Sissy Dan Choi Doesn't Tell
TV Host to STFU
(Just a t-shirt slogan, for at least four gay leaders.)
It was a very sad instance of gayja vu all over again, played out on national cable TV. I'm talking about two gay leaders going on MSNBC's "Hardball" show this week, hosted by the dreadful and obnoxious Chris Matthews, who must have earned a few college degrees in how to intimidate guests and interrupt them at almost every turn. But first, some homo history.
In October 2009 Joe Solmonese of the Human Rights Campaign and the egomaniac Cleve Jones went on "Hardball" and received the rude Matthews treatment in abundance. Check out this clip:
One might think that between Solmonese and Jones, one or both of them would have had the spine to tell the host to shut the fuck up, but nope, neither gay leader did that.
A year later, Matthews invited gay vets Dan Choi of Dan Choi Inc, and Alex Nicholson of Servicemembers United, on to his show and gave them the same crude and discourteous treatment he gave the other gay leaders:
How depressing to witness two more Mr. Nice Gays unable to tell Matthews to cool it with his unprofessional behavior.
What the eff will it take for these and other mainstream national gay leaders to stand up to bullies like Matthews, instruct him to STFU, and if he doesn't stop his rudenss to walk off his show and show viewers that at least one gay is sick and tired of such treatment, not just from a disrespectful TV personality but also from politicians and religious clergy?
It's not a good or healthy sign that in 2009 and 2010, not one of four gay leaders has the spine to verbally slap down Matthews. If they can't tell that bully to stop and show some decent debating and hosting skills, how will they ever develop the spine to stand up to our Congressional and White House adversaries?
Memo to any gays thinking of appearing on "Hardball" in the near future. Watch the two clips and don't fall victim to the gayja vu syndrome.
I don't like Chris Matthews but he is doing what the TV network requires him to do. Namely: to interrupt guests, to create conflict, to elicit emotional responses from his guests. It's all about entertainment, not about informing the public.
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