So You Think You Can Dance
Scandal/Dilemma/Call To Action
July 25, 2006







So I have to tell you all that I am a bit torn on watching and supporting our beloved So You Think You Can Dance and making a political statement against Fox’s poor judgement in musical acts this week. During Thursday nights Results Show, musical guest Busta Rhymes will be performing as Nelly Furtado, Rhianna, Natasha Bedenfield, The Strippers (sorry Pussycat Dolls), and CB have done before him. What’s wrong with that you ask? Plenty.

Think back to spring time if you will. The place: Miami. The setting: Restaurant. My reasoning as layed out by Logo News:

As reported by The New York Post (and many other tabloids) on March 29, 2006, U.S. rap star Busta Rhymes went off on a homophobic rant over a young gay fan whose only crime was tapping Rhymes on the shoulder at a diner in Miami.

Eyewitness Thomas Barker recalls what made Busta lose his temper:
“The restaurant (located near a gay bar) was packed with transvestites, gay men and drag queens, which obviously made Busta a little edgy. This became evident when a young gay guy came up behind Busta and tapped him on the shoulder to congratulate the rapper on his recent comeback. Before the guy could even mutter a word, Busta turned around and repeatedly screamed, 'Why the f*** you touchin' me, man? Get the f*** away from me' . . . his two huge bodyguards then caused an even larger scene by pushing the kid away . . . Busta quietly whispered to his bodyguards, 'I hate f***ing faggots, man.”

This incident happens to follow the release of Busta's "Touch It" remix. The track includes a line in which rapper DMX says, "F*** you, faggot, I shot at you!"


So you ask, why am I in such a tizzy? Well, for one, obviously Busta’s not so keen on my type. Second, there are plenty of homosexuals in the arena of dance including the show So You Think You Can Dance. Obviously some you can speculate about some while others you’re all but confirmed. It doesn’t matter though, gay or straight, the politics involved in allowing a rapper like Busta Rhymes to perform on your show is sketchy.

If I was associated with the show and gay I would have a huge problem with allowing a homophobic and misogynistic rapper like Busta Rhymes to promote his homophobia and sexism while degrading possible cast and crew members not to mention your audience. So what’s a gay to do?

For right now, I’ve sent an email voicing my concerns as a gay male viewer and blogger to Fox. If you’d like to do the same, please send emails to: askfox@foxinc.com

If you’d like to mail a comment or concern (though they won’t arrive in time), please send them to:
FOX Broadcasting Co.
P.O. Box 900
Beverly Hills, CA 90213