From: MediAction@aol.com Date: Mon, 28 Oct 1996 23:37:39 -0500 Subject: MEDIA/Briefs [B] - 31 OCT 96 ------------------------------------------------- INDEX: "MEDIA/Briefs" [B] - 31 OCT 96 (Please note: Parts A and B have been posted separately). [PART B] MEDIA/Briefs: - Item 3: "OTHER ISSUES" [Teen Voices; Rethinking Schools]. - Item 4: "TABLOID ROUNDTABLE" [Star; Globe; National Enquirer; Chad Allen; Jim Bakker; Whitney Houston; Julia Roberts; Ellen DeGeneres; John Kennedy, Jr.]. - Item 5: "E-MEDIA WATCH" [National Coalition Against Censorship; Great Neck Public Library]. - Item 6: "SUI DEGENERES" [Hollywood Reporter; Ellen; ABC/Touchstone; William Paley Television Festival; AFA Action Alert; J.C. Penny; Coca-Cola]. - Item 7: "SOUND INVESTMENT" [State of the Union; NCAC]. - Item 8: "LEADING THE CHARGE" [Rainbow Card; Do Tell, Inc.]. - ITEM 9: "SOUND & (UN)SOUND BITES [Michael Bronski; Gina Gershon]. [PART A] MEDIAlerts: - Item 1: "SCHLOCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOWS" [Millennium; Fox Television; Cruising; Vito Russo]. - Item 2: "NOT JUST A LOT OF HOT HAIR" [Seventeen Magazine; Sadie Van Gelder; Levi's; Sears]. General Information [about MEDIAlerts; author notes]. --------------------------------------------------- M E D I A l e r t ! ____________________________ October 16 - 31, 1996 Al Kielwasser [PART B] M E D I A / B R I E F S [3] *** O T H E R I S S U E S . . . "Teen Voices" is an alternative magazine that promises NOT to "carry articles about hair products, make-up, or how to get that special boy." Instead, Linda Christensen reports, the magazine focuses on "real issues in teen lives," from "ways to stop racism" to "growing up lesbian." "Teen Voices" is one of several educational media resources -- books, publications, video -- which are reviewed in the latest edition of "Rethinking Schools" (Fall 1996), a non-profit, independent newspaper "advocating the reform of elementary and secondary public schools," with an emphasis on "issues of equity and social justice." C o n t a c t : "Teen Voices," Women Express, Inc., 316 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, tel. 617-262-2434, fax 617-262-8937; "Rethinking Schools," 1001 E. Keefe Avenue, Milwaukee, WI 53212, tel. 414-964-9646, fax 414-964-7220, editorial e-mail Barbaramin@aol.com. [4] *** T A B L O I D R O U N D T A B L E . . . "Supermarket tabloids" -- America's most popular press (in terms of circulation, at any rate) -- have often featured gay gossip. Lately, that stable trend seems to be on a definite upswing. Recent headlines include: "Bewitched Star 'Dated' Cary Grant" (Star, Oct. 8), "Julia Roberts' Shocking Kissing Scenes With Bar Girl" (Star, Sept. 24), "Jim Bakker: How Gay Sex Charges Drove Him to Brink of Suicide" (Globe, Sept. 24), "Whitney's Gay Secrets" (National Enquirer, Oct. 15), "Ellen Outs Her TV Character as Gift to Galpal" (Globe, Oct. 1), and "Why Jackie O Feared Hunky John-John Was Gay" (Star, Sept. 24). In the latter case, an accompanying photo caption explains why: "John loved to tease gay men by baring his well-toned bod." While not all of this tabloid talk has been without merit, the latest batch seems especially smarmy. Perhaps the worst of the current lot is the Globe's (Oct. 1) cover story: "Gotcha! Dr. Quinn Star Caught in Gay Pool Romp." In themselves, the Globe's "exclusive photos" of actor Chad Allen kissing another man actually paint a rather happy picture. It is the accompanying text -- filled with one homophobic cliche after another -- which spoils the view. According to the article, Allen "shattered his wholesome image... by making out in a pool with another GUY!." The newspaper suggests: "21-year old Chad, who plays Jane Seymour's adopted son Matthew on CBS' hit family show, was having a gay old time smooching with handsome Jason Padovan, 26" and, later, Allen "gushed to the guys: 'I'm free at last.'" The article refers to Allen's pool-party kissing as "gay antics" and "kinky escapades." The Globe concludes by noting: "Last fall Chad admitted he was promiscuous and had been tested for HIV twice, sources say." C o n t a c t : Tony Frost, Editor, "Globe," 5401 N.W. Broken Sound Blvd., Boca Raton, FL 33487, tel. 407-997-7733 or 310-207-7800; Steve Coz, Editor, "National Enquirer," Lantana, FL 33464, tel. 561-586-1111 or 310-657-9872, e-mail letters@nationalenquirer.com, http://www.nationalenquirer.com/; Phil Bunton, Editor-in-Chief, "Star," 660 White Plains Road, Tarrytown, New York 10591, tel. 914-332-5000 or 310-858-1591. [5] *** E - M E D I A W A T C H . . . The Fall 1996 issue of "Censorship News" (a newsletter of the National Coalition Against Censorship) warns readers: "When it comes to the Internet, many libraries are apparently not following the traditional and important principles of the American Library Association on patron access. For example, the Great Neck Public Library in Long Island, NY -- expected by many to be particularly enlightened -- has adopted a new policy placing restrictions on young people and on general 'offensiveness.'" "Check your own library!," the newsletter advises, for even "one patron's pressing of First Amendment considerations" can have an impact. C o n t a c t : For more censorship news, visit NCAC's web site (www.ncac.org) or write the National Coalition Against Censorship, 275 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, tel. 212-807-6222, e-mail ncac@netcom.com. [6] *** S U I D E G E N E R E S . . . Writing in the "Hollywood Reporter" (October 18), Jonathan Davies details the latest developments in "Ellen's" on-going outing. For several weeks now, "official" rumors have been floated, suggesting that Ellen DeGeneres' sitcom character might come out of the closet sometime this season. More coy than confident, however, both ABC/Touchstone and DeGeneres have refused to confirm that a plot change is even being considered. Until now. According to the "Hollywood Reporter," DeGeneres has at last -- and at least -- promised fans of her sitcom that "they will learn this season whether her on-screen character is gay." Moreover, Davies reports, DeGeneres has also announced that she is "willing to accept the consequences." According to Davies, it was during the recent Museum of Television & Radio's "William S. Paley Television Festival" -- at a session about "Ellen" -- that one audience member finally asked DeGeneres: "How long will we have to wait?" "'The answer will be this season,' was as specific as DeGeneres would be," Davies reports. "'How long did you have to wait to find out who shot J.R.? People don't care about being shot so much; this person may be gay -- it'll ruin everything in society!' she cried, feigning horror." Davies also reports that: "Another audience member pressed the issue further, asking about the risk involved in showing a gay character on primetime television. And, despite museum president Robert Batscha's attempts to skirt the question, DeGeneres insisted on answering. 'Whatever happens, it would be a risk,' she said, although she noted that the series has already been syndicated to Lifetime Television. 'And yes, it is a risk that I would be willing to take.'" "Other audience members were cut off when they tried to explore the issue," Davies says. "But the evening ended on a weighty note when DeGeneres was asked whether she feels pressure to explore social issues -- sexual and otherwise -- on the show. 'I think I have a big responsibility; it's my name,' she said, adding that she now has greater self-confidence. 'It would be good to do some really great things for a lot of people with this character.'" In a recent "AFA Action Alert," the American Family Association has accused "Ellen" of "gnawing at traditional family values." AFA president Donald Wildmon is also threatening the show's more nervous or "uncommitted" advertisers (such as Penny's and Coke); should they choose to stick with "Ellen" and pander to "radical pro-sodomite groups," Wildmon promises a boycott. C o n t a c t : Dean Valentine, President of Network TV, Walt Disney and Touchstone Television, 500 South Buena Vista Street, Burbank, CA 91521-0001, tel. 818-560-5000, e-mail abcccaudr@ccabc.com, http://www.tvplex.com/note; American Family Association, P. O. Drawer 2440, Tupelo, MS 38803, tel. 601-844-5036, fax 601-844-9176, e-mail affilofc@ebicom.net, http://www.gocin.com/afa/; William Howell, Chair, J.C. Penny Company, Inc., P.O. Box 1001, Dallas, TX 75301, tel. 214-431-1000, fax 214-431-1977; Robert Goizueta, Chair, Coca-Cola Company, P.O. Drawer 1734, Atlanta, GA, tel. 800-438-2653, fax 404-676-4903, http://www.cocacola.com/forum/backtalk.html. [7] *** S O U N D I N V E S T M E N T . . . "State of the Union" is a new CD featuring "146 artists responding to the presidential State of the Union Address in 146 minutes." Billed as a "protest album about freedom of expression," the artists include Spalding Grey, Penny Arcade, Allen Ginsberg and Jessica Hagedorn. Profits from the CD sales will go to a good cause, the National Coalition Against Censorship. C o n t a c t : "State of the Union" is available through local music outlets, or directly from Atavistic Records, P.O. Box 578266, Chicago, IL 60657-8266; web browsers can access a complete list of all 146 artists, at www.panix.com/~esharp. [8] *** L E A D I N G T H E C H A R G E . . . The "Rainbow Card" -- a visa credit card founded by Martina Navratilova "to support and fund causes of interest to the lesbian and gay community" -- recently celebrated its first-year anniversary. With donations toping $1000,000, Navratilova said, "We have every reason to celebrate." Overall, the Rainbow Endowment hopes to raise some $20 million for participating charities and plans for the second year include a new transit shelter advertising in cities nationwide. "While we are specifically targeting our market, we aim to make a major leap into a more public medium by launching an outdoor media campaign," said Pam Derderian of Do Tell, Inc., a lesbian-owned agency dedicated to "marketing the lesbian and gay community." According to Derderian, the outdoor ads will "carry our new campaign themes, 'The Power of One,' based on the belief that each one of us can make a difference" (Well, those of us with good credit ratings anyway....). C o n t a c t : Do Tell, Inc., 1982 Butler Pike, Suite 600, Conshohocken, PA 19428, tel. 610-397-0100, fax 610-832-1585; applications are available through Travelers bank (tel. 800-99-RAINBOW) and on the Rainbow Card web site (http://www.rainbowcard.com). [9] S O U N D B I T E . . . "Even better than this, why not books about GAY children?... But the idea that there might be 'gay children,' or that children's sexual fantasies might be discussed or even catered to, strikes at the heart of the respectability-pandering in any of these titles.... More than this, these books represent the same advertising mentality and mainstreaming of the gay rights movement that we have recently seen in the publicity and press coverage surrounding the March on Washington and the struggle to lift the military ban against homosexuals: the redefining of the gay and lesbian community as... white, middle-class and extraordinarily respectable. It's a marketing ploy that is doomed to backfire because it is simply not the TRUTH about the majority of lesbians and gay men. It is important when dealing with children to tell the truth, not just because it is the right thing to do but because kids can usually spot a lie immediately." -- Michael Bronski, author and critic, on the "positive" gay images contained in such children's books as "Uncle What-Is-It" and "Daddy's Roommate." ["Positive Images and The Stupid Family," Radical America, vol. 25, no. 1, September 1993] ( U N ) S O U N D B I T E . . . "In the flirtation scenes with Jennifer, I found myself touching my hair and cocking my neck, real girly things, without realizing it. I knew that was wrong. I had to find that male essence. I had to become one of those guys who drives me crazy." -- Gina Gershon, heterosexual actress, on how she played "Corky," a lesbian character in "Bound".... a character that the hapless Gershon also describes as: "Essentially a guy." [Associated Press, October 3, 1996] [End of Part B] ------------------------------------------------- A B O U T M E D I A L E R T S "MEDIAlert!" [TM] (formerly the "GLAAD Media Watch") is a biweekly, advocacy-oriented column of media criticism, primarily focused on lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender issues. Since 1992, this column has been distributed, on request, as a community service. Recipients may print, publish or post this material, in whole or part, under this or any title, without prior permission. When appropriate, attribution can be made to "Al Kielwasser" and/or "MEDIAlert!" File copies of publications using all or part of any "MEDIAlert!" are always appreciated. Some current and back issues of "MEDIAlert!" are available online, through the Queer Resources Directory (http://www.qrd.org/qrd/media/medialert/) or the news section of AOL's "Gay & Lesbian Community Forum" (keyword: GLCF News). Next "MEDIAlert!" = November 1 - 15 , 1996. Contact: "MEDIAlert!," 163 Park Street, San Francisco, CA 94110-5835, voice-mail 415-826-5203, fax 415-826-5203 (ext. 8), e-mail mediaction@aol.com. ------------------------------------------------- A U T H O R N O T E S Al Kielwasser is the editor of "Gay People, Sex and the Media" (New York: Haworth Press). He has taught a wide range of courses and workshops in media theory and practice, and his research appears in the "Journal of American Culture," "Journal of Homosexuality," "Journal of Popular Culture," "Feedback: The Journal of the Broadcast Education Association," "The High School Journal," "Critical Studies in Mass Communication," and other publications; he was twice elected Chair of the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation/San Francisco Bay Area. ______________________________________________ Shape the forces that shape our society . . . challenge homophobia in and through the media. _______________________________________________