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 jarsd43

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The gay issue is uppermost in Louis mind but the truth of the moment is that people didn't like Margaret Cho, not because of her sexual orientation but because she just isn't likable. She was a terrible dancer. On this show, if you can't dance you have to at least be popular and Margaret was none of those things. Louis is a wonderful dancer, I have always enjoyed his performances. He just scared himself is all.

By Cindy

People - get real. We are all children of God - it doesn't matter if we are Black, White, gay, straight - we are PEOPLE. Putting labels and JUDGING a person by "outward" appearances shows your shallowness. I applaud Louie and Margaret - good for you to make a stand!

By jaguar02

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Oh? Your thought process would also have to include and accept people that rape & molest children, who rape women and young girls, people who have sex with animals and tell me-what other obscene behaviour is acceptable????

By hissyhaley

I agree with Louis as well.....I hated to see him go but was glad to see Cho go........she was not entertaining to me at all and too away from Louis and what he does. Louis's dancing rocks he is one of my favorite pros on DWTS

By Otisco

I want to know why Derik always get the better dancers. I would like to see him with Cho or Bristol.

By Dan

Derik get's the good dancers because of all the pro's who dance on the show he has the largest by far following!

By virginia jones

To me I think Louie V.is a great dancer and after this article a great human being. I am not gay but I have family who are. I didn't think anything about her rainbow dress I guess only people who are gay like Bruno would remark to that. I am Louie's fan not Margaret's. I think they got ousted because she is'nt a great dancer.

By exoticdoc2

Yet another case where homosexuals have hijacked something beautiful and turned it into something ugly.

Lowest Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

You Got That RIGHT, eXoticdoc2

By Peter David

If they'd been voted off after doing a bang-up dance with a clear story, I'd say his opinion is valid. But it was easily Cho's worst performance, and the story was vague to the point of being indecipherable. I read his description of what they were intending and my reaction was, "Oh. Is THAT what it was supposed to be about?" I actually didn't take it as a statement of gay pride until after the judges and Cho started talking about it. Until that point I just thought it was an obscure narrative, badly executed.

PAD

By Sara

I love Louis! He is awesome! I loved it when he danced with Niecy. Keep up the good work. YOU have a huge fan base!!!

By robin

I'm with Cho on this - you have to make your stand when you can, and when you feel strongly. She saw this as an opportunity. Sad her dance partner didn't feel the same. He was invested in this too, but I do understand Cho's position, I would have done the same.

By Bob

OMG he's gay??? can't be...can it?...LOL sissy boy

Friday 15 October

By Matt

I agree they just weren't that good and it was time to go. It had nothing to do with a gay pride statement, besides, Van Amstel made a similar statement last season dancing with N. Nash about gay marriage and they weren't voted off the next day. Just accept you were voted off, it seems disrespectful to the other dancers to blame your leaving on something other than your dancing. It's not all about discrimination and hatred. Let it go and hopefully you will do better next season.

By jojo

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I can't watch Louie because he is so painfully thin. He looks frail and weak and it upsets me.

By Darla

Sooo, what you're telling me is that my voting doesn't count? Or, are you telling me I was voting against Gays? I didn't vote for her (HER not him) because she was a lousy dancer. The whole gay thing went right over my head cause I don't think about whether or not I should love you or hate you. But lets bash sex...the Hoffer got himself off first because he wanted in the panties of his instructor and she said, Not while we're training and performing...what a loser he is...Wisdom from an old retired Breeder.

By MonkeyCheez52

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The show is getting tired. I've quit watching.

By Gutz54

I'm sick and tired of the Gay Pride thing. Fine --do what ever you want in private but stop trying to shove the gay aggenda down our throats

I think we need to have a, "Straight Pride Movement" !

By Ralph Novak

I hope you're well paid by ABC or whichever network carries the dancing show. There's no other reason for publicizing it as diligently as you do. This ISN't news.

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