UPDATE: Life & Style Continues to Stand By Problematic “Experts”
March 8, 2010 by Jonathan Rosales, GLAAD's Entertainment Media Manager
Last week we reported that the latest issue of Life & Style magazine features a cover story that claims actress Angelina Jolie is turning Shiloh, her daughter with Brad Pitt, into a boy. The cover asks “Is it harming the three-year-old?” referring to the child’s short haircut, pants and polo shirt and also cites several so-called “experts,” like Glenn Stanton from the virulently anti-gay Focus on the Family who says: “They need help, they need guidance of what that looks like. It’s important to teach our children that gender distinction is very healthy.”
Since the story broke, Alana Kelen, a VH1 stylist who was one of the “experts” cited by the magazine, has distanced herself from her quote, claiming that she was misquoted. However, Life & Style publicist Lindsay Ferraro says in an email to GLAAD that Kelen’s quote is accurate. Per Ferraro, Kelen’s comment was “I definitely think that Shiloh is pushing the boundaries of a tomboy look and crossing over to cross-dresser territory. The neckties just put it a bit over the edge, mostly because boys themselves rarely sport ties.” Kelen stands by her claim that she was being manipulated by the magazine.
More troubling then their specious quoting, however, is the fact that Life & Style continues to defend their decision to seek out Focus on the Family for their opinion when in fact the anti-gay organization is not at all qualified to comment on what is healthy or unhealthy for Shiloh. Life & Style is still not getting the message and we must continue our efforts until they do.
We urge community members to continue to tweet the following message from their Twitter accounts: “Tell @Life_and_Style that Focus on the Family employees aren’t “experts” in raising children http://bit.ly/cH0o1N #LGBT”
We also urge you to reach out to Life & Style directly to voice your concerns about this highly problematic article:
Dan Wakeford, Life & Style: Editor-in-Chief
dwakeford@bauer-usa.com
Lindsey Ferraro, Life & Style: Publicity Manager
lferraro@bauer-usa.com
(201) 569-6699 x 648
Sarah Drabick
Life & Style: Associate Publicist
sdrabick@bauer-usa.com
The headquarters for Bauer Publishing (which includes an Entertainment Division that is the home of Life & Style and InTouch) is:
270 Sylvan Avenue
Englewood Cliffs, NJ 07632
Tel: (201) 569-6699
Fax: (201) 510-3297
Related Posts:Precious Wins Two Academy Awards; Sandra Bullock Says “We Are All Deserving of Love”
March 8, 2010 by Jonathan Rosales, GLAAD's Entertainment Media Manager
At the 82nd Annual Academy Awards last night, Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire walked away with two golden trophies. The film’s out director Lee Daniels was nominated for Best Director, but lost to The Hurt Locker’s Kathryn Bigelow, who became the first woman ever to win that award. However, Mo’Nique won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for her role in Precious and Geoffrey Flecther won for Best Adapted Screenplay.
Best Actress winner Sandra Bullock
Colin Firth was nominated for his heartbreaking role as a gay man mourning his longtime lover in A Single Man, but the Best Actor award ultimately went to Jeff Bridges. Tom Ford, the noted fashion designer and openly gay director of A Single Man, was also on hand at the ceremony to present the award for Best Costume Design with Sarah Jessica Parker.
One of the evening’s much talked about moments was Sandra Bullock’s acceptance speech. Bullock won the Oscar for Best Actress for her role in The Blind Side. In her acceptance speech, Bullock thanks her mother for “reminding her daughters that there’s no race, no religion, no class system, no color, nothing, no sexual orientation that makes us better than anyone else. We are all deserving of love.”
GLAAD thanks Sandra Bullock for including this poignant message in her speech. Her words no doubt further endeared her to thousands of LGBT fans and their families. Click here to view her speech.
Nominated alongside Bullock was Precious‘ Gabourey Sidibe, who will be introducing the Youth Pride Chorus this Saturday at the 21st Annual GLAAD Media Awards in New York. For information on how to purchase tickets, please visit: http://www.glaad.org/mediaawards/21/ny
Related Posts:Highly Anticipated Law & Order: SVU Episode Proves More Problematic Than Inclusive
March 4, 2010 by Jonathan Rosales, GLAAD's Entertainment Media Manager
Last night, NBC aired an episode of Law & Order: SVU which featured LGBT ally Kathy Griffin playing a lesbian activist. Many in the LGBT community were understandably excited about the episode, hoping for a fair, accurate and inclusive hour of television. Unfortunately, that was not the case.
In the episode entitled “P.C.,” Griffin plays Babs Duffy, a lesbian activist pressuring the Special Victims Unit to step up their investigation of the rape and murder of a lesbian woman, as well as ongoing threats to other local lesbians. As Detectives Stabler (Christopher Meloni) and Benson (Mariska Hargitay) unravel the case, they discover a subculture of “aggressives:” lesbians with a hyper-masculinized presentation. Though the detectives initially suspect one of the “aggressives,” the murderer turns out to be a local man who simply can’t stand being surrounded by lesbians when he cannot find a woman for himself.
Kathy Griffin (l.) guest starred as a lesbian activist on Law & Order: SVU, starring Mariska Hargitay (r.)
As offensive as the unoriginal victim and man-hating lesbian stereotypes were, the episode’s true problem lay in the bait and switch it pulled on its LGBT viewers. Capitalizing on Harigtay’s large lesbian fanbase as well as Griffin’s popularity in the LGBT community, NBC released a preview clip in the days before the airing that showed Griffin’s character kissing Det. Benson. However, when the episode aired last night, Duffy only attempts to kiss Benson, who refuses her advance. As Benson exits, she tells her female colleague “if I were you, I’d stay outside,” where she would be safe from the predatory lesbian. Later when it’s revealed that Duffy has a male lover, she is forced to admit she’s bisexual at an activist rally, leading her followers to label her a traitor. In her final scenes, Babs kisses Meloni’s Det. Stabler, despite not being able to kiss Det. Benson.
Amongst crime procedurals, Law & Order: SVU typically ranks among the best in terms of LGBT-inclusive episodes, having received three previous GLAAD Media Award nominations. However, “P.C.” proved to be a tremendous missed opportunity. The storyline attempted to tackle real life issues around hate crimes against lesbians, but by discrediting the Babs Duffy character, her message was also discredited. Instead, she became just another stereotype: the confused, sex-crazed bisexual.
NBC received a failing grade in GLAAD’s Network Responsibility Index last summer for its lack of quality LGBT representation. Though the several new shows have helped the network make some progress, this episode of Law & Order: SVU marks a step backward for NBC.
GLAAD will be reaching out to NBC to express our concerns, as well as the concerns that have been voiced to us by community members. We also urge you to reach out to NBC and ask that they not insult their LGBT viewers by luring them in with the promise of an episode that ultimately proves insulting.
Related Posts:Life & Style Off the Mark in Targeting Gender Identity of Angelina Jolie’s Child
March 3, 2010 by Jonathan Rosales, GLAAD's Entertainment Media Manager
The latest issue of Life & Style, a popular celebrity gossip magazine with several hundred thousand readers, features a cover story which claims that actress Angelina Jolie is turning Shiloh, her daughter with Brad Pitt, into a boy. The cover features Shiloh with a short haircut and polo shirt and asks: “Is it harming the three-year-old?”
“Life & Style is way off the mark with this outrageous coverage,” said Rashad Robinson, GLAAD’s Senior Director of Media Programs. “Perpetuating gender stereotypes and targeting children for ridicule about the way they dress is unacceptable, regardless of their parent’s celebrity status.”
The accompanying article cites several so-called ‘experts,’ including Glenn Stanton, from the anti-LGBT organization Focus on the Family, who says: “They need help, they need guidance of what that looks like. It’s important to teach our children that gender distinction is very healthy.”
“Media has a responsibility to differentiate between credible authorities and politically motivated (and usually self-proclaimed) ‘experts’ like Focus on the Family’s Glenn Stanton, who is not an expert on developmental issues,” said Robinson.
Other supposed ‘experts’ include VH1 stylist Alana Kelen, and celebrity stylist Gili Rashal-Niv, who made offensive comments such as: “Hopefully we won’t be seeing Maddox in one of Shiloh’s dresses any time soon.”
Justin Tanis, Outreach Manager for the National Center for Transgender Equality told The Advocate:
“The length of Shiloh’s hair or the clothes she wears are really matters for her and her parents to decide; this is a family that is known for their fashion. What’s important here is that every child, including Shiloh, has the opportunity to express herself and explore her world in a way that is safe and nurturing for her. Our society needs healthy, well-rounded children whose interests and tastes are as diverse as the children themselves and are not limited by outdated stereotypes of gender. Shiloh — and all other children — deserve the right to be themselves in ways that feel right to them as they learn and grow.”
GLAAD will be contacting Life & Style to voice our serious concerns about this story and educate the editors about how to fairly and accurately report on gender issues. We will urge the editors to refrain from this kind of sensationalism in future coverage and encourage community members to do the same.
Lindsay Ferraro
Publicity Manager – Life & Style Weekly
LFerraro@bauer-usa.com
(201) 569-6699
Dan Wakeford
Editor-in-Chief – Life & Style Weekly
dwakeford@bauer-usa.com
Prodigal Sons Opens in New York City; GLAAD Q&A with Director Kimberly Reed, Wednesday, March 3
February 26, 2010 by Jonathan Rosales, GLAAD's Entertainment Media Manager
Prodigal Sons, the bold new autobiographical documentary from filmmaker Kimberly Reed, opens at the Cinema Village in New York City Friday, February 26. In the film, Reed documents her trip to the small Montana town where she grew up as Paul McKerrow, the star high school quarterback.
Reed, who recently appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show and was profiled in Details magazine, offers an unflinching look into her life as a transgender lesbian traveling home for her 20th high school reunion and hoping for reconciliation with her troubled adopted brother. Winner of the FIPRESCI Prize at the Thessaloniki Documentary Film Festival, Best Documentary Jury Prize at NewFest, and Special Jury Prizes for Fearless Filmmaking at the Florida Film Festival and Bravery in Storytelling at the Nashville Film Festival, Prodigal Sons is a raw and provocative examination of one family’s struggle to come to terms with its past and present.
Cindi Creager, GLAAD’s Director of National News, will lead a Q&A with Kimberly Reed on Wednesday, March 3 at the 7:20 PM screening of Prodigal Sons at the Cinema Village.
For additional information on showtimes, and for information on when Prodigal Sons will be coming to a theater near you, please visit: http://www.prodigalsonsfilm.com/
View the trailer:
More Details on the Gay Storyline in Valentine’s Day
February 16, 2010 by Jonathan Rosales, GLAAD's Entertainment Media Manager
Last week we posted our intentionally vague take on the hit film Valentine’s Day. Since the film had yet to come out, New Line asked that we not reveal too much so as to maintain the surprise, but we’re now pleased to offer more details on the film’s gay storyline.
The film, which had the highest grossing President’s Day weekend opening ever, features multiple intertwined love stories as Los Angeles celebrates Valentine’s Day. Eric Dane plays Sean Jackson, a top NFL player who is contemplating ending his career to have a family. Sean ultimately announces in a press conference that the reason he hasn’t been able to fulfill his personal goals is because he is gay and has had to hide for the sake of his career. The story is a particularly bold one because Sean also makes it clear that he is going to continue playing professional football, a move that is met with support from the local sportscaster played by Jamie Foxx.
In another storyline, Bradley Cooper’s Holden shares a plane ride with Julia Roberts‘ Kate, a soldier coming home to visit “her man” for Valentine’s Day. Kate notices that Holden seems put off by the holiday and he reveals that he is freshly out of a relationship. When Kate points out that the flight attendants are all attracted to Holden, he seems largely uninterested.
In one of the film’s final scenes, Sean is shown sleeping in his living room. Behind him, the door opens and a man walks in. As he kneels next to Sean and wakes him, the man is revealed to be Holden. Now that Sean is out, the two can reunite and have the life that they couldn’t before.
We applaud director Garry Marshall, a longtime friend of GLAAD, and screenwriter Katherine Fugate for including a gay couple when so many other major romantic comedies tend to relegate gay characters to the best friend role. On top of that, it tackles the hot button issue of openly gay professional athletes in a way that we hope will open hearts and minds, especially given the film’s box office success.
To date, no NFL player has come out while still active in the game, though the climate may slowly be changing. Scott Fujita, a straight linebacker for the Super Bowl Champion New Orleans Saints, is a strong and vocal supporter of LGBT rights who has said he would support a gay teammate, an attitude that appears to be spreading.
Though the Sean and Holden’s story is not one of Valentine’s Day’s central love stories, nor is it fully revealed until the end, it is still a marked improvement from the norm in this genre. We look forward to the day when a fictional gay or lesbian couple can headline their own major studio romantic comedy.
Related Posts:BREAKING: Venues Take Stand Against Hate – Capleton Concerts Canceled
February 16, 2010 by Jonathan Rosales, GLAAD's Entertainment Media Manager
Last week, GLAAD joined with the LA Gay & Lesbian Center, as well as grass roots activists such as Michael Petrelis, Humboldt Against Hate and the Gay & Lesbian Alliance of the Central Coast (GALA) to call upon venues and promoters to take a stand against hate by canceling upcoming concerts by anti-gay reggae singer Capleton. This weekend, Jim Key, the Chief Public Affairs Officer for the LAGLC, received word that Capleton had canceled his plane ticket into the country and would not be performing.
Capleton had been scheduled to perform yesterday at the Tribute to the Legends festival in San Diego. He was also slated to perform this weekend at the Ragga Muffins Festival in Long Beach and Oakland, CA but he has been removed from the line-up of performers on the festival’s official site.
Additionally, Renegade Productions announced on their website that Capleton’s headlining tour has also been canceled. GALA had planned a protest tomorrow at the Downtown Brewing Company in San Luis Obispo, but is now asking community members to meet at the Downtown Brewing Company to show their support for the venue’s decision.
GLAAD applauds the venues and promoters who, once made aware of Capleton’s anti-gay lyrics, decided to deny him a platform to voice his hateful views.
We would also like thank and acknowledge the other groups and individuals who worked with GLAAD to ensure that such a viruently anti-gay performer would not be welcome so long as he continues to stand by his violent lyrics.
Related Posts:Colin Firth Honored for A Single Man at 25th Santa Barbara International Film Festival
February 12, 2010 by Jonathan Rosales, GLAAD's Entertainment Media Manager
Academy Award nominee Colin Firth will be honored with the Outstanding Performance of the Year Award for his role in Tom Ford’s A Single Man in a special ceremony tomorrow at the 25th Santa Barbara International Film Festival.
In the film, Firth plays George Falconer, a gay British professor in 1962 who is struggling to find meaning in his life following the death of his longtime partner (Matthew Goode) in a car accident. In Firth’s most heart-wrenching scene, he receives the phone call informing him of his partner’s death and is told that the funeral is for “family only” and he may not attend.
In addition to this award and his Academy Award nomination for Best Actor, this role has also earned Firth recognition the Golden Globes, the Screen Actors Guild, and the Broadcast Film Critics Association, to name a few.
“Colin Firth grabs on to the best role of his career in ‘A Single Man’ forcing us to have another look at his incredible list of films up to this point,” commented SBIFF executive director Roger Durling in a statement. “He’s one of the most enduring performers working in cinema today, and we’re so thrilled that we’re honoring this most deserving actor at the peak of his game.”
The Outstanding Performance of the Year Award will be presented to Firth tomorrow at the historic Arlington Theatre in Santa Barbara, CA. For information on how to purchase tickets, please visit the Santa Barbara International Film Festival’s official website.
Related Posts:ACT NOW: Tweet John Mayer And Ask That He Apologize For Using The F-Word
February 11, 2010 by Jonathan Rosales, GLAAD's Entertainment Media Manager
After excerpts from his interview in Playboy’s March issue spread over the internet yesterday, John Mayer took to his Twitter account to apologize for using the N-word. In the same interview Mayer used the anti-gay F-word when recounting the time he kissed blogger Perez Hilton and has not apologized for using that slur.
In the interview, Mayer is asked if he’s ever kissed a man. He responded:
“The only man I’ve kissed is Perez Hilton. It was New Year’s Eve and I decided to go out and destroy myself. I was dating Jessica [Simpson] at the time, and I remember seeing Perez Hilton flitting about this club and acting as though he had just invented homosexuality. All of a sudden I thought, I can outgay this guy right now. I grabbed him and gave him the dirtiest, tongue-iest kiss I have ever put on anybody—almost as if I hated fags. I don’t think my mouth was even touching when I was tongue kissing him, that’s how disgusting this kiss was. I’m a little ashamed. I think it lasted about half a minute. I really think it went on too long.”
Just as Mayer indicated in his apology, that he meant no offense in his use of the racist slur, we hope the intent behind his use of the F-word was not malicious. As a public figure with millions of fans, Mayer should be more cognizant of the impact his casual use of both slurs can have.
Everyday, countless LGBT people including LGBT people of color, are subjected to harassment, ridicule and even violence because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. More often than not, this verbal abuse includes the use of hurtful anti-gay and racist slurs such as the two that Mayer used. As a talented musician who has made comments supportive of the LGBT community in the past, we expect more from John Mayer and ask that he apologize.
ACT NOW: Copy and paste the tweet below or click here to post this on Twitter:
Ask @johncmayer to apologize for using an anti-gay slur in his @Playboy interview http://bit.ly/dsVcAj #LGBT
Valentine’s Day Features Well-Done Gay Storyline
February 11, 2010 by Jonathan Rosales, GLAAD's Entertainment Media Manager
Earlier this week, GLAAD had the opportunity to attend a private screening of Valentine’s Day, the star-packed new film from longtime LGBT ally Garry Marshall. The film has recently come under fire from various outlets for allegedly “degaying” the film’s trailer to eliminate any mention of the gay storyline to make the film more marketable. Having seen the film and spoken with New Line, it is clear that this is not the case.
On Monday, we will have a more detailed blog post revealing more about the gay storyline in Valentine’s Day. Although other blogs have revealed some major aspects, New Line has asked that we refrain from ruining the surprise for anyone not in the know.
What we can say is that the gay plot is in fact intended as a surprise and is not completely revealed until the film’s final act, which is why no overtly gay content was shown in the film’s trailer. Due to the nature of the story, LGBT viewers should not go in expecting a drawn-out, passionate love story. However, one of the gay character’s stories is actually timely and groundbreaking and the final scene is very genuine and tender.
All told, Valentine’s Day is great film to share with your significant other or your friends this holiday weekend. Once you’ve seen it, check back next week for our more thorough take on Valentine’s Day’s gay plotline.
Related Posts:ACT NOW: Protest Upcoming Concerts by Anti-Gay Reggae Singer Capleton
February 8, 2010 by Jonathan Rosales, GLAAD's Entertainment Media Manager
GLAAD was alerted this weekend that Capleton, a reggae singer who promotes violence against the LGBT community in his lyrics, has planned multiple concerts in California, Nevada and Florida in the coming weeks. A planned concert in Arcata, CA was cancelled thanks to the efforts of local activists, Humboldt Against Hate. We urge you to expand this movement by contacting the concert promoters directly to express outrage that an artist whose lyrics promote the murder of gays and lesbians would be allowed to perform on their stages.
Capleton has come under fire in the past for his virulently anti-gay lyrics such as “bun out ah chi chi, blood out a chi chi” (“burn out a queer, blood out a queer”) and “shoulda know seh Capleton bun battyman, dem same fire apply to di lesbian” (“you should know that Capleton burns queers, the same fire applies to lesbians”).
In 2007, Capleton joined other reggae singers, including Buju Banton, who signed onto the Reggae Compassionate Act (RCA), pledging to renounce and condemn violence against the LGBT community. Unfortunately, the RCA proved useless as Capleton has continued to sing anti-gay songs, spurring protests from LGBT activists.
Last week, GLAAD joined the LA Gay & Lesbian Center to protest Buju Banton’s Grammy nomination for Best Reggae Album and we urge you now to speak out against Capleton’s upcoming concerts.
Capleton will be headlining the following shows:
- February 17 at the Downtown Brewing Company (San Luis Obispo, CA). To contact the Downtown Brewing Company, please call (805) 543-1843 or email info@downtownbrew.com
- February 18 at the Tahoe Biltmore (Crystal Bay, NV). To contact the Tahoe Biltmore, please call (775) 831-0660
- February 27 at Bayfront Park (Miami, FL). To contact Bayfront Park, please call (305) 358-7550
Capleton will also be taking part in the Tribute to the Legends concert on February 15 at the San Diego Sports Arena and the 2010 Ragga Muffins Festival February 20 at the Fox Theatre in Oakland, CA and February 21 at the Long Beach Arena in Long Beach, CA. No other known anti-gay reggae artists are performing at these events.
- To contact the Tribute to the Legends concert about Capleton’s February 15 appearance, please email: info@worldbeatcenter.org. To contact the San Diego Sports Arena, please call: (619) 224-4171
- To contact the Ragga Muffins Festival about Capleton’s February 20/21 appearances, please email: info@raggamuffinsfestival.com. To contact the Fox Theatre, please email danielle@anotherplanetent.com. To contact the Long Beach Arena press relations, please call: (562) 499-7508.
GLAAD Congratulates Precious, A Single Man on Academy Award Nominations
February 2, 2010 by Jonathan Rosales, GLAAD's Entertainment Media Manager
This morning in Los Angeles, previous Academy Award nominee Anne Hathaway joined Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences President Tom Sherak to announce the nominees for the 82nd Annual Academy Awards. The LGBT-inclusive films Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire and A Single Man received a combined 7 Academy Award nominations. Lee Daniels, honored for his work on Precious, became the first openly gay African American director to receive a nomination. GLAAD congratulates the creative teams and casts behind these films.
Precious director Lee Daniels (2nd from left) and star Gabourey Sidibe (2nd from right) joined GLAAD at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival
Actor Colin Firth received a nomination for Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role for his turn as George Falconer, a gay man mourning his longtime love, in A Single Man.
Precious is among the leading Academy Award nominees in major categories with 6 nominations:
- Best Motion Picture of the Year
- Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role – Gabourey Sidibe
- Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role – Mo’Nique
- Achievement in Directing – Lee Daniels
- Best Adapted Screenplay – Geoffrey Fletcher
- Achievement in Film Editing – Joe Klotz
In the film Precious, actress Paula Patton portrays out lesbian teacher Ms. Rain whose emotional support assists and inspires the film’s protagonist. In the film, viewers meet Ms. Rain’s partner and hear of the rejection that the loving couple face from their families.
Daniels and Sibide appeared on a panel during GLAAD’s programming at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival where they spoke on the theme of “being an outsider.” Video from the panel is available here: http://glaadblog.org/2009/01/21/feel-like-an-outsider/.
Both films are also nominated for Outstanding Film – Wide Release at the 21st Annual GLAAD Media Awards. The GLAAD Media Awards, a benchmark for the media industry, recognize and honor media for outstanding images of the LGBT community and complement GLAAD’s work to bring LGBT images and stories to Americans.
Click here to read GLAAD’s official release on the Academy Award nominations.
You have just over a month to decide how to vote in your office pools! The 82nd Annual Academy Awards air LIVE on ABC, March 7 at 5:00 PM PST/8:00 PM EST.
Related Posts:Exclusive cineGLAAD Video: Dustin Lance Black, Joe Solmonese, and Reed Cowan Discuss 8: The Mormon Proposition
January 29, 2010 by Jonathan Rosales, GLAAD's Entertainment Media Manager
This past Sunday at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival, cineGLAAD hosted the panel discussion LGBT Civil Rights & The Power of Film – 8: The Mormon Proposition, which featured leaders in the fight for marriage equality debating the ways in which film and media can sway public opinion as we strive to change the hearts and minds of voters who oppose equality. Panelists also provided fascinating insight into the current efforts to overturn California’s anti-gay Proposition 8.
The powerful documentary 8: The Mormon Proposition investigates the decades long campaign the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints has been waging against the rights of gays and lesbians to marry, and also examines the psychological toll that anti-gay bigotry takes on LGBT Mormon youth.
Kate Kendell, Executive Director of the National Center for Lesbian Rights, moderated the thought-provoking discussion featuring several of the people behind 8: The Mormon Proposition: Reed Cowan (Director); Dustin Lance Black (Narrator); Bruce Bastian (Executive Producer); and featured cast Joe Solmonese (President – Human Rights Campaign) and Dennis Herrera (San Francisco City Attorney).
In the first video below, Black and Solmonese discuss the lessons we’ve learned since Prop 8’s passage in California. In the second video, Cowan, seated next to Kendell, discusses his film’s focus on the harms done to LGBT youth.
Related Posts:Exclusive cineGLAAD Video: David Hyde Pierce at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival, Part 2 of 2
January 29, 2010 by Jonathan Rosales, GLAAD's Entertainment Media Manager
Yesterday we brought you part one of cineGLAAD’s exclusive interview with out actor David Hyde Pierce at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival in which he discussed his role in the film The Perfect Host.
In part two below, Pierce discusses the positive change he has experienced in his personal life since coming out publicly in 2007. He also talks about his Grammy-nominated work on the audiobook for the classic children’s book The Phantom Tollbooth. Tune in to the 52nd Annual Grammy Awards this Sunday, January 31, on CBS at 8:00 PM to see if David Hyde Pierce goes home with yet another prestigious award for his mantel.
Related Posts:Exclusive cineGLAAD Video: David Hyde Pierce at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival, Part 1 of 2
January 28, 2010 by Jonathan Rosales, GLAAD's Entertainment Media Manager
Among the bevy of stars that have flocked to Park City, Utah this week for the 2010 Sundance Film Festival is Emmy and Tony Award-winning actor David Hyde Pierce, who is here promoting his new film, The Perfect Host.
Pierce came out publicly in 2007 in an interview with the Associated Press about his success on the Broadway stage. When he won the Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical for Curtains, Pierce thanked his partner, saying: “my partner, Brian, because it’s 24 years of listening to your damn notes — that’s why I’m up here tonight.” The pair married in California, just before the passage of Prop 8.
In The Perfect Host, Pierce veers far from his most well-known character, Dr. Niles Crane on the beloved NBC classic show Frasier. In this dark comedy, Pierce plays Warwick Wilson, a man who unintentionally invites a criminal to dinner. Yet as the film goes on, Wilson is revealed to not be who he first appears to be. Broadway and recording legend Helen Reddy co-stars as Warwick’s nosy neighbor.
In the video below, Pierce talks to GLAAD’s Director of Entertainment Media, Taj Paxton, about his new film, which will be playing at the Library Center Theatre at 11:30 pm on Friday, January 29 and 11:30 am on Saturday, January 30. To find out more, please visit the film’s page at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival website.
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