JANUARY 9, 1998 GAY PEOPLE'S CHRONICLE 17

EVENINGS OUT

Nominations show that it's been a very gay year

Los Angeles-An unprecedented number of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people and gay-inclusive storylines were honored December 18 with Golden Globe nominations. The Golden Globes, which are voted on by the Holly-

wood Foreign Press Association, are considered a strong indicator of nominees for the Academy Awards, held in March. The Golden Globe award show will be televised live Sunday, January 18 on NBC. In & Out, already box office gold world-

ANDY SCHWARTZ

In & Out's Kevin Kline doth protest too much.

wide, garnered a best musical or comic motion picture nomination, as did the film's star Kevin Kline, for his performance as a gay teacher. Joan Cusack was also nominated for her supporting role in the film.

Another best musical or comic motion picture nominee was My Best Friend's Wedding, which features openly gay British actor Rupert

Everett, nominated for best performance in a supporting role for his portrayal As Julia Robert's gay friend and confidante. In the same category, Gregg Kinnear was nominated for his portrayal of a gay man

RALPH NELSON

Boatman) and Friends (Jane Sibbett and Jessica Hecht).

Of the twenty four categories that awards are presented in each year, gay characters, gay themed movies and gay actors total sixteen nominations this year. Comparatively, last year's Golden Globe nominees included twelve.

"We are extremely encouraged by the ever increasing number of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender images in motion pictures and on television which are changing people's perceptions of who gay people are," said Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation director Joan M. Garry. "Hollywood and the television industry, as well as American audiences, continue to demonstrate a growing acceptance of the lesbian and gay community in diverse and inclusive image of who Americans are. The nominees mark a milestone in Hollywood."

"We are thrilled by today's Golden Globe nominations announcement, and we

DOREEN CUDNIK

A gay male 'Ellen' may be coming next year

Harvey Fierstein

by Doreen Cudnik

WITH WIRE REPORTS

While applauding the coming out of Ellen, some gay men have been heard to say, "When there is a gay male character starring in a weekly television series, that will be truly groundbreaking."

It looks as if that wish may not be too far off in the future.

According to the December 14 Miami Herald, Universal has begun production on a new sitcom, tentatively titled Rescue Me. The show will feature openly gay actor Harvey Fierstein and Lisa Amsterdam as sibling authors of self-help books.

If picked up by a network, the show will become the first to have an openly gay male lead actor playing an openly gay character (currently gay actor Michael Boatman has a supporting role as a gay man on ABC's Spin City).

In a nod to dispelling the myths about gay and lesbian people and relationships, Fierstein's character will be the one in a stable, healthy relationship, while Amsterdam's character will be “all screwed up," the actress said in a recent issue of TV Guide. Fierstein and Amsterdam will both have a role in writing the scripts for the show. The series is planned for the fall of 1998, or possibly as a mid-season replacement, according to sources at GLAAD, the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, which tracks the portrayal of gays and lesbians by Hollywood and the news media. So far, none of the major networks have picked up the show, but that is common for a show in this stage of development.

"Ellen paved the way for this," Amsterdam said in TV Guide. “We hope the networks will be open to it."

Gregg Kinnear

in the recently released As Good as it Gets. That film, which also stars Jack Nicholson and Mad About You's Helen Hunt, also garnered nominations for best director (James L. Brooks), best drama motion picture and best screenplay. In the category of best actress in a comedy or musical, Joey Lauren Adams was nominated for her performance as a bisexual woman in Chasing Amy.

On the smaller screen, openly lesbian sitcom star Ellen DeGeneres was nominated for best actress in a comedy series for her role on the history-making television show Ellen. Nominated television series with recurring lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender supporting characters include Chicago Hope (Vondie Curtis-Hall), Frasier (Edward Hibbert), ER (Jorja Fox), NYPD Blue (Paige Turco), Party of Five (Mitchell Anderson), Spin City (Michael

Chastity Bono

congratulate all the nominees," said Chastity Bono, GLAAD's entertainment media director. "If the Golden Globe nominations are an early indicator of Oscar night, this will be a very gay year in Hollywood."

-GLAAD

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