The Aniston Effect Hits 'Dancing With The Stars'

By Ben Widdicombe Posted Apr 20th 2010 04:00PM

Ah spring, when a celebrity's fancy turns to faux-mance.

Jennifer Aniston has long known that a hotly-rumored romance with a co-star can sell tickets to an otherwise unpromising movie (when it's not breaking up your own marriage). Now, the "Aniston Effect" has tricked down to reality TV.

This week, no fewer than three 'Dancing With The Stars' couples are enjoying speculation that their rhythmic partnerships may be horizontal as well as vertical. But even if viewers suspect they're being played, it's a time-honored PR formula that seems to be working for the vote-hungry dancers.

Erin Andrews and Maksim Chmerkovskiy

People magazine has flat-out declared a "hot romance" between Erin Andrews and Maksim Chmerkovskiy, who is perhaps to blame for the spate of relationship speculations. (Chmerkovskiy was briefly engaged to fellow serial-dater-dancer Karina Smirnoff, who herself had previously dated former dance-partner Mario Lopez. The ensuing publicity was a boost to all parties.)

But when Ellen DeGeneres asked the couple directly, all she got was a winking non-denial. "Depends what day you get us on," said Erin coyly.

Oh, puh-leaze! I think we can safely translate that response as "no, but we're gonna milk it for all we can."

Pamela Anderson and Damian Whitewood

But they're not the only offenders. Even when Pamela Anderson was denying a love-match with her dancing partner Damian Whitewood (who has a girlfriend), she did so in a way that left the maximum room for interpretation. "It's a very romantic, very sexy relationship," she told Larry King on his program.

Well, that clears that up!

Chad Ochocinco and Cheryl Burke

The only one who seems in on the joke is Chad Ochocinco, who presented his partner Cheryl Burke with a bling-finger sparkler that got everyone talking. But Chad has such a gleam in his eye when he's laying on the romance (teasing her on GMA that their chemistry is "nothing like your past partners") that it's almost a pleasure to be played.

But why is it that a possible romance makes us so much more interested in the dancers? Longtime New York personal publicist R. Couri Hay told PopEater: "Everyone likes to fantasize about attractive, rich, powerful and sexy people. Gossip is the national pastime."

Hay said that each individual celebrity is using their personal brand to introduce the audience to 'DTWS,' a formula that works for everyone. "I saw Pam on Larry King and for the first time in my life, it made me want to watch 'Dancing With The Stars,'" he said.

Fake Hollywood romances are older than Rock Hudson and -- ahem -- Mrs. Hudson. While Aniston's recent quasi-fling with 'The Bounty Hunter' co-star Gerard Butler generated the most publicity, those of us in the celebrity news biz have questioned many others. (One that set off my personal radiation detector was the much-photographed dalliance between the Taylors Swift and Lautner.)

As a PR strategy, Hay said he would not object if one of his clients were photographed with a celebrity they were not sleeping with, and told the media, "We're just friends."

"It's only evil if they say they're in love and they're faking it," he said.

Tags: Chad Ochocinco, cheryl burke, Damian Whitewood, Erin Andrews, Gerard Butler, jennifer aniston, Maksim Chmerkovskiy, pamela anderson

Comments

(18)

Tuesday 20 April

By deejay

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you forgot to mention the #1 love affair...the one Kate Gosselin is having with herself.

By mamabear

Well said! She is really making me feel so angry. Her latest quote is, "I've got to keep dancing for my kids. They really look forward to Monday Nights." Puleeeeze. Enough already. Send her home.

By themeeker

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She's a pig. Who cares?

By Leslie

Why are they calling it the "Aniston effect?" They should call it the "really nosey media effect." Movie Darling, Jennifer can not take a picture with a co-star without the media claiming she is now in love with him. I go to see Jennifer's movies because she is a wonderful actress who is very charming.

Thursday 22 April

By becky

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sorry leslie but ole jen jen is a washed up peice of trash in my book what has she done that makes her so great ? she let the best looking man in hollywood go because she didnt wont to have kids shoot if brad pit wonted a baby and i married to him he'd have 20 by now ole jen aint that great of a actress in my book sorry

By lin

jake the bachelor seems to having a love fest with himself too! His smile is as fake as Kates!

By Kathi

Yes Jen is a great actress and people need to leave her alone too I watch all her movies and read all the crap they say about her I do not beleive everything that they write it to is B.S after what Brad did to her I can understand the her she went through again I say once a cheat alway's a cheat I wish they would have stayed together but they didn't and I hope they don't get back together because he will do it to her againLove you Jen

why would her kids supposedly look so forward to Monday nights? To watch their mother make a fool of herself and to get teased at school relentlessly on Tuesdays? Ya, right again Kate!

By Lisa Green

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i cannot wait until kate gets the boot-its the only reason i am watching-i absolutely love it when the judges tell her the truth-lmao, did you see her facial expression listening to actual criticism-i loove it! after watching her abuse john for so long-its better than a frigin football game-the cheering and clapping-that i do when they critique her-i cant believe she has even lasted this long-its not becasue she can dance-she has no personality or rhythmn-she has got to be a dud in the bedroom-gurl, has NO game.....hopefully she makes my day and gets the boot tonight-they shoulda had nadya suleman on dwts along with kate-now, that woulda brought in the biggest ratings-at least nadya has a personality...

they must be turning off the t.v. when the judges judge her-so, her children dont hear the *real* truth....

By algonquin j. calhoun

Dancing with the Stars is the single best indication that the apocalypse is at hand...

By Kate S.

DWTS has been really fun in the past seasons. This year..not so good. Only 2 are worth the vote. And neither one is Kate. Poor woman is a sight. I guess her handsome partner is sure earning his pay. Hope, tonight she will get booted out.

what brad did to her??????????????????????????? oh please do tell what did he do but ask for children and she said no that she wont's to contue tryin to act lol not that she 's that good at it

By Jade

Aniston, a fake? Hmmm, ya think!

By patricia

Wait a second, am I the only one not getting it? Watching Cheryl and Chad last night when he tried to plant one on her lips and she quickly turned away it is clear she is anything BUT turned on by him. She steps away from him and also looks to be having to take away his hands from inappropiate places. No one man or woman should have to put up with this. Her other partners at least acted like gentlemen. But what to expect from a guy with 5 kids from so any different women.

By Richard Ott

ABC, judges, and whoever's in charge of the
voting process (not that this show is fixed),
PLEASE, don't let Kate Gosselin win the trophy
on Dancing With The Stars. She doesn't deserve it
after having her 8 children go through her last
reality show on TLC, even though I applaude
her effort for doing a new solo reality show.
I don't know why she's still on Dancing, and I
could care less if she has 20 more children after
this. JUST VOTE KATE GOSSELIN OFF THE SHOW!

By jon

they keep kate on for the ratings everyone watches just to see her get kick and ticked off

Wednesday 21 April

By Just Joking

Becky, You sound dumb as #@! blaming a women for Brad's actions. Either he knows how to be true to his wife while doing a movie or he doesn't.

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