Kristin Chenoweth's Newsweek Archenemy Attempts to Explain Himself
Last week, Kristin Chenoweth spectacularly took to task Newsweek's Ramin Setoodeh for his editorial about how openly gay actors aren't convincing when they play straight (and before that, how openly gay actors aren't even helpful when they play gay). Today, Setoodeh has emerged to explain himself. "Over the weekend, I became the subject of a lot of vicious attacks," he wrote. "I received e-mails that said I will be fired, anonymous phone calls on my cell phone and a creepy letter at my home." So what's his defense?
The short version: "I was just being more honest than the New York Times, guys! And they said it first!"
The long version:
When Sean Hayes, from Will & Grace, made his Broadway debut in Promises, Promises playing a heterosexual man, the New York Times theater review included these lines: "his emotions often seem pale to the point of colorlessness ... his relationship with [his costar Kristin] Chenoweth feels more like that of a younger brother than a would-be lover and protector." This, to me, is code: it's a way to say that Hayes's sexual orientation is getting in the way of his acting without saying the word gay.
Instead of hiding behind double entendre and leaving the obvious unstated, I wrote an essay in the May 10 issue of NEWSWEEK called "Straight Jacket" examining why, as a society, it's often hard for us to accept an openly gay actor playing a straight character. You can disagree with me if you like, but when was the last time you saw a movie starring a gay actor? The point of my essay was not to disparage my own community, but to examine an issue that is being swept under the rug. [...]
What all this scrutiny seemed to miss was my essay's point: if an actor of the stature of George Clooney came out of the closet today, would we still accept him as a heterosexual leading man?
Well, we know Setoodeh wouldn't. The journalist also went on MSNBC today to defend himself and muddle up his argument even more by arguing (as he did in his original piece) that we don't see gay actors play complex, real people in bastions of human versimiltude like The Proposal. This dude has a hard-on for The Proposal, I am telling you:
"A lot more actors are coming out of the closet, and that's great," says Setoodeh. "A lot more people are tolerant of the gay community, and that's great -- as a member of the gay community, that's great. But, it's still not progress."
I think, technically speaking, it kind of is?
Out Of Focus [Newsweek]
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Actually I got what the writer was saying. For me, if I know an actor is gay and he/she is playing a romantic lead, it's unbelievable. In fact there are some so-called Heteros that play romantic lead, and I have to question their sexuality because it's just unbelievable, there's no chemistry....
So I got what the writer was saying. A Hetero sexual man (think: Mickey Rourke) is going to register heat on the screen opposite a woman, whereas a gay man won't. Same with women....I remember when Lilly Tomlin played opposite some actor (Keanu? I forgot), it was totally laughable.
Sorry, but Mickey Rourke wouldn't register heat with a woman even if he rubbed his chihuahuas over her chest.
Couldn't it just be that some people have chemistry with each other, and some don't? I think Setoodeh is an idiot, trying to make conflicting points (more gay actors should come out, there are no roles for them, and none of them can play straight).
I know we all want this guy to be wrong - and for sure he's wrong about Broadway leading men - but movie leading men still are not openly gay.
This time network TV leads the way with Neil Patrick Harris.
Totally unconvincing as a homophobe; I don't buy it.
this is a good example. NPH is totally believable as a hetero. maybe sean's problem (if he has one, haven't seen the play) is that he isn't just openly gay, but he played a very flamboyant stereotypical gay man in a successful tv series? in any case, i like sweetbiscuits thought that it's just a chemistry thing, and shouldn't be called a gay/straight thing.
I mean, it's pretty much just homophobia and baggage. Like, when Tom Cruise kisses a girl on screen, I'm like, "Yeah, okay, bro." But then I check myself and realize his character isn't a notorious and alleged closet-case, the actor is, then it's much easier to take the on-screen relationship seriously.
And that Groff guy sells me straight, pretty much, so there's that.
snortle.
This is just a stupid article. He references a star "of George Clooney's caliber"....now, We've all watched the mega stars like Clooney, Pitt, Depp, Smith, yada yada yada for decades. If they were all to suddenly announce that they were gay after we've watched them in every romcom imagineable, we would suddenly not be able to believe them to be hetero in their next dismal romcom? It's just stupid really.
this guy is an asshole.
i havent seen sean hayes on this thing, im not crazy about his acting, but since i havent seen him on this play, i wont comment.
but there are plenty of gay actors who can do straight perfectly, and to be honest women dont really mind if some campiness comes through! hell, we all love those englishmen! its all great. sometimes we like them even more! (see NPH) its all about being a good actor, its all about acting and charisma and if you have what it takes to be a true star no matter what is your sexual orientation.
this guy is a jerk. i would fire him.
Can you imagine if George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Johnny Depp and Will Smith were all gay and came out at once? I think I just Setoodeh'd a little bit.
i think tv stars have a problem that movie stars dont, if you've watched someone on screen for many years playing the same role, you start to believe that they are that character. maybe thats the problem with sean hayes...
but. with movie stars i think the stakes are higher... i think it would be good if some of the biggest stars, started coming out, if they are good actors i will believe them as gay, as straight, as a cucumber... i dont care.
what im finding hard already is to believe that some 'stars' are their characters anyway. clooney comes to mind... i've loved him on many things (im thinking of his coen brother movies appearances), but in "up in the air" i was thinking... "oh look, its george clooney, acting".
maybe sean hayes isnt a very good actor. ive only seen him as jack, so i cant say.
im not a glee fan, but i saw an episode with the actor in question and he didnt strike me as gay, he was just like the others, bland. i think nph can pull out straight just fine (what can't nph do?), as that actor who did pushing daisies could (ooh), and clooney and jake, and who else is a closeted actor? i wish everyone would come out! at the same time, like someone suggested, it would be beautiful.
oh and the guy who wrote the original article is an asshole
i have friends that still don't believe that NPH is gay. because he's so convincing as a straight man.
I tell them that it's because he's good at his craft and because unlike someone, to them a person's sexuality isn't the end all and be all of who that person is. when they look at a gay actor he's a gay ACTOR not a GAY actor.
Ramin perhaps needs to learn that lesson.
also, it's not shame that keeps every gay in the closet, it's a desire to be judged by more than just sexuality. and really does it matter. can't people have a little privacy. do we have to force all gay and lesbian performers to be spokespeople for gay pride etc. and if they aren't they are ashamed, homophobic etc
On a lighter note while I don't actually think it's true, I can only imagine with the on screen chemistry and the tabloid insistence that the dating rumors are true, how many heads world wide would simultaneously implode of Robert Pattinson were to stand up during a tv interview and say "look all those rumors are bollocks, I'm not now and I've never dated Kristen. Because i'm gay."
"i think tv stars have a problem that movie stars dont, if you've watched someone on screen for many years playing the same role, you start to believe that they are that character. "
no one confuses movie stars with their characters.
tell that to the kids from Twilight. the whole Robsten soul mates tripe is based on the notion they are just like their characters. the repeated lack of photo proof, confirmation by them and named sources making a clear statement won't shake the claim. kind of nauseating really
OKAY. i havent seen the twilight movies, isnt the twilight girl trying to branch out doing that runaway movie, didnt daniel radcliffe got naked on the the theatre, maybe its hard for everyone who is part of a series be that on tv or the movies?
that twilight girl seems to be a terrible actress and so does her male counterpart.... so im not feeling bad for them. if they are good enough they will do fine somewhere else. see.... harrison ford.
hey! i love this! this would be my post if i was sober! i support this post.
im off to bed, and im both high and drunk... and i just wanted to come here and say in typical drunkish fashion...
MOVIELINE i love you. i do, i really do.
(i had to say it on this post cos the lastest one was written by louis virtel and i dont really like him (no offence louie, you can hear that as compliment) but... sssssssshhhhhhhhh... but come on, someone who doesnt like NPH isnt to be trusted..... plus, all his articles are boring. shhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. i do love all the newcomers tho (kinda)....sssssssssshhhhhhhhhhhhh.. hey movieline, i love you!)
Wait... what??? He wants to see more actors come out of the closet so... he can slam them too for not being able to 'play straight'??? WHAT?? Yeah, that's incentive if I ever heard it!
Mr. Setoodeh, if you could just open your mouth and insert your other foot for us? Thanks.
Sweetpea is right about chemistry.
I can't recall Harrison Ford or Bruce Willis having chemistry with any of their love interest in movies (exception of course is Moonlighting which is tv). Or Arnold. Can't get more hetero than that.
I know most younger
Well, I kind of take Mr. Setoodeh's point, but I disagree regarding the etiology. In my mind, Sean Hayes will always be Jack, regardless of how well he performs in any other roles, and it has nothing whatsoever to do with a lack of talent on his part--quite the contrary. He created so rich and interesting a character that the character and the actor have become indellibly linked in my mind. A parallel to this is the fact that, whatever character Dennis Haysbert plays, my first association every time I see him will always be President David Palmer. So I think that if the New York Times reviewer was unable to look past sexual orientation, it was not Sean's sexuality that was the obstacle to the suspension of disbelief, it was Jack's.
It's probably [obviously] evident, but why is it that every Movieline article that receives more than 7 comments gives me a migraine? No offence, of course, my google happy friends.
Carl Winslow.
Checkmate.
Honestly, I really like what Chenoweth said: http://bit.ly/b04B4O "We’re actors first, whether we’re playing prostitutes, baseball players, or the Lion King. Audiences come to theater to go on a journey. It’s a character and it’s called acting."