From Kyle Hopkins in Anchorage --
The former First Dude is headed back to reality TV.
Todd Palin will join the celebrity cast of NBC's "Stars Earn Stripes," a new military-themed series debuting later this summer on NBC, Entertainment Weekly reports.
Retired Gen. Wesley Clark -- yes, the 2004 presidential candidate -- will co-host the show.
Other competitors include boxing champ Laila Ali, actor Dean Cain, former NFL player Terry Crews, singer Nich Lachey, Olympic gold medalist Picabo Street and The Biggest Loser trainer Dolvett Quince, according to Entertainment Weekly:
The eight competitors will gather at a training facility where they will tackle complicated and difficult “missions” inspired by real-life military exercises. Like on Dancing With the Stars, each celebrity will be partnered with an expert — in this case, an experienced member of the U.S. military or a law enforcement agency. Contests range from helicopter drops to long-range target shooting, with the celebrity and the veteran competing as a team. Each week, one team is eliminated.
"Sarah Palin's Alaska" producer Mark Burnett is the executive producer.
Meanwhile, the early reviews are in on "Bristol Palin: Life's a Tripp." They are not kind.
"Grim, sad, Painful," declares Newsday. EW calls the Palin daughter's show a "campaign-ad-bland Juneau Shore."
"Life's a Tripp" premieres tonight at 9 p.m. Alaska time on Lifetime. "Stars Earn Stripes" begins Aug. 13 on NBC.


