Cable hosts on dancing: Matthews does a mean ‘Philly Dog’; Van Susteren claims Hannity wants to cut a rug

With the news that HLN host Nancy Grace is heading to “Dancing With the Stars” to kick up her very loud heels, ITK wondered if it won’t be long before other TV news faces follow her lead.

“Hardball” anchor Chris Matthews claims he has “given up” professional dance since winning 50 cents in an eighth-grade contest at his alma mater, St. Christopher elementary school. (Can anyone corroborate this tale?) 

The Philadelphia-bred MSNBC host does boast that he did a “serviceable Philly Dog” at one time. A 1966 Time magazine article instructs those who want to do the Philly Dog dance move: “Take the basic position of the Boston Monkey. Bob and weave your head and move your hips in a groovin’ manner.” Unfortunately, Matthews says he has no plans, along with no offers, to strut his stuff on the “Dancing With the Stars” dance floor.

Likewise, it appears Wolf Blitzer plans on staying in “The Situation Room” and out of the ballroom for now. While he’s not above an on-air competition — he went head to head on “Celebrity Jeopardy” in 2009 — a CNN rep says the anchor “would not” strap on his dancing shoes.

Fox News’s Greta Van Susteren, on the other hand, sidestepped the question of whether she’d high-step her way onto the hit ABC show. When asked if she would hoof it up, the “On the Record” host mentions a fellow Fox News personality: “Sean Hannity really, really wants to and I would never try to steal his thunder.”

Hannity attempting to one-up Nancy Grace’s pasodoble — now that’s a show that could dance away with great ratings.

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