Derek Hough will be plenty nervous tonight, but that doesn’t mean his “Hairspray Live!” performance is going to show it.
Of course, that doesn’t mean the live NBC musical will be without flaws. Statistically speaking, something probably will go wrong, the popular “Dancing With the Stars” pro told us — and that’s not a bad thing. Plus, nerves are good in this case, if harnessed properly.
“If anything, the imperfections are what makes it special,” he said of the special.
So, what is most likely to get goofed up when the camera turns on tonight at 8/7c?
Plenty of things, Hough told us — but in his experience, live TV and play screw-ups are never really the parts you worry about pre-curtain, however. Without many exceptions, they instead inevitably come from a pool of moments that went swimmingly through each rehearsal. In this case, there’s one logistical issue that could definitely come back to haunt producers: 40 percent of “Hairspray Live” takes place outside, on the (fake) streets of Baltimore.
“That’s crazy — we’re shooting a full-length feature film, basically,” Hough, who plays TV host Corny Collins, told TheWrap. “The geography of this show is massive.”
Whether someone botches something or not, the soon-to-be NBC “World of Dance” host won’t get too flustered. Hough shared with us some lessons he’s learned from his many seasons on ABC’s live “DWTS,” and how he’s counseled his celebrity partners.
“Treat it like a rehearsal … just do what you’ve been doing,” he advises. “I almost mentally tell myself, ‘OK, I’m just gonna go run through this one more time, and then I’m gonna go home,’ when it’s actually the performance.”
Speaking of “Dancing With the Stars,” TheWrap did the requisite reporter thing and asked Hough if he’s hanging his tights up for good over there in favor of the new Jennifer Lopez-led competition. While the brother to “Grease: Live” star Julianne Hough said he won’t be going back to the show that launched their careers this year, the male multi-hyphenate promised us he’d never close the curtain on what he calls his “home” for good.