Who says tabloids aren’t sincere? Certainly not Star EIC Candace Trunzo, who “sincerely apologizes” for the Not Normal gay kiss scandal.
Story breaking blog Boy Culture shares Trunzo and Star’s note:
Normal/Not Normal’ is supposed to be funny, and I regret that this particular photo caption was offensive and not written in a way to make it clear that we were being humorous. The joke was that Kevin James and Adam Sandler are not gay. If the kiss was between Lance Bass and his boyfriend or any other gay celebrities it would be ‘Normal.’ Let me point out that in the same issue of STAR, we devote the entire Couples News lead to Neil Patrick Harris and his boyfriend moving in together. Now that’s normal. I sincerely apologize that our attempt at humor was perceived by some to be offensive to the gay community. That was certainly not our intent. We are proud that we support the gay community and will continue to do so.
Boy Culture who once told Trunzo to “kiss my normal gay ass,” says he’s “I’m tickled pink that Ms. Trunzo cleared that up.” And we’re tickled pink you’re tickled pink, BC.
Leland Frances
Good form, but we trust she’ll print the disclaimer in her rag, too.
But the bigger question is, WHEN ARE THOSE WORTHLESS FUCKS AT GLAAD GOING TO APOLOGIZE FOR PROMOTING THE MOVIE????????????????
kiveon
Gay’s are becoming way to sensitive. Get over yourselves queers! It was supposed to be a joke.
I’m queer, so I can say this stuff….so there!
Leland Frances
You are a joke, kiveon.
ProfessorVP
So… a picture of Toby Maguire in Spiderman is Not Normal because in real life, Toby is not an action hero?
Only the most trusting rube would believe this apology was sincere.
Leland Frances
Sorry to hog this topic, but ever since I saw “The Fox” many moons ago and the audience cheered and applauded when the Sandy Dennis lesbian character is killed the effect of movies on homophobia has been viscerally important to me.
Former GLAAD director Joan Garry is, I believe, to blame for castrating GLAAD before she left, but even a broken clock is right twice a day and in this essay from today’s “Washington Blade” she identifies exactly what is wrong with the movie, and, therefore, GLAAD’s praise [which incredibly they’re now denying they ever spread]:
“My 12-year old daughter Kit and I went to the movies last night. I was the only person there older than 20. And as I think about it, we were among the only females in the theater. It makes sense. After all, we were seeing an Adam Sandler movie — “I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry.â€
I had to see it. I was beyond curious. You see, I stood up for Sandler once. Sandler’s best friends from college fell in love and played a strong supporting role (albeit stereotypical) in the Sandler hit “Big Daddy.†I argued for its nomination for a GLAAD Media Award that year. My position was that Sandler was reaching a critical audience — pimply teenage boys — and that he deserved recognition for his choice to be inclusive.
In that movie, Sandler was very comfortable with his gay pals. In fact, he was the voice of reason in numerous situations in which others were uncomfortable. “They just watch different porn,†he said. And after the two men kiss and another friend expresses discomfort, Sandler says matter-of-factly, “That’s what gay guys do.â€
“Chuck and Larry†is different. There is something about it that feels duplicitous and I left the theater feeling mad. Sandler has done something ingenuous. The pimply teenage boys love gay jokes. Sandler knew he would get great mileage from playing a flagrantly heterosexual homophobe surrounded by men dressed as butterflies and young sissies in tap shoes. And the weekend box office results prove it — Sandler beat “Harry Potter†this weekend — $34.8 million to $32.2 million.
But here’s the ingenuous part. There’s a second movie hiding in there but you can only see it if you wear your special gay decoder glasses.
THERE IS THE hilarious movie in which Sandler plays a total sexist pig who agrees to pretend to be gay to help out his friend who needs pension benefits. That film uses terms like “butt pirate†to great comic effect.
Then there is the film you can see only with the special glasses. In this one, the premise is the same but the sexist pig is changed by the experience. He reaches a greater understanding of issues facing the gay community as well as a greater understanding of what it really means to be in a relationship. In this version of the film, there are sweet and preachy moments and you must ignore the use of words like “butt pirate.â€
In one scene, Chuck and Larry leave an AIDS benefit to find protesters waiting outside. Chuck gets called a faggot and slugs one of them. In the first movie, the one reaching the folks who drove the $34.8 million, you see Chuck’s motive clearly — that being called a faggot gives you license to slug. In the gay-friendly version, the audience sees Sandler sticking up for his “peeps.â€
The pimply teens will only remember the slow-motion, aborted kiss. They will remember that it was hilarious. With my decoder glasses, I can appreciate that they were willing to go that far (and in public no less!). The boys will remember the big African-American firefighter dancing and singing “I’m Every Woman†in the locker room shower. In my version, I pick up on that accepting look on Chuck’s face while the rest of the men look on in horror and get the “change of heart†message.
HAVING DEFENDED SANDLER once before, my gut tells me that Chuck’s “change of heart†was always an integral part of the plot line but that message did not hit its intended target. And I hope that Sandler will use the platform he has to communicate that message more directly to the kids bringing him so much success.
There’s a courtroom scene at the end of the film. The judge rules in Chuck and Larry’s favor and the courtroom crowd bursts into applause. There were about eight pimply teens two rows behind us. They began to cheer, too. I turned to see the looks on their faces but Kit didn’t have to. She leaned over and said, “They are not really cheering cheering.†I knew what she meant. The technical term for what they were doing rhymes with cheering. It’s called jeering.
Nope, the boys were not cheering. And neither was I.”
underbear1
Not seeing this movie-turd or Hairspray…who wan’ts faux mo’s? I’ll hold out for the REAL THING.
RyRy
I’m sorry, but if he can get John Water’s approval — then I’m watching Hairspray. Thanks to Leland for the post. I knew that shit would be shitty.