Date: Fri, 16 Dec 1994 21:24:23 -0500 From: GLAADSFBA@aol.com MEDIA WATCH for December 16, 1994 by AL KIELWASSER Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, San Francisco Bay Area BASIC INSTINCT: THE SEQUEL? Director Paul Verhoeven and screen writer Joe Eszterhas -- the infamous couple who brought us the homophobic treat "Basic Instinct" -- are apparently up to their old tricks. Verhoeven and Eszterhas are the "creative" force Carolco studio's feature film "Showgirls," currently being shot in Los Vegas. Described as "an erotic, exotic, and often gritty expose of life behind the scenes on the (Los Vegas) strip," "Showgirls" follows the travails of Nomi Malone, a young woman thrust into a world where friends are few and obstacles are many." Among the "obstacles" Nomi confronts is -- you guessed it -- a lesbian villain. The script synopsis for "Showgirls" describes Nomi Malone being virtually stalked by Cristal, the evil, back-stabbing, cocaine-addicted lesbian. One scene is described this way: "The next day, Nomi shows up for rehearsal, but she only finds Cristal doing cocaine. Over lunch, their conversation takes on a sexual lean. Cristal's coming on to her. As they rehearse later, Cristal begins to kiss her, and again accuses her of being a whore. Nomi refuses to go further." Admittedly, the full significance of such characterizations can only be revealed by the complete script and -- finally -- in the finished film itself. However, given the homophobic tripe that Verhoeven and Eszterhas gave us with "Basic Instinct," lesbian and gay filmgoers should basically be suspicious. Concerns can be shared with Director Paul Verhoeven, Producers Alan Marshall and Charles Evans, and Co-Producer Joe Eszterhas, "Showgirls," c/o Carolco Studios, 8800 Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90069, tel. 213-850-8800. LIFE-SAVING TELEVISION The December 22 episode of "My So-Called Life" (ABC) includes a storyline in which teenager Rickie Vasquez is forced from his own home because of his sexual orientation. Wilson Cruz, the 20-year-old actor who plays Rickie, says that the storyline is based on his real life experiences; his father asked him to leave home just before Christmas last year. Cruz -- who is gay -- recently told a "TV Guide" interviewer why he decided to come out. "In order for my character to have any effect on people, I can't live a hypocritical life," he said. Further asked if he thought his character would find romance on "My So-Called Life," Cruz replied: "When he's ready." Currently, "My So-Called Life" is the only network television program that features a recurring (and potentially life-saving) role model for lesbian/gay/bisexual teens. Unfortunately, as one critic put it, the program is "ratings starved." ABC has announced that, as of January 26, the series will be placed on hiatus and might not be renewed next Fall. Grassroots efforts to save the "My So-Called Life" have sprung up around the country, and supportive letters could make all the difference. Write to Randi Cohen, ABC Productions, 2020 Avenue of the Stars, 5th Floor, Century City, CA 90067, tel. 310-557-6901, fax 310-557-6147; Marshall Herskovitz & Ed Zwick, Executive Producers, "My So-Called Life," Bedford Fall Company, 409 Santa Monica Blvd., Santa Monica, CA 90401. NO APOLOGIES NECESSARY ! The ultra-right wing and ultra-homophobic "Concerned Women of America" (which bills itself as the nation's largest women's organization) has begun a phone zap of Macy's department stores for advertising in "The Advocate." According to the Concerned Women of America (CWA), Macy's representatives have been apologizing to angry CWA callers for advertising in the lesbian/gay news magazine. Let Macy's know that no apologies are necessary; ask the company to reject CWA's hate campaign and to continue Macy's support of lesbian, gay and bisexual publications. Call 212-695-4400 (and press "1", then "0") or write to Macy's, 151 West 34th Street, New York, NY 10001, ATTN: Executive Offices. Copy your correspondence to "The Advocate," 6922 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90028, ATTN: Editorial (fax 213-467-6805). AFA'S WILD MAN AT IT AGAIN . . . The National Coalition Against Censorship (NCAC) is being attacked by arch-homophobe Donald Wildmon of the American Family Association (AFA). The AFA is attacking NCAC for having defended the Pink Pyramid, a lesbian/gay bookstore in Cincinnati (the bookstore and its employees and co-owner were unsuccessfully charged with obscenity pandering for having rented a video copy of Pier Paolo Passolini's film "Salo"). Wildmon and the AFA are putting pressure on the church groups that participate in NCAC to drop their affiliation with the anti-censorship organization. Among those joining with NCAC in defense of Pink Pyramid (and the First Amendment) were United Methodist Church, National Council of the Churches of Christ, Union of American Hebrew Congregations, and the Unitarian Universalist Association. Letters of support for the stand taken by these organizations can be sent in care of Dalia Kandiyoti, Media Coordinator, NCAC, 275 7th Ave., New York, NY 10001, tel. 212-807-NCAC, fax 212-807-6245; the censorious and bigoted Donald Wildmon can be contacted at the AFA, P.O. Drawer 2440, Tupelo MS 38803, e-mail AmFamily1@aol.com. MEDIA BRIEFS * (UN)SOUND BITES . . . Complaining about the apparently increasing number of lesbian/gay/bisexual roles on television, Lou Sheldon -- leader of the Traditional Values Coalition -- told the Los Angeles Times (11/3/94): "Homosexuals should not be portrayed at all on TV. If young males need to identify with someone, they should identify with Clint Eastwood." * IN THESE TIMES . . . The Dec. 5 issue of the Los Angeles Times includes Howard Rosenberg's short feature on "Revealing Gayness on TV Terms" (a wry commentary on gayness and ratings); Time magazine's "roster of America's most promising leaders age 40 and under" (Dec. 5) includes lesbian activist Urvashi Vaid; The New York Times has finally filled a void in lesbian and gay coverage by appointing openly-gay writer David Dunlap to cover the lesbian/gay beat. * RADIO ACTIVITY . . . Kudos to San Francisco Bay Area radio station KABL (Jerry Jacob, Station Manager, 2576 Harrison St., S.F., CA 94110, tel. 415-695-5740) for including same-sex song dedications on its "Saturday Night Groove Thing" show; Also worth listening to is the nationally-syndicated Tom Leykis, who is billed as "the opposite of Rush Limbaugh." He can be heard locally on KSFO, Monday through Friday at 3:00. * COMPUTING . . . Frontier Graphics (tel. 510-540-6014) has announced the release of "ClipOuts," a clip art package of gay/lesbian symbols and images; vol. 1 features people and vol. 2 includes symbols and boarders. **************************** We must confront the media's homophobia in order to cure it! To notify the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation of any defamatory or affirmative media coverage call our 24-hour Media Watch Hotline at 415-861-4588, or write to GLAAD/SFBA, 1360 Mission Street, Suite 200, San Francisco, CA 94103; fax, 415-861-4893; e-mail glaad sfba@aol.com. GLAAD/SFBA is a membership-based community organization dedicated to cultural advocacy and media activism, which promotes the fair, accurate and diverse representation of lesbian, gay and bisexual lives in the mass media. Send items for this weekly report to the attention of "Media Watch" at GLAAD/SFBA or e-mail to glaad sfba@aol.com. When appropriate, attribution for items used should be made to Al Kielwasser and/or GLAAD/SFBA. As always, we greatly appreciate copies of any publications that use all or part of the "Media Watch."