“As [Ted] Haggard attempts to rehabilitate his image and promote the film, it’s important that mainstream media outlets like Oprah and CNN not allow him to spew anti-gay rhetoric about “curing” or “changing” sexual orientation.
Haggard is a closeted gay man and any assertions to the contrary that go unchallenged by Oprah, King or others will only contribute to the false and destructive notion that gays can change. Reparative therapy has been debunked by every credible medical association in the world and it’s the responsibility of interviewers like Oprah and King to hold Haggard accountable to facts and not let him disparage gays with his “I’ve changed” propaganda.
We’ll be watching to make sure they don’t shirk their responsibilities.”– Washington Blade Editor Kevin Naff, writing about Ted Haggard’s media appearances this week in a blog post titled, “Do the Right Thing, Oprah.”
Leland Frances
Bravo for Naff’s preemptive attempt, but St. Oprah has already and repeatedly shown herself immune to intelligence about being gay, and immune to accountability as, regardless of what she does, she makes the majority of gays melt like ten-yr. old little girls at a Jonas Bros underwear party [down Japhy, down]
Except for Nate, her personal pocket gay, whom she still dangles before her childish female audience AS IF he were available to redecorate their vaginas, she’s the Homer Simpson of talk show hosts….she prefers her gays “flaaaaaaming”!
Which means, certainment, she LUVS the Fag Eyes for the Normal Guys queens. Did a whole show with them. But, while there’s no greater Celeb / Trend Whore on TV than Miss O, when Brokeback was THE talk of the town as the first successful mainstream film to treat gay love seriously she could only find 20 minutes to spare to visit with its four stars, during which, of course, she had to taunt the men about THE KISS [just as she’s mocked sports stars for kissing each other on the cheek at games]! Then it was, “Bye, thanks for coming. Now let’s spend the rest of the show talking about Tyler Perry’s latest HILARIOUS skag drag movie.” Dear, dear St. Oprah. With friends like you who needs enemas?
More recently, more than one commentator noticed the “pardon me while I shit and go blind at the same time” stunned look on her face in response to the minister recently on her show who said that being gay was a “gift from God.”
Raise your hand if you’ve ever heard about her attending/giving money to a gay rights event, an AIDS fundraiser. Raise your hand if you saw her show condemning Prop H8TE….you can’t because there was none.
On the other hand, she’s done at least one remarkably sensitive show about trans-identified children. One could speculate about why the difference but….
In any case, don’t expect any of sensitivity in relation to the homohatred flooding Haggardgate…which she will cover, trust us.
Oprah Trolls rush to her defense in 10, 9 , 8, 7 ……
Joe Lagana
@Leland Frances: You’re absolutely spot-on. Even the way she says the word GAAAY is, well, gay. Do you remember the show about the formerly married-straight women who were now all lipstick lesbians? I puked. And the horrific treatment of her friend Toni Morrison’s boy toy from Jamaica. She claims to be about enlightenment. She’s lying to herself, and everyone else, about being so enlightened. Maybe that’s why she gained all that weight back.
Gabriel
Mr. Haggard once again climbs up the same tree he fell from, just going to show how little a supposedly ‘educated’ mind can learn about the past, and how dumb he thinks (and I begin to imagine, knows) his straight fans are. For a closeted man of the cloth (per se), I would think he would know who to ask for forgiveness, and to realize exactly who needed to change for that forgiveness.
Being gay IS a choice… BUT ITS NOT THE CHOICE THEY MAKE IT OUT TO BE. It is the choice of forgiving and accepting yourself. You can be gay and still having the morale fortitude to make it work. Yes you can be monogamous if you meet Mr./Mrs. Right; yes, you can keep your lay students (no pun) in the context they are in, and not in your bed; and yes, you can go aboard Navy ships and see 100 men in your shared berthing as men you fight alongside, not as dinner. Mr. Neff though, shame on you for saying we can’t change… we did the day we came out. We do every day. We are a hell of a lot stronger because of the changes and choices we do make, so please DO NOT start towing their line that we cannot change. The problem is not that WE cannot change, its rather that THEY want to change us.
Eminent Victorian
@Leland Frances: Oh my goodness, Leland, I love you forever for this post! Now, every time I sell one of Nate’s books I won’t be able to stop myself from thinking, “This woman needs help redecorating her vagina.”
I look forward to these “Thought of the Day” segment, Japhy. A great addition.
Matt Comer
Ummm… that photo is so totally not Kevin Naff.
Keith
@Leland Frances: I think it’s time to hold “gay supporters”. Not that I’m a big fan of O’s but it never occurred to me how little she supports gay cause with the money she has. If it is indeed true. Thanks Leland
Keith
silly me. I meant
I think it’s time to hold “gay supporters” to account.
Or you could hold them too if you want
bb
a.men!
The Gay Recluse
Bravo to Kevin Naff (even if it’s not him in the photo) and to Leland for what so far may be the best comment of 2k9? (And to Japhy for posting, of course).
kevin57
Excellent posts, men! Oprah, for all her acclaim does little to nothing for the community. In fact, some of her “efforts” have been counter-productive. As we tally our “friends” list, she should definitely NOT be included.
John from England(used to be just John but there are other John's)
Heh, thank god I’m not the only one who feels Oprah is the most destructive human being on earth!
I’m serious!
And yeah, how rude was she about Brokeback? She’s really dumb but I guess that’s why she is so successful….she’s not threatening..
Scott from NYC
I can not imagine any interview not severely challenging him on any anti-gay, reperative therapy nonsense he would spew. If he tried it, he’d look even more like the hypocritical little bastard he is. Here’s to seeing more of him! There’s nothing more damaging to the hate-filled reparative therapy movement then their most visible counter-argument going on a press tour!
Marty
Leland Frances, THANK YOU!!! You captured exactly how I feel and have long felt about Oprah!
TR from DC
The picture is of Patrick Mara who was a candidate for DC City Council in 2008. I believe that picture was taken during his attendance at the Capital Pride festival.