Subject: MEDIAlert! ["B"] - 03.21.97
From: [email-masked]
Date: Sun, 23 Mar 1997 15:34:24 -0500 (EST)

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INDEX:  "MEDIAlert!" for 03.21.97 [PART "B" ONLY] 

-ITEM 3:  "Ellen's Critics" [Ellen DeGeneres; Chicago Sun-Times; GLAAD;
Newsday; ABC; Karla Jay; Two Teenagers in Twenty; Girlfriends].

-ITEM 4:  "The TV Guided Audience" [Ellen; TV Guide; UPI].  
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M  E  D  I  A  l  e  r  t  !
_______________________________

March 16-31, 1997   Al Kielwasser

[3]

E L L E N ' S  C R I T I C S

Media pundits continue to side-up over a pending "outing" of the title
character in Ellen DeGeneres' ABC sitcom.  Worthy of special note are two
recent efforts -- both critical in tone, and both by mainstream journalists
(though any similarity ends there).  While one makes a rare constructive
point, overlooked by those too "pleased" and "polite," the other is a
pointless mess -- overlooking the obvious in favor of the obnoxious.  

Writing in the "Chicago Sun-Times" (March 9), columnist Leslie Baldacci
observes:  "This 'Ellen' thing is like watching a hostage situation.  Gay and
lesbian groups are so pleased to finally have a lesbian TV character, they
are being incredibly polite to ABC Entertainment and its owner, Disney."  

"However, rude heterosexual that I am," Baldacci quips, "I must criticize two
things the network said... while announcing that, indeed, the Ellen DeGeneres
character would come out as a lesbian in an April 30 episode."

First, Baldacci objects to ABC's stated assurance that Ellen "will remain the
endearing and entertaining character viewers have grown to love."  "Now
what's that supposed to mean?," Baldacci asks.  "Is being a lesbian somehow
not compatible with being endearing and entertaining?"

The "Sun-Times" columnist also cites ABC for making a serious omission -- an
omission that few straight critics grasped, and many queer critics ignored.
 "Sometimes what you don't say can be as important as what you do say, and
one thing the network did not say was the word 'lesbian,'" Baldacci writes.
 "That's right.  They somehow managed to 'out' Ellen without using the word
'lesbian,' no small feat."

Finally, Baldacci contrasts ABC's "fretting" over Ellen with NBC's bolder,
less-evasive defense for airing "Schindler's List" -- without apologies for
any controversial content -- "because of its overarching humanitarian value."
 If the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation wanted to "pick a fight"
with ABC, "they'd have some pretty great ammo" Baldacci concludes.  "But this
time, they have decided to lie low and await this history-making TV event.
 Their call." 

A pallid contrast to Baldacci's critique is a blunted effort by Marvin
Kitman, television writer for "Newsday" (March 16).  His lead sets the whole
dismissive tone:  "I have two words about the great 'Ellen' debate that is
the major story of the TV season -- Who cares?"

Kitman goes on to repeat the question, over and again:  "Who cares that Ellen
Morgan, the character played by Ellen DeGeneres... will be coming out of the
closet on April 30, the highlight of May sweeps?  Who cares if she is gay or
not?  Who cares if she is a closet member of the Flat Earth Society?  Who
cares...."

The media -- "treating the coming out as if it were the opening of a new
Disneyland" -- are paying too much attention to a non-story, Kitman
complains.  "It just goes to show how they can't think of anything else to
write about."

Attempting to dismiss both sides of the "debate," Kitman concludes:  "The
whole thing is so ridiculous and irrelevant.  What does the sexual
orientation of a character itself have to do with comedy?  Who knew if
Groucho Marx wore women's silk underwear?  Who knew if W.C. Fields was a foot
fetishist?...  Does 'Seinfield' have to bring anything out of the closet to
make you laugh?"

Even overlooking his dubious equation of lesbianism and foot fetishism,
Kitman's review is appallingly dumb and insensitive.  Asserting that sexual
orientation, race or gender "doesn't matter" is a favorite ploy of straight,
white men whenever minorities get uppity.  Kitman's "who cares?" attitude
would be fine, except for one little thing -- HOMOPHOBIA STILL EXISTS.

Anyone who cares about combating homophobia should care about the "great
Ellen debate."  Popular images of homosexuality -- as they translate into
public perceptions -- are very relevant, especially to those who suffer the
consequences of defamation.

Who cares?  Young lesbians and gays, for a start.  Several of the
contributors to Ann Heron's book "Two Teenagers in Twenty" point to
television and other popular media as their only source of affirmation -- of
not feeling "alone."  For one 17-year-old, "watching talk shows helped me to
realize there are other people out there like me."  The recollections of
lesbian and gay adults tell a similar story, though often of a time when "no
one cared."

Pioneering activist Karla Jay recalls that -- during her youth -- "the
critics, instead of pointing out my tribespeople, denied their existence."
 Today, fewer critics can so easily deny the EXISTENCE of homosexuality."  As
recent examples show, however, they can certainly deny -- or embrace -- its
SIGNIFICANCE.

* * * *  ACTION ALERT!  Send compliments to Leslie Baldacci, "Chicago
Sun-Times," 401 N. Wabash Avenue, Chicago, IL 60611, fax 312-321-2120, e-mail
[email-masked].  Complaints can be directed to Marvin Kitman, TV
Writer, and Phylliss Singer, Assistant Managing Editor, Features/Part II,
"Newsday," 235 Pinelawn Rd., Melville, New York, NY 11747-4226, tel.
516-843-2775 or 516-843-2950, e-mail (Kitman)
[email-masked], e-mail (Letters Editor)
[email-masked], web http://www.newsday.com; copy your correspondence to
Anthony Morro, Editor & Executive Vice President, "Newsday," e-mail
[email-masked].

Related Resources:  "A Gay Critique of Modern Literary Criticism," Karla
Jay's seminal review of the reviewers, is published in her anthology "Out of
the Closets: Voices of Gay Liberation" (New York: Douglas-Links, 1972).

[Side Bar:   The current criticism surrounding "Ellen," both good and bad,
seems filled with a sense of surprise -- at least in the mainstream media,
where the assumption of heterosexuality is constantly at play.  The news of
"Ellen's" outing would have been far less shocking to straight critics had
they bothered to read their colleagues work, in the queer press.  Only a year
after "Ellen" debuted, "Girlfriends" magazine (July/August 1995) published a
feature on "Ellen," in which Joyce Millman dubbed the series "a prime example
of a don't ask, don't tell sitcom."  "Ellen is a closet lesbian," Millman
declared:  "That's why she gets no thrill from the guys she dates.  That's
why she's always dissing Paige for her man-chasing ways and boy-toy
outfits....  'Ellen' has been tossing of frisky gay and lesbian in-jokes all
season."]

[5]

T H E  T V  G U I D E D  A U D I E N C E

In response to the "Ellen" controversy, the latest issue of "TV Guide" (March
22-28) printed EIGHT readers' letters; only ONE applauded the idea of a
lesbian character.  The headline used for this "Letters" section conveys the
sentiment:  "Funny Girl Ellen - No Preference Preferred."

A reader in Reno complained:  "'Ellen' is such a great show.  Why must Ellen
have a sexual preference.  Why can't Ellen just be Ellen?"  Apparently, it
hasn't occurred to this writer that Ellen might JUST BE LESBIAN.

From Flushing, New York, another letter chided:  "Ellen should leave her
sexuality out of the show.  She's one of the funniest women on TV.... Must
everything have weight?  Can't we just be amused?"  A question this reader
failed to ask:  Can we JUST be amused by heterosexual women?

Typically, these viewers assume that only HOMOSEXUAL images carry any
ideological "weight" or preach a point of view.  HETEROSEXUAL images are seen
(by heterosexuals) as neutral, normal amusements -- entertainment without
education.  But ALL television teaches, and the message of an
all-heterosexual program is not lost on a homophobic society.

A recent poll, conducted at the behest of "TV Guide," appears to mirror the
sentiments of the magazine's readers.  Valerie Kuklenski, entertainment
editor for United Press International (March 19), reports that "ABC should
not expect a first-place finish for its controversial 'Ellen' coming-out
episode."  According to Kuklenski, a telephone survey conducted last month
"found that Americans do not approve of homosexual lead characters on TV
series."

Thirty-seven percent of those surveyed said "a gay lead role in prime time is
a bad idea," while just eleven percent thought it was "a good idea."
 However, many of the respondents (46%) felt "it depends on how the issue is
handled."

Ignoring the problems inherent in such surveys, it is still safe to assume
that many viewers ARE homophobic enough to reject the idea of "a gay lead
role."  Yet the homophobia measured in the "TV Guide" survey -- and expressed
on the magazine's "Letters" page  -- is an argument FOR including lesbian and
gay characters in lead roles.  The survey only demonstrates the consequences
of past EXCLUSION.

What the audience wants (homophobia) it gets, and what it gets (homophobia)
it wants.  It is a vicious cycle, which broadcasters can break.

* * * *  ACTION ALERT!  Spin the results of "TV Guide's" survey into an
argument FOR queer characters; encourage the magazine to consider every valid
interpretation whenever reporting these results (or any survey of what the
audience "thinks" about homosexuality).  Contact:  Steven Reddicliffe,
Editor-in-Chief, "TV Guide," Radnor, PA 19088, web http://www.tvguide.com
(brief comments intended for publication in "TV Guide" should be sent to the
"Letters Department," at the same address).

Comments for or about "Ellen" can be sent to ABC and Disney.  Contact:  Jamie
Tarses, Entertainment President, ABC, 2040 Avenue of the
Stars, Los Angeles, CA 90067, tel. 310-557-7777, fax 310-557-7679, e-mail
[email-masked]; Michael Eisner, CEO and David Neuman, President, Walt
Disney Television/The Walt Disney Company, 500 South Buena Vista, Burbank, CA
91521-1010, tel. (recorded comments line) 818-560-2413 or 818-560-1000, fax
(Eisner) 818-560-5155, web http://www.disney.com/Mail.

[End of Part "B"; Part "A" (News Style) and Part "C" (Media Briefs & Web
Watch) are posted separately]

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ABOUT MEDIALERTS!

Distributed as a community press service since 1992, "MEDIAlert!" [TM] is a
biweekly, advocacy-oriented column of media criticism, primarily focused on
lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender issues.  

Recipients may print, publish or post this material, in whole or part, under
this or any title, without prior permission.  When appropriate, attribution
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publications using all or part of any "MEDIAlert!" are always appreciated.  

Next "MEDIAlert!" = April 4, 1997.  [Regular subscribers, please note:
 Starting with this issue, "MEDIAlert!" will be sent out on the first and
third Friday of each month, rather than the second and fourth].

Contact:  A. P. Kielwasser, MEDIAction, 163 Park Street, San Francisco, CA
94110-5835, voice-mail/fax 415-826-5203, e-mail [email-masked].

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AUTHOR NOTES

Al Kielwasser is the editor of "Gay People, Sex and the Media" (New York:
 Haworth Press).  His media criticism and research have appeared widely, in
both mainstream and academic publications (including the "Journal of American
Culture," "Journal of Homosexuality," "Journal of Popular Culture," and
"Critical Studies in Mass Communication"); he was twice elected Chair of the
Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation/San Francisco Bay Area.