Controversy: April 2008 Archives

The answer seems pretty obvious to me: nothing.

Straight couples enjoy a kiss in public and that's great. If they are making out like crazy then they deserve a few remarks like "Get a room!" But I don't think anyone would call the police on 'em!

Make that couple a pair of guys and it's a different story. Last Friday night, ABC's "20/20" did one of its always intriguing "What would you do?" segments where they hire actors to do something provocative - for hours sometimes - as they film the reactions from passers-by.

Check out the clip:

William Baldwin, star of ABC's "Dirty Sexy Money," has joined brother Alec in publicly dissing broter Stephen's anti-gay views: Alec Baldwin has already come out against born-again Christian brother Stephen Baldwin's anti-gay politics in Out Magazine. "My brother Stephen does not have a political bone in his body... He hides behind the Word and whenever you confront him he'll hide behind some verse. He'll say, "All that really matters to me is that the Lord said blah blah blah blah" and he'll fill in the blank... I don't love my brother any less, but I think he's very confused."

"Tonight Show" host Jay Leno spoke with KMXB radio in Las Vegas about the "gayest look" controversy involving Ryan Phillippe. Lucky for us, Andy Towle transcribed it and has an audio link on his Towleroad blog.

Here is a little excerpt: "You know, it's really odd how on our show we have plenty of gay guests and plenty of gay guests who you know - 'how's your relationship going, how's your family going' -- Melissa Etheridge, with everybody else. To me I never made fun of gay rights or even gay marriage. Do what you want to do. But to me -- fashion, lifestyle, hair, you know that kind of stuff -- you're a comic. Thats what you do. And what it was was Ryan Phillippe..."

Kevin Spacey just leaves me cold. That's probably why I find this item sp much fun to share: It seems that Spacey, whose new film "21" is currently nimber one at the box office, has dismissed the UK reality show "I'll Do Anything" as nothing more than a plug for Andrew Lloyd Webber.

John Barrowman, a judge on the show had this to say to Spacey during an interview on Capital Radio: "You know what, shut up! It's promoting theatre. Maybe he's a bit upset because his plays just aren't hits."

Ouch!!!

Jay Leno has apologized for last week's bizarre bit with Ryan Phillippe on "The Tonight Show" when Ryan was on to promote his new movie "Stop-Loss."

Jay brought up Ryan's early role as a gay teen on the ABC soap "One Life to Live" then inexplicably said to Ryan: "Can you give me, like - say that camera is your gay lover ...Can you give me your gayest look'? Say that camera is Billy Bob - Billy Bob has just ridden in shirtless from Wyoming."

Ryan looked instantly uncomfortable and said: "Wow. That is so something I don't want to do. Are you just going to embarrass me tonight, or ... ?"

"No," said Jay. "I got more stuff. This is the least of it."

Earlier today, GLAAD slammed Leno with this statement: "We are proud of Ryan for refusing to participate in Leno's thoughtless attempt at humor," said GLAAD President Neil G. Giuliano. "Under the guise of comedy, the talk-show host is demonstrating a lack of respect for the gay community and insensitivity to both his co-workers and the audience, to whom he owes an apology."

Then came this apology from Jay: "In talking about Ryan's first role, I realize that what I said came out wrong. I certainly didn't mean any malice. I agree it was a dumb thing to say, and I apologize."