Ricki Lake's 'DWTS' Take: Glad It's Behind Her

Sure, Ricki Lake's Sosa and McGwire-style duel with Army-vet soap star J.R. Martinez on the 13th "Dancing with the Stars" might've been last fall's best reality television.

That doesn't mean the once-and-future daytime talk show host would do it again.

Prior to the 14th-season cast of competitors being announced this morning during ABC's "Good Morning America," Lake reflected upon her unlikely run into the the show's final three along with Martinez and Rob Kardashian. Along the way, Lake danced her way down more than 20 pounds and several dress sizes to a Size 6 by the show's midpoint - and probably lower, by the show's end - while setting a "DWTS" record for most total judges' points accumulated during a season, even notching multiple perfect scores.

Still, for all the confidence she gained and all she enjoyed, Lake still warned that the show can be "brutal" and that she's "grateful to have it behind [her]."

She added that she couldn't have gotten as far as she did without pro partner Derek Hough sometimes being a taskmaster. "He was hardcore, but he was the best," she said.

Check out the video below, and let us know: who are you most curious about seeing this season? Green Bay Packer Donald Driver? Veteran actress Melissa Gilbert? Pop singer-songwriter Gavin DeGraw?

And more importantly, who's your pick to take it all this season?