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Dancing with the Stars to Tango with Gay Twist?
Lance Bass by Barry King/ WireImage.com
The celeb-and-pro lineup for Dancing with the Stars' Season 7 won't be officially revealed until mid-August, but already rumors are surfacing about who might prance across the parquet.
The latest buzz has Lance Bass signed on to samba — but here's the possible wrinkle: Sources tell the New York Daily News that producers might pair the openly gay 'N SYNC alum with a male pro. Not that there's anything wrong with that.
Reps for both Bass and ABC have no comment for TVGuide.com on the rumor. — Matt Mitovich
POLL: Would you be OK with a same-sex pairing? Vote here.
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Jul 10, 2008 8:53 AM
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OK...I haven't said anything before about TV shows trying to "shove the gay thing" down our throats...like so many others have done (i.e. Callie & Erika on Grey's Anatomy)...but this is ridiculous! Two guys dancing together? Seriously? It was funny when they did it the one time last year as a joke...but come on...how would they really be able to do this? The lifts? The "chemistry?" I watch this show with my FOUR-YEAR OLD SON! It's his favorite show - he loves to dance along. I really don't feel the need to explain the whole gay thing to him yet.
I'm not anti-gay either. One of my best friends where I used to work was gay - I went to his wedding. However, this is a bad idea. I think DWTS will alienate a lot of its audience and lose viewers. It just doesn't work for ballroom dancing.
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Jul 10, 2008 10:38 AM
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Yeah, this is pushing it a bit. While DWTS is more of a fun popularity contest than a dance contest, it still derives it's rules from competitive ballroom dancing, and this isn't standard. It's too gimmicky and will just take away what little cred this show has. It reminds me of an-all male cast of Streetcar Named Desire I once saw - yes, I can understand why a gay "Stanley" would like the opportunity to experience chemistry with a male "Stella," but Tennessee Williams, who was gay, didn't write it that way. And from the trainwreck I witnessed, there was good reason.
My biggest question is - WHAT THE HELL ARE THEY THINKING? Does DWTS/ABC not know their demographic? Are they TRYING to shoot themselves in the stilettoed foot?
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Jul 10, 2008 10:53 AM
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Would you have to explain to your 4 year old child why 2 guys are dancing together? And if you do I would hope that something along the lines of "if two guys choose to dance with each other there is nothing wrong with that" would be enough. I don't think you need to explain what it means to be gay just because they pair 2 guys or 2 of the women together for that matter.
And whose to say that the two guys wouldn't have chemistry together?
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Jul 10, 2008 10:55 AM
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I agree with JW..and I AM a gay woman....come on!! I will not watch DWTS if it comes to this. They CAN NOT be serious!
PS...I like the Callie and Erika twist!!
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Jul 10, 2008 10:56 AM
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NO WAY!!! NOBODY wants to see that. I don't care what Lance Bass does but DON'T down grade the show with same sex dancing.
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Jul 10, 2008 11:01 AM
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Ballroom dancing is not dating. You pair males with females because the physical differences between them make a contrast. How insulting and ridiculous it would be to pair him with another dude. What does his being gay have to do do with his ability dance with a girl?
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Jul 10, 2008 11:05 AM
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Xyn - you nailed it.
Gay and lesbian competitive ballroom dancers DO dance with members of the opposite sex. Even if they want to make it a battle of the sexes and pit boy couples against girl couples, regardless of sexual orientation, it's still a stupid idea.
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Jul 10, 2008 11:10 AM
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This is absolutely a bad idea...witness Blades of Glory. At least there, they were trying to be ridiculous. 
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Jul 10, 2008 11:14 AM
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Let's keep a few things in perspective. I don't think anyone is "shoving" the "gay thing", as you say, down anyone's throat! GLBT Americans are a part of this culture and have been for a very long time. I'm sorry to hear that some people still have a backwards perspective that it will somehow infect your child or children to see two men dancing. Bravo to the producers at DWTS for even considering doing this!!! Shout out to Lance, you have my vote no matter who you are paired with!!!
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Jul 10, 2008 11:15 AM
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Shocking as this may be to some people here (even though you have gay friends -- how progressive!), two men can indeed have chemistry.
I think it would be terrific to see two men dancing together. Just because ballroom pairs are traditionally male/female is no reason not to shake things up a bit. It's the 21st century. Sadly, homophobia is still alive and well.
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Jul 10, 2008 11:28 AM
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Oh, puhleez. Just because someone finds something too gimmicky does not make them homophobic. That's just a cop-out answer when you don't have anything to back up your argument.
I know I shouldn't let posts gt to me, but this kind of thing really, really upsets me. Personally, I think this type of thing turns the whole seriousness of gay and lesbian rights into one big joke, and it's no laughing matter. Not only am I "progressive" as you said becasue I have gay friends, I've stood up for them at commitment ceremonies when members of heir own families wouldn't even show! I have fought for their rights to get married! Keira and people like you, you don't know me, and you don't know the other people on this blog. How dare you - who the HELL are you to call someone homophobic just because they find something tacky and you don't?
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Jul 10, 2008 11:32 AM
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I think having two men dance on DWTS would make me wanna watch because then I could relate more to the show. When I go to the clubs, its two hot men I see dancing together and there is always hot chemistry between them. If you don't want to see two men dancing, then switch the channel during their scenes but I would definitely vote for Lance Bass. But that is also because I have a crush on him.
Matt
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Jul 10, 2008 11:40 AM
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Personally, I'm not against gays, but I don't need to have the gay lifestyle slammed in my face by pairing same sex partners on the upcoming Dancing with the Stars.
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Jul 10, 2008 11:55 AM
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Here's a headline for you, "Dancing With The Stars to have man and woman Dancing together." Imagine the chemistry.
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Jul 10, 2008 12:02 PM
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