AUGUST 21, 1998 GAY PEOPLE'S CHRONICLE 13

OFF THE RECORD ON THE SCREEN

Carol Burnett's daughter comes out at fundraiser

by John Graves

I'm glad to see most of the mainstream media have focussed on the basic flaws in the recent ads by a coalition of anti-gay religious groups which purport to offer lesbians and gays a way to be “cured.”

Even the supermarket tabloid Globe ran a page-and-half "Special Investigation" titled "Star Wars Over Gay Cure" that was surprisingly positive and filled with the sentiments of openly lesbigay and straight celebrities denouncing the anti-gay ads.

The Globe also reported on the coming out of Carol Burnett's daughter Erin at gay fundraiser in Beverly Hills. According to

the report, Erin, who has a son, Zachary, came out as bisexual after she divorced her husband in April.

Erin is quoted as saying, “My mom found out I'm attracted to women through a friend. She was hurt I confided in someone else before her but then she was supportive of my new lifestyle and encouraged me to be proud of who I am."

Louganis beau profiled

Steve Kmetko, boyfriend of Olympic diving champion Greg Louganis and openly gay co-anchor of cable's E! News Daily, was profiled in the August 3 edition of People magazine.

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In the interview, Kmetko says that although he and Louganis have been dating for four years, they have no plans to live together. Kmetko also discusses his continuing frustration in trying to discuss his sexual orientation with his parents.

When he attempted to talk to his father, a Baptist minister, Kmetko says his father told him, "Steve, there was a time when people's private lives were private. Let's keep it that way."

Gay teens interviewed

"Growing Up Gay" is a four-page article on terrors and triumphs of lesbian and gay teens coming out in high school featured in the August 17 edition of People.

Among those interviewed are Jamie Nabozny; who successfully sued the Ashland, Wisconsin school system for failing to protect him from antigay harassment; and Kelli Peterson, a teenage lesbian who made headlines when she tried to form a gay-straight alliance to teach respect at her Salt Lake City, Utah high school.

'Prayers for Bobby' to be TV film

Actress Susan Sarandon is completing negotiations to produce Prayers for Bobby, a made-for-TV film based on the true story of Mary Griffith, a mother who prayed for her son to be "healed" when he came out as gay, but then became a gay rights activist after he committed suicide.

Xena every day

USA cable network has begun airing the entire Xena: Warrior Princess series in syndication every weekday at 7 pm.

Teen coming-out story on HBO

Trevor, a 1994 Oscar-winning drama about a young teen discovering he is gay, is now airing on HBO with Ellen DeGeneres providing an introduction and commentary.

I saw this hilarious and tender coming out story as one of three short films included in Boys Life II as part of last year's lesbigay film festival at the Cedar-Lee Theater. This film is delightful. Trevor's melodramatic acting-out of his suicidal thoughts about his sexual orientation and his hopeless love for a straight jock, are so hilarious, yet still sensitive. You really should take the time to watch it.

Ellen now on Lifetime

Although ABC cancelled the groundbreaking Ellen show this year, Lifetime has begun airing the complete series in two back-to-back episodes at 6 and 6:30 pm every day Monday through Friday.

London and Cape Town rated best

Cape Town and London were rated as the best international places for lesbigay travelers this year by the lesbigay travel newsletter Out & About. The Cayman Islands and Sandals Resorts were rated the worst because the Cayman Islands denied docking spaces for a gay cruise ship, and Sandals Resorts has a couples-only policy which excludes same-sex couples.

Out & About also reports Quebec was named "gay-friendly destination for 1998” because of a marketing plan the Canadian province is developing aimed at lesbigay travelers.

Gay list is among the greatest

The New Gay Book of Lists made "The Last List," Entertainment Weekly's list of the 50 greatest lists of all time.

According to another report in the magazine, the conservative Parent's Television Council listed Spin City and Ellen among the "dirty dozen” most offensive shows for their positive portrayal of homosexuality in the PTC's annual report on TV programming.

'I've slept with a woman, too'

Billie Frank told a lesbian couple in her 12-step group that she, too, has slept with a woman-she thinks-on the premiere episode of Rude Awakening, another new sitcom on Showtime. In the second episode she wakes up with another woman in her bed her new roommate who happens to be lesbian.

Rude Awakening, starring Sheilyn Fenn as Billie Frank, airs on Showtime Saturday at 10:30 PM, repeating Sunday at 11 pm and Thursday at 10:30 pm, right after Linc's.

John Graves is the producer and host of Gaywaves, a lesbian-gay public affairs show on Cleveland's WRUW 91.1 FM Fridays at 7 pm. Dave Haskell, Jim McGrattan and Kim Jones also contributed to this column.

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