Howard Stern Grills Martina Navratilova About Her Dancing Role On DWTS (Rant Post)
Being a tennis fan of Martina Navratilova and hoping she will do well on Dancing With The Stars, I’m wishing she had never been a guest on the Howard Stern Show yesterday. He has this way (as you know) of sensationalizing everything, starting rumors, and trying to make a person look bad just as he tried to do last season with David Arquette. Granted, David might have had a hand in some of it as well, but, does Martina?
In the interview, Howard starts off saying Martina should be dancing with a female partner being she is gay. Martina defends herself saying she is a “woman” and she’s playing who she is. Howard insists she’s not doing the show right for homosexuals and should be wearing pants. She said she’s learning how to dance and she’ll wear what she wants even if it’s a dress or heels, etc.
Howard tries to say she is attracted to the other female dancers as well and tries to get her to admit it. She says they are lovely and tries to highlight who they are and their dancing. He also says she could care less about Tony in part of the interview which is hardly the truth. He goes too far as always. *rolls eyes*
Anyway, before rumors gets out of hand for what was said and not said, let’s hear what went down from the horses mouths. You be the judge when you listen. I don’t see Martina in any bad light. Howard was trying to get her to admit to things that aren’t true. I also see nothing wrong with her wanting to dance like she wants. She was beautiful Monday night and she is a “woman” afterall whether she is a homosexual or not. Martina, if you read this. Please don’t do his show again!
What do you think everyone? Curious for how you take this after listening? Do you see Martina in a bad light? Or was Howard in the wrong?
I didn’t even make it to the 5 minute mark, Howard made me so angry. I probably would of cused Howard out { something I don’t do ) if I was Martina and look at how much class she had. Howard is just a total waste of space.
Poor Martina, she really shouldn’t have agreed to this interview, Howard doesn’t surprise me as I listened to his radio shows with David Arquette but still he went too far, throwing a bunch of stereotypes at Martina, I have to say she handled it well though and she’s right she should dress the way she wants!
Vogue- I’ll go by your recap as I refuse to listen to anything H Stern. I find him so offensive and was so digusted last year after David did his show. Honestly don’t know why anyone would do his show. IMO
Love Martina and applaud her for doing DWTS.
I’m another one who will go by your recap Vogue. Howard Stern is a pig. period. I am so impressed with how pretty Martina looks on DWTS this season. She seems to be enjoying dancing with Tony. I’m not a tennis fan, but I have nothing but respect for Martina Her private life should be off limits. Should be, but I realize she’s a celeb, and that comes with the territory. Shame on Howard Stern.
Vogue, thanks for giving people who aren’t sure what to think the opportunity to listen and make up their own minds, but I’m with Zach. I simply can’t listen to Stern. The man’s show is vile 👿 and Martina is a class act who would never descend to his level of vulgarity.
Yeah, I would have preferred that Martina not dignify this jerk by speaking to him. Unfortunately, I think she’s the type of person who doesn’t shy away from anybody. After Stern’s snide pre-season swipe about her wearing a suit when she danced, my guess is when his people called, she wasn’t going to say “no”.
Thanks for your thoughts, Guys!! I think Howard is so vile as well. I agree too how their private lives should be off limits.
I am a Martina fan from way back, and I am also in the “Refuse to Listen To Howard Stern” camp, so I will not listen to the interview, but thanks for providing the first-hand source, Vogue. I had read before the season started that Howard Stern and Martina are longtime friends and that she’s been on his show many times before. I don’t know if that’s accurate, but if so, it does make me wonder why someone as accomplished and admired as Martina would bother with Stern. But, go figure. People are entitled to be friends with whoever they like. I am therefore not surprised that Martina consented to appearing with Stern, and if she’s his friend and has been on before, she knows his schtick very well. I’m assuming she agreed to the interview voluntarily, so that was her call, whatever the outcome.
Vogue- TY hun for addressing this before it became rampant.
*Pats on the back-have a glass of wine on me at lunch*!
I expected nothing less from Stern. I am proud of Martina for holding her own against him, and attempting to have a quality discussion without speculation and inuendos.
With respect to her wearing pants….ummm….that would technically mean that Chaz should have worn a dress and be paired with a man in light of the fact that the surgery and prosthetic have yet to enter the picture.
This is not a gender vs gender, trans-gender, bi-sexual, gay or lesbian competition. Your sexual preference does not win you the MBT. To suggest otherwise shows a complete lack if respect for the art of ballroom and its participants.
I find it interesting that homo-sexuality has been linked to ballroom for years. We all knew re: Louis and Bruno. Yet the discussions haven’t gotten heated until it was in direct link to an actual partcipant. That and the fact it has only occurred in the last two seasons of the show.
Count me in too! I just can’t listen to Howard Stern. I don’t why Martina would be doing his vulgar show anyhow. Is it part of the DWTS publicity that some celebs are obligated to partake in this garbage for ratings?
Okay, Howard time for you lace up those dancing shoes and let America have their say about you.
#9 Sandy Like I said, I don’t know if it’s accurate, but I’ve heard that Martina and Stern are old friends and that she’s appeared on his show before. I don’t think his show was a requirement by ABC. I could be wrong about everything I just said. lol
YW Guys.xxx And I so agree….let’s see Howard go on this show and see how far he gets! Would he appreciate any kind of harassment and grilling? Then again, knowing him, he’d probably love it. I don’t think he has any heart what so ever? 🙁
Oh and Ms. Taz, thanks for the wine. 😉
Yikes, Sandy, 😯 the very thought of Stern on DWTS makes me break out in a rash!
Vogue, I REALLY REALLY DON’T EVER want to see Howard Stern on DWTS. Please don’t put that thought out into the universe! Thanks! 🙂
Vogue: My pleasure!
Why am I thinking that Stern would be an Adam Carolla reincarnate only much worse? “”8-0″”….shudders
After listening to it and also hearing that they are old friends, I think that in some ways she agrees with a certain message that he is bold enough to say. I don’t like him and I also think he’s a pig but there is a valid point that if she were allowed to be more herself she might present more confidently and competent. But the other side, which she presented well is that she’s there to embrace an experience of going far far outside her comfort zone, and also she stated so well and so clearly that she was playing a role that the foxtrot requires, and that different dances will require different role playing. Perhaps she uses him as sort of a foil, if that’s the right word, letting him state some extreme opinion in an offensive way and then she counter it with such class.
I know this feeling I have is controversial, and I mean no disrespect at all to the ballroom community, and I’m straight and personally, for myself pretty conservative in my actions, dress…but socially I’m extremely liberal, I feel like people are people, they all deserve respect, I love the wondrous diversity of our world and I hope someday it won’t be shocking to people to see same sex dances. (And same sex couples will be allowed the same rights I have with my husband),
Man I wish I was on moderation so our moderators could delete this if I’m out of line. Again, I mean no disrespect to anyone and I’m just stating my opinion, but perhaps it’s too off topic.
Vogue, thank you very much for the post – Howard is a pig, as always, Martina shows grace under pressure – again, as always. I am considering voting for her next week.
She is such an inspiration for all women – it takes a lot of courage to do what she does – she is completely out of her element and she has embraced it beautifully.
#16 Jess – I admit that I am not going to listen to the interview, so I am just going by what everyone else has said about it. But I am in agreement with you that Martina must be using Stern as some kind of “foil” or else they would not be friends at all. At the same time, he wouldn’t have her on his show and be her friend if he did not find some value in the personal relationship. It can’t all be about “ratings” and sensationalism if they are in fact longtime friends behind the scenes. So, I believe there’s more here than meets the eye, and Martina is smart enough to go on his show and make her point and in effect to use that platform for her own positive message. That’s just my take, having not heard the actual audio clip.
I agree with everyone else here – it’s hard to listen to Howard Stern, because he’s such a pig. Vogue, I agree completely with you – Stern was baiting her, but she refused to take the bait, and for that, I applaud her! That, to me, is the difference between Martina and Arquette – Martina was having none of it, while David decided to take it to the next level. I also agree with you in that Martina should NEVER do the Stern show again… after all, all 10 people who listen to him would probably get the wrong idea… 😛
Cannot STAND HIM!!!!!! This is why I’m not watching America’s Got Talent this year! Or any year unless HE is OFF the show! And ABC do NOT put him on DWTS!
After listening to the interview, I’m not sure why everyone is up in arms. I thought Martina did great. Howard is obviously a fan of hers and I know that Martina is friends with Robin, his co-host. She handled him very well.
As much as I detest Howard Stern I did listen to the interview. Granted I haven’t heard a ton of Howard’s interviews, but I thought Martina handled him better than anyone else I’ve ever heard before. It kind of sounded to me like they do know each other and it didn’t seem as though Martina was extremely uncomfortable. Howard’s comments were similar to the ones he made about Carson, I think, dancing with a man during one of David’s interviews.
Speaking of David, his interviews in my opinion were way worse than this one. For Kym’s sake I hope Jaleel doesn’t go on the show. I’m not sure why people go on Howard’s show. I assume that most publicists think any publicity is good publicity but I don’t agree. I for one will no longer watch America’s Got Talent.
Howard Stern has joined AGT – oh no, say it ain’t so!
who is he replacing? The British guy (his name escapes me at the moment) who took over for Larry King?
Yes Linde. Piers Morgan. 🙂
Victoria, I’m open to disagreeing, but, please don’t generalize all Americans that we were all “totally brainwashed in believing Martina was a strong cold communist lesbian who beat up your poor Chrissy Evert.” Sorry, but, I’m an American and was a huge fan to BOTH tennis players at the time. I never thought of Martina as a “strong, cold commmunist lesbian” who beat up poor Chris. They were both fierce competitors. Niether one was a “poor” anything.
She handled him VERY WELL. Personally, I think there has to be some video footage of her bashing his face in w a tennis racket in the parking lot (or at least i hope there is 🙂 ).
He is a trash-talking pig who will say anything to get a reaction. Martina is a class act and she handled him superbly. Its hard to believe they are friends, if that is true. Anyway, Martina is a tennis diva for the ages. Howard is a schmuck.
It came as a surprise to hear that Martina is a friend of Stern’s. What amazed me even more was that our delightful Tom is also great friends with this disgustingly rude man. When Tom said that in his Good Day LA appearance, I just about fell out of my chair. None of this changes my opinion of Stern’s show or my respect for Martina and Tom, but it does give me pause. I’m really impressed that they can see beneath the surface and find something to like; they’re better than I am in that regard.
I couldn’t listen past the halfway point and despite M’s admirable performance, I wish she hadn’t done the show. And then I read your comments, which kinda blew me away. So many valuable points were made by so many above me, and I found much to agree with wholeheartedly.
These are amazing comments from you posters, so smart and insightful and sensitive to the dynamic of that interview! And NOT bigoted and stupid.
I am so glad this board is populated by folks who have a clue.
I didn’t even begin to listen to the interview. After listening to the interview between Howard and David, I had enough of Howard. I just couldn’t believe David went ahead with it and didn’t stop anything. I guess he couldn’t because that would hurt the show’s ratings but I could care less if it does. That Howard show should be cancelled. He influences people to act like idiots. Luckily, I forgave David after a while because he and Kym seem to get along just fine but I still don’t approve what David did, going on that show. I also don’t understand why he thinks Howard is his mentor and “friend”. I tried to look around at Howard’s bio to see if there’s a “sweet and kind” Howard or “classy” Howard but I didn’t but then I didn’t look hard. David really offended a lot of Kym’s fans by going on that show and saying his comments and also really offended Steeler Nation who is now back to supporting her because she has a great dancer this season. I just hope Jaleel doesn’t get on that Howard Stern show. I don’t care if people get on that show for publicity, it’s still disgusting and respectful and I think people who agree to go on that show have no self-respect or others at the time. There’s plenty of other ways to get publicity.