Controversy
On May 21, 2009, SYTYCD aired two males performing ballroom dance together for the first time, with dancers Misha and Mitchel performing a Samba. The dance couple's introduction on the show, and the judges' subsequent comments, have been criticized as homophobic. The two men were introduced with The Weather Girls' "It's Raining Men" played in the background. After the couple performed, judge Nigel Lythgoe said, "I think you'd probably alienate a lot of our audience. We've always had the guys dance together on the show but they've never really done it in each other's arms before. I'm really one of those people that like to see guys be guys and girls be girls on stage. I don't think I liked it, to be frank." He later went on to say that he'd like each man to dance with women and that: "You never know, you might enjoy that, too." The segment closed, and the song "It's a Man's Man's Man's World" is played in the background, which contains the lyrics: "This is a man's world, but it wouldn't be nothing, nothing without a woman or a girl." Cat Deeley went on to say that the pair were "out."
Lythgoe issued a formal apology letter later that week, stating that he regretted "poor word choices" and that he realized how his comments could be "misconstrued." He went on to say that he "believe the sexual orientation of an auditioner or contestant is irrelevant... the fact that I have unintentionally upset people is distressing to me... I have made mistakes that I must learn from."
Read more about this topic: So You Think You Can Dance (U.S. Season 5)
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