Comedian Bob Newhart has canceled his headlining stand-up appearance at Legatus Summit, a virulently anti-gay Catholic organization. So happy! Wednesday Newhart tweeted:
Upcoming Bob Newhart Tour Date Change — Bob will not be performing at the Legatus Summit in Orlando FL on February 6th, 2014
A number of bloggers and activists expressed their shock that Newhart–who won his first Emmy this year playing opposite openly gay Jim Parsons on Big Bang Theory–would headline the Legatus Summit which will also showcase Rick Santorum and the Catholic League’s William Donohue. It’s pretty clear where the ever-frothy Rick Santorum and Donohue stand on LGBT issues–and Legatus? Writing for GLAAD, Jeremey Hooper said:
Legatus pushes the idea that homosexuality itself is a “disorder” from which one must be “cured.”
Thank you, Bob Newhart for realizing some groups (even religious ones) have darker agendas and want to use celebrities to further bigotry, discrimination and hate. And thank you for looking and listening to your fans, gay and straight, who believe in you!