In a shocking turn of events that has the internet ablaze with a mixture of confusion and popcorn, daytime TV personality Barry 'Sunshine' Buttercup has vehemently denied recent rumors suggesting he might… enjoy the company of men. This denial comes just days before the highly anticipated release of his new romantic comedy, "Flipper's Fin-tastic First Love," a film that sees Buttercup portraying a charming accountant who falls head-over-heels for a surprisingly brooding dolphin trainer with biceps that could crack walnuts.

"Absolutely preposterous!" Buttercup declared in a press conference held amidst a suspiciously large quantity of suspiciously rainbow-colored cupcakes. "I mean, who would believe I'd choose a man... especially one with such impressive pectoral muscles? It's clearly a case of mistaken identity! Although... I *will* admit that Chad, the dolphin trainer played by the incredibly ripped Mark 'Merman' Musclebound, is a truly remarkable individual. A very, very *platonic* friend. We bonded over our shared love of kale smoothies and competitive synchronized swimming. Yes, that's right, synchronized swimming."

Sources close to the production (who requested anonymity to avoid being 'dol-phinished' by Buttercup's legal team) revealed that the film's steamy scenes involved an unusually large amount of… well, let's just say the special effects budget was disproportionately high for a movie about a man and a dolphin.

When questioned about the intensely romantic underwater kiss scene, Buttercup simply blushed and muttered something about "the magic of cinema" and "the surprising dexterity of dolphins." This further fuelled speculation that the denial might be less than... truthful. Perhaps the truth is hidden somewhere in the depths of Buttercup's suspiciously deep tan and suspiciously perfect hair. Only time, and possibly a very thorough investigation by the National Enquirer, will tell.