Could These Straight Dudes Quit Thanking Their Wives?

[Mildred Plotka]

Posted: 6/13/10 at 7:45pm

On gay high holy day. Seriously! There's a time and a place to display their alternative lifestyle.

[CSonBroadway]

Posted: 6/13/10 at 7:50pm

Hahahahahaha

[CapnHook]

Posted: 6/13/10 at 7:52pm

Now THAT'S funny!

[Jason Bennett]

Posted: 6/13/10 at 7:52pm

Um...I won't comment specifically on who I THINK you are referring to. But, one of the people I am sitting with here has personal knowledge he is NOT straight...But, although I think we're talking about the same person, perhaps not... And yes, he's married. It's the very trendy thing to do these days - gay chic marriage for kids...and friendship...hot gay sex on the side...constantly...

[Mildred Plotka]

Posted: 6/13/10 at 8:20pm

There are gay men married to women? OMG, we need to alert the media!

[Jason Bennett]

Posted: 6/13/10 at 8:21pm

Well, but they're openly gay, fine with it...and also get married to have a friend who is a woman, live with them and have kids...they're not in the closet...THAT was my point.

Updated On: 6/13/10 at 08:21 PM

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 6/13/10 at 8:29pm

[A Director]

Posted: 6/13/10 at 8:39pm

Why were the Tony Awards allowed on happen on this day?

[whatever2]

Posted: 6/14/10 at 10:09am

> Well, but they're openly gay, fine with it...they're not in the closet...

and yet you appear to have gone out of your way to avoid identifying them. somthing's askew there ...

[AC126748]

Posted: 6/14/10 at 10:14am

I want Raul to win one of these days so that he can thank his wife AND his boyfriend.

[sparrman]

Posted: 6/14/10 at 10:18am

I have no idea who you guys are hinting about, but I thought it was notable that Douglas Hodge didn't use the word "wife" in his thanks, which would have sent a clear "I'm actually straight!!!" message to middle America. On the one hand, I find that admirable, but on the other, I sort of wish he had, to send the message "Your assumptions about people may not necessarily be true".

Don't forget that George Hearn's first words upon clutching his Tony for Albin were "What some guys won't do...".
Updated On: 6/14/10 at 10:18 AM

[AC126748]

Posted: 6/14/10 at 10:27am

He didn't say "wife" because they're not legally married.

[bjh2114]

Posted: 6/14/10 at 10:32am

That's a good reason.

[sparrman]

Posted: 6/14/10 at 10:32am

Ah, thanks, I didn't know that. Well, "my partner Tessa and our two beautiful children..." would have done the trick.

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 6/14/10 at 10:39am

What trick? Maybe he didn't care about reassuring America that playing a gay role doesn't have to make one gay.

[sparrman]

Posted: 6/14/10 at 10:47am

Yes yes, as I've already said, I see the benefit in that, and I agree that's probably the most progressive way to approach it. But I also see some benefit in turning people's "expectations" on their heads.

My main point (and my final one) is that we've come a long way from casting George Hearn, who has the most masculine singing voice imaginable and who went out of his way to make the point that he was straight in his acceptance speech, to the casting of Hodge, who made (to me at least) a fairly convincing woman as Zaza, and who made no effort at all to emphasize his heterosexuality.

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 6/14/10 at 10:53am

Hodge also referred to her as his "partner" during the NY1 red carpet broadcast.

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 6/14/10 at 10:56am

Yes yes, as I've already said, I see the benefit in that, and I agree that's probably the most progressive way to approach it. But I also see some benefit in turning people's "expectations" on their heads.

Whose expectations would he have turned on their head? Probably not people watching the Tonys.

[nealb1]

Posted: 6/14/10 at 11:30am

Who cares if he's gay or straight? How does that change anything? He's still the same person. If people think he's gay because he's playing a gay character, does that mean that Idina Menzel is really green and can fly?

If someone is gay or straight, that tells you absolutely nothing about that person - are they a kind person, do they have morals, are they responsible, etc....

[Jason Bennett]

Posted: 6/14/10 at 12:26pm

Amen, Neal.

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 6/14/10 at 12:31pm

This thread was better when it was funny.

If someone is gay or straight, that tells you absolutely nothing about that person

Not "absolutely nothing." It tells you if they're gay or straight. I mean, I have brown hair, which tells you nothing about MY personality, ethics, etc... but it does tell you I have brown hair. And that barrettes made for blondes don't really go.

Yes, I am pedantic. I'm also right.

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 6/14/10 at 12:39pm

"to the casting of Hodge, who made (to me at least) a fairly convincing woman as Zaza,"


Uhm....

Okay...

[THDavis]

Posted: 6/14/10 at 1:18pm

I still enjoy Scarlett thanking "the Canadian I live with". Mmmm, Ryan.

[AngryPirate]

Posted: 6/14/10 at 1:23pm

When I win, I'm thanking FindingNamo.

[whatever2]

Posted: 6/14/10 at 4:35pm

I work for the US subsidiary of a UK-based company. In dealing with my UK colleagues, i've noticed they tend to refer to "partners" regardless of marital status or orientation. i've even read it in corporate memos.

this all could just be a cultural difference. marriage rates are lower in the UK ... cohabitation is common even among couples with children ... civil unions are legal ... my impression is that it's easier just to employ the generic term "partner".