'Stars Earn Stripes' puts Todd Palin and others in boot camp

Todd Palin, husband of former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, will try the military life on the new "Stars Earn Stripes" reality competition show. (David Zalubowski / Associated Press / June 20, 2012)

By Patrick Kevin Day

June 20, 2012, 10:30 a.m.

"Stars Earn Stripes," NBC's upcoming summer reality competition show, just announced which celebrities will enter boot camp, and it's a typically eclectic lot. Most notably, Todd Palin, husband of former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, is in the mix. How many political junkies just set this thing up on the DVR?

Like a military"Dancing With the Stars,"the show pairs celebrities with current and former members of the armed forces as the Hollywood lightweights attempt to complete a series of challenges. And not just the thing where you run fast through a series of tires on the ground; this means helicopter drops and long-range weapons fire.

Other celebrities on the show's first season include boxing champion Laila Ali, actor Dean Cain, former NFL player Terry Crews, singer Nick Lachey, Olympic gold medalist Picabo Street, "The Biggest Loser" trainer Dolvett Quince and WWE wrestler Eve Torres. Former presidential candidate and retired Gen. Wesley Clark is the show's host, alongside TV personality Samantha Harris.

The series has a trio of producing heavyweights behind it: "Law & Order" honcho Dick Wolf and reality show specialists Mark Burnett and David A. Hurwitz of the notorious show"Fear Factor." But don't expect contestants to be forced to drink any unfortunate donkey by-products like on "Fear Factor." They just don't do that in the military.

The celebrity contestants are all competing to earn money for various veterans' charities, and the show's producers have expressed a commitment to hire veterans for the crew.

Todd Palin isn't the only member of the clan to be featured on reality TV this summer. His daughter, Bristol Palin, recently made her reality show starring debut in the Lifetime series "Bristol Palin: Life's a Tripp," which is less reality competition and more "The Hills."

"Stars Earn Stripes" premieres Aug. 13.