"I question whether Anne [ Heche ] should have put her past relationship with Ellen [ DeGeneres ] back out for public comment in the way that she has with her book. Ellen deserves her privacy. [ However, ] the Anne I know was always honest in her relationship with the gay and lesbian community. ... This newfound public ridicule of her is beneath The Advocate and the community." ... Recording Industry Association of America President Hillary Rosen to The Advocate, Dec. 4. Rosen's spouse is Human Rights Campaign Executive Director Elizabeth Birch.
"I am aware that part of my responsibility in this job is to be a role model. It's important to me because when I was a young reporter there were no role models. I didn't know that it would be possible for me to be openly gay and do what I'm doing." ... Openly gay ABC TV News correspondent Jeffrey Kofman, to The Advocate, Dec. 4. Kofman has filed reports from the USS Carl Vinson during the current war in Afghanistan.
"I FEEL VERY much an advocate of the story line, but that being said, I don't feel I'm an advocate for having it happen in a way that's going to make the lesbian and gay community happy every minute. The reality of someone's coming-out can happen in all different kinds of ways. For this character, it seems appropriate that it's happened in an incremental way and sometimes a cowardly way." ... Laura Innes, Dr. Kerry Weaver on ER, to The Advocate.
"IF I WERE me, Laura, and I came in to work after coming out to my boss, I'd be like, 'What's the big fucking deal?' But I'm not Kerry." ... Innes.
"I MUST SAY the chemistry that existed between Elizabeth ( Mitchell ) and I was much better than the chemistry that existed with any of the guys they hooked me up with. She's beautiful, a wonderful actress, and a wonderful person." ... Innes.
"I TURN TO Leviticus 18:22 and rip out that page which is directed against homosexuals. I think by now I must have ripped out a few hundred pages. Helps me sleep better, I'll say that much." ... Openly gay actor Sir Ian McKellen about what he does if hotel rooms he stays in have a Gideon Bible, according to Bill Zwecker's Sun-Times column.
"I THINK THE fact that an openly gay actor is going to have his face all over Burger King cups ... is really quite significant." ... Gay author Armistead Maupin to The Advocate on Ian McKellen's upcoming role in Lord of the Rings.
"THERE'S AN actor who will come up to you at a Hollywood party and say, 'Ian'...as you're about to give them a big wet kiss...'I'm not gay in L.A.' Some people assume that if you come to their party, meet their boyfriend and the boyfriend's boyfriend and the ex-boyfriends and all the other men there...and then [ you're ] asked about having visited that famous person, you are expected to lie to the press. It's very hard." ... McKellen to The Advocate.
