TVSquad

When I think about the Olympics I don't think about the grandeur of the competitions, the feeling of global community, the individual stories of the athletes, or the mesmerizing synchronized swimming routines. The one thing that comes to mind when I think about the Olympics: anonymity. Out of the thousands of athletes that compete in these games many fade into the daily routine of their countries once the Closing Ceremony is completed.

Yet, there are a handful, particularly the up-and-coming stars of each Olympic games, that remain in the spotlight well after the torch has been extinguished. Some continue into the professional sports realm, others become "experts" in their field, and some jump into another profession altogether. Then there are those who enjoy the television spotlight so much that they remain in the medium in one capacity or another.

Sometimes it's as themselves on other television properties. Other times they dabble into the acting field with mixed results. Here are seven Olympic athletes who continued their careers on television in one form or another.

For the past two weeks, I've been catching NBC's Celebrity Circus after So You Think You Can Dance aired. Even if this means I only saw 2/3 of both Circus episodes, I saw enough of the show to know that soul singer Blu Cantrell needs to learn some manners.

I didn't know the American Grammy Award-nominated R&B singer before last week's premiere of Circus so I had no expectations. Even if I was mildly amused by the feature that showed her trying to learn her first performance, The Spanish Web, in between her sleeping here, there and everywhere and being lazy, and was somewhat entertained by her demonstration on the show, Blu Cantrell can't count me out as a potential fan of hers.

If you haven't watched this week's episode, stop reading now.

SOAPnet has landed a big star to anchor the second season of General Hospital: Night Shift. As TV Squad mentioned previously, Antonio Sabato, Jr., who was rumored to be returning as Jagger Cates, has signed on the dotted line. When Night Shift returns to SOAPnet on Tuesday, July 22, the character of Jagger, played by Antonio Sabato, Jr. will be front and center.

Jagger Cates has not been involved in General Hospital since 1995, so presumably he's older and wiser. But since Antonio is still playing the role, he's going to definitely be as gorgeous as ever. Interestingly, if Antonio is booked, what's the likelihood that Steve Burton will be there as Jason?.

For week two of Celebrity Circus, ex-Brady Buncher Christopher Knight will set himself ablaze as he performs "fire clowning." I wonder how Adrienne Curry feels about this. It's got to raise some suspicions about your husband's sanity if he's willing to set himself on fire for reality TV.

Here's some of the other stupid things the celebs will be doing this week on the show:

Wee Man battling the German Wheel, the same act in which Knight broke his arm. Wee Man will be paired with trainer Vladimir Sizov for a synchronized act. Stacey Dash will perform on the Cerceau alongside trainer Sacha Fedorchev. Dash will be creating a sexy and high-energy routine flying 50 feet above the ground with no safety line or harness. Antonio Sabato Jr. will push himself to the limit doing a hand-balancing act with his partner and trainer Christine Van Loo. There will be no room for errors as any little mistake could lead to serious injury.

On Friday I attended the All-American Summer Press Event held by NBC Universal. The event was held at the Langham Hotel (formerly the Ritz-Carlton) in Pasadena, CA. It included the casts and producers of the following shows: American Gladiators, Nashville Star, Shear Genius, and Last Comic Standing. NBC also held panels for two new shows: Celebrity Circus and Baby Borrowers.

Find out what Wolf said and what's in store for next season on NBC and Bravo after the jump...