No Girl-Girl 'Dancing' for Ellen's Wife, Portia de Rossi

By Rob Shuter Posted Dec 6th 2010 04:18PM

Producers of ABC's 'Dancing With The Stars' have decided that America isn't quite ready to see a same-sex couple on the ballroom floor after their only choice, Ellen Degeneres' wife Portia de Rossi, didn't pan out.

"If Portia had agreed then this would have been a done deal," an ABC insider tells me. "She was the only star that could have pulled this off without completely offending the program's conservative viewers."

But since the 'Arrested Development' beauty has rejected their offer, producers have decided to wait a few years and "not rush into creating a same-sex dancing couple just to get attention and publicity."

The show has a soft spot for stunt casting -- Kate Gosselin, Florence Henderson, Bristol Palin, anyone? -- but isn't yet ready to invite on a same-sex couple. The last time a contestant did anything remotely gay -- Margaret Cho's rainbow dress -- she was promptly dumped by viewers.

"With all the debate going on about Don't Ask, Don't Tell in the country, this would have been the perfect time to do this," one Hollywood casting director tells me. "Yet, the show has never been about pushing the envelope. It's a huge hit because it doesn't make anyone uncomfortable."

My sources tell me the backlash felt over Palin's surprising tenure on the show caught producers by surprise and they're looking to avoid conflict for a while.

"After Bristol, I predict it will be the most boring bunch of stars ever cast next season," the casting director says. "When you have a hit as big as this on your hands, everyone is scared to mess it up."

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Tags: Dancing With the Stars, portia de rossi

Comments

(99)

Monday 06 December

By george

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Jane, you are a rock... b*tch

Tuesday 28 December

By donnylyons

yeah jane go crawl under your rock,, you hateful person

Tuesday 07 December

By HG in MN

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Mickey, there is no such word as "irregardless." The word is simply "regardless," as in, "I like Portia regardless of whom she dances with."

So much hate...so sad.

By Slash

HG there's also 2 many people like you that like to correct a person's vocabulary, moron. I bet I could chew on Portia better than Ellen.

By Sherry

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Well put Jane!!!

By Frank

Jane, Did you get out of the wrong side of the bed?

Thursday 20 January

By amle1311

I'm agree. I would not watch "Dancing With The Stars" if they did this either and am tired of all the gay propaganda as well.

By nov2rememberout

I don't want to see it, yet I still don't understand why they are not Mr. and Mrs.

By MAGOOS

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Ms diRossi obviously made a good choice as this show is beneath her dignity. DWTS will exploit anyone to gain a few viewers as it slips into a mire.

By sunshine

Don't care if you think I am judgemental. We can have opinions too and we don't want to see it. You are being judgemental when you judge us as well! You will have to crawl out from under the rock for there to be any room.

By Michael gifford

"After Bristol"...does this casting director have any idea of what really happened?? that Sarah Palin's tea baggers voted for her is the only reason she stayed on as long...That cow Kate Gosselin stayed as well...I guess the Octomom is next and those two morons who crashed the white house dinner, maybe you can resurrect Joe the plumber and make the show even more of an idiots delight than it is now...

By toffeenutte

I love Portia Degeneres (she has legally changed her name). And I love Ellen. I am not gay, but have no problem with anyone who is as I am happy just to see people loving one another.

And I am a big fan of DWTS - although I don't at all like some of the choices they've made in their casting.

Having said this, I don't feel I would enjoy seeing same-sex couples dancing together. It's not a matter of disapproval. More a matter of thinking it would just look odd because it's not what I'm used to seeing. People want to watch purely for entertainment - not for all the controversy the show often creates. I think the DWTS producers would be wise to calm things down for a while.

By smithcutie

I cant believe how closed minded some people can be. So what if two women or two men dance on tv, it's not like their going to be screwing each other on the dance floor. It's just dancing, SO WHAT!

By Mark

They can't "screw". They keep trying to put their body parts in the wrong place.

By Heyes

After having that low life non talent Palin on... having 2 good looking women together would be a nice change :-)

By hater heyes

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the subject was gays on DWTS, but the Hate Party has to bring Bristol into it. anyone who hates Bristol, hates gays and are racist. they are hypocrites, 2 face, haters. it must be hell to live like that.

yes that teen bloated Kyle, oops, you said Bristol. lol, yes some of those Dems....are so jealous and hateful. sob, sob, hateful cry babies. take your bat and ball with you, sob, sob, lol. Heyes as in Hate Party.

By mrgmorgan56

Portia de Rossi...Ugly and inane...No wonder...

By edzel

Rumor has it that the former Alaska governor's hubby, the "First Dud", Todd may be going on next on "DWTS"! Yikes!! For those who voted for the daughter, 17 percent who voted thought B was a "great dancer" and 21 percent thought she could win the "coveted" mirrorball. TEA Partiers who perhaps "know" a two step from a Lindy Hop. I'd rather watch Ballroom Dancing on PBS even if they are reruns than watch "DWTS". Even Bruno, one the judges, maybe in reference to the last Nov. 2nd elections, said that EVERYONE should vote watching the show because he was disappointed that Brandy, instead of Bristol, got the hook.
From Dec. 21 to middle of Jan 2011, Cheryl Burke, one of the pro dancers, will be a feature dancer on "Forever Tango" in S.F.,Ca.
at the Marines Theatre. I love the tango. To me, it's the ballet of South American Latin dances and I think it's her strongest dance yet.

By Marilyn DeBrase

Oh, thank you for this one -- First Dud", Todd -- your probably meant dude, but this is so much better! (and truer). I don't think they would even try to put another fiasco on so soon after the Bristol debacle.

By frank

I'm with the majority on here...perverts should keep it behind closed doors. nobody wants to see two women grinding against each other. then they would want to have 2 "guys" on the dance floor sniffing each others crotches and swappinfg spits...ewww

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