Date: Wed, 19 Aug 1998 07:14:36 -0700 From: "Loren R. Javier" Subject: GLAAD CALLS '98 TELEVISION LINEUP AN INCREASING REFLECTION OF GAY COMMUNITY MEDIA RELEASE-FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Media Contact: William Horn (213) 658-6775, ext.17 pager: (800) 946-4646, pin#1423528 e-mail: horn@glaad.org GLAAD CALLS '98 TELEVISION LINEUP AN INCREASING REFLECTION OF GAY COMMUNITY "The Fall '98 TV lineup marks a significant year for unique and diverse images of lesbian and gay Americans," -Joan M. Garry, Executive Director LOS ANGELES, CA, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 19, 1998-The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) announced today that the 1998 fall television lineup will include a unique array of regular and recurring lesbian, gay and bisexual characters of color. Joining them will be national television's first gay male lead character on the new sitcom Will & Grace. In years past, gay characters of color, and particularly lesbians of color, have been virtually non-existent on television. However, this year, nearly one quarter of the 19 lesbian and gay characters are people of color. Showtime Networks recently introduced Jackie (Rain Pryor), an African-American lesbian of color on its irreverent new comedy Rude Awakenings. Also, on the cable channel's new show Linc's, Rosalee (Tisha Campbell) is currently questioning her sexual orientation. In addition, primetime will welcome back two African-American gay male characters: Chicago Hope's Dr. Dennis Hancock (Vondie Curtis-Hall), and Carter Heywood (Michael Boatman) on Spin City, a GLAAD Media Award-winner. Joan M. Garry, GLAAD Executive Director, said this figure represents a decrease from last year's record setting number of lesbian and gay characters. Nonetheless, she is heartened by the quality of the upcoming season: "The 1998 TV lineup is significant in that it demonstrates an increase in the number of characters which genuinely reflect the uniqueness and diversity of our community in a way we have not yet seen." Garry continued, "No longer are lesbian and gay characters strictly peripheral on network television and GLAAD hopes to see these portrayals continue to grow-reflecting the realities of diversity, family and faith." Lesbian, gay and bisexual characters will be returning to such shows as Friends, Mad About You, Nash Bridges and NYPD Blue. In all, the season will include five new regular and recurring characters. After Ellen DeGeneres' groundbreaking year, NBC will make a little history of its own with Will & Grace. The new Monday night comedy will feature television's first gay male lead character, Will Truman (Eric McCormack). The sitcom also brings Will's sassy friend Jack (Sean P. Hayes) to the small screen. William Horn, GLAAD Assistant Entertainment Media Director said of NBC's Will & Grace, "We are delighted with such a smart sitcom which tells the story, in an extremely funny, witty, and at times poignant way, of two best friends-one of whom happens to be gay. Will & Grace possess the qualities of a hit TV show: a great cast, an accomplished director and incredible chemistry between a talented cast." For a detailed list of this season's characters, please visit GLAAD's "TV Scoreboard" at http://www.glaad.org . GLAAD is the nation's lesbian and gay multimedia advocacy organization. GLAAD is dedicated to promoting fair, accurate and inclusive representations of individuals and events in the media as a means of challenging discrimination based on sexual orientation or identity. -30- ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) glaad@glaad.org TO REPORT DEFAMATION IN THE MEDIA - Call GLAAD's Alertline at 1.800.GAY.MEDIA or go to the GLAAD Web Site at www.glaad.org and report through our Alertline Online. TO JOIN GLAAD AND RECEIVE GLAAD's DISPATCH AND QUARTERLY IMAGES MAGAZINE, call 1.800.GAY.MEDIA or join on the Web today at www.glaad.org/glaad/join/join-about.html TO SUBSCRIBE TO GLAAD-Net, GLAAD's electronic mailing list, send e-mail to majordomo@vector.casti.com with the message "Subscribe GLAAD-Net" TO UNSUBSCRIBE, send e-mail to majordomo@vector.casti.com with the message "Unsubscribe GLAAD-Net" GLAAD is a national organization that promotes fair, accurate and inclusive representation as a means of challenging discrimination based on sexual orientation or identity. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "GLAAD" and "Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation" are registered trademarks of the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, Inc.