David Arquette: Chaz is courageous

David Arquette thinks it is “amazing and courageous” of Chaz Bono to be competing on Dancing with the Stars.

The American actor will star in the new series of the television show alongside Chaz. In 2008, Chaz completed his gender transition from female to male and was legally recognised as a man by the state of California in May 2010.

Chaz has faced a barrage of controversy as a result of his involvement with the show.

David thinks people need to be more open-minded.

“I think it’s amazing. I think it’s very courageous of Chaz to be doing this,” he told Access Hollywood.

“Chaz isn’t the one with the issue, it’s people out there and it’s sort of their ignorance really… You have to be accepting.”

David believes that his fellow competitor has been able to rise above all of the controversy surrounding his casting. The Hollywood star says audiences don’t understand how hurtful their ‘humorous’ taunts can be.

“Jokes are jokes, sometimes they’re hurtful, but Chaz has a great sense of humour too,” he explained. “I think there is a fine line between what is mean and what is funny.”

Fellow competitor Elisabetta Canalis has revealed she was surprised to learn that her tattoos were edited from the show’s original promo shots. The stunning star is famed for her trademark body art, and was stunned to see they were not shown in the pictures.

“You should ask them, because I didn’t know. It was a surprise for me too,” she said. “Maybe they didn’t like them.”

A source toldAccess Hollywood that the photos were uploaded by mistake and the matter has since been corrected.

Revised cast shots have since been added to ABC’s media site.

Dancing with the Stars will premiere on Monday, September 19, in a two-hour show, at 8pm.