Louis van Amstel on Margaret Cho's Rainbow Statement: 'I Had a Breakdown'

By Stacy Jenel Smith Posted Oct 14th 2010 08:58AM

It's taking a while for 'Dancing With the Stars' pro Louis van Amstel to get over the anguish of his and celeb partner Margaret Cho's early dismissal from the top-rated ABC competition show -- which was no ordinary axing, as far as he is concerned.

"I had a breakdown the next day. I called my friends, I felt horrible," the Amsterdam-born ballroom champ and choreographer tells PopEater.

Viewers will recall that judge Bruno Tonioli complimented Cho on her gay pride rainbow dress, and judge Carrie Ann Inaba chimed in that the show had gone gay, with Cho declaring it the gayest thing that's ever happened on 'Dancing.'

Van Amstel has been going around explaining ever since: "That was not the story we planned to tell. That was not my message. Maybe it was Margaret's message, but not mine. The minute it was about gay pride, I knew we were gone. I knew it. But if I would have said something then and there, I would have looked like an a******. The damage was done."

Van Amstel says he and Cho had "a long, serious conversation about it the following day because I couldn't let it go. I was so unhappy." According to him, their plan had been to tell the story, through their dance, of her emergence from her painful background of being bullied for being overweight, her subsequent anorexia, suicidal feelings and other difficulties, until she finally learned to accept and love herself. But once the rainbow dress was deemed a gay pride symbol, he says, "She felt, 'Yes, we've got to make a statement. We've got that one moment in time with 23 million people watching, we've got to take it.'"

"I disagreed with it. I think you change people's minds by being you -- not by provoking, being angry at the world."

He adds, "One of the people who actually changed my mind was Morgan Freeman. He said, 'If we take all the labels away, that's when we will change this world.' I live by that idea. I live by it."

Van Amstel says, "If I have to label myself, yes, I'm gay, and I'm proud of who I am and comfortable with myself and my lifestyle. But I don't want to be limited by that; I don't want to be put into a box. I don't want to be labeled in any way because labeling is the beginning of discrimination and hatred."

Both of which he has felt. Growing up, Van Amstel had his own sad times and experiences with bullies. "For being fat and then for being gay. It makes you very introverted, makes you very quiet," he believes. "I used that to be creative."

Now, van Amstel, whose last two 'DWTS' partners were Niecy Nash and Kelly Osbourne, hopes "people like me as a person, like what I do and what I do with my celebrity ... I'm working my a** off to show who I am, as someone who is passionate about what I do, who'll play devil's advocate to get the best out of you if necessary ... That's what I was known for, but with this one moment, suddenly, this is what sticks."

With this season's work complete, Van Amstel is concentrating on his dance classes, his Louis Dance Blast franchising and online pursuits, plus the 'DWTS' spin-off tour he produces, Ballroom With a Twist, which is touring Canada with several 'DWTS' personalities. He's also busy with charitable pursuits, including the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN), "which is working in education, in schools, to create a bully-free environment. All kids should have a great time at school. It's a human rights campaign, covering every minority, every kind of discrimination -- that's what I support," he says.

And as for that rainbow? "Yes, I know that the gay community uses the rainbow flag, but to me, it's important to also remember we all live under the rainbow."

Tags: Dancing With the Stars, Louis van Amstel, Margaret Cho

Comments

(284)

Thursday 14 October

By eil

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i don't care who is gay and who is not. i love watching louis van amstel dance.

By rocket

AMEN to that!!!!

By donbro2

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i know.i know....anyway is it just me or was that guy that was dancing with bristol palin gay as hell or what? impeach obama...

By Vera Sheldon

I love the show and all the dance instructors as well....who or what they do is no ones business... People need to get a life who are so judgemental!! Louis is a great dancer and that is what its about!

By Betty

I totally agree with you. Who cares! He is a wonderful dancer and that should be his mantra. And he seems like a great person. And who the hell is anyone to judge another person's life and how they live it!!!!

By custmcnslt

Cho was kicked off because she can't dance...period.

By Victoria

Labels are meant for Grocery Items sitting on a shelf in a grocery store Not Humans Gay should mean being Happy Smiles Getting Gifts under the Christmas Tree and Birthdays and Laughter. Nothing More. I do not understand why it is so imoprtant for our society to keep harping on this 1 particular issue any way. Just because a person is happy and enjoys being with a person of the same sex Then I say go for it. Being "Gay or Lesbian" Does not change who that person is in any way. Nor does it make them any less of a person. I am a huge fan of DWTS and I for 1 think Louie Amstel is 1 hell of a Professional Dancer

By henkuaiyune

And I am so sick of having all this GAY Crap always in our faces. Next, this culture will legalize and accept Pedophilias, Rapist,Beastiology and who knows what else. No wonder this society is collapsing. I really don't care if someone chooses a Gay lifestyle, but Stop with it, 'In Our Faces' everytime one turns around,I love this , So does My boyfriend .he is almost 11year older than me .i met him via agegapsingl es.c 'om a nice place for seeking age le ss love.which gives you a chance to make your life better and open opportunities for you to meet the attractive young girls and treat you like a king. Maybe you wanna check it out or tell your friends.. Just love it

By Tigger

It's pretty hard to miss when you make a public announcement on TV. I don't care either...but there is a time and a place. This wasn't it!

I'm really not watching the show to hear someone's political platform.....how they like to be poked.
I had diarrhea this morning....what's the difference?

By Josie Mabie

ditto that!
Stop labeling people and accept them for who they are not what they are. Keep on dancing Louis

By Phyllis

I guess I missed the whole "gay" thing. I was just enjoying a nice little dance show.

By Chickie

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Right on.

Friday 15 October

By marieevaughn

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oh my goodness leave this young man life style alone,,,,,,,,,it may not be my choice but it is his.......

By joe

Go Cho!

By Go Sox

wow, cho is pretty fat

By PRETGURL

Go Sox: You should be ashamed of yourself. Go look in the mirror and I'm sure Cho looks 100% better than you. I can tell that you're a bully and Cho was trying to make a statement against ppl like YOU!!!! You need to recheck yourself instead of worrying about what everyone else looks like!!! I feel sorry for you...you must be a lonely person to have to put other ppl down.

By lsughin@fools

lol im sure your not a slender hottie

By Artisticone

Actually Go Sox, She is not fat...She is actually quite Petite.
I was in a front row seat at her show not long ago and She was wearing the smallest Jeans and T-Shirt...
I would say.. Size 4 or less.

That costume added bulk as well as the Camera alone.

She is one of those people who have a small body but still carry a full face.
J

By Gina

I think Margaret Cho left because she is a terrible dancer, the gay thing had nothing to do with it.

By Jon

I agree. Margaret Cho left because she can't dance. She should have left when she tried to add humor to her dance before. Too bad others were even more bad than her.

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