Chaz Bono 'DWTS' Elimination: Star's Parting Words
Chaz Bono was sent home after six rounds on “Dancing with the Stars.”
The 42-year-old celebrity hung on despite poor performance scores and split fan ratings, but on Tuesday, he was voted off the show.
After being sent home, Bono was in good spirits and told remaining members of the cast that he would miss the time spent together on the show. Bono was the first transgendered contestant on “Dancing with the Stars.”
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“I came on this show because I wanted to show America a different kind of man,” said Bono after being eliminated. “I know that is there was somebody like me on TV when I was growing up, my whole life would have been different.”
Bono and his dancing partner, Lacey Schwimmer, felt confident about their Monday performance, despite their low score of 19 out of 30 points.
“We were upset, not with the scores but with the comments toward me personally,” Bono said. “We thought we did a good job Monday night.”
Bono's mother, Cher, divulged on Twitter that she was deeply offended and disappointed in “DWTS” Judge Bruno’s comments about her offspring leading up to his elimination.
“Mean is not funny,” wrote Cher after retweeting, “@KnoewlAngel64: Bruno’s reason, pure selfishness! His only concern was 2b usual funny animated self, AT CHAZ’S EXPENSE!”
Chere continued: “It’s not about Chaz winning! He’s doing the best & he will stay as long as he stays! That’s “show business” but, don’t b unkind 4 no reason.”
When ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars” introduced the 42-year-old ahead of the season, the audience expressed mixed reactions. The controversial decision to add Bono was met with criticism due to a gender change the star underwent after coming out as a lesbian in 1995.
As the only child of famous singing duo Sonny and Cher, audience members questioned Bono's “celebrity” status and commented on his weight. While many people, especially those in the LBGT community, lauded Bono’s addition to the cast, others expressed concern.
ABC’s online message board saw comments criticizing transgendered contestants, with some viewers citing that children may become confused and that such cast members were inappropriate for family television.
Bono posted his gratitude on Twitter to fans and cast members: “The worst part of being eliminated is missing all your friends.”
Subsequent to Bono’s elimination from the show Tuesday, the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation released a statement.
“Chaz bravely put on his dancing shoes and became a fan favorite, showing millions of viewers that he’s like any other guy,” said GLAAD President Mike Thompson.
“Though it’s sad to see him go, Chaz has helped countless people better understand what it means to be transgender. He should be commended for both his courage and determination. We hope Chaz’s time on “Dancing with the Stars” is just the beginning in a long line of transgender-inclusive programming across the media.”
“DWTS” airs on ABC Mondays at 8 p.m. EST and Tuesdays at 9 p.m. EST.
