Tag Archives: Bret Easton Ellis

Thoughts On Being Gay In The Workforce

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There are many times when I wonder how being gay will have an impact on other aspects of my life, like future careers. Honestly, I don’t know why the topic would ever come up in a therapy session, as disclosing personal information isn’t done very rarely. Usually, the only times it would even happen is to help a client see that we understand or if I worked in an environment that specialized in LGBT issues (which I would LOVE to do someday). But what about other careers, like a lawyer, a doctor, or an actor? How does that   affect what they’re doing as a profession?

For perspective, here’s Ben Baur, an up and coming actor who is gay as he weighs what being out will mean for his acting career. First, Baur weighed even coming out of the closet:

And therein lay my dilemma. Should I be who I am, Ben Baur, the out-and-proud gay man, or Ben Baur the actor who skirts around the issue of sexuality and plays the pronoun game? 

On the one hand, my sexuality is private and really isn’t anyone else’s business. I want to go to work and do a job that I am passionate about and have that be enough. However, with any measure of attention in this day and age, it’s foolish to think that who an actor is dating is never going to come up.

On the other hand, however, I am completely free to be who I am, but there’s the fear that my career would suffer because of it. Recent tweets/interviews from the likes of Bret Easton Ellis and Rupert Everett have contributed to the message that being an openly gay actor will definitely hurt your career and you will definitely be pigeonholed and typecast.

I can identify with a few of the things he’s talking about. Especially the pronoun game. I was a MASTER at it actually. Hmm…. I’ll write about it so look for that one in a couple of days (probably tomorrow). Anyway, in the end, Baur decided it was more important to live an authentic life and be out. Others like Matt Bomer have done the same.

But what about other careers, fellow readers? I’d love to hear other perspectives on this subject. Sure, it may not be as difficult being out now. There’s even websites dedicated to jobs specifically for LGBT. Some may feel that it’s unnecessary to have such sites, but until LGBT have federal sanctions such as ENDA (Employee Non-Discrimination Act), that would protect LGBT from being fired because of their sexuality, it’s a benefit, not a detriment.

So, please share your experiences in the comments!

Bret Easton Ellis Agrees With Paris Hilton’s Disgusting Rant

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In he just wants attention news, subpar writer Bret Easton Ellis is putting himself into more controversy himself after saying he agrees with Paris Hilton’s asinine anti-gay comments last week. Ellis compares Paris’ comments to the dating app Grindr, used by gay men to locate other gay men, on twitter:

“I kind of agree with Paris Hilton. As someone who has used Grindr? Paris Hilton isn’t that far off.”

Disgusting. For reference, here is what Paris said during a cab ride last week:

“Gay guys are the horniest people in the world. They’re disgusting. Dude, most of them probably have AIDS…I would be so scared if I was a gay guy. You’ll like, die of AIDS”

Paris has since apologized repeatedly for the remarks saying that it wasn’t hewr intent but the damage is done. Bret however is more than likely doing this all for attention.He’ll probably try to send some half hearted lame apology and then justify his original statement, like all pompous, pretentious people like himself often do.

If you remember Bret is more known for his infamous attention seeking coments rather than his C-List writing. A couple of months ago, Bret made headlines stating that beautifiul Adonis Matt Bomer was “too gay” to play a straight character for a potential book to mive adaptation to 50 Shades Of Grey.

So the hell what if you use Grindr, Bret? What if I said pretentious assholes can’t make decent writers? This generalization that you’re agreeing with is not only damning to community, but also shows that you don’t believe in your own hype since you rely so much on making shockworthy comments. How about you be productive and talk about prevention programs of STD’s instead of further degrading and stereotyping our community? Get real asshole.

Can Straight Hollywood Write For Gay Characters & Actors Like The Immaculate Matt Bomer?

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Several weeks ago when Bret Easton Ellis went on a public tirade on twitter claiming the immaculate Matt Bomer was too gay (there is no such thing as being “too gay) to portray a straight character, along with the subsequent backlash, a lot of questions in the tv/film business arised.

First, What goes into the writing of an LGBT character in Hollywood, especially when the majority of the writers, producers, and directors are straight? Also, how are the characters developed if they don’t have personal experiences with gay men and women? Do they seek outside help, like friends and families or do they hire other LGBT crews of writers to specifically cater to that character?

Let’s take this beautiful man Matt Bomer as an example to this train of thought. Say he has been asked to audition for an action film involving gay hero and the writer /director is say Steven Spielberg, who is straight. Would he be able to accurately write for the character? How would he be able to direct a gay character? He can’t just tell Matt  “act gay” because in spite of Matt being gay, he can truly only be himself, not a sexuality. See my point?

Writer and actor David Blixt , who is also straight, discussed the natural  process of writing gay characters in his playwrites and novels. Blixt feels that there is no difference, other then what gender the character is attracted to, in how attraction begins with any two people in love:

First and foremost, love is love. Writing about the excitement of a kiss, of a caress, is the same across the board. Thinking about a first meeting of lips, or even a touch of a hand, is an electric, heart-hammering human experience. The best part is acknowledging what fools we are for love, how desperately grateful and fearful we are when it’s dangled before us.

Blixt also discussed the fluidity and malleability of characters in works throughout history like Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet and how cross dressing was not seen so much as a sexual reference, and more about our human experience. That the concept of love is universal, and therefore transcends our gender.

 

My point is that Hollywood should be focusing on writing a character, and sexuality is merely a descriptor, not this all encompassing personality trait. And some writers and producers are acknowledging this point as well.

Ali Alder, producer of NBC’s new upcoming new comedy, The New Normal, made note that although the premise of the story is about a gay couple and their surrogate, that it’s NOT the one and only focus of the characters. They’re complete personalities and not some exaggerated and inaccurate stereotype.

The character most of all should be as realistic and multidimensional as possible. If it’s a love scene, write it as two people in love, not some inaccurate  caricature that’s been played out in the media. And I presume that it’s what Matt Bomer, Zachary Quinto, and other openly gay actors and actresses look for in characters that are gay. The should be authentic; real. It’s definitively something to think about…plus I just wanted a reason to write about the Adonis that is Matt Bomer. I mean LOOK at him.

 

 

TWITTER Douche of the Day: Bret Easton Ellis On Matt Bomer Being In “Fifty Shades of Grey”.

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This coming from a man who possibly writes the WORST gay and bisexual characters ever in contemporary fiction.

As I have said before:  “Who is she?  Who was she?  Who does she hope to be?”