Above and beyond this clear attack on my character, I’m shocked that GQ would allow their writer to lean on the scurrilous, outdated stereotype that gay men are by nature sexual predators. I mean, would you have asked this same question if it were Diablo Cody and Kathryn Bigelow at dinner with Mr. Lautner?”
– Milk and J. Edgar screenwriter Dustin Lance Black responding to GQ Australia‘s interview of actor Taylor Lautner. GQ asked Lautner if director Gus Van Sant and Black hit on him when they all dined together in LA.
Lautner responded, “No, definitely not. I think they know I’m straight. But they’re great guys. They’re a lot of fun. It’s not a coincidence that there was a writer, a director, and an actor at dinner.”
Images via fanfreluche_designs and greginhollywood
Ken S
It’s an attack on one’s character to suggest that one might flirt or try to pick a guy up ? That’s a little Victorian, isn’t it? Why should the suggestion that our flirting or propositioning a guy- whether he’s gay or straight, and whether we know he’s gay or straight- imply sexual “predation?”
jose
@Ken S: You must be kidding. They are implying that two older men, necesarily hit on a barely legal age kid, apart of the implications, because Black and Van Sant were the on a power possition, and hitting on Lautner could be interpreted as sexual harrasment (sexual favors for work).
And yes, the GQ writer is implying sexual predation, if you don’t want to see that, you must be blind
chpinnlr
@jose: I agree that GQ was out of line with the question, and if you look at the Queerty article regarding the same dinner it, and it’s comments are just as despicable!
Nick
Why so defensive if something didn’t happen?
EdWoody
@Nick: Exactly – there was no “no” in that quote from DLB.
As for Taylor saying “they know I’m straight”… yeah, and so was Rock Hudson.
trevor bartlet
Come on Lance. Everyone knows GQ has become a pile of irrelevant crap under its current editor.
George412
Based on Dustin Bareback’s past I think it is a valid question. If you are going to shoot yourself having sex and the tapes are released then these are the kinds of questions that are going to be asked.
As for Jose’s comment above on the “power position” in Hollywood right now, Taylor Lautner certainly has more power than D. Bareback or GVS. Age in Hollywood doesn’t usually equate with power. Youth does.
harollf
taylor is gay
Mr. Enemabag Jones
I remember reading years ago, that the British GQ got in trouble for printing interviews with celebs, that were in fact done with the celebs handlers–PR people, and agents. I wonder if the Aussie GQ did that here?
@trevor bartlet:
Come on Lance. Everyone knows GQ has become a pile of irrelevant crap under its current editor.
Yes. I often look through my back issues of US GQ, (1989-1991), and it’s amazing how the magazine has deteriorated. Not as bad as it was in the late-90’s, when it became a clone of FMH, and STUFF, but still pretty bad.
JoeyB
Van Sant is an ol pompous “auteur” who makes awfully boring movies, DL Bareback hits on everyone he can get his hands on and then shows them his Oscar and steals credits from other writers (he did not write “Milk” alone, you know), and Lautner is a closeted joke, with a movie like “Abduction” bombing with the critics and the box office. All three are repulsive.
Nick
BTW that picture of Black is awful
Pete n SFO
He’s right to object…
Unless that’s a question they ask of every Star of film re: its Director.
If it isn’t, then plain as the nose on your face, the implication is that a Gay-Director is a hyper-sexualized predator.
It’s not that long ago that conventional wisdom saw black men the same way… prejudice & fear-mongering will morph forever, because human nature is so easily manipulated.
Ealan
@Nick
Why so defensive if something didn’t happen?
Are you kidding? Because it’s not about whether something happened. It’s about this writer assuming (out loud) that gay men can’t get through a dinner with a straight man without making sexual advances toward him. It’s offensive, a stereotype straight out of the dark ages and its an assault on the character of all three men. Taylor Lautner is young and pretty and apparently its en vogue to speculate on his sexuality, so I guess the writer felt bold enough to ask this ridiculous question. I wonder if he would have felt so bold if he’d been interviwing someone whose a little older with more industry experience like Hugh Jackman or Brad Pitt. Somehow I don’t think so.
Can you really not see this? Or were you being sarcastic?
Bryan
@Nick: That’s silly, so anytime a public figure is accused of something they didn’t do, they should just shut up, get on with their lives and let the comments continue?
Top to Bottom
@George412: Okay, that’s all kinds of not fair. I don’t support bareback sex, but he was with a monogamous partner at the time so he has that right. He did not wish for that tape to be released so you can’t put that responsibility on him.
Zen
The funniest part of this post is Lautner saying “I think they know I’m straight”.
meego
@JoeyB: Exactly! At least one person here sees this trio for what they really are!
kawneekwa
That writer just be projectin’ on hisself. Dat’s right, what go on in his own head.
Jacob
@EdWoody:
Really? What proof do you have the 18 year old Lautner is gay besides the desires of lecherous gay men who seem him as just a pretty boy?
As for Black’s outrage, good for him. The gay press was incredibly sleazy a few years ago when an out director became the director for Superman Returns. Instead of celebrating his new job, the gay press became obsessed if Brandon Routh got the job starring as Superman by giving into the casting couch. Then there were the endless articles about whether Superman is gay.
So, yeah, I can see why Black would be pissed about the innuendo.
barnie
When I read “Lautner responded, “No, definitely not. I think they know I’m straight”, I nearly died laughing. Yeah like anyone actually thinks he’s straight. hahaha
Nick
@Bryan: Yes…by going all drama queen he drew attention to some quotation that would otherwise have been white noise. If he didn’t like the question, don’t draw attention to it by commenting.
~PR~
@Top to Bottom: exactly!
Chadboy
Dustin says “attach on my character”????? If he is so concerned about his character then why in the world would he ever in this day and age tape himself having sex? If Dustin were so concerned about his character he wouldn’t date guys who do porn, tape himself having sex and do it unsafely.
iDavid
“I think they know I’m straight”. Boy, did the tree monkeys have a good laugh on that one.
I caught two distinct lisps from TL in his new boy movie interview.
He’s a really bad liar and I doubt he would never say that in a filmed interview. Everyones BS button would scream.
iDavid
Interview=Abduction
Riker
@Chadboy: tens of thousands of men tape themselves having sex with their significant others, which is who the other person was. Hundreds of thousands more take naked pictures of themselves or their partners. That doesn’t equate to any moral failings, nor does having consensual condom-free sex with your partner. Billions of people do that one.
Also, it wasn’t “unsafe” sex. It was condom-free, which is perfectly safe when done with a monogamous partner who doesn’t have any STDs.
Nick
The other guy wasn’t monogamous, he was doing porn for a webcam company.
ousslander
Glad to to know that stereotypes are alive and well. Having a lisp equals being gay! So belie if we are going with this , DLB must have hit on the kid while having a butt plug up his ass.
Artsenyc
So many people talking out of…
1. you don’t know this people to comment on their character
2. you most not have a brain to not know what the reporter was flat out saying about van and black
3. No video tape, no unsafe sex, only pics taken by his long term boyfriend.
George412
@Artsenyc:
A boyfriend of a couple months who does porn isn’t considerd a “long term boyfriend”.
As for Riker who says a lot of guys take videos of themselves having sex as well as photos….I would say that their character isn’t the best either. Someone of great character wouldn’t do that. Plain and simple.
leroii
Were Dustin and Taylor dating??????
ewe
If that kid is straight then so am i. what a bunch of bullshit. I don’t even understand why anyone thinks he is good looking.
M
The question did come out of nowhere on GQ’s part, but to be honest, I wouldn’t have been shocked if Dustin or Gus DID hit on him. Both have, uh, reputations.
Nick
And hitting on Taylor Lautner is not exactly a crime. Maybe he got rejected.
ewe
@M: Then we should consistently ask Bill Clinton if he is hitting on every person he comes in contact with on any given project. I want to know if Clint Eastwood is asked this question. Steven Spielberg? George Lucas?
ewe
@M: what reputation are you talking about? The one that is consensual between two adults and none of GQs affair?