Random Romance Rumor du Jour: Charlize Theron Dating 'Modern Family' Funnyman?

Wonderwall, Sunday, September 23, 2012, 2:03pm (PDT)

By Kat Giantis

• For a brief, shining moment, funny guys the world over were filled with hope that a good sense of humor could, in fact, land them an impossibly hot chick. It all started with a dubious but intriguing item in London's Mail on Sunday, which claimed Charlize Theron had fallen for the adorably clownish charms of Eric Stonestreet, who's best known as Mitchell's well-padded gay partner, Cameron, on "Modern Family."

  "Charlize and Eric get along incredibly well," alleged a source. "They started off as friends but things are blossoming between them."

  According to the tab, the two were introduced by mutual pals earlier this year and apparently began to date after the actor's recent split from his longtime love, Broadway actress Katherine Tokarz.

  "Eric is down to earth and funny, and Charlize thinks the world of him," added the snitch, pulling out the old "good personality" gambit. "It's early days, but they're very fond of each other."

  Alas, "very fond" appears to be a very big exaggeration.

  "I wish people would stop spreading rumors that Charlize Theron and I are dating," Stonestreet, 41, joked on Twitter. "It's starting to make Halle Berry jealous."

  His rep also pooh-poohed the hookup talk, telling People, "There is nothing romantic going on between them. He has only met Charlize twice!"

  One of those times was at the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner in April, where the affectionate pose above was snapped.

  Charlize, 37, who became a first-time mom when she adopted son Jackson in March, has been flying mostly solo since her 2010 split from Stuart Townsend after nearly a decade together (she briefly dated a pre-Blake Lively Ryan Reynolds last year).

  The Oscar winner's rep did not respond to our request for comment, but a source close to her reiterates to Us that the romance rumors are false.

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