Gay presence at the Tonys- Page 3

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 6/6/05 at 1:02pm

Me too, Chita.

Posted: 6/6/05 at 1:04pm

"In our current climate displays of homosexual public affection is, unfortunately, political. You may wish to blind yourself to this fact, but it doesn't change it. "

Well honey it won't never change if we don't go out and change it! Segregation laws didn't end until people said "No, I won't drink from the "coloreds" water fountain any more!

Miss Jones, please lead us to the front of the bus!

[Greekmusicalfan]

Posted: 6/6/05 at 1:06pm

Comments like " the gay actors should be a little more discreet" make me want to puke ! For years, heterosexual couples express their love and affection in public and now that finally some people have the courage to express their gay feelings and thank their partners, they have to be discreet ???? After all, the more exposure gay couples have in everyday life, the easier it will be even for homophobes to accept that it's no big deal ! There are hundreds of award shows that straight people rule, so if the Tonys are the only show that is ruled by gays, then so be it ! And screw whoever thinks otherwise !!!!

Posted: 6/6/05 at 1:09pm

This thread is jaw-dropping.

[nmartin]

Posted: 6/6/05 at 1:10pm

JoeKv99, I am NOT saying these displays should not occur. I think they should. I am just saying whether the participants mean it to be or not, it IS political. Please do not misunderstand the intention of my post. I am gay and proud.

[MrMidwest]

Posted: 6/6/05 at 1:11pm

The show could've used some real political excitement last night. Too bad Vanessa Redgrave wasn't in anything to be nominated for.

[Greekmusicalfan]

Posted: 6/6/05 at 1:18pm

Beaver, what I meant was that the Tonys fully accept and embrace everyone's sexuality and all the participants feel free to express themselves ! Of course we rule ALL shows on the backstage. But at the Tonys we feel free to express ourselves on stage too !! Broadawy is waaaaaay more liberal than Hollywood or the Music business, that's what I meant :)
Updated On: 6/6/05 at 01:18 PM

[aliceripleysnumber1]

Posted: 6/6/05 at 1:22pm

See, it is people like you who keep this country segregated. We are all just people who wish to have the right to love who we want, and be able to BE who we are, wherever we are! It is our human right! I mean, c'mon! If a gay man or woman can't kiss their partner, or even thank them in a time of complete joy and happiness, than this country is completely f***ed up! Personally, if I am on national TV, winning a TONY, I wouldn't be thinking about if me kissing my partner is going to OFFEND any homophobic people. I could give a damn about how homophobic people feel about me ANYTIME, let alone in the theatre community.

[TheaterChick04]

Posted: 6/6/05 at 1:26pm

I thought that it was great that they showed the couples. Why should they hide their love?

[glitzguy3]

Posted: 6/6/05 at 1:26pm

i cannot beliee this thread...

let me guess, it was wrong that the african americans and the hispanics kissed too?!?!?!?!?

holy crap...this shouldn't be right...this shouldn't be wrong...it should just "be".

[nmartin]

Posted: 6/6/05 at 1:27pm

"then this country is completely f***ed up." I thought that was a given.

[bunchamuncha]

Posted: 6/6/05 at 1:28pm

"Cherry Jones' open display of affection for her new girlfriend Sarah, though it may have shocked some of the viewers, was refreshing to see on nationwide TV. (But Cherry, whatever happened to your longtime partner, architect Mary O’Connor? Perhaps she was having dinner with Ellen's ex Alexandra Hedison?) "



Cherry Jones has been dating Sarah Paulson for well over a year.
I'm not gay, granted I live in a city like NY where most people aren't ignorant, but barely noticed any of the kissing.

[aliceripleysnumber1]

Posted: 6/6/05 at 1:30pm

holy crap...this shouldn't be right...this shouldn't be wrong...it should just "be".

AMEN...enough said.

Posted: 6/6/05 at 1:34pm

Good for you Nmartin-- let's meet up outside the Today show and perform a political act on TV!

[iluvtheatertrash]

Posted: 6/6/05 at 1:36pm

I don't know. Maybe I'm just not getting my point across intelligently. But I can't help but think that these displays often turn into such a big deal when in all actuality it ISN'T a big deal. We'll be hearing about them for weeks. Cherry Jones kissed another woman. Jerry Mitchell was with his boyfriend.

But in all honesty: Who really cares? Why bother? Britney STILL gets garbage for kissing Madonna. People are pathetic that carry on about it.

So, okay. Kiss your partner. But don't go up on stage and talk about how people need to accept it because you've ALREADY sparked something by kissing them.

And to be completely honest, the man of my dreams could be sitting next to me. If I just won a Tony, I wouldn't be concerned about kissing him or making some political statement in doing it. I wouldn't kiss him to make a statement. And I certainly wouldn't go up and talk about how I should be allowed to do that. I would go up, thank everyone humanly possible and be in complete shock that I just won.

I dunno. I'm crazy like that.

[iluvtheatertrash]

Posted: 6/6/05 at 1:39pm

And to fix something I said because I think it came across wrong --

I'm not saying that we shouldn't be allowed or shouldn't do it. If you want to do it, go ahead. But don't do it to stir something up. Do it because you love the person. And after you've already stirred everything up by doing it, don't go up on the stage and make it worse by commenting on it or the lack of rights. Thank your significant other, be happy to be with them and exit gracefully.

I just don't think these awards shows should be about making a statement. The shows do that enough. It's about the craft and the excellence in it.

*shrug* I'm just old-fashioned in that sense, I suppose.

[nmartin]

Posted: 6/6/05 at 1:40pm

JoeKv99, Sounds good to me. Can we do it on a Wed. and catch the Spelling Bee matinee? LOl

Thanks for responding to my pm. I was really worried about that. That may seem silly, but I can't help it when it comes to this subject.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 6/6/05 at 1:42pm

"I think they should. I am just saying whether the participants mean it to be or not, it IS political."

Looking at it that way, EVERY action committed by anyone could be deemed "political" if someone is fishing for a reason to be offended, but that does not mean that the those performing the action are doing so with political intent, which I believe is NOT the case with those who kissed their homosexual loved ones or mentioned them on the Tonys last night. That is ridiculous and absurd. To be objective, if the participants do not mean it to be political, then it really isn't. It is those who oppose the actions of these people for reasons of bigotry that turn it into a political issue. Huge difference.

Rosa Parks' refusal to give up her seat on a bus to a white person was intentionally political. Climbing a tree in Central Park and performing sex acts in public during the middle of the day was intentionally political (as well as just crazy and stupid). Nothing in last night's broadcast was intentionally political, but anything can be unintentionally political. That doesn't mean anything.

[trpguyy]

Posted: 6/6/05 at 1:43pm

I don't have a problem with kissing and thanking one's partner. What I did take offense to was Harvey Fierstien practically molesting what's-his-name on the red carpet sow on the TV Guide channel. If that were a straight man with a woman interviewing him, activists would be up in arms crying sexual harassment.

[Elphaba]

Posted: 6/6/05 at 1:44pm

I would certainly kiss my partner, just as I would kiss my wife if I was straight.

and any of you who worry about how America or whoever may view you for doing so, AT THE TONYS NO LESS, need serious psychiatric help.

do you youngsters even realize there was a time in America where you would be put in an nistitution for being gay? Or that the only way to identify if another was gay (not including gaydar) was by wearing a red tie?

Christ, I don't need some young gay punks telling me to tone it down if I want to kiss my partner, nor do I need some straight homophobes (who are only fooling themselves if they say otherwise) telling me the same

some of you need a history lesson of exactly what it was like in this country not too long ago.

We have a LONG way to go....but to hear gay people saying to ONLY be gay in certain circumstances sickens me

Updated On: 6/6/05 at 01:44 PM

[iluvtheatertrash]

Posted: 6/6/05 at 1:46pm

I am NOT saying to only do it in private. I'm saying don't do it if it's meant to be political. If you're going to do it, do it because you love them.

In a nutshell, what I'm trying to say: If you're kissing someone just to spark political drama and cr*p, don't bother doing it!

[midtowngym]

Posted: 6/6/05 at 1:47pm

The glass is half FULL. Maybe the red states will watch to see the queers smooch.

FAG KISSING=SILVER LINING!

[rKrispyt]

Posted: 6/6/05 at 1:52pm

okay, I missed something here - at what point did anyone comment on gay rights as a political issue?

The closest I can think of is Jerry Mitchell thanking Harvey Feirstein for writing such a great book and somethingt about morals and possibly love that 'our country needs to hear today more than ever" or something about needing to hear it today...

if you know the show, you know it could be regarding a number of issues that relate to our society, but that's sooooo not a "look at me, bringing up politics and **** just cause I'm gay" way of doing it - it was actually pretty vague and I thought very heartfelt, not at all to be controvertial.

and I think that hte kisses and jerry mitchell saying that DID happen because it came out of what the people were feeling from their names being announced, and not because they were thinking "oh, I'm on tv, I'm gonna make a statement" - they were in an environment where they felt accepted and were just themselves and reacting to their emotions and their happiness, and sharing that with ones they love.

It sucks that people are trying to make this into something else when it was just so...human and real...and beautiful.

but hey, that's just my opinion.

[Peter]

Posted: 6/6/05 at 1:54pm

Are you homophobes NUTS? The show last night was one of the worst Tony telecasts I've ever seen. It desperately needed a jolt of gay politics. Hell, if a flaming queen passionately open mouth kissed his partner, then got up on stage and talked about the gay marriage issue, I might have been able to stay awake.

We're in really sad shape if other gays perceive a quick peck, or an acknowledgement of love onstage as toooo political.

[Elphaba]

Posted: 6/6/05 at 1:56pm

exactly.........rkris and Peter

apparently some straight people were offended, and some gay people feel the need to question the motives behind kisses.......sheesh, it was obvious to anyone with a brain that they were JUST kissing their partners.

and as for Harvey, HELL.......they both had fun with that......

Updated On: 6/6/05 at 01:56 PM