The Dooryard

Another bad pro-gay-marriage commercial

After Prop 8 passed in California, there was an outpouring of thought about what to do next. The terrible TV commercials that the pro-gay-rights side aired were targeted and the people who led to their creation were blamed. There were marches, letters, conferences, symposiums, meetings, phone calls. After taking all of that in, Equality California has come out with another TV ad - and it's as though they weren't listening.

Actually, listening to the wrong people. There was a chorus after the election saying the mistake was not putting more gay people in the ads: Harvey Milk would have put gay people in the ads, so that was the mistake that was made. So what does EqCa do? They put Harvey Milk and gay people in the commercial. That's not enough; They need to change their message!

But the commercial misses the mark completely because it harps on the same old tired theme of "we're right and you're wrong." Telling people they have to give you something is no way to get them to give it to you; In fact, it often makes them want to keep it from you that much more. This commercial says "we deserve this" and "you can't keep us from it anymore." It mentions Jerry Falwell by name and identifies him as an enemy; Why would you want to alienate his friends and allies? How is that changing people's hearts and minds? It's more stomping feet and throwing a tantrum. That this is what they came up with after four months of listening is very, very sad.

From Rosie to worse?

Here's the deal. I am so not one of those guys who whines about the media portraying every gay guy as a flaming queen. I don't get offended by really feminine or prissy guys, they don't turn me off. A lot of gay conservatives and gay guys in sports don't like people like that, or they keep them at arm's length. I'm not that person.

But, I will say, I'm bothered by the news that has popped up in the last 36 hours or so about The View looking for a gay guy to replace Rosie O'Donnell. Good idea, lots of gays are tuning in, it'd be interesting having that dynamic to play off the women. THIS is my problem: The guys they're looking at are Ross the Intern, Mario Cantone and Perez Hilton. Aaaaarrrghhhh!!! In other words, the only gay guys they want to have on are more catty and bitchy and feminine than Rosie was. Unfortunately, that's what the media (mainstream or gay) want to put out there as the face of gay men, so that's what we're stuck with.

Maybe I'm just starting to get an exposure complex. I've been doing more and more media appearances (Derek & Romaine, DKLA), and it has actually made me want to do more. It's a ton of fun. So yeah, I'd LOVE to be that gay guy on The View; but, I think I'd generally remind them more of Rosie or their husbands than the fun little gay friends from Sex and the City.

You may now return to your regularly scheduled program

Thank God for lawyers. Rosie O'Donnell is leaving The View because she couldn't come to terms with ABC over a one-year contract. One of the most divisive voices in America is finally off the air. This is reason for everyone to rejoice.

Now, he's free

It was with great sadness that I found out yesterday that John Inman had passed away. He played the indubitable Mr. Humphries on the British comedy Are you Being Served?. With the Golden Girls, it is one of my two favorite TV comedies of all time.

Mr. Humphries was John Inman. He was fun, witty, and everything that is so positive about gay men. He had smarts, he had passion, and he was always so damned positive (well, except when Mrs. Slocomb made passes at him). His gay double entendres are so precious. While the show hasn't been taped for over 20 years, he will still be missed.

Inman was gay himself. Contrary to Sean Hayes, he was willing to play gay on TV and live openly gay in real life as well.

So carry on, Mr. Inman. You've done very well.

BTW, if anyone can tell me in which episode he actually played a "straight" Mr. Humphries, I'd be grateful. I want to go back and watch some of the episodes (the ones with the original Mr. Grainger; after Arthur Brough died, the series was never the same again) and I'd love to be sure to watch that one. Thanks!

Straight studs playing gay

I've somehow gotten on the email distribution lists of a bunch of P.R. firms and companies looking for free publicity. I sympathize with guys like Andy Towle and Steph + Alek, whose blogs traffic are much greater than mine here, and who must get flooded with info and requests. I was glad to get one I received today from A&E.

I've been seeing posters in Chelsea for the network's upcoming movie, Wedding Wars. It shows John Stamos in a tux leaning against a sign that says, "Gays On Strike." Well, I finally understand what it means:

"In 'Wedding Wars,' love, family, politics and marriage rights collide when Shel (Stamos), a gay party planner, agrees to organize the nuptials for straight brother Ben to Maggie, the Governor of Maine's (James Brolin) daughter.  After Shel finds out that Ben, a campaign manager for his future father-in-law, is behind the governor’s speech against same-sex marriage, he decides to go on strike for equal rights. Shel’s strike picks up steam and eventually spreads becoming the epicenter of a nationwide strike for the right to get married."

It's great to see straight actors playing gay roles. Especially guys like Stamos, who are considered somewhat of a heartthrob. And to be playing a character that's fighting for the right to marry - he's not your average Will Truman! Plus, with hottie Eric Dane (Right; I was just watching X-Men: The Last Stand this weekend and marvelling at him), how can you go wrong?

The movie premieres on A&E Monday, Dec. 11, 9pm ET/PT.

Doogie Howser is Gay

I knew there was a reason I watched his show so religiously in high school. Neil Patrick Harris, best known as Doogie Howser, M.D., has told People Magazine that his is gay:

"The public eye has always been kind to me, and until recently I have been able to live a pretty normal life. Now it seems there is speculation and interest in my private life and relationships.

"So, rather than ignore those who choose to publish their opinions without actually talking to me, I am happy to dispel any rumors or misconceptions and am quite proud to say that I am a very content gay man living my life to the fullest and feel most fortunate to be working with wonderful people in the business I love."

On the second season of "How I Met Your Mother," Harris is now probably the biggest out name in primetime television. That's good, since he seems like a good guy and could be a positive role model. Of course, that's also bad because . . . "Neil Patrick Harris" is the biggest out name in primetime TV.

What's very cool is that he plays a straight guy on the show. Conventional wisdom has long said that a gay male actor won't be taken seriously as a straight man in a movie or show. His character, Barney Stinson, advocates using poetry - and specifically haikus - to get to a woman's heart. One of my faves that CBS has on their Web site:

  hot cutlet biscuit
  foxy chick bambi bunny
  dirty flirty thang

Let's hope audiences don't start expecting:

  hot young boyish thing
  let me take you home with me
  good morning, coffee?

CNN's 9/11/01 coverage - how quickly we have forgotten

Today, CNN.com has been broadcasting in real time the network's broadcast from the infamous September 11. It's amazing how powerful the footage of those planes flying into the World Trade Center is.

Americans should have to watch that footage every week. How quickly people have forgotten how they felt that day and the days and weeks following those attacks. I had lunch today with two New Yorkers who are both in TV news. They both said they just won't watch movies or coverage of the Sept. 11 attacks anymore because it's too hard to take. And that's exactly why they should keep watching it - to keep reminding them just exactly how they felt that day.

I watched Howard Stern's broadcast on Sept. 11, 2001 on Howard in Demand. That day, Stern said the U.S. had to go into the Middle East and attack everyone. We did. And now he's saying the war in Iraq is a mistake and we should withdraw in one day. Unfortunately, even the King of All Media has forgotten.

Watching the movie United 93 (which was way better than World Trade Center) and some of CNN's coverage from that day should be mandatory for every American.
People will then remember why our government is doing what it can to prevent an attack like that from happening again.

Clinton, Democrats suppress free speech

OK, here's my dislaimer: I didn't get to watch the first half of ABC's The Path to 9/11 last night because I was watching football. It is taped, and I intend to watch it this week. But, without having seen it, I'll comment on reports of the airing.

It seems Bill Clinton and some in his Administration threatened ABC over the airing of the movie about the events that lead up to the terrorist attacks that took place five years ago today. In fact, some Senate Democrats have threatened ABC's broadcast license because of the movie (of course, Americablog thinks that's a good thing!).

They didn't like how it showed the Clinton Administration's incompetence regarding fighting terror, that they knew where Osama bin Laden was and botched the killing of him, and the Administration's preoccupation, along with the rest of the country, with the Monica Lewinsky scandal. We're supposed to believe that Clinton lead a brilliant campaign against terrorism and that the Lewinsky scandal didn't affect his Administration's running of the country whatsoever - both of which are absurd.

They also don't like how the movie shows that the Democrat Administration could have prevented the attacks, but took no action - a bad message when they're trying to paint themselves as heros against terrorism leading up to the election in eight weeks.

It's too bad that Clinton and other Democrats felt the need to suppress the free speech of the people involved with this movie. It was never a documentary, and was always a fictionalized account of what happened, placing blame on many, many people, including the Clinton and Bush Administrations. That's in start contrast to Fahrenheit 9/11, which was portrayed as a documentary, but which took so much liberty with the facts that it deviated substantially from the truth which claiming to be fact-based.

One good thing that did come out of it, it seems, was the removal of the claim that the movie was based on the report of the 9/11 Commission, and the addition of a disclaimer that says some of the scenes were fictionalized. By ABC doing these things, it removed any confusion about what the movie was: a fictionalized account of what happened.

Good for ABC/Disney for airing this movie. These same people who are chastizing them for airing it are the same people who jeered CBS for not airing their movie on the Reagans. It's a shame the Democrats would stoop to using their elected positions to suppress speech.

All hail Howard!

Howard Stern might be the most entertaining person in all media. I've been listening to the King of All Media for about 10 years now. Almost every show I've ever tuned into is funny. I don't know why. It's just him and a couple of his buddies talking to stutterers, strippers and drug addicts, ripping on celebrities, and asking guests if they take it up the butt. And it's hysterical. When Dan and I go on long road trips, we now get to listen to Howard from New York City all the way to Rehoboth Beach or the tip of Cape Cod, and we can't get enough of him.

Sirius Radio has actually made his show better. I thought that it might get worse because part of the fun of the terrestrial radio show was what he couldn't say. Now, his creativity has no boundaries and he is putting out the best radio shows he's ever done.

I also love how they'll say anything. There's no political correctness: racist, sexist, homophobic and religious-insensitive comments fly around the room. Coming out of anyone else's mouth, it might sound terrible; but, because of the atmosphere of the show and the fun, positive attitudes of the regulars, it works. I don't get the feeling for a second that any of them are racist or homophobic. And that gives them a license to say whatever the hell they want.

I also subscribed to Howard TV in Demand. Again, great. Seeing old shows like William Shattner's visit to the Homo Room and Latoya Jackson breaking up with her husband is just classic. And they've got daily and weekly highlights, extras of staff members off the air. It's just great and so worth the $13.95 it's costing me.

Keith Olbermann: The worst person on television

The nastiest, most mean-spirited person on all of television has to be MSNBC's Keith Olbermann. The former ESPN host, who thought he was all that but found out he wasn't when he left cable's most popular network, hosts his own show on MSNBC and uses it as a bully pulpit to call people (almost always conservatives) names, tell them how dumb they are, and make a complete jackass out of himself.

One of his latest attacks focuses on Rush Limbaugh. Olbermann has this nasty segment where he lists his three worst people (again, almost always conservatives) in the world. When attacking Limbaugh for one of his comments, ends his "argument" with the comment: "nice try, fatso," before labelling Limbaugh the "worst person in the world."

Olbermann calls conservatives names all the time (he has a slew of them for Ann Coulter). More fuel for the notion that liberals are out of ideas and all they have left now are names to call conservatives.