Steve Schirripa is best known for his role on "The Sopranos," but if "Dancing with the Stars" producers had their way, Steve would be known for his quickstep.
"'Dancing With The Stars'? Yes, I turned that down," Steve tells me on the set of "New York Live." "I have been asked to do every reality show. 'Dancing with the Stars' should be called 'Dancing with Ex-Celebrities That Didn't Save Their Money.' That's what this show should be called."
The amount of money celebrities make on the show has never been confirmed, but several insiders tell me each star is guaranteed $125,000 for appearing on the show and an additional weekly amount thereafter -- $10,000 per week for weeks 3-4, $20,000 for weeks 5-7, $30,000 for weeks 8-9, and finally $50,000 if they make it to weeks 10 and 11.
"It's great for William Levy because no one knew who he was, so for him, it worked," Steve says. "For me, I would be a fool, a damn fool. So for William it's terrific -- for Steve it's no good."
Instead, Steve is back on TV hosting his new show "Nothing Personal" on Investigation Discovery. It's a show that he says is about contract murders, not the hit mob.