Some of you may remember Friday’s Happy Endings in which we linked an interview with legendary performer, Carol Channing (pictured looking quite fly in a tie).
In said interview, Channing apparently had a few choice words about the homos, i.e: she loves their support, but isn’t so keen on faggotry and its sinful ways. Well, it seems those statements may not be Channing’s, but may have been manipulated by the homo-journo, Kaizaad Kotwal.
In grand Hollywood tradition, Channing’s publicist, Harlan Boll, has released a statement insisting that Channing’s statements were taken out of context. He goes on to say that the reporter misconstrued the statements in order to “bash an icon” and “make a name for himself”. In the statement, republished over at Frontier Magazine editor Japhy Grant‘s website, the publicist insists:
[Kotwal] says he is quoting from a transcript which he doesnt have. He was asking questions of Carol that were clearly traps… With reference to the Bible – she said about gay marriage “You know what the Bible says about it … Nothing.” The interviewer failed to add that last comment in the quote to the interview.
Hmm, we don’t know who to believe in all of this. It’s definitely possible that the reporter in question, Kaizaad Kotwal twisted Channing’s words to make a better story. There’s also the chance that Boll simply wants to raise a smoke-screen of doubt to save Channing’s reputation.
How about we take this to the next level?
Our newsletter is like a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.
We’ll let you guys draw your own Channing-related conclusions.
Ethereal_lad
While I want to believe the best of Channing, this defense sounds a little outlandish. Outside of the Inquirer set, fabricating quotes/ deliberately misrepresentation would ruin a journalists’ career. And what would be the purpose of bashing a gay icon–especially of Channing’s ilk? But stranger things have happened…
ousslander
I have no0 idea why she is a gay Icon and really couldn’t care less but as for only the Inquirer fabricating things, you should check out the history of the New York Times and Stephen Glass.
B.C. Cornitas
I hate to point it out, but gay papers have lower journalistic standards than most papers, and the shadiness the publicist points too? Well, I’ve certainly seen worse, you know? I’m inclined to believe Carol, and I was surprised and how inclined so many commenters are to say horrible things about her.
Richard Skipper
My letter to The Editor of The Chronicle:
To the editor,
When the article that was written on Carol Channing was first forwarded to me, my heart stopped. I couldnt believe that I was reading what I was reading. I am a gay man AND a friend of Carol’s. I know her for many years. I know of her heart AND her contributions to the gay community . The words that I read on that “scandal sheet” that has made it’s way through the internet was meant to discredit Carol, her work, and her legacy. Knowing Carol & Harry (Kullijian) the way that I do, I know that they both operate from a place of LOVE.
What is the real intent of your publication? This article is what fuels homophobia…NOT from Carol, but, rather, from your own pens. And the bitchy catty comments that have ended up on chat boards across the nation is a sad state of affairs on our community. So many people are now quick to condemn Carol rather than hearing what she truly said & meant. Shame on your publication for trying to destroy an ICON, but more importantly trying to kill a truly compassionate LOVING fellow human being.
Richard Skipper
Mike
When I read Kotwal’s interview I was a bit heartbroken. I’m a big fan of Carol Channing. She is Broadway History and one I thought we could always count on “our side”. The interview seemed like a pretty straight forward taped phone conversation. Whether Kotwal still has the tape, who knows, but let’s look at each motive here:
Kotwal is interviewing a gay icon for his gay paper–why? Because the gays love to read about someone like Channing especially if it’s a positive article. None of us wants to read anything she said negative about us. But, that’s what came out in the interview, he published it.
Now, Channings publicist, Harlan Boll has another motive–keeping Ms. Channings career alive. And whose been doing that for the last 30 years or more? THE GAYS! Duh. Of course he wants to blame Kotwal for twisting Channing’s words. He can’t afford to lose our support.
Possible reasons for Carol Channing turning on the gays: Didn’t she quite publicly divorce her husband who was also her manager for 40 years because of his supposed homosexuality? She discussed it quite bitterly at the time, giving details about exactly how much (or rather, how little) sex they had during their marriage. So, she may not be so keen on the gays anymore. Just a thought.
Jean Meiring
Surely there’s a chance she’s simply losing her marbles, slowly. She is rather old and this tends to happen. The tone of her comments in the interview – if they were reported accurately – make her sound pretty unsettled and grumpy. Not wholly unusual for someone suffering from the onset of senility.
Aaron Smith
I have a hard time believing that one of the nicest people in show business, and who’s done so much for the gay community, would suddenly reveal that she doesn’t like us anymore…I think that Jean’s explanation (above) makes more sense. Phone interviews are so dicey, and sometimes celebrities must get sick of answering the same questions over and over. She might have gotten a little grumpy and said some things that she didn’t really mean, which seemed “out of left field” to the reporter and were magnified.
That other theory is also possible, that some of her answers are colored by her experience with the ex-husband…no matter how much people are on our side, if they’re not gay, they don’t see negative statements as a “knife through the heart” as we do, and they might make a negative generalization, while in a bad mood, while really thinking of the specific incident that made them feel that way…that doesn’t mean that she feels that way all the time, or that she’s going to join Fred Phelps and The Shallow Gene Pool Parade and start picketing our musicals.
I don’t think we should continue to read any more into it…let’s just let it settle and see.