Reacting to former Dancing with the Stars champ Apolo Anton Ohno's remark on Leno last week, newbie DWTS pro Damian Whitewood defended his partner Pamela Anderson, saying that her "top-heavy" build could very well work to their advantage.

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"Keeping your weight forward, that's a good thing, right? Her weight is over her toes!" the 32-year-old Perth, Australia native jokingly told People.

Ohno, who recently became the most decorated American Winter Olympian in history, weighed in on the Baywatch babe's chances of winning Dancing with the Stars versus fellow Olympian Evan Lysacek, who was also part of Team USA's successful gold medal haul in the Vancouver Games last month.

"Between, what is it, Pam Anderson and Evan Lysacek? Pam Anderson, she's a little top-heavy. I think Evan is going to do very well. Plus, he's an Olympic medalist!" Ohno said.

Whitewood maintains that "good chemistry" will be important on the ABC competition.

"If we have good chemistry and we're having fun, everybody can relate to that," he says. "It's about a man and a woman, up close and personal, dancing together."

Whitewood added that while Anderson has no dance experience whatsoever, he's confident that they can compete with the rest of the Dancing with the Stars field.

"She has no dance experience whatsoever," says Whitewood. "It's totally foreign to her. She obviously has to loosen those feet and ankles, and relax a little bit more, but that only comes with time."

"I was nervous waiting for her to come through the door," he adds. "But she's very down to earth, very genuine, and very nice. She's family oriented; she's got two boys who she's always running around with."

Prior to preparing for Dancing with the Stars' tenth season, Whitewood spent the last nine years traveling internationally with the dance company Burn the Floor.

"I've got to step it up a few notches to get back into the competitive scene," he says. "I'm sure it's going to be a lot of fun."