NATHAN LANE ON "LETTERMAN" ( Brokeback Mountain-the musical) — Page 2

SamIAm got it exactly right. Brokeback Mountain should be just a love story between two men. Unfortunately, the media caught hold and have blown everything out of proportion. It's now the "gay cowboy movie" which makes it ripe for jokes for comedians. It was just a skit. The jokes were standard, nothing new that I haven't heard before. Yes, it gets old pretty fast, but most jokes do, and then we move on. I'm already tired of the King Kong jokes and hope they go away soon.

This also hits on another point best12bars brought up in the "Offended by Produers" thread. Should a comedian refrain from making jokes because it will offend certain groups? I don't think anyone meant any disrespect.

I hardly think anyone's going to stray from seeing the movie just because they saw a cute (but hardly hysterical) skit on David Letterman.

i thought it was boring, to be honest. i turned it off halfway through. agreed about lane's shtick, dame.

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To be fair, if Nathan is dising the film, he's part of a widening gay backlash against the film. Talk to any two gay people who've seen it (many at this board), you won't always find the gaga-wet-hankie-damp crotch response. It's not everyone's favorite idea of a gay love story. So even though Nathan seems downright obsessed with it, he may be part of a bigger picture.

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I just think David Letterman flat out sucks. He's not funny and he's slowly sinking behind Leno & Conan. I think he tries way to hard to be funny sometimes. I dunno, I'm not gay, but it just gets annoying when like guys talk show hosts have to constantly express their hetero-ness when they have gay guests or something, ya know? Its just like, "okay, we know you're married Jay, we get it"

"It's not everyone's favorite idea of a gay love story."

I can definitely understand that, but if that's where Nathan is coming from, I kind of wish he would just come out and say it.

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Hi Joey, I have to disagree with you. I think Brokeback IS a great movie. I have rarely had a movie resonate with me (and with a whole lot of other people including very jaded urban gay men) for such a long time.

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"...I am starting to find him extremely annoying..."

What took you so long? lol. I just wish he wasn't always "on". He's a bit like Martin Short in that respect. I wish he'd just be himself for a few minutes and relax.

Nathan isn't the only gay man to regard the film in a less than glowing light. An interesting, alternate take on BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN is at the link.
"Brokedown Ideas"

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First, let me say that I think it is anyone's right to find Lane's bit funny or unfunny. But, let's get the facts straight. The reason he started talking about this movie is that while he was doing Producers PR junket in L.A., the Brokeback Mountain press junket was also going on and because he is a GAY ACTOR everyone asked him about the movie. He said he thought it was a beautiful movie but, as he said on the Today Show, the gay love story was no big deal.

"guys, get a room" was what he jokingly said. If Letterman talked to him about the bits he would do on his show (which they do before every appearance) I'm sure he talked about the press Lane's comments in the Daily News and other papers and that spawned something of this nature.

First of all, just because you are gay you are not obligated to promote or advertise your desire to attain equality in EVERY APPEARANCE. Secondly, Letterman wants comedy and something fun from Lane...not a lecture about the state of equality in this country today and finally if you really think that Brokeback Mountain is the epitomy of a gay love story and that seeing it will immediately make those in the Red States invite gays into their homes, you are sadly mistaken. The mainstream accessibility of this movie is GOOD but Lane never said he didn't think the movie should have been made or that he didn't like it...so I am perplexed over why people feel he is trying to diss the movie because he did a comedy bit on Letterman.

Does that mean you think he is dissing blacks, jews, or gays because he did the Producers? Comedy has always been about having he maturity to laugh at ourselves and at the world around us.

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Leni Riefenstal was a consummate craftsman too.
Does that mean one has "bad taste" if one disagrees with the message of the finely wrought, beautifully photographed THE TRIUMPH OF THE WILL?

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Updated On: 12/22/05 at 10:35 PM

"Hell, the RENT movie and even the gay slasher movie Hellbent had better representations of what real gay relationships are like. And that's just the last six months of movie releases."

Makes me kind of wonder what kind of relationships you have had. And in a way.. it explains so much. Now don't get nasty with me Namo. We just disagree on this one and I am being bitch. I know that.

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What?

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Thanks Namo. This conversation was getting to deep for me and I am way too tired and you are way too smart for me . Goodnight.

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