.”
“I think the stereotype of female boxers is that you’re not going to be ladylike,” says the 29-year-old daughter of boxing great Muhammad Ali.
“But if you do know boxing, and you have seen me box, then I think people would assume I would be graceful.”
Ali, who’s unbeaten in the ring, says her self-confidence also helps – particularly in dealing with partner Maksim Chmerkovskiy, who’s brought past contestants to tears.
“I think (producers) felt because I’m strong and confident we’d work well together – either that, or make good TV,” she says.
“I’m not going to let him get to me in any sort of way without saying something back,”
The photogenic, 5-foot-10 Ali – who hopes to survive another round on the show when this week’s voting results are announced tonight – helps design her own custom-made, rhinestone-bedecked outfits.
“I look at it as a new character every week. It’s like playing dress-up,” she says.
But she has no grand plans for an entertainment career, although a boxing-oriented workout DVD she shot with Sugar Ray Leonard was just released and a book is in the works.
“I grew up watching my father, and I’m just not really into the whole superstar-celebrity thing,” Ali says.
“I’m kind of afraid of success in that area because I want to be able to live a regular life. … I dealt with it growing up and for the second part of my life I don’t really want to go to that.”
You’re unattired!
Kristine Lefebvre, who failed to win a job with Donald Trump on “The Apprentice,” is shedding her business suit for Playboy.
Lefebvre, a 37-year-old lawyer, will appear on the cover of the June issue of the magazine and is featured in nude photographs inside.
Her publicist says the cancer survivor wants to use the opportunity to send a message of support to others with the disease.
On Sunday, Trump chose Stefani Schaeffer over Seattle Internet entrepreneur James Sun in the finale of “The Apprentice: Los Angeles.”
Reege ♥s Dave
David Letterman will be Regis Philbin‘s first guest on “Live With Regis and Kelly” when he returns Thursday after having triple heart bypass surgery six weeks ago.
Philbin, 75, was a guest host on CBS’ “Late Show” after Letterman underwent heart bypass surgery in 2000. He also stepped in when Letterman was recovering from an eye infection in 2003.
America’s got Sharon …
Sharon Osbourne will replace Brandy on “America’s Got Talent” when the NBC reality series returns for a second season May 29.
The wife/manager of rocker Ozzy Osbourne will join returning judges David Hasselhoff and British media figure Piers Morgan in the $1 million contest hosted by Jerry Springer.
A spokesman for actress-singer Brandy, who faces two wrongful death lawsuits over a fatal L.A. freeway crash in December, says “she felt she couldn’t give the new season the attention and commitment it deserved.”
… and, still, Sanjaya
Sanjaya Malakar may finally have been eliminated from “American Idol” last week, but his 15 minutes of fame are far from over.
The 17-year-old from Federal Way, Wash. – who made more of an impression with his hairstyles than his voice – was a guest on “Live With Regis and Kelly” on Monday and later stopped by David Letterman‘s “Late Show” to read the Top 10 list.
He sees himself as a singer, actor and model: “What I want to do is experience the whole entertainment business, because, I mean, I’m not just a musician, I’m an entertainer.”
The birthday bunch
Actress Shirley MacLaine is 73. Singer-actress Barbra Streisand is 65. Actor Eric Bogosian is 54. Actor-comedian Cedric the Entertainer is 43. Actor Djimon Hounsou (“Blood Diamond,” “Amistad”) is 43. Actress Melinda Clarke (“The O.C.”) is 38. Actor Eric Balfour (“Conviction”) is 30. Singer Kelly Clarkson is 25.