Will Calvin Johnson Do ‘The Urkel’ On ‘Dancing With The Stars?’ See Megatron’s ‘Family Matters’ Costume
Calvin Johnson, Jr. is prepping for TV Week on Dancing with the Stars, and the character that the NFL star will be playing during his next routine is definitely out of his comfort zone. The TV icon he’s been tasked with channeling would never find himself in an end zone.
Calvin Johnson is known for his strength and athleticism, but the former wide receiver for the Detroit Lions is going to act like the exact opposite of a jock on Monday night. Based on one of pro dancer Lindsay Arnold’s recent Instagram posts, viewers will get to see her celebrity partner transform into mega-nerd Steve Urkel. As People reports, Calvin and Lindsay are going to perform a foxtrot to the Family Matters theme song for TV Week.
In the photo above, it looks like Johnson may be wearing a pair of glasses left behind by Season 22 contestant, Denver Broncos linebacker Von Miller. Megatron is also rocking a pair of suspenders and short pants, but he looks like a sportier, cooler version of Steve Urkel. Fans probably won’t get to see his complete costume until Monday night. Lindsay Arnold will presumably be playing the role of the apple of Urkel’s eye, the lovely Laura Winslow.
There’s no word on whether Calvin Johnson and Lindsay Arnold will do “The Urkel” at some point during their routine, but performing a dorky dance from a ’90s TV series did prove to be a winning strategy on a previous season of Dancing with the Stars — The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air star Alfonso Ribeiro did “The Carlton” during Season 19, and he and partner Witney Carson eventually took home the Mirrorball Trophy.
You can check out actor Jaleel White doing “The Urkel” in the video below. Megatron shouldn’t have a hard time learning the dance — all he has to do is hitch up his pants, bend his knees, and stick out his pelvis (it’s better than Elvis).
Jaleel White actually competed on Season 14 of Dancing with the Stars, but the Family Matters star didn’t get a chance to do the Steve Urkel dance before his elimination (he finished seventh). However, as Us Weekly reports, White did channel Urkel’s suave alter-ego, Stefan Urquelle, during one routine. Interestingly, he and Kym Johnson performed to “For the Cool in You,” a song by Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds, one of Megatron’s competitors on this season of DWTS. As the Washington Post reports, the musician and Megatron both scored 26 out of 40 points during the series premiere. They were topped by One Tree Hill star Jana Kramer (27), Taxi actress Marilu Henner (27), Indycar racer James Hinchcliffe (31), and Olympic gymnast Laurie Hernandez (31).
In Calvin Johnson’s first DWTS video package, his sister said that he doesn’t have much rhythm, and she pointed out that the athlete didn’t do many touchdown dances during his illustrious NFL career. However, Johnson proved his sister and his haters wrong by performing an energetic, upbeat Cha Cha to “That’s What I Like” by Flo Rida, feat. Fitz. As the Pride of Detroit reports, judge Julianne Hough said that Johnson had the “brightest, most infectious smile.” He looked like he was having a blast in the ballroom, and his positive attitude could help him go far on the show.
“He did a good job. He showed his personality,” former teammate Golden Tate told the Detroit News after watching Johnson’s first dance. “Obviously, he has a great smile. I think he had fun.”
It remains to be seen whether Megatron will have as much fun channeling his inner Steve Urkel, but the perfectly capable dancer has clearly proved that he’s comfortable doing something he’s never done before. You can watch Calvin Johnson and Lindsay Arnold perform their Family Matters-inspired routine when Dancing with the Stars airs Monday at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.
[Featured Image by Theo Wargo/Getty Images]
