“All My Children” star Susan Lucci and singers Toni Braxton and Lance Bass will hit the floor on ABC’s “Dancing With the Stars.”

They are among 13 celebrities slated to compete on the new season of the top-rated dance contest, premiering Sept. 22.

The other contestants are actress Cloris Leachman, reality TV star Kim Kardashian, actor Ted McGinley, model-actress Brooke Burke, former NFL player Warren Sapp and two Olympic athletes: Misty May-Treanor, who won her second gold medal for beach volleyball at this year’s summer games in Beijing, and Maurice Greene, who won two gold medals in track at the 2000 games in Sydney.

Rounding out the cast are chef Rocco DiSpirito, Cody Linley of “Hannah Montana” and comedian Jeffrey Ross.

Kardashian, who co-stars with her family on the E! reality series “Keeping Up With the Kardashians,” checked into a New York City hospital Sunday after cutting her foot on a glass table in her hotel room.

“I cut my foot pretty bad. … It looked like a murder scene with all the blood everywhere,” Kardashian told ABC’s “Good Morning America.”

“I will be able to dance. I went to the hospital. I’ll be fine,” she said.

‘AMERICAN IDOL’ ADDS JUDGE

Scoot over, Simon Cowell. “American Idol” is adding a fourth critic to its panel of judges.

Grammy-nominated songwriter Kara DioGuardi will sit alongside Cowell, Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson when the eighth season of “American Idol” premieres in January, the Fox network said Monday.

“For the past seven seasons, Paula has had to endure the experience of being the only woman at the judges’ table,” said Mike Darnell, president, alternative programming of Fox, in a statement.

“With Kara by her side, Paula has some backup, and now there is going to be a lot more ‘girl power’ on the show,” Darnell said.

DioGuardio’s songs have been recorded by Kelly Clarkson, Christina Aguilera, Gwen Stefani, Celine Dion, Faith Hill, Carrie Underwood and Pink, among others.

“We are turning the heat up on ‘Idol’ this year and are thrilled to welcome Kara to the judges’ table,” said creator and executive producer Simon Fuller in a statement. “She is a smart, sassy lady, and one of America’s most successful songwriters. We know she will bring a new level of energy and excitement to the show.”

Executive producer Cecile Frot-Coutaz said a fourth judge isn’t a new idea.

“We had originally intended for ‘American Idol’ to have four judges,” she said. “We’ve seen from our international series that having a fourth judge creates a dynamic that benefits both the contestants and the viewers.”

The Associated Press

MCDONOUGH GETS ‘DESPERATE’

Neal McDonough fans who miss seeing the former “Boomtown” star on television each week can celebrate: Neal has joined the cast of ABC’s “Desperate Housewives” as Nicollette Sheridan’s new love interest.

“It’s like Disneyland, it’s the happiest place on Earth,” he said of the “Housewives” set. “Nicollette is terrific, she’s great. It’s just this great cast.”

Neal had not done a steady television gig since the cancellation of NBC’s “Medical Investigation” in 2005. Instead, he was busy making movies, including “Flags of Our Fathers,” “88 Minutes” and “The Hitcher.”

“I was traveling everywhere. I wanted to see my wife and kids,” Neal said during a recent chat. “I was about to go off again and (‘Desperate Housewives’ creator, producer and writer) Marc Cherry called and said, ‘How’d you like to be the new guy?’ It’s just a lot of fun and it’s nice to drive 3.5 miles to work, get home and kiss my wife.”

Los Angeles Daily News