Gay rights and wrongs: Hollywood's biggest taboo?

[Ben Varkentine]

http://enjoyment.independent.co.uk/film ... 040127.ece

That's an article in the Independent (UK) online edition. It's kind of the"state of the gay in Hollywood" article that we get at least once a year, but good.

I thought Kittens might find especially worthwhile the quotes from Donna Deitch, who made Desert Hearts, and smoothly (but a bit self-aggrandizingly) gets at least part of The Cliche in print.

"...In 1986, when I made Desert Hearts, you couldn't get any actors of any consequence or familiarity to even consider the role of a gay character. It wasn't going to happen. Now, if you are offering a gay part, and it's a good part, people are going to jump at it. That's what's changed."

The appeal extends to female gay parts as well as male ones: Hillary Swank won an Oscar for her role as a transgendered teenager in Boys Don't Cry, and Charlize Theron came close to winning another one when she played the real-life lesbian serial killer Aileen Wuornos in Monster (2003). The one difference, Deitch pointed out sardonically, is that lesbian characters almost invariably end up either in a bisexual love triangle or dead. "Only in Desert Hearts," she said, "do they live happily ever after."

Well, not only in Desert Hearts (you see what I mean about self-aggrandizing?) but I think the larger point was better made.

[JustSkipIt]

That was a pretty well written article although I felt like they could have intereviewed more filmmakers. I knew about NPH's coming out but not the other actor. Very interesting.

[maudmac]

Nice to see the cliche mentioned. Maybe Donna Deitch doesn't get out much these days and doesn't know that hers is certainly not the only lesbian movie with a happy ending. It was the first, though, wasn't it?

Anyway, the thing that struck me most in that article was Isaiah Washington's comment about not being Patrick Dempsey's faggot. Interesting. I remember seeing stuff in the news about that fight they had on the set, but I don't recall there being any brouhaha over what he said. Did he issue an apology? Was there a brouhaha and I just missed it? Because that is a seriously wrong thing to say and I'd be surprised if no one called him to the carpet for it.

[Ben Varkentine]

the thing that struck me most in that article was Isaiah Washington's comment about not being Patrick Dempsey's faggot. Interesting. I remember seeing stuff in the news about that fight they had on the set, but I don't recall there being any brouhaha over what he said. Did he issue an apology? Was there a brouhaha and I just missed it? Because that is a seriously wrong thing to say and I'd be surprised if no one called him to the carpet for it.

If memory-and a quick Yahoo! search-serves, there was kind of a "mini brouhaha," but it was overshadowed by a couple of things.

First of all, the fact that the other actor chose to say "Yes, I am." He made that the story more than Washington's wrongheaded comment. Which I can actually kind of admire, because I choose to see it as his saying he's not going to be made to feel ashamed of who he is either at his workplace or in the media.

Washington did apologize (On Oprah, yet), reportedly. His spin is that the tabloids blew out of proportion a fight between "brothers." Whether that's true or not, who knows?

The second thing that overshadowed it is that Grey's Anatomy is a big hit series and nobody wants to rock the boat...

[JustSkipIt]

I saw an article (back when) which I know I couldn't find the link for now about how it's still acceptable to use anti-gay words like "faggot" but that racially offensive words are punished more seriously. The article discussed the difference between reaction to the Isiah Washington story and the Mike Richards (I may have the name wrong - the guy who played Kramer on Sienfield).

Understand that I'm not saying that either language was acceptable but it was an interesting contrast.

[Ben Varkentine]

Just as a follow-up...

http://www.tmz.com/2007/01/17/glaad-unh ... ashington/

GLAAD Unhappy with Isaiah Washington

The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) is demanding an apology from "Grey's Anatomy" star Isaiah Washington for continually making homophobic remarks. In the past four months, Washington has used the offensive term "faggot" twice in reference to co-star T.R. Knight.

In an interview at Monday's Golden Globes, Washington denied using the offensive term by ... using the offensive term. "No, I did not call T.R. a faggot." Knight then went on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" and confirmed that Washington did, in fact, use the term on the "Grey's" set in October.

[maudmac]

Way to dig the hole deeper, Isaiah. I'm actually not as bothered by his use of the term in order to deny using it (although it was certainly less than tactful) as I am by the fact that he used it in the first place during that fight on the set. Nice to see the issue in the spotlight, and I'm glad there is a brouhaha at all over it. I wish there were more of a brouhaha when people use the word "gay" to mean "lame" or "stupid," though. That one offends the hell out of me.

[Ben Varkentine]

Nice to see the issue in the spotlight, and I'm glad there is a brouhaha at all over it.

The brouhahha is probably more important than the specifics of this case.

You know what I'm kind of wondering? What exactly GLAAD thinks the demanded apology is going to do. I mean, assuming Washington is a homophobic idiot, as he certainly appears to be, is his apology going to mean anything besides "I'm pissed that I got found out?"

I wish there were more of a brouhaha when people use the word "gay" to mean "lame" or "stupid," though. That one offends the hell out of me.

It bothers me too. But at least it did lead to one of my favorite "Simpsons" lines. In the episode where Lisa briefly dates Nelson, some of the other bullies see them kissing and one says:

"He's kissing a girl! That is so gay!"

Every dark cloud, silver lining, etc.

ETA: Wait, there's more.

http://www.tmz.com/2007/01/18/report-ab ... -outburst/

ABC has gotten around to responding to Isaiah Washington's use of a gay slur at the Golden Globes, and, no, they're not at all happy about it.

The ABC statement reads, "We have a long standing policy to create and maintain respectful workplaces for all our employees. We dealt with the original situation in October, and thought the issue resolved. Therefore, we are greatly dismayed that Mr. Washington chose to use such inappropriate language at the Golden Globes, that he himself deemed 'unfortunate' in his previous public apology. We take this situation very seriously, and his actions are unacceptable and are being addressed."

It is unclear when the network will make a decision on Washington's future on the show.

I still find it hard to believe that ABC wants to rock the boat of a big hit show, but maybe I'm just too cynical-and I wouldn't be too sad if I were proven wrong.

ETA one last time: To anyone else interested in following the aftermath of the Anatomy fight, I posted a link to a USA Today article in the Grey's thread. It just seemed like it was moving into off-topic for this one.