Latest DWTS Controversy: Chaz Bono As Celebrity Dancer This Season Freaks Out Some Fans, Cher Defends Her Transgender Son… Frankly, I Say, “Dance Your Heart Out, Chaz”
Posted By Vicki McClure Davidson on September 1, 2011
Cher and Chaz Bono - Dancing With the Stars controversy
I don’t think I’ve ever watched a full episode of Dancing With the Stars. Maybe I’ve caught a couple of minutes off and on over the years as I flipped channels, but one thing I do know: some fans take the competition reality show VERY seriously.
During Season 11, dancer Bristol Palin was the subject of many ugly blogger posts and received death threats from liberals who despise her mother, former Gov. Sarah Palin. One old man in Wisconsin flipped out, shot out his television set and turned the shotgun on his wife when Bristol wasn’t eliminated from the competition.
Good grief, it’s just a TV show.
Season 11: Dancing with the Stars celebrity dancer Bristol Palin received death threats from left-wing lunatics
We all have our principles, our individual lines drawn in the sand. For me, I won’t watch anything with racist, profanity-spewing, anti-conservative Janeane Garofalo, so until she’s off the cast list of the new drama Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior, I won’t be watching it ever. (And that pains me, because I really, really want to watch it, too.) Garofalo is a horrible, vile person who always looks like she needs to take a shower. On countless occasions, she’s publicly attacked Christians and conservatives, including black conservatives, and I don’t want her smug, nasty face ever in my living room.
Likewise with the Dixie Chicks, Sean Penn, Bill Maher, Rosie O’Donnell, Matt Damon, Tina Fey, Wanda Sykes, Contessa Brewer, Michael Moore, Sandra Bernhard, Joy Behar, Jane Fonda, Chris Matthews, Keith Olbermann, and a host of other socialist lowlifes, anti-Americans, and pro-Communists. Free country, my choice to not watch them, except on YouTube if one of them says or does something outrageous that I’ll report here on the blog.
But in America, they are rightfully protected under the First Amendment to say what they wish, even if I don’t like it, even if it attacks my family’s principles and values, even if it attacks my beloved country, even if it attacks Jesus Christ and God — likewise, I can choose to not go to their movies, watch their TV shows, or buy their books. I can truthfully say, unlike many Democrats, that I’ve not ever sent a death threat.
Former Republican Congressman and House Majority Leader Tom DeLay was on Season 9 of DWTS. DeLay resigned from his seat in 2005 because of criminal money laundering charges, and was convicted in 2011 and sentenced to three years in prison (he’s free on bail while appealing his conviction). As a conservative Republican, I have many issues with DeLay and what he did, as should other conservatives. I think DeLay’s shady background, although he had not yet been convicted when on DWTS, made him a terrible choice for a family show. However, I don’t recall hearing any controversy or uproar about him being on DWTS. Maybe I just wasn’t paying attention. And, once again, it’s just a TV show.
Chaz Bono, on the other hand, has never attacked my family, has never had run ins with the law, has never spoken out against America. Someone’s lifestyle and sexual orientation is their own business. No one else’s unless it violates the law or harms others. I have no problem whatsoever with Chaz being the first transgender celebrity dancer on Dancing With the Stars, and I hope he does well.
The horrific anger and hate being spewed about the selection of Bono has made the news, and his mother, the legendary Cher, has jumped to his defense. Good for you, Cher. I would expect nothing less from you.
As Kevin DuJohn of the HillBuzz blog pointed out a while back, it’s ridiculous how so many people become unhinged about a dancing reality show, but show little interest or outrage about Democrat union thugs intimidating and beating up conservatives or rampant voter fraud happening across America. Amen to that.
To Chaz, I say, “Ignore the haters and just dance your heart out.”
Good grief, it’s just a TV show.
From Reuters, Cher Defends Chaz Bono on ‘DWTS’; Calls Critics “Bigots”:
Cher has gone into protective maternal mode on her Twitter account, defending her son from those who’ve criticized her son, Chaz Bono, after he was added to the cast of the “Dancing With the Stars” for its upcoming season.
The “Believe” singer also called on her fans to spread their support for Bono on Internet message boards.
“Chaz is Being Viciously Attacked on Blogs & Message boards about being on DWTS!” the singer wrote. “This is still America right ? It took guts 2 do it.”
Cher went on to characterize Bono’s detractors as “bigots,” seething, “Mothers don’t stop getting angry with stupid bigots who f–k with their children!”
The singer went on to enlist her fans in a campaign to combat the criticism, writing, “Can u guys check out sites & give him your support?” She also predicted that Bono’s detractors would be in the minority: “Bet VAST MAJORITY of people will LOVE CHAZ on DWTS!”
Bono, the only child of Cher and Sonny Bono, was born a female but underwent gender-reassignment surgery last year. When ABC announced earlier this week that he would compete on the next season, “Dancing With the Stars” fans lashed out on Internet message boards.
“[W]hen I heard that Chaz Bono was going to be on, I was sick. Not that I have anything personally again her/him, I just don’t want that lifestyle choice continually flaunted in the media esp ABC,” read one anti-Bono rant.
“How low can this show sink. Well you have certainly addressed the gay commuity [sic]. Guess this will not be a family show any longer!!!! Lost my family!” another commenter lamented.
Some less-than-squeaky-clean, not-conventional info about a few other Dancing With the Stars celebrity dancers:
Korean actress/comedienne Margaret Cho, a celebrity dancer during Season 11, is openly bixsexual and has been deputized since 2008 to perform same-sex marriages in San Francisco. From Season 7, Lance Bass, formerly of the mega-popular boy group N’Sync, has been openly gay since July 2006.
Kendra Wilkinson, a dancing contestant in Season 12, was a Playboy model who has appeared in three nude Playboy magazine pictorials. Former Baywatch actress Pam Anderson, a dancer during Season 10, was “Playmate of the Month” for Playboy magazine in February 1990 and her very public sex life, activism, and controversial marriages have headlined the tabloids for years.
Actress Shannon Doherty was convicted of DUI charges in 2001 and has also posed nude in Playboy — she was a dancer in Season 10. Controversial, prima donna reality star Kate Gosselin was also a celebrity dancer in Season 10. The reputation of Jersey Shore’s Michael “The Situation” Sorrentino, a celebrity dancer in Season 11, is so questionable that fashion retailer Abercrombie & Fitch reportedly paid him to NOT wear their clothing, citing that his “association with our brand could cause significant damage to our image.”
Singer Brandy Norwood, a Season 11 contestant, was involved in a 2006 auto accident on the LA freeway that killed the driver of the other car. While reports were harsh at first, Norwood was neither arrested, nor charged with vehicular manslaughter, due to “insufficient evidence.” She settled out of court with the family of the victim. I have always loved Brandy, and am not blaming her — however, as a result of this car accident, she has harmed others, unintentionally, far more than Chaz Bono’s sexual orientation ever has.
Was there ever any uproar, controversy, or concern about any of these former celebrity dancers appearing on DWTS?
Frankly, I don’t know and I don’t care. It’s just a TV show, for crikey’s sake.
For the record: After his participation in the show’s Season 12, and becoming that season’s champion, NFL’s Pittsburgh Steelers Hines Ward was arrested for DUI in DeKalb County, Georgia. He chose to get behind the wheel of a vehicle and drive while he was mentally and physically impaired, chose to put other people’s lives in danger.
If there should be any outrage from DWTS fans, it should be against Ward, not Bono.
Chaz — you dance your heart out, boy.
About the author
Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior was cancelled.
Transgenderism isn’t a sexual orientation; it is a gender identity issue.
I have never watched this show, but it is quite ridiculous that some people would react this way because of a transgendered contestant. And it is even more ridiculous that someone would shoot his tv because Bristol Palin wasn’t eliminated. I guess a reason Sarah Palin shouldn’t be president is that, if she is elected president, people will be angrily shot by angry progressives in their blind rage, and innocent people will die as a result.
Excellent points made, Naamloos. Thanks for your input.
