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)

Tuesday 07 December

By dotti

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Why would Portia have to dance with a girl just because she is gay? Louie is gay and he dances with females. I'm sure there are other gay pros too.

By ELR

Oh these Reality Shows.....time to bring back fake TV and real boobs!!

By Stacy

Unfortunately it's because of people like you Deb who have no tolerence for other peoples personal prefrences... Simply put if you dont like it dont watch

By Jen

Jane, Jane, Jane.... If they are NOT special, why do they need a a special network to order it?!? Someone needs to get over themselves, that is for sure. Everyone has the right to be who they want to be, and say what they want to say as you did. No one should be made to feel as though they are less of a person for living a certain way. As you demonstrated here, everyone is different... and that's what makes us all SPECIAL.

By jaguar02

Thank God. Hallaluiah, Amen....

By j5kevin550

Don't really care if she's a lesbian or if she had a girl as her dancing partner, the show is crap. Let's cancel a bunch of scripted shows to do yet another reality show and play loose with the term "stars" and get a bunch of people who nobody cares about anymore and throw them back into the spotlight to dance. hooray! As much as American Idol started to annoy me in the last few years, atleast it had a point and DWTS does not. I like Portia, but I wouldn't watch this crap show for ANYBODY.

By Jerry

They said no queers allowed?

By Leigh

If DWTS ever puts a same sex couple on, I am gone!!!!!!!

By Frank

Ok, lets clear something up. If you start off a phrase I don't have a problem with "x", and then follow that with the word but, YOU REALLY DO HAVE A PROBLEM WITH IT. You're just trying to be nice about it. For example. I could say, "I really don't have a problem with black people, I just don't want to see them on T.V.".

By Mary

I feel that Jennifer Grey was the best dancer; but she had the edge because she is a professional dancer.My feelings is that she should not have been a contestant I thought that people of notarity without dancing experience were chosen.This was not fair to the other contestants.As far as Bristol Palin , I thought she progressed in her dancing and for this she deserved some credit. It was ashame that people reflected who her Mother is.Give the girl a break. I, personally liked the young fellow from Disney, He should have won

By deebbi

what wake up people she is human

wow, i would love to see portia dance

By Clasher

SINCE OVER 90% OF US ARE STRAIGHT ??? 90% OF OUR CHILDREN ARE STRAIGHT ???????? get your head out of the sand ...

By Jody

I love Portia, why couldn't she dance with a guy, she wouldn't be going home to bed with him. Also DWTS is over and why don't you Bristol haters give it a break, move on, move on, I'm sure Bristol has.
If I were Bristol's mom I would be really proud of her and it wouldn't have been because she was on DWTS.

By East

All this hate is the only thing that bothers me.

Wednesday 08 December

By jason

Women dancing together is so non-unique. You see it all the time in mainstream nightclubs. Men dancing together is another thing altogether. It is the true rebellious and pioneering model of same-sex dancing. It challenges patriarchy and true homophobes, especially southern rednecks.

I would much rather see two men dancing together erotically than two women. As I said, two women isn't exactly pioneering.

As for those people who refuse to watch two men dancing together, what are you afraid of? That you might be turned on? Go back to your caves, dullards.

By Jim

Why is it ok when you are out to a club that two women can dance together but God forbid two men?

who ever has even said Portia was going to dance with another woman?even if portia did dance with another woman,that's just what it would be....dancing.i think you (closed minded people)are afraid she just might be good and possibly win and then you would have to face reality to see gay people are human and talented.i feel sorry for all you closed mindes people. if you stay so closed you are going to miss a lot in this world. if gay people could turn pink for one day you would be shocked at how mwny tou actually know and laugh with.Happy Holidays to ALL i mean ALL

By Pam

Probably the majority of people who are against this are closet gays. Why so worried about this? Scared you'll get to excited and not be able to hide it from friends or family?

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