Michael Desmond/ABCLance Bass wouldn't mind dancing with a man on a reality competition show, but he doesn't think ABC's Dancing With the Stars is the right place for fancy same-sex footwork.
"I think it would be so silly that it would just overshadow everything else going on," Bass tells me. "It would just be like making fun of something. But if it was another show with all guys dancing and all girls dancing, that's a different story. I think that's sexy."
He adds with a laugh, "I should pitch that."
I caught up with Bass just before his practice earlier today at a West Hollywood dance studio with his DWTS partner Lacey Schwimmer.
What else did he have to say? Read on to find out...
Hard to believe, but Bass is the first openly gay dancer—professional or celebrity—to appear on DWTS. "I think it's so important for me to do this," he says. "But my biggest concern is I just hope it doesn't hurt the gay community in any way because, you know, we definitely can be scrutinized and picked apart. I definitely feel a responsibility of making sure I represent well."
But he has other reasons for doing the show. During 'N Sync's reign as one of music's top boy bands, Bass says he was ridiculed by his bandmates for being the group's worst dancer. "The guys always told me how terrible of a dancer I am, so I kind of just wanted to prove to myself that I could learn something crazy," he say. "Also my grandmother and mother love the show, so I wanted to do something for them."
With countless hours now spent rehearsing—DWTS has a three-night premiere starting Sept. 22—the 29-year-old Bass is one tired puppy. His boyfriend Sebastian Leal isn't too happy about it, because "he really wants to learn" the dances, Bass says. "But we haven't had time. When I go home, all I wanna do is just sleep and eat."
Bass did, however, make sure to find the time (and the energy, for that matter) to appear on Saturday night at event producer Tom Whitman's West Hollywood fundraiser for No on 8, a campaign to fight a November ballot that would ban same-sex marriage in California. "I'm definitely not political," Bass explains. "But I know what's right and wrong, and I know that's wrong. So I'm going to speak up about it. It's just common sense."
He imagines he'll marry and have kids some day. "I think everyone dreams of that nice romantic wedding," he says. "And I love kids. I want to adopt and I want to have my own."
That's not all I have for you from Mr. Bass. Check back tomorrow to find out who he thinks is the front-runner to win this season's DWTS, why he's not looking forward to the tight and very revealing dance costumes and what advice he has for the Jonas Brothers.