Raul Esparza Interview in Sunday Times- Page 9

[MasterLcZ]

Posted: 11/26/06 at 7:41pm

That's exactly right Namo.

I've been reading all the boards regarding the article and I'm surprised to see so many Miss Grundys giving Raul finger-wagging etiquette lessons on The Proper And Correct Way To Come Out. "Should he tell his wife?" "And what about his poor mother?" "And the family of that sad ex-lover?" "And isn't it just a calculated publicity ploy, anyway?" "I think he's hedging his bets!" "Raul, can't you do ANYTHING right!"

Coming out is never a neat, well-ordered process. It's usually a big, liberating mess. And often other people's feelings DO get hurt. And too bad. It's Raul's journey and Raul's process. It's not a clear cut-one either. His story about his ex-lover is heartbreaking, and it is clear he is haunted by him and misses him very much. Yest, his wife is also a part of his life and he has feelings for her too and is not comfortable in discarding them.

I have no doubt that doing COMPANY has affected Raul profoundly in ways probably he never anticipated.

Updated On: 11/26/06 at 07:41 PM

[Wild Roses]

Posted: 11/26/06 at 8:09pm

I just finished the article. I admire Raul for being so honest about sexuality, but dislike the reporter for seemingly making a big deal out it. Also, I disliked the implication in the way the story was written that Raul's sexuality issues are tied to his relationship to his mother. Maybe it is, maybe it isn't, but I don't think the reporter was fair to Raul in how the article was written.

I second, or third, or fourth those who have written that coming out is not an easy process.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 11/26/06 at 8:21pm

Well said, MasterLcZ.

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 11/26/06 at 8:26pm

I was just about to post the same, PalJoey. :)

I disliked the implication in the way the story was written that Raul's sexuality issues are tied to his relationship to his mother.

But... they sort of are? He seems to state pretty clearly that his family's influence on his life has played a pretty big part in the conflict of sexual identity. Both of Raúl's parents are Cuban immigrants, and he comes from a very conservative Cuban Catholic family. That in itself, though stereotype, can speak volumes. The article solidified an impression that I've had for some time, which is that the issues of being unsure within himself are bred from and fairly tightly tied to cultural and familial expectations. He says straight-up that he had a fear of disappointing his family, whose expectations his mother seems to exemplify. I think it's really hard to assume that the reporter framed it a certain way when that very well could have been (and seems to me like) Raúl's implication.

Updated On: 11/26/06 at 08:26 PM

[Wild Roses]

Posted: 11/26/06 at 8:46pm

You wrote an excellent post, Emcee. It might have come from Raul himself that the article was framed that way, but given how the media does tend to frame GLBTQ issues in a certain way, and also how conservatives like to frame GLBTQ issues, I felt it necessary, from my own perspective, to stress a skepticism towards how the reporter wrote the article. (I should have stressed the "seemingly" on the reporter's part more, maybe.)

[Shiksa Goddess2]

Posted: 11/26/06 at 9:00pm

Thank you Namo, for saying exactly what I've been thinking while reading this entire debate: It is HIS story.

He did not sit there and say "so-and-so- the professor I loved- was born in such-and-such time in wherever". He told his story, or the parts of it that he felt he needed to get out, and that is his right. Maybe he cleared it with those involved, maybe he didn't, but what it comes down to is that you can never make every single person in your life (or the lives of those you love) happy, you can only try your best and make sure that your own happiness and sanity are not pushed back to appease others who you happen to have crossed paths with. Those who try to please everone will only end up hurting themselves, and that is not a fair price to pay.

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 11/26/06 at 9:19pm

I originally wouldn't have really entertained the thought that the writer would spin it that way, but given what someone else posted about the writer's background, I guess anything is indeed possible. In the end, this is still journalism, which concerns itself at its core with what'll make a good story, and it's difficult to disentangle the truth.

[StageManager2]

Posted: 11/26/06 at 9:22pm

Emcee, no offense, but if you didn't find the Broadway.com article the least bit funny, you need to get a sense of humor... at least, where Raul is concerned.

[aspiringactress]

Posted: 11/26/06 at 9:25pm

I definitely didn't read the broadway.com article as being really insensitive...I thought that they tried to make it fit into the entertainment blog style. I think it could have definitely been a lot worse.

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 11/26/06 at 9:30pm

Oh, I did find parts of it to be a little witty But my general opinion of them isn't too great... they approach a lot of things with minimal taste.

I mean, I think Perez Hilton handled this one a bit more gently. That's saying something!

[TabooWickedFan]

Posted: 11/26/06 at 10:59pm

So I read the article yesterday and a bit of these posts and would just like to say that I think it takes a lot of courage to "come out" (I put that in quotations cause you could not believe he actually fully came out and that is okay) no matter who you are, whether it be a Broadway actor or teacher in a small town in Vermont. It does not matter and I think saying all of this outloud was a huge step for him. I would feel this would be a huge step for him, I do not personally know him so for all I know it could have been a walk in the park, though I am mostly sure that this must have been a difficult topic to address.

But with all that being said I believe that this article was such a classy way to go. He stated the situations he has been through and basically left it up to the reader to determine what he had done. Whether it was come out as a gay man, a bisexual whatever you want to believe. But I think that this man is one of the most talented actors I have ever had the priveledged to watch on stage and this article shows you, in my opinion what a really honest and heartfelt man he really is.

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 11/27/06 at 1:42pm

Here's the Broadway.com interview:

http://www.broadway.com/gen/Buzz_Story.aspx?ci=541001

The introduction mentions that he came out in the Times, but goes on to say that this particular interview was done under explicit instructions to talk only about his work.

You can also get to it through the main page.

Updated On: 11/27/06 at 01:42 PM

[MTVMANN]

Posted: 11/27/06 at 2:07pm

I met him after I saw "Company" and he was the nicest person ever!

[kasim]

Posted: 11/27/06 at 3:02pm

sweeet i am going to see it in 2 weeks .... cant wait.

[WickedGeek28]

Posted: 11/27/06 at 3:41pm

He was really nice after the show Saturday night. His performance was BREATHTAKING. A Tony is in order . . .

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 11/27/06 at 10:46pm

I def. can relate and appreciate him for saying so. He's a strong person, and it makes me like him even more.

[Fenchurch]

Posted: 11/27/06 at 11:03pm

Sexual discovery isn't always a gay thing, Bobby is obviously undergoing an emotion and sexual discovery regardless of whether or not a the end of the ordeal he is gay or not.

[TheEnchantedHunter]

Posted: 11/27/06 at 11:21pm

Who cares?








Elsa, "Born Free" The Lioness
Kenya, Africa

[PeachesCat]

Posted: 11/28/06 at 8:07am

I am a 38 year old Heterosexual female. Raul Esparza is my favorite Broadway actor. Do I find him sexy? Heck yeah. I will see him in anything that he does. He can read a phone book and I am there.

As far as Raul being gay, who the heck cares? I am not sleeping with him. His sexuality has nothing to do with me.

Why do I like him? He has the BEST VOICE on Broadway. I can find no better song sung by a male than "Petrified" in the weak play Taboo. Raul was the only saving grace of that play.

Why do we care what Raul does in his bedroom? Does it effect us in any way? Does it change his spectacular singing abilities or acting? No.

We should get off of who Raul is sleeping with. How about we discuss his vast amount of work and try to speculate where his career will be going in the future.

[ByMySide25]

Posted: 11/28/06 at 8:25am

The Broadway.com article did seem a little like "he talked about his sexuality and stuff already so we're just gonna stick with business and his career". Which isn't a bad thing but this definitely threw me:

"Prior to the publication of that piece (and with explicit direction to stick to discussing his career), Broadway.com was only too happy to chat with the amiable actor..."

[PeachesCat]

Posted: 11/28/06 at 9:36am

Thank God they talked about his CAREER! Who cares who Raul is sleeping with. What business is that of ours?

I wished they asked him how he felt doing the Normal Heart, a very serious drama and one of the few plays he has done that he didn't have to sing. Was that different for him to be in a non musical.

Or is the more important topic how he felt kissing Billy Warlock in the play? I keep forgetting what is more important... Sexuality or acting.

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 11/28/06 at 9:45am

The Broadway.com thing confuses me; it was obviously done before the Times article came out, so they could have been told it was happening and for that reason been told to stick exclusively to his work, or just been told that without any reason why.

Nobody has asked him about The Normal Heart in like, years. I'm beginning to think there's some sort of taboo (unintended) against it.

This argument has come up in a few places throughout the boards, this idea of "who gives a sh*t who he's sleeping with?" and honestly, he really doesn't talk about his sex life. It's fine if you think it doesn't matter, but until a lot of things in this world change, what he did is going to continue to be a really important process. What he's doing in his bedroom may truly not be anyone's business but his own (though again, he didn't *really* go there), but he did what he felt he had to do. To claim that sexuality is suddenly more important than acting is a little bit silly, since he hasn't exactly done like twenty interviews about being gay or whatever. He's done one. And hey, as important as I feel it is, if he DID start talking exclusively about his sexuality in every single interview, I'd think it a little excessive, too.

Updated On: 11/28/06 at 09:45 AM

[PeachesCat]

Posted: 11/28/06 at 10:13am

I just find it funny that we are making such a big deal about his sexuality. Company opens this week! Shouldn't we be talking about that? Isn't that more important?

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 11/28/06 at 10:31am

It opens TOMORROW! And I'm thrilled!

[PeachesCat]

Posted: 11/28/06 at 10:40am

I already saw it, and am very interested in the reviews. THIS is what we should be talking about!