Nigel Lythgoe is defending his comments against a same-sex dance pair on Thursday night’s So You Think You Can Dance premiere, usmagazine.com reports.
The judge sparked outrage after he told male partners Misha Belfer and Mitchel Kibel: “I think you will probably alienate a lot of our audience. I mean, we’ve always had the guys dance together on the show, but they’ve never really done it in each other’s arms before.
“Do you know what? I’d like to see you both dancing with a girl,” he continued.
After the show, he posted on Twitter: “The same-sex ballroom guys did remind me of Blades of Glory. However, I’m not a fan of Brokeback ballroom.”
GLAAD president Neil G. Giuliano released a statement Friday: “It’s unacceptable for this kind of blatant homophobia to occur. Fox Entertainment and Nigel Lythgoe owe Misha, Mitchel and the whole LGBT community an apology.”
Lythgoe stuck by his comments on Twitter, writing in response: “I am very sad the word ‘homophobe’ is being used. That is someone who hates homosexuals. I dislike effeminate dancing! Wake up and listen!”
