It’s complicated. There’s still a tremendous amount of homophobia in our culture. It’s regrettable, it’s stupid, it’s heartless, and it’s immoral, but there it is. For an actor to be working is a kind of miracle, because most actors aren’t, so it’s just silly for a working actor to say, “Oh, I don’t care if anybody knows I’m gay” — especially if you’re a leading man. Personally, I wouldn’t advise a gay leading man-type actor to come out.
—Richard Chamberlain, who came out publicly in his 60s and is only semi-separated from partner Martin Rabbett, still doesn’t think Hollywood is safe for openly gay actors [via]
adman
Well…fair enough. He knows the business a lot better than I do, and besides, homophobia is an industry. Complete with budget forecasts, investment strategies, and marketing aimed at the cognitive dissonance of the average uniformed straight person. Add racketeering tactics when you consider the political groups lobbying for their “moral values”, and I have to say, why blame someone for trying to eat while they make a living? I just wish they would quit coming out and saying they are/were some kind of “champion” for us, that’s just too much of a stretch.
Sad but True
Good advice, sad but true. Otherwise they will be stuck doing ensemble roles, gay roles, Glee guest shots or song and dance numbers on award shows.
John in Iowa
Richard Chamberlain is a gutless has-been.
ewe
Richard Chamberlain has been saying this same ol crap for years. It defines him. He really should just keep his negativity to himself instead of promoting its spread.
ewe
It is very important to say that there is a world of difference between gay people who like themselves and gay people who don’t like themselves. Richard Chamberlain is the latter. He is bitter.
jacknasty
It is true in many cases that pretending to be straight will get somebody further in Hollywood. However, his experiences are from about 60 years ago and things really have changed. I know for every Neil Patrick Harris there are probably 10 John Travoltas still in the closet. But the fact is we do have talented, successful out actors like NPH, Cheyenne Jackson & Jim Parsons who are paving the way for a generation that really doesn’t care if an actor is gay or not.
Grunt
oh no no, jacknasty, you cannot use Jim Parsons for that argument… unless you can find an interview in which he admits to being gay. he may be a gay actor, but until confirmation, he’s not an “out actor.” sorry.
Goodnight Moon
@ewe: excuse me, but if there are gay people in the world who “like themselves” it is a fucking miracle given the omnipresent context of homophobia. sadly, most gay people will fall short of “liking themselves” despite all of our best efforts. where is your empathy for a man who has bravely come out and worked as openly gay in the industry? stop hating and spare a little love for another co-combatant in the fight, even if his coming out story doesn’t match up with you imagined script of how wonderful it is to be gay.
Goodnight Moon
@John in Iowa: and you sir are simply a perfect fool
Aaron
Mr. Chamberlain is absolutely right. Hollywood is enormously hypocritical. They claim to be tolerant, but 90% of the time will only cast (at least publicly) heterosexual actors in not het roles, and then said actors will be called “brave” for the role. It’s bullshit and should stop. Not to mention that most of the time those films with het actors in non het roles get a WIDE RELEASE. What happens to the ones with actual LGBT actors in LGBT roles? Limited release/festival rounds- IF they’re lucky. Most of the type it’ll just end up direct to dvd and forgotten. There are many films better than stuff like Brokeback Mountain and its ilk- and ones that aren’t hypocritically homophobic. I should add however, that Hollywood’s homophobia does, I think, reflect most of america’s homophobia. Especially straight men. Oh sure, they’re “tolerant”, and they may even want us to have rights, but don’t expect your friendship to last with a straight guy when you come out to him. You may still be “Friends”, but things will change completely. Anyway, what I was getting at is that I think one reason Hollywood does cast het actors in non het roles, especially for men, is so when straight guys are in the theater they can think to themselves “oh, well, this actor is actually straight, so there’s no way any of this is real”, so as not to feel too uncomfortable.
And uh, a generation that does not care if an actor is gay/bi/etc or not? Have you *seen* IMDB? They might as well rename the site to ‘OMGisHegay??.com’
afrolito
What Chamberlain said is sad but true to a certain extent, but things will never change if people keep to the status quo.
I also really wish people would stop using NPH as the king of the out actors.
1. He is not a leading man, and never will be.
2. ‘How I met your mother’ is a shit show.
3. He’ll have a wonderful career in musical theater, and Harold and Kumar sequels when the show ends.
Cheyenne Jackson?? LMAO!
Scott
It’s amazing it’s 2010 and we’re still having this argument. It would put the first one out of the closet on unsure footing but I really do think it could work out far better than anyone expects.
soakman
I would like to note the awesomeness that is Alan Cummings and Ian McKellen.
KenFX
@afrolito: You hit the nail on the head! NPH is an unoffensive, asexual child star who has grown up and luckily landed himself a role on a mediore CBS show that will last a few years. No one sees him as a leading man or sex symbol type. That said, he will never land a “straight” leading man role again, it’s just to easy to give those jobs to a straight actor. Not slamming NPH, but no one in the business considers him a leading man type. Nice guy, talented guy, but he will stick to song and dance, variety and Smurf movies. Cheyenne is great guy, cute, but again, no straight acting leading man type. We must pin our hopes on a couple guys constantly slammed by queerty who are mum about their business and smartly so. A few of them can easily make it to the A-list and we should be patient until they get there. Like someone said above, sad but true, but it’s a costly career mistake for a guy wanting to be an action hero or leading man type. Who wants to jeapordize a career to be a hero?
David Ehrenstein
@afrolito: LMAO yourself, Queen.
Richard Chamberlain’s career trajectory is perfect example of why what he syas is bullshit. He stayed in the closet and what did it get him? Better roles? Bigger roles? The “respect” of an industry for “playing by the rules’?
No.
When he reached his “sell by” date he was cast aside. And once cast aisde it was ever so “brave” of him to come out, wasn’t it? Yeah right. It put him back in the new, and got him TV and indie movie parts.
Parts he wouldn’t have had if he hadn’t turned himself into a story by coming out!
As for “leading man roles” they’re OVER!
Being the KOOL-AID chugger that you are “Afrolito” you doubtless paid no noticer to the fact that The Tourist fucking TANKED(!) And that smart young actors today — like James Franco and Ryan Gosling — are creating teriffic careers for themselves by going against the grain and doing the very parts that agents and managers of the past would have actively prevented tham from signing onto.
As for NPH, he’s starring in a major revival of Sondheim’s Company you miserable stupid fuck!!!!
Gregger
He’s full of shit. Dick was OUT in the show business community as long as I’ve known him. Everyone knew him, knew he was gay, and knew he played around. The last time I spoke with him was in 1994 while he was working on “My Fair Facelift” and had come to the Mexican restaurant where the Broadway “Fags and Hags” would hang out on Thursdays post show. Dick hit on me, skillessly, and got bitchy when I said no. A Producer that I was talking to let me know, that this was a regular occurrence and that Chamberlain was “conveniently closeted.” The Production end, the Crews, the Media industry all knew Dick’s whole story.
He finally stepped all the way out in an attempt to “get a third act” to his career as it’s been ages since he’s done regular work. Nothing happened, so he’s getting defensive and dispensing with “wise words of wisdom.”
Lefty
Merry Christmas, everyone! xxx
David Ehrenstein
@Gregger: Being “out in the show biz comminity” is being in the closet in the real world.
robert in NYC
There’s no way Hollywood is going to embrace an openly gay actor. Rupert Everett and Sir Ian MacKellen were right about that and so is Chamberlain. There is an awful lot of homophobia in Hollywood. It views an openly gay actor as a negative in terms of box office revenue, unlike in other countries.
David Ehrenstein
@robert in NYC: The homophobia in Hollywood is as nothing compared to the Internalized Homophobia on this site.
Rupert Everett fucked up his own career with poor choices, interferring ways ( he made the already problemtatic “The Next Best Thing” a total disaster) and to top it all off, bad plastic surgery.
Ian McKellen is doing quite nicely.
robert in NYC
David, Ian McKellen doesn’t get many roles if any in Hollywood, not big ones and definitely no leading man roles in his youth or later in life. Most of his work is in the UK, both in film, tv and theater where he reigns supreme. Say what you want about Rupert Everett, I admire his courage to call Hollywood out on homophobia in the industry knowing it would ruin his career. So did McKellen, not that he gives a damn about Hollywood or needs it.
Goodnight Moon
you cunts are all so fucking ageist.
richard chamberlain is nearly 77 years old; he is of a different generation. must you slag him off so savagely?
and david, btw, it has always been okay to be queer in the theatre so your point about NPH in “Company” doesn’t really speak to the issue at hand here.
gregger
@David Ehrenstein: Sorry, no. There were and are people that happened to be gay/lesbian/bi and stay the closet in the industry. They kept their lives quiet and hidden. Chamberlain was OUT and visual, in public with his partner/boyfriend for years going to events. Kevin Spacey is the same type and I feel that in a few years after he’s pulled more “stunts” that he will out himself to try and get a “third act.”
gregger
@David Ehrenstein: Totally agree with you on this one. Miss Everett has no one to blame but himself for many poor choices. You can’t be a bitch to every director/producer you meet then get “bad work” and expect to get jobs.
David Ehrenstein
@gregger: La Spacey will NEVER come out.
He hates himself to much.
And we all see what wonders this has done for his career.
As for Ian McKellen (who RULES the stage), he doesn’t need Hollywood. If it weren’t for “X Men” and “Lord of the Rings” what would they offer him? “Old Codger” roles.
And Jeff Bridges has elected to take them all over. Jeez he used to be beautiful. Now he wants to be ulgy.
Go figure.
alan brickman
NPH aned Jim aren’t exactly leading man quality…
scribe
Hollywood sales make believe. If brad pit, matt damon, or the rock came out do any of you think they would still get the roles that they get??? Out gay actors are seen as character actors only, not leading men, not action heros. A leading man is someone who women want to fuck, and str8 dudes want to be, sorry but being out doesn’t fit the role. P.S. I love NPH, love the cbs show, love that he is out, but we aren’t going to ever see him in “Alien 8 or dirty harry back for blood 2”
scott ny'er
Try to see it from this perspective, say you trying to make money out of a film. Not art. You’re there for your stockholders, to make money for those who invested in the film, for yourself, etc.
This is a big A-List film. Would you cast an Out actor like NPH, or someone who would be more accepted by the public at large?
I would ask you to consider that some of those in power may not be homophobic in nature but their thinking steeping in reality and thinking of one thing… the bottom line. Where $200 mil is now considered a blockbuster, that’s a lot of seats to fill.
Here’s something interesting… why was Julianne Moore and Annette Bening cast in their roles for The Kids are Alright? I think they were great. But, why not cast some lesbian actresses?
David Ehrenstein
http://fablog.ehrensteinland.com/2010/12/26/reading-dr-kildare/
Daez
@ewe: Yes, because staying in the closet in order to feed yourself means you hate yourself. Its much better to come out and be all proud and open and then starve to death as you watch the work dry up. Yup! So, in short, feeding yourself but staying closeted = HATE YOURSELF! However, starving and coming out = LOVE YOURSELF!
Ewe, seriously, I’m not sure what alternate universe you live in, but why should a leading man come out and then end up not getting any work? What sense does it really make? Why is it so important for you to know rather they are gay or not?
With the amount of homophobes out there that would boycott a movie if there is an openly gay star in it, does it make sense for a studio to promote a gay male over a “straight” male? Its not like the gay people will boycott the movie with a “straight” male in it.
jason
I’ve said all along that Hollywood is an exceptionally homophobic place. Look at how scarce we are in Hollywood movies. I can’t think of one mainstream Hollywood movie this year which depicted male-male love in a thoughtful and non-comedic way. Liberals are responsible for this homophobia.
The Jewish liberal lobby invented Hollywood in order to make money from the marketing of male heterosexual fantasy. Anything that interferes with this is considered an intrusion. We represent interlopers. We’re a threat to the sleazy straight guy fantasy.
The only way we are going to defeat Hollywood’s homophobia is to bring down Hollywood. The way to do this is to boycott every single movie that gets released by the major studios.
Daez
@jacknasty: So, you don’t think NPH coming out hurt his career? Do you honestly think its a great career to be on some second rate CBS 30 minute drama or to host one reward show after another?
I would hardly say the other two you mention have real careers either. They certainly aren’t leading man “A-list” status. It remains unseen rather coming out hurt their chances of getting there or not, but I’m sure this isn’t the only industry insider that would say it most likely did.
Daez
@Goodnight Moon: You shouldn’t try reasoning with Ewe. Its really pointless. Ewe lives in a reality where its all sunshine and lollipops and anyone that isn’t 100% out and open about themselves to strangers they meet on the street are a traitor to the cause.
Daez
@Aaron: Please never use your experiences as evidence of anything.
The vast majority of the friends I have right now are straight men. They have been simply amazing. Just because they don’t want to fuck dudes doesn’t mean they are incapable of showing love to gay dudes. It really is sad that in your experience straight men are not your friends once they know that you are gay, but it simply is NOT the experience for everyone.
Daez
@Scott: The first one? Ever heard of Hugh Grant? He would have been the first “leading man” to come out of the closet only to disappear into nothingness.
jason
Women are also responsible for the homophobia in Hollywood. Don’t underestimate the role of women in propping up male heterosexual fantasy and its associated homophobia. Perhaps the real trick to is to go after the women. Perhaps this is the best way to defeat Hollywood.
Daez
@jason: Here is the problem with that theory.
You forgot that straight women both love and want to be the first of every gay male they meet. That is why straight women become so fascinated with gay men so quickly. Not that that is a bad thing.
The real people you need to address is the male crowd that thinks being gay is less macho and therefore can not see themselves identifying with an openly gay lead actor.
jacknasty
@Daez:
I would saying Neil Patrick Harris’s career has been A LOT better the past 5 years since he came out than it was in the 10 years prior to that. Look at his list of credits, his earnings, awards and nominations. Prior to coming out his last award nomination was for a Golden Globe in 1992, Since coming out in 2006 he has had one Emmy win and 4 other Emmy nominations and 2 Golden Globe nominations…so yeah things look better for him. He makes $120,000 an episode on his sit-com and that has 22 episodes a year, compare that to say Jon Hamm who only makes $100,000 an episode for 13 episodes a year and has to work much longer hours on his show.
Also, everybody keeps talking about A-List actors as if they even exist anymore. The A-List isn’t what it was in the 90’s where huge stars dominated the box-office and made $20 Million a movie. There are maybe 3 actors in the world right now who still have that kind of power. Tom Cruis and Will Smith make all their money as producers not actors.
afrolito
@David Ehrenstein: You’re such an angry and stupid person. I completely stand by what I said, and you even illustrated it, with the news that NPH is up for the lead in a Sondheim musical. LMAO!
LA Ben
Simple fact – if you want to be an A-List, leading man or serial action movie actor in non-theater/broadway show biz, you cannot come out – case closed. Stay in the closet. It will never change, at least not in our lifetimes. You can rant, rave and name call all you want, but you cannot win the argument, the sad facts are what they are.
LA Ben
@afrolito: I thought that was hysterical too – perfect!
Daez
@David Ehrenstein: James Franco and Ryan Gosling, while hot are FAR from leading man status. A touring revival is what you turn to when you know your career doesn’t exist otherwise. Much like hosting every reward show you are invited to short of Westminster.
Kieran
What is Richard Chamberlain thinking? There is no homophobia in Hollywood or in the American mainstream audiences they cater to. That all magically disappeared many many years ago. It’s all gone now. He could have gotten the role of Dr Kildare or the lead in the Thornbirds if he were an out, openly gay man. Sure he could. And if you believe that….I have a bridge in Brooklyn I’m willing to sell you.
Obama DID say DADT would happen on his watch... (John From England)
@Kieran:
Lol!
Aaron
@Daez: 1) I don’t speak necessarily for my own friends but rather my own observations of other people I’ve known/seen. Straight men can be supportive without being subconsciously sexist and homophobic, but most don’t seem to be that way. The way I worded it was bad; most straight men these days do accept gay men into their social circle and will be friends with them, but whether most of those men realize it or not, they are often subtly homophobic (and usually blatantly sexist: just in the more accepted way; “women are just way too emotional, I don’t want to talk about my feelings, I just want some T&A!” instead of “women shouldn’t be allowed out of the house” as in yesteryear). Do your friends deameanors change when you come around? Are they there for “support” and “accept you for who you are” but don’t really treat you like one of the guys when you’re around?
And 2) I’m not gay. I’m…. *gasp* bisexual. So don’t get me started on that. A bi guy is near-incomprehensible to most men in general, whether straight or gay.
hephaestion
Richard Chamberlain may be right, but frankly he should focus solely on what he said at the beginning of his comment: that homophobia is immoral and wrong. We should visualize the world we want to see in order to make it happen. And we should all be out and true to ourselves at any cost career-wise.
David Ehrenstein
@jacknasty: You got it, Jack!
David Ehrenstein
@afrolito: You’re a pathetic self-looathing freak “afrolito.”
David Ehrenstein
@Daez: Westminster, eh? That’s to be expected when dealing with a dog like you.
Keiren
Why is anyone who disagrees with the old, tired queerty regulars that camp on this site have to be “self-loathing” and other such names. If I didnt’ know they were ancient, I’d swear they were in high school with the name calling!
ewe
@Goodnight Moon: I disagree. Richard Chamberlain is from a different time. It is not necessary to accept his frame of mind. He is in no way helping anyone.I never said being gay was easy but it is important to tell gay people who say to stay in a closet and not be yourself to shut the hell up. So… shut the hell up Goodnight Moon. You are part of the problem. Your empty empathy means nothing but heartache. You are not practicing acceptance. You are being dysfunctional.
ewe
@Daez: no silly. You and everyone who agrees with spreading self hate are in some delusional cloud of distorted reality that says straight people make up the scripts and stories being told and will continue forever to control what is created as Art. Well you are wrong as fucking wrong ever was. I never told anyone to come out of a closet. If you want to remain miserable feel free. By the way, it was you honey who recently posted elsewhere that since your father accepted your boyfriend all the world was bright and gay, fabulous and in synchronisity with the universe. What happened to all your bubbly optimism. You are so full of contradictions. Inconsistent dysfunction. Get a different target, you are annoying. You should stop your own self loathing and realize that gay people are not at the beck and call or sniveling at the curbs or door feet of ignorant straight people who pull all the strings, particularly in this business. Stop believing all the propaganda and turn off your cartoons.
ewe
The entire point is that if one wants to stay in the closet FINE. But don’t go around telling others to stay in a closet just because you feel that way.
ewe
@ewe: What Richard Chamberlain is saying is that if he could he would not be openly gay. Shame on him and shame on any gay person who agrees with that. It is DISPICABLE.
ron
He is correct
Two words : Rupert. Everett.
Nelson
@soakman:
Neither Alan Cumming or Ian McKellan are leading men.
Goodnight Moon
@ewe: I certainly don’t think it’s necessary to accept his frame of mind.
but slagging off older queens who are doing their best to be out and proud with all the generational baggage they carry isn’t going to advance your ideals agenda either, ewe. it’s just plain old disrespectful. but from the looks of it you don’t seem to have a problem with disrespecting people so perhaps i’m casting my pearls before swine?
Studiocity
@LA Ben: This is the most logical statement in this string.You are likely the only person currently on the business end of the business and get the realities of jeapordizing a career that takes a life time to create.It’s clear that some do not like the truth or are very far removed from the current business.
Daez
@Aaron: Nothing wrong with being bisexual and my friends are more than supportive and I’m definitely one of the guys when I’m around. I feel bad for you that that you don’t get to experience that. However, I have been blessed with the friends that I have, male/female, gay/straight, what have you.
Actually one of my closest male friends is a buddy that I work on cars with. While hot, and trust me he knows I think he is hot, he is still just a decent guy. We talk for hours, work together on “manly” projects, and he is always the first to make sure I’m taken care of when I’m with him. Straight guys can be very close to gay guys.
@David Ehrenstein: I’m a dog now? I take that as a compliment since dogs are quiet and passive until you piss them off and they try to rip your head of. Yup, a dog is the perfect description. THANKS!
@ewe: Your everyone has a gay place at the table theory is just bull shit. Name one studio head of a blockbuster producing studio that is gay. Go ahead, just one. Until you can name one…it seems straight people do make the movies. Also, as I have said countless times, not telling everyone you meet on the street your business doesn’t make you self-hating it just makes you intelligent. In the end, you are exploiting people that hate you. Now, who gets the final justice?
Being out to FAMILY is not the same as taking out a 1 page spread in People magazine announcing you are gay. You are right, you never called on all gay people to come out. You just said anyone that doesn’t come out is self-hating. I’m not sure what the difference is, but maybe you feel there is one.
Ewe, honey, sweat heart, bless your little heart. I had no idea you were a movie producer. I had no idea you made all those pictures with gay actors being the leading man. I mean, after all you must have some basis of where you get your opinion of since you talk so freely about this subject like you are the only one that knows anything about it. Oh wait, you talk so freely about every topic that way. Get a clue, you aren’t the final authority on everything and constantly trying to make it look like you are is just sad.
Daez
@Goodnight Moon: Hey now, don’t go insulting swine. They are intelligent, clean animals. Sheep on the other hand are dirty nasty and tear up the land. I think some people here have the appropriate names.
David Ehrenstein
@Daez:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A5l18EPv91c
Jaroslaw
Please, everyone go back and read sentence # 4 of comment #27 by Scribe. (eg Hollywood is selling a fantasy – and the leading man is who woman want and (straight) men want to be…) Scribe nails it completely in a very short paragraph. How can this even be argued, with all the Hollywood shows, on TV talking about personal lives, the magazines, fan mail etc.?
The idea that “we’ve come so far” and “things have changed” would only apply if this was the theatre and we were only evaluating the performance.
Also, watch the Celluloid Closet. Hollywood never pushes the envelope, but jumps onto what is already popular.
ewe
@Goodnight Moon: I have respect for older gay people. I am not that old but i am not young either. What you may not realize is many in his generation think of themselves as having “the problem.” I can think of more than one person who is in his generation that perceived thier homosexuality as their “problem.” I jumped down their throats when i heard them say that to me because that is nothing but destructive. Being what you are and accepting it is not “a problem.” The problem tends to be other people reacting to you so why would someone make it even harder on themselves by beating themselves up with that ignorant rhetoric and believing and fostering prejudice. Just because someone is older does not mean they are correct in their view. I am not disrespecting older people. I resent that because i think you use that to not only dismiss and silence people but allow those that feel bad about themselves for nothin to continue the self loathing.
ewe
@ron: Rupert Everett is a terrible example. He is such a tart. Have you ever heard him speak. He thinks Madonna is gODD and goes around saying that. Rupert Everett is like the identical twin of George Michael. They do not serve as ammunition for continuing not being oneself.
ewe
@Nelson: plenty of heterosexual actors are and forever will be character actors too. They will never be leading men either.
ewe
@Daez: False. They may be in the closet. You are so negative and sarcastic. I see i can push your buttons. You are a liar as well. I said (if you care to check) that what Richard Chamberlain and now you are saying is that if he could he would not be openly gay. So he came out and feels that he would go back to being in the closet if given the choice. That is what he is saying to everyone else. And so are you. Proud? That is self hating any way you cut it. Grow up. I never once said i was the only one who knows anything about this topic and yes pumpkin, i do know a thing or two about the business. I also feel no need to qualify for you. Tough. Go choke on your tackiness. I talk and will continue to talk on gay issues because i happen to be gay. If you can’t comment that Harvey Milk was wrong when he said “you must come out” then you are just a sorry little cunt that has had her ego bruised. You will have to use your rhetoric on those thirty and under. Try a tweet.
ewe
@Daez: I am very pleased you give me such power.
Chitown Kev
I think that a major Hollywood star known for playing offbeat and certified weirdo characters like Johnny Depp could get away with coming out in Hollywood but that’s largely because he’s already been typecast. (Not saying that Johnny Depp IS gay…just using him as an example of the type of character actor that could do it as opposed to the romantic leading man)
Other than that…a major leading man/ romantic lead…no
ewe
This goes far beyone a profession. This issue being discussed has a lot of gay people telling others that it is somehow acceptable to spend your whole fucking life hiding. To spend your whole fucking life not being who you fucking are. You should be fucking ashamed to poison people with that hate speech. I don’t give a fuck what you have to go through. Your life is meaningless if it is nothing but a lie. And spare me the talk about murderous campaigns around the globe. I am not discussing that right now. SHAME SHAME SHAME SHAME. That slogan was used to LIVE, to fight hate against us as so many of us were dying and now all we are talking about is whether or not we get a leading actor role in a movie. Pathetic. I am done with this topic too. goodbye. Yulchhhh!!!
David Ehrenstein
There will never be another Ewe.
Ed Special
Aw, EWE is taking his toys and going home…please stay and give us more of your advice on how to live our lives!
Jaroslaw
SHAME SHAME SHAME ED! He’ll puke on your tackiness!
Ray
He may be “keeping it real” and obviously circumstances in Hollywood and in the U.S. in general are still “unfortunate” for LGBTI communities, but Richard Chamberlain’s words don’t reflect wisdom. They show a lack of vision, hope and courage; it’s cowardice.
It was once inconceivable for a woman to earn $20M a picture. It was inconceivable for a fat woman to headline a leading sitcom. It was inconceivable for a black man to play the lead in a film. It was inconceivable for an Asian woman to headline a series on TV. It was inconceivable to show any form of human sexuality on TV. It was inconceivable for pregnant women to appear on TV (I mean fo’ reals!).
Need I go on?
There will be an out gay man AND woman in Hollywood. In fact, there already are. And they will be actors who play leading roles, in action movies, in romantic comedies, in beyond-their-years teenage movies, in fucking World War 2 Spielberg/Hanks produced 20-hour epics etc. Why? Because that barrier is nothing to break through anymore. It’s not inconceivable. It’s not something we can’t possibly envision. It’s just another hurdle. It’s nothing.
My only hope is that those same actors will be brave enough to help the next generation of emerging actors who are trans identified, who are queer people of color, who are sexually liberated AND disabled, who are older, who are bisexual, who are otherwise anyone who doesn’t conform to anything that is punishingly mainstream.
We don’t need Richard to offer any advice on coming out as a leading man, because he clearly didn’t do it himself. Why would we want to hear his take on something that he’s never done?
I’m looking into the future and there is no such thing as impossible for us.
Ed Special
@Ray: You are totally correct, however we cannot demand all current gay actors to be trail blazers and make costly career mistakes for the sake of the next generation.If they so choose, then fine, but it’s their own business, not ours.They are not cowards for not doing so, just career smart and managing their lives and careers as they see fit.One of the fundamental tenants of our free society.Live and let live.Several regular posters on this site should take the live and let live advice and stop the childish name calling.It just discounts their own views and makes them sound foolish.
David Ehrenstein
@Ray: Ray nails it once and for all.
David
Can we stop using NPH as an example? First of all, he’s not a film star. TV stars coming out is not the same as a film star coming out of the closet. And even on that show, NPH is an ensemble cast member.
The fact that we live during the popularity of Sara Palin, Fox News, American Family Council, and Ann Coulter, to say that it has no effect on a leading actor’s career coming out of the closet is being in complete in denial.
And although some people here are saying you shouldn’t encourage people to stay in the closet (which is not what RC is doing), it’s equally wrong to say that coming of the closet will have no bearing on your success, whatsoever.
Because the motivation of someone who says that is selfishly ideological and thinking about what it means to gay rights, but NOT thinking about what it would mean to the actor in question. That is his own decision. It’s a personal decision that may or may not effect his success as an actor.
ewe
@Ed Special: We can demand that gay people like yourself do not tell other gay people to stay in the closet. oh YES WE CAN. Remember that mantra?
ewe
@David: There seems to be profit in being hateful like sara palin and anne coulter too. so fucking what. Coming out of the closet is the only thing one can do if they want a successful LIFE. Your career is only one part of a larger whole. It means nothing in the long run if you have led a life in denial. Have you ever met men and women who wait until they are retired and free before they think they can be themselves? It doesn’t ever tend to pan out that way. There is nothing worse than gay people telling other gay people to stay in the closet and don’t think for one second your anne coulters would have you believe it goes further than just actors. Richard Chamberlain is a coward. He is not getting any roles because he is an old hag that was typecast as Dr. Kildare. He looks nothing like he did back then and he is bitter. He is dangerous and so is anyone who says to stay in the closet to young people who struggle for self acceptance. One is not accepting themselves if they live in the closet. You are always on guard for absolutely no fucking reason except your own paranoia.
ewe
@Jaroslaw: of course you lack all substance when you are confronted.
ewe
@Jaroslaw: no proud openly gay man agreed with you on Wayne Besens blog either before you took off to shit elsewhere.
ewe
@David Ehrenstein: I love you too David. Almost all of the time. lol thank you.
ewe
@Ed Special: your wish has been granted. Lucky you.
ewe
@Ed Special: How to live your lives? It isn’t me telling people to stay in closet Dumbo. If you can say that you go around telling heterosexuals they should not live their lives as straight people who accept their orientation, then you practice the tenets of equality. But you and none of these other bullshitters do that. You just really don’t like gay people because you really don’t fucking like yourself and it isn’t me judging you. Read the comments of how gay people right here are telling other gay people not to be themselves. You people are hypocrites and i simply have no other message to you but to fuck off. That’s what i tell ugly hearted religious fundamentalists. I see little difference. All dressed up like you care. You don’t care. You are telling people to spend their days not being who they are. That type of oppression is diabolical. There you go like a spam bot in a gang mentality. You can’t even stand up here and say that it is imperative one be who they are. Instead you make tired conversation against a gay person by saying “he’s taking his toys and going home.” Fuck you. You are a faggot in the worst way there is.
Jaroslaw
EWE – you left this topic, remember? Oh well, You have to do more that say I lack substance when confronted. We haven’t even started to fight. First of all, Hollywood is about money, and selling a fantasy. That is a fact. But everytime you are confronted with facts you ignore them and go on your little diatribes.
As to the substance issue, I’m not intimitated if I agree with you sometimes; that some people have lived an empty life of denial. But is just as true that many others have not. It is not all black and white, life is more complicated. And who appointed you the font of wisdom to say all people who do not shout they are Gay from the mountaintops are unhappy, miserable wasted lives? Acting is a job, not their life. If I sell real estate, do I need to let you know I’m Gay? Sure, I won’t lie about it, but it normally would not come up, because that is not my job. My job is to find you the house you want.
Not only that, I think ALL of us lie a bit every day. Yes your new hairdo looks nice. No, you don’t look fat in those pants. Yes I like your motherinlaw etc. All of us bend our principles a bit because it is required to keep our jobs.
However since you are so good at telling everyone else how to live, know it all, how to run government and a life that is true 100% to your principles, tell us how to do it. How do you make a living? Why don’t you run for office and tell everyone how to run the government?
Jaroslaw
#80 Ewe you are so full of it. Or demented. Some people agreed with me there, some here. Some disagreed. Do you think you can just say anything and everyone will believe it? Grow up and put the golden flaming torch up your behind and leave me with your simplistic ways. There I can say nonsensical things just like you.
Ed Special
I knew she’d be back. It doesn’t take much to push the old queen’s buttons and get their bloomers (that’s early 20th century for panties) in a wad.
Jaroslaw
Sorry, Ray, I got so caught up feuding, I missed your post. Well, predicting the future is tricky business.
Yes, your points are very well taken that many things were inconceivable in the past have come TO pass. Much of that may only apply to America, though. Eg Josephine Baker, for just one example left for France decadeds ago because Europe in general didn’t have the race problem we did in the USA. But Europe has other problems. Dig hard enough and there are pluses and minuses to all societies.
Perhaps I should just ask instead of offer an opinion – we do agree that Hollywood has offered a fantasy – supported by the movie magazines, TV interview shows etc. which up to now have required most leading men & women, objects of sexual desire, to lie about their preferences. What is going to change the fundamental nature of this fantasy for the female movie viewer’s desire if it is well known the male star is Gay? The desire of the straight male to want to BE the star? Some things, for example start anew in each generation – going through puberty is never easy especially if you are different (Gay). And with that figuring out your preferences. Teens identify very strongly with and “desire” movie stars, driving popularity. I mean, most men are going to prefer women and vice versa, no matter how much acceptance is gained. It seems there is going to be some level where we hit basic bedrock and can’t go any further. Do you know what I mean?
ewe
@Ed Special: First of all i am not that old so keep your insults. That is another reflection of your own insecurity. Stupid gay men who are not even concious of being grateful to be alive have no credibility with me. You are a naive brat. Plus you stole all my lines. You live your life in fear of being perceived as a limp wristed nelly. There is nothing to admire about you.
David Ehrenstein
@David: Sarah Palin’s new book TANKED. The biggest fear the Repubican Partyy has is that she might win the Presidential nomination — which would give Obama a second term in a walk. The “American Family Council” (you mean “Association”) has lost too many battles in the “Culture War” to count. And no one with an ounce of sense takes that shrieking harpy Ann Coulter seriously
ewe
@Jaroslaw: you remind me of gay men who stand at the exit door of busy gay bars and end up going home alone. You tell gay people not to be themselves. It’s you who is and continues to be full of shit.
David Ehrenstein
@Jaroslaw: ”
What is going to change the fundamental nature of this fantasy for the female movie viewer’s desire if it is well known the male star is gay?”
Female moviegoers in the 50’s and 60’s knew perfectly well that Rock Hudson was gay.
ewe
@Jaroslaw: EWE – you left this topic, remember?
Ed special asked me to tell him how to live his life. Remember? Or don’t you read the comments? Life is not complicated. You either accept your orientation or you don’t. You Jaroslaw like so many others pick and choose what you want to answer. If you don’t tell straight people not to be straight then you should shut your ugly fucking heart up about telling gay people not to be gay. And it is you who have not even seen the beginning of that fight. Tired stupid dismissive ignorant evil cunt is what you appear to be to me. Get lost. I tell gay people to love themselves for being gay. You don’t hence; you are an enemy the likes of bible thumping baptists. You can spin, insult and rationalize it all day. But it all washes it to be that you tell gay people not to be openly gay. Fuck off.
ewe
@Jaroslaw: The American Psychiatric Association has stated long ago that gay people are not demented for being gay. you are a very sick human being. Your insulting tactics are not one bit different than what religion has used to oppress us for ever.
Jaroslaw
Ewe – you are truly special (crazy) – you are not even vaguely following the topic. You are not answering the facts. You are on a one way train of EWE. PS – I said you were demented because you are lying about me, not because you are Gay. Why lie about another board when we have plenty to discuss here? Apparently you are so hung up on yourself, you can’t even follow along. You talk a lot about hate, but look at your comments – they are off the charts negative.
Hey, I didn’t fault you for answering someone’s question on how to live, YOU yourself said you had left the topic and just have to have the last word.
Where do you get to define what “accepting one’s orientation is?” I think Kevin Spacey is a liar about being Gay, but I can’t really argue that his life is NOT his own business. It is NOT for you to say he must accept his orientation on YOUR terms.
YOU are the weak one, if you have to constantly use vulgarities and name calling of the lowest kind because you can’t have a discussion, that is your problem.
ewe
@Jaroslaw: EdSpecial is his username. But there is your dismissivenss all out of your face again. You said i was demented because i don’t agree with you Ms. Thing. Eat your own fucking advice. The topic that you obviously continue to avoid which proves you are the one full of shit is that you are telling gay people not to be openly gay. Because an ACTA needs to be a STAWR don’t ya know. One comes back to the topic when asked to tell someone how to live their life? I don’t apologize for that and it is extremely important that your vile homophobia is not the last word for people who read this and are struggling with self acceptance. I never said my terms about anything you manipulator. You are a liar and you say things that make no sense to boost your own ignorance. Notice how you don’t fucking answer the question about being equal with your own advice? If you don’t demand straight people not to be straight Jaroslaw, then don’t go around telling gay people not to be gay. Your hypocrisy has nothing to do with anything on my terms and if you can’t handle swear words, too fucking bad about you. The ugliness and hurt you are causing gay people doesn’t even compare. You are such a prude. Answer the question bitch. You have double standards. Tell us all about your justification for gay people not being openly gay won’t you while straight people should enjoy their orientation untethered. Turd.
Jaroslaw
#91 – David – I’m not arguing, I’m just asking – how can you make that assertion they “knew” when so many people didn’t even know what Gay was? Or at the very very least people would say things like “Uncle so and so is a “confirmed bachelor” and then change topic and no further disucssion took place? Why would the studio go to all the effort of getting him married? All the gossip columnists of the day (Parsons/Hopper etc) talked about his marriage, movie mags had full pages about “married life.”? Same with Lucy & Ricky the lies about how happily married they were? How would the average person, living in Ohio, or Alabama know? He was portrayed as “all man.” (that’s my point)People did not talk about things like they do now. “I love Lucy” had to say Lucy was “expecting” they didn’t even use the word pregnant.
David Ehrenstein
@Jaroslaw: Because it was talked about — in whispers of course — all the time. I knew Rock Hudson was gay before I knew that I was!
In “polite conversion” people would “say things like “Uncle so and so is a “confirmed bachelor” and then change topic and no further disucssion took place.” But decidedly impolite conversations were going on at the same time. When Confidential magazine hit the stands everyone read it — and passed along the gossip.
And while striaghts wouldn’t dream of speaking about such things “out loud” the minute Richard Chamberlain hit as “Dr. Kildare” the truth about him was all over the palce. Not in the papers, not in magaizines, not on TV — but in everyday gossip by “ordinary” people.
I’m 62 years old (I’ll be 63 in February) and I remember it ALL!
Jaroslaw
#97 David – I wasn’t around for Rock Hudson’s hey day, so I don’t know what people said. I do know that people did not discuss sexuality in the same way they do now. I’m sure, for example, elderly people in my family know what it is to be Gay, but it is not discussed. They are mostly into “who is expecting, who is getting married, what is going on with their grandchildren, nieces, nephews, eg. mainstream stuff.” I’m not naive enough to think off color conversations never took place, but it just couldn’t compare to what we have now in intensity or frequency or depth of information. I mean some teen girls are on some talk show 24 hours a day testing multiple fathers when in the 50’s that same girl was taken out of school quietly and went down south to deliver. It was shameful and now it is nothing to get pregnant outside marriage. If nothing else, the “confirmed bachelor” was the exception, so even if he got the same percentage of attention all other family members did (which he wouldn’t since he didn’t have kids or wife to speak about) it still would be a tiny fragment of the conversation, therefore off the radar. People also have an amazing ability to mentally deny. I recall a (much older)teacher in medical school 25 years ago telling me that as her parents aged, her own mother was ‘mortified’ to have to lift the father off the toliet. She had never ‘seen’ her own husband. Felt him, yes, this, in an era when women undressed in the dark and climbed into bed.
You may be right after all of this of course, but it is hard to believe that the majority of American knew Rock was Gay, even in whispers.
Jaroslaw
oh yeah, David, you mentioned “Confidential” – was that mostly available in Hollywood/LA or all over the USA?
David Ehrenstein
All over the USA.
Ray
RE: The feuding on this thread
Come on fellow queers! This is infantile and dumb. Your pointing out nuances that matter little to the general topic at hand. I think we can all agree that overall, people who have stayed closeted lead less happy lives than those who have reconciled their sexuality in a more public manner (either to everyone in the world or at least to close friends and family). Are there exceptions? Sure! But what of it? LIfe is complicated, we can all agree on that.
RE: Richard Chamberlain not advising a future star to “come out”
Yes, it obviously makes more sense career-wise for a rising next-generation gay Tom Cruise or Will Smith to stay in the closet. Sure, I can see how that benefit them in their career. I’m just saying to be unable to conceive or believe that a successful leading man can also be queer AND still get work is just so… limiting. Uninspiring. Defeatist. And yes, cowardly. Especially coming from someone who never came out at the height of his success. He’s just reinforcing his own self-loathing and fears. I think Mr. Chamberlain has had an amazing career and have enjoyed lots of his work. I’m just not particularly proud to have him as part of the tribe.
First of all, a gay Tom Cruise or John Travolta or Will Smith type of actor with their level of box office appeal and success… is that so inconceivable to me? Not really. A polka dotted coyote as a leading man in a film? Yes, that’s inconceivable to me. But a hot actor who can double fist a gun, jump over a burning bridge and make a wiseass remark… who’s also a big ole fag? Totally possible. In fact, I’ll probably bitch about what a poor and untalented actor he is in a few short years… and secretly want to make out with him and hope to bump into him at a gay bar.
Second of all, how we are defining success in Hollywood is going to continue to change because the nature of how we access fame, money, media is ever evolving. With improvements in technology, even how we make big screen films will change. Titanic cost $100M to make in it’s day. In a couple of years, that same movie will cost half that amount. And a few years after that? Even less. The investment in creating super stars is going to change. It already is. I mean if someone named the Situation who essentially just lifts his t-shirt up at request can have the same recognition factor as David Hasselhoff (if not moreso)… then yes, the idea of success is already changing.
Lastly, outing actors used to be this psychotic, assassination-like act. Today it’s regarded as inflammatory and mostly we debate issues of rights to privacy (very important, mind you). And probably the actors worry a lot about getting future work. But for the next generation? It’s going to be just common adage to ask, “hey, do you suck cock? You do? Okay then.” That’s already happening in our day-to-day lives now. Being a big homo is really not going to be the “OH MY GOD” deal it was in days past… it’s not going even going to be the BIG FUCKING DEAL it is today… it’s just going to be.
None of this will come without resistance or even perhaps violence. But seriously, on the list of what’s achievable for the LGBTI community… making a queer person a leading star in film/tv seems pretty easy to me.
Jaroslaw
Ray – let me boil down my post #87 and say what we all know already: Madison Avenue uses SEX to SELL. That is why you see men and women in romantic situations/poses in magazine and TV ads too numerous to count. (male/male ads are in Gay publications) Sex sells in Hollywood also, which is what I was talking about. When you say things like “it was inconceivable a fat woman or Black man could….” the difference is that they were ALWAYS people, always equals. It just took society a long time to accept that. Conversely though I can’t see an openly Gay male movie star being the (fantasy) object of desire for a straight woman.
How do you see this “object of desire” changing in the future? (and your post above described Gay leading men as action/adventure stars, perfectly possible in my view) As to having RC part of the tribe – cut him a bit of slack he’s almost 80!
As to the “infantile feuding” – I admit I baited EWE, but he said he left the topic. And I don’t blame you for not getting in the fight and becoming a target of his vitriol – but in all fairness, he did lie about me and I really don’t think you can roll me in the same bag as him with his confrontational judgemental comments. Ultimately you are right though, fighting with him accomplishes nothing.