Heath Ledger’s death has definitely become the most important news story of the 21st century. Period.
For example, GLAAD released a statement within minutes of the actor’s reported overdose. Meanwhile, it took the media watchdog four days to release a statement on the MRSA scandal. So, what gives? That’s exactly what Michael Petrelis and his pals have been asking – and GLAAD has been answering.
Excerpt from one of the non-profit’s PR pros, Cerissa Cafasso:
The MRSA story involved complex medical research. When we first heard of the story, we needed to get fully educated on all the issues.
To this end, we consulted with The Gay & Lesbian Medical Association. Their expertise informed our ability to analyze the media coverage accurately.
We felt it judicious to take the necessary time, care and caution to understand completely the story so that we could offer the best suggestions for media to report on the MRSA strain in the most fair and accurate way.
That’s fair, although even we knew the story would blow up into a gay panic. It doesn’t take a media activist to figure that one out…
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gay as life
Not surprising considering the starfuckers that GLAAD has become.
As a media watchdog, they could have led the way and helped shape the way the MRSA story was handled. Instead they sat back while anti-gay groups made it a gay panic story.
Meanwhile, god forbid an actor dies! GLAAD to the rescue!
GLAAD is pathetic, and a far cry from when they used to actually do something meaningful.
DavidDust
GLAAD: “That MRSA thing was, like, really complicated and stuff…duh!”…
Mark Walsh
I don’t see that GLAAD got ahead of anything in this respect or that they might have done anything but start a panic given that they were the source about an MRSA connection. You don’t have to be gay to get MRSA.
I do think that we queers who have ever dealt with the pain of a difficult closet(or imagined it) might have reason to give pause and reflect on what Brokeback Mtn. was really about and consider that it could have been so well acted
because it was not about love but about the closet and that it may have been a metaphor for Ledgers life.
I say this as someone who grew up in the boonies and had to be butch but had the ferocious feelings that go with frustrated hoimosexuality (e.g.the clumsyness and lack of affection).
I find it absolutely bizarre beyond comprehension that most well known actors are truely “straight”, indeed I find it suprizing that any of them are at all, knowing actors. More accurately I think that they do a truely faustian trade of fame and money, for emotional integrity.
For some people it is possible to learn to be even a great lover (preformancewise) of women but to really want men. It has to be a horrible road to walk, but it is possible.
They don’t mention, that much, that the marriage which so conveniently took place at the time of Brokeback, fell apart, not long after it happened. Certainly the media effect of that seemed calculated to show that he was straight. I’ve seen that fiasco occur in films where a man’s straightness is demonstrated by his performance with women. When push comes to shove I think that a large number of gay men can accomodate women.
Trouble with Faustian bargains is that the heart and spirit aren’t always content with bargains made in the head, and death seems better than telling the truth. Just a speculation.
afrolito
What the fuck does any of that has to do with MRSA??
Heath was a wonderful actor, and his death is a trgedy for those who knew and loved him, but everyone else needs to get a fucking grip. Brokeback Mountain was a great FILM, but way too many fags (scarily) attach too much significance to it in their lives.
It’s been 24hrs, and i’m already sick of hearing about this dude. There are way too many other important things happening in the world, that actually affect my life. GLAAD is nothing more than the NAACP for gays. An irrelevant joke.
gay as life
Glaad released a “statement”, but have they done anything about John Gibson’s mockery of Ledgers death?
http://thinkprogress.org/2008/01/23/gibson-mocks-ledger/
Cathy Renna
the real question is how come GLAAD was not part of the process of these stories being written from the beginning, as a resource if nothing else. It is the proactive, behind the scenes work that GLAAD often excelled at in the past, framing coverage so it was fair and not sensational, providing good sources and resources…..those days seem more rare. the idea that it takes days to react – whether by directly contacting journalists not doing a good job or to issue a statement or (god forbid) ask the community to take action – is no excuse
seitan-on-a-stick
MRSA MRSA Me! Many gays don’t trust Center for Disease Control, Dept of Health, Big Pharma, Health and Human Services as we remember Tuskagee trials, Super AIDS Hoax, Reagan and Infecting poor Mississipi children with the AIDS virus ETC ETC. Karl Rove still has his stockpiles of Anthrax and pre-licked stamps, no doubt. GLAAD no-one blamed Saint Heath Ledger, the Aussie James Dean. Afrolito needs to work on his/her homophobic projections. Very internalized and a sad indictment of what you have become: Bitter.
afrolito
You sound as supid as your name. seitan-on-a-stick wtf??
What exactly was homophobic in my post (internalized or otherwise)?? It sounds like you’re the one projecting.
NightRaven
I don’t think GLAAD is necessarily a starfucking organization. I bet their announcement about Mr. Ledger’s death just happened to coincide with the website update that they manage to get around to every couple of months.
Occums Razor
re: Mark Walsh comment
– what a complete crock of shit.
*see user name as to why. those with more than 2 brain cells will get it.