05/20/2008
Mark Ballas Not Bothered by Stereotypes or a Man's Tongue
TMZ caught Dancing with the Stars' Mark Ballas on the street and asked him if he'd ever had to deal with people wondering if he's gay because he's a professional dancer. Meanwhile, his companion proceeded to kiss and lick Ballas' ear.
TMZ: All you guys, professional dancers, in the old days there was that thing like — do you have to deal with those stereotypes of a professional male dancer, anything like that, do you ever deal with any of those stereotypes?
Ballas: What stereotypes?
TMZ: That male dancers are gay.
Ballas: Do you see the women I dance with?
TMZ: Have you ever dealt with that in your career?
Ballas: No. If people want to say it, it's like, whatever.
Watch the clip, AFTER THE JUMP...
Ballas to Dude: Lick Me Baby One More Time! [tmz]
Posted 1:23 PM EST by Andy Towle in Dance, Mark Ballas, News | Permalink
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Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha! Isn't it funny to make fun of homosexuals? Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha!
Posted by: peterparker | May 20, 2008 1:35:35 PM
Yeah, I'm with PeterParker on this one. Mr. Ballas, who seems like a nice guy, could have said, "Hey, who cares if I'm straight or gay or whatever? I'm straight myself but I love my gay fans and, yes, there are a lot of gay dancers." Instead, we get some drunken gay-panic antics.
Posted by: Joe | May 20, 2008 2:07:10 PM
Oh, what a horrible insult male dancers have to endure having people assume that they are disgusting homosexuals.
Really, I'm so goddamned sick of these, "how can you possibly go on with people thinking that you might, just might, be a homa-sek-shul?" interviews.
When will we as a society grow out of our adolescence?
Posted by: Zeke | May 20, 2008 2:09:11 PM
I think Mark handled it pretty well, personally. It was the moron with the overt need to press the issue, not to mention his most likely closet fascination with homosexual contact AND the TMZ voice doing the questioning that are the real issues. Screw TMZ. It's just more schlock excuse-for-reporting garbage and just feeds the masses its regular helping of adolescent stupidity.
Posted by: FizziekruntNT | May 20, 2008 2:22:11 PM
Joe, what "gay panic antics" are you referring to? Mark seemed quite calm and polite while dealing with the stupid questions from the TMZ guy. He was pretty nonchalant when given the smooch by his manager and only got flustered when the guy started licking his ear.
Posted by: RJ | May 20, 2008 3:00:17 PM
They probably do this all the time...
Posted by: anon | May 20, 2008 3:15:37 PM
This guy acted pretty much how I'd act with a woman faux-pawning all over me.
The show looks like drivel. I'm not sure what TMZ is, and with luck, I'll never find out.
Posted by: Alan | May 20, 2008 3:22:09 PM
i've never met a str8 professional dancer in my life... there might be a couple, but give me a break. "dancing with the stars" has been totally over-the-top in their insistance that it's all very hetero, feeding rumors of hot romances between their dancing couples. i guess "middle america" eats that shit up, but puh-leeze.
mark's a cutie, an excellent dancer/choreographer and he handled this dumbass question fairly well for a 21-year-old. his manager may be a bit of a dick though.
Posted by: el polacko | May 20, 2008 5:33:24 PM
It's the closet cases at TMZ that are so offensive. The question was more homophobic than the answer.
Posted by: dezboy | May 20, 2008 6:13:43 PM
I'm with FUZZIEKRUNTNT, ALAN, and DEZBOY on this one. Mark handled a stupid, homophobic question with as much class and discretion as a 21-year old could have. TMZ is a bunch of shlock-meisters who will say and do anything to anyone to get a reaction on tape. Just bad television journalism.
Posted by: JerzeeMike | May 20, 2008 9:28:42 PM
I am disappointed. I expected tongue in mouth action!
Posted by: Puddy Katz | May 21, 2008 4:03:23 PM