Metta World Peace: Dancing with the Stars Needs Ron Artest To Survive Tuesday

The judges had it in for Metta World Peace in Night 1 of Dancing with the Stars, leaving little hope that he would move on past Tuesday's elimination show. If he is voted off, the show would lose the most vibrant character in all the cast. 

Ron Artest, the Lakers star who changed his name to Metta World Peace, is an awful dancer. I understand that a show that is centered around dancing should weigh the art form as the penultimate reason for a cast member to stay. 

That would miss a huge point. Peace is more showman than dancer, more sideshow than artist. If you give him enough time, he will have the nation captivated. 

Peace was the first contestant on tonight's show, and he did exactly what I thought he would. The man that is a self-professed loon was as magical to watch dance as he has been playing basketball. 

He took to the stage like a rock star would a concert. Peace was by far the most colorful character on Monday, and I am not even talking about the blond hair he was rocking. 

Peace made his mark from the start, throwing his hat to show a yellow head, then shaking his hips at every turn. The man was committed.

It has to be hard to be taken from your comfort zone. We saw Hope Solo struggle to be "feminine" in her dance. When the judges hit on that note she gently rolled her eyes as she has no doubt heard this at every turn.

Other dancers were as timid as the next in their first foray into dance. But Artest, he was fully keen on having a good time, dance moves be damned. 

Sure, he was an awkward mess, but he had a zeal and passion that was missing from every single one of the other performances. 

While Peace had one of the most dreadful dances on the night, it was at least memorable. That is more than I can say about any of the other stars. 

Peace is funny, zany and off kilter. He will never be the best dancer in the room, but he will command the attention of anyone in it. 

On the first night of the hit show, Metta World Peace was the only must-see contestant. Now we need to keep him there.