Kristin Chenoweth Slams Newsweek's 'Horrendously Homophobic' Article

By PopEater Staff Posted May 11th 2010 06:42AM

Broadway actress Kristin Chenoweth has slammed Newsweek writer Ramin Setoodeh, who criticized Sean Hayes for not being able to successfully play a straight man in 'Promises, Promises.' He went on to generalize the casting problem to all gay actors.

An upset Chenoweth immediately wrote a lengthy response to support her Broadway co-star. "This article offends me because I am a human being, a woman and a Christian. For example, there was a time when Jewish actors had to change their names because anti-Semites thought no Jew could convincingly play Gentile," she wrote.

"Setoodeh even goes so far as to justify his knee-jerk homophobic reaction to gay actors by accepting and endorsing that 'as viewers, we are molded by a society obsessed with dissecting sexuality, starting with the locker room torture in junior high school.' Really? We want to maintain and proliferate the same kind of bullying that makes children cry and in some recent cases have even taken their own lives? That's so sad, Newsweek! The examples he provides (what scientists call 'selection bias') to prove his 'gays can't play straight' hypothesis are sloppy in my opinion. Come on now!" Chenoweth continued.

"I am told on good authority that Mr. Setoodeh is a gay man himself and I would hope, as the author of this article, he would at least understand that. I encourage Newsweek to embrace stories which promote acceptance, love, unity and singing and dancing for all!" she finished.

In Setoodeh's original article, he went to great lengths to criticize gay actors. "But frankly, it's weird seeing Hayes play straight. He comes off as wooden and insincere, like he's trying to hide something, which of course he is. Even the play's most hilarious scene, when Chuck tries to pick up a drunk woman at a bar, devolves into unintentional camp. Is it funny because of all the '60s-era one-liners, or because the woman is so drunk (and clueless) that she agrees to go home with a guy we all know is gay?" Setoodeh wrote.

"The truth is, openly gay actors still have reason to be scared. While it's OK for straight actors to play gay (as Jake Gyllenhaal and Heath Ledger did in 'Brokeback Mountain'), it's rare for someone to pull off the trick in reverse," he added.

Tags: kristen chenoweth, sean hayes

Comments

(58)

Tuesday 11 May

By Sue

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Raymond Burr. Yes, "Perry Mason" was gay.

By Say what?

You tell me, do we have to like a guy that uses lower case for his screen name....huh phil? I happen to think that we do have to like everyone unless they have done harm to us. Do you have many real friends or don't people like you? What you don't need to do is socialize with or harm anyone, no matter what their sexual orientation. I also wonder if you needed blood to save your life, would you ask if it is "lesbo or gay blood" before your life is saved? Before you answer...remember that blood is tested so don't bring up HIV infection.

By Ruthie

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Some people are so quick to call someone homophobic or racist. Some people are exactly that and some aren't. Who cares. We all have different opinions on those subjects. Personally I am sick to death of people over-reacting about either subject!

By dhayescharlotte

IF she's a Christian, she should not be so sensitive!!!!

By B

Tom Cruise and John Travolta continue to play straight (not always convincingly). This has been done since Hollywood and theater began.

By ryan

Chenoweth is exactly right. Setoodeh sounds like an idiot and a homophobe. I saw the play and Sean Hayes did a great job. Setoodeh obviously has his own issues to deal with and shouldn't make such a ridiculous generalization of all gay actors.

By TomW

Gay actors had realize that to be accepted as a gay actor may have some limitations. It would be wrong to cast a black actor to play a major Asian character and we all understand that. To cast an gay actor who cannot play a straight man in a straight man's role may make the entertainers feel all warm and PC but it makes the production not believable. Sean Hayes has difficulty playing a straight male and would be the first to be outraged if a straight actor was poorly playing a gay role. That is the reality of theater, it has helped gay actors but it also means that some are limited, just like races and ages. To pretend that he is doing a good job just for PC purposes is unfair to everyone and detracts from the production and makes it a political statement and not acting.

By rrspyke

This is ridiculous: We ALL know that there are several TOP TIER Celebrity MALE actors who are barely in the closet. They not only play straight all the time, but they rake in HUGE box office regularly.

So what this author is really saying is that you can be a successful gay actor playing straight AS LONG AS PEOPLE DON'T KNOW ABOUT IT.

That says more about the author than the system.

Times are changing. The old homophobic dinosaurs of Hollywood who are trying to perpetuate this fake double standard into the next generation are dying off. And Hallelujah for that!

Our new generation not only embraces our LGBT celebrities, but are supportive of the diverse creativity they are willing to explore.

By peapers

All of you who keep mentioning Rock Hudson are forgetting that he NEVER cam out of the closet while he was making films. If he had, he would not have had as successful of a career.

As a note: After it came out that he was gay, my mother was turned off to him and never wanted to see a movie with him in it again. She couldn't dispel her belief anymore.

As far as Neil Patrick Harris is concerned: the reason people don't care is because he plays such a disgusting pig, that no one would want to be with his character in the first place. Thus, a woman's aversion to him works for the role that he plays.

You are a puling hypocrite. All I have to do is turn on a television and switch to Fox to hear regulat slams against LGBTs.

Now why don't you share with us all the media sources that show Gays and Lesbians trying to cram the "Breeder" label down your throat.

You can't because it doesn't exist. As LGBT we are tired of YOU CRAMMING your trite, ignorant HOMOPHOBIA down OUR THROATS.

So take off, moron.

By John

.....and look at Tom Cruise playing straight all these years....

cary grant, montgomery clift and Rock Hudson all did a pretty good job of it...the reason people have a problem with it now is that they can prove these people are gay, whereas back then it was secret. But get over it, it's called acting!!

By Kristin

As if i didn't have enough reasons to LOVE Kristin Chenoweth, now I get this one too. I love her, The way she thinks, sings, dances and speaks her mind. A true christian in every sense of the word! Thank you Kristin for not being scared to tell the truth and back a friend when it's needed. homophobia is something that needs desperately to be done away with, along with racism, sexism and any other negative -ism!

Friday 14 May

By tana green

I just have a problem with straight actors trying to play gay characters.

Monday 24 May

By Penny

So why does being a Christian mean Chenoweth shouldn't be sensitive.......

IF Mr. Hayes did not/did do a good job in the show, I personally would say it's because of his acting skills. I am really so VERY tired of the whole load of garbage screaming from BOTH sides.

what a ridiculous statement - I just have a problem with straight actors trying to play gay characters - seriously....
seriously?

Wednesday 16 June

By Scott Hards

I find it interesting that Chenowith (correctly) supports gays yet calls herself a Christian at the same time. The Bible unambiguously calls for homosexuals to be put to death. It's interesting how religious people pick and chose the parts of that hideous book -- an anachronistic collection of genocide stories and fairy tales -- that they want to live their lives by.

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