Tuesday, April 07, 2009

Out, Rich and Powerful. Envy Them!

I can't resist a list. I try to resist, I do. Out Magazine just released their list of the 50 most powerful gays in the world. They've judged them on
  1. political clout
  2. cultural resonance
  3. individual wealth
  4. personal profile... whatever that means
I don't know why they couldn't have made it a Top 51 so that I could appear. I mean have they forgotten
  1. How I campaigned for Meryl Streep's birthday to be a Federal Holiday and for her face to be carved into Mount Rushmore and both things came to pass? [shut up!]
  2. How I invented* actressexuality and the blogosphere totally uses the word now?
  3. HA HA HAhaha haha... um, this is not funny. Disqualified!
  4. I didn't understand what 'personal profile' meant anyway.
Maybe if they had a Top 1,000,001 powerful gays and lesbians list, I'd make that one ??? I'm losing the thread. Oh yes, power. And those who have it. Like many a website that thrives on "page views" Out has made the list hard to navigate so that you have to click on 50 different pages to read it. So I've done the work for you. Here are the ranks useful to our purposes here at the Film Experience i.e. people that are involved in movies and/or narrative television. It's not a list of out actors (like that list I made some time ago) but of the very successful / powerful and mostly offscreen movers and shakers.
  • #10 David Geffen, the G in Dreamworks SKG. Remember that hilarious rumor in the 90s that he was married to Keanu Reeves. HA! The internet is so weird sometimes.
  • #14 Gus Van Sant, Milk delivery man. I hope he gets another shot at Oscar. It's quite an interesting filmography and singular too, despite all the borrowing from Bela Tarr.
  • #18 Scott Rudin, Oscar Lust in Humanoid Form. See also: Julie & Julia, Doubt, Revolutionary Road, There Will Be Blood, No Country For Old Men, Notes on a Scandal, The Queen, The Hours, Closer, Iris...
  • #25 Dustin Lance Black, screenwriter/Oscar winner/ridiculously young looking 35 year old. I'm curious as to how he'll follow Milk up (I'm talking features... not MTV telefilms)
  • #26 Bryan Lourd & Kevin Huvane, CAA partners. If someone made a movie about CAA it'd probably be as crazy / shady as SD-6 on Alias or possibly the Dollhouse, don't you think?
Neil Patrick Harris in How I Met Your Mother, Dr. Horrible and with his actor boyfriend David Burtka (who was excellent in Edward Albee's The Play About the Baby some years back Off Broadway). Burtka is from Michigan like myself and one of my best friends from high school even knows him *gag* [/name dropping]. Blah blah blah... In short, if NPH were a movie star, I would probably never stop talking about him. You've been spared!
  • #28 Neil Patrick Harris, TV star. I love NPH but mostly because he sings so beautifully and happens to be hilarious. That said, I haven't seen How I Met Your Mother. I can't do laugh track shows anymore. I honestly can't and I have tried. Even the funny ones make me cringe. 30 Rock, Sex & the City and Arrested Development among others have spoiled me forever. I will laugh when I damn well please, thank you very much, TV suits.
  • #29 Michael Patrick King, Sex & the City svengali
  • #35 Wanda Sykes. Hilarious diva. Also moonlights as cartoon animals with alarming frequency.
Unprolific Jodie: Only three lead roles this entire decade?
Prolific Greg:
1 movie, 6 tv series this decade alone. Writing/producing Green Lantern
  • #36 Jodie Foster. I'm a smidge annoyed that the gay media keeps saying she's out because she mentioned her partner Cydney once at an industry function. That's technically "out" but if you adjust for the proportional scale of being a household name and one of the most famous respected celebrities on the planet, Jodie is still a stealth lesbian. I also find it hilarious that the article mentions her Leni Riefenstahl biopic. Like that's ever going to happen. That's becoming as funny / fantastical as every new casting announcement for Flora Plum. It's too bad really that she never gets anything off the ground because I'm confident that both those movies would be way more fascinating than the next thriller she'll inevitably agree to star in next.
  • #38 Tom Ford, He Who Whispers in Naked Keira's Ear. His debut feature as a writer/director A Single Man starring Colin Firth and Julianne Moore is due this year. But there's always that fashion icon thang for a safety net. What a safety net, huh?
  • #47 Greg Berlanti TV man. I once hated him (long story but it involved The Broken Hearts Club) I have since learned the error of my ways and am completely addicted to Brothers & Sisters. He's totally gorgeous and talented. So in a sense, yes, I still hate him.
  • #49 Simon Halls and Stephen Huvane of PMK/HBH. Their PR firm represents Jennifer Aniston, Julianne Moore, Uma Thurman, Anne Hathaway and Neil Patrick Harris. (4 out of 5 ain't bad!)
Now that I'm done sharing this information I've realized I have no idea what these lists are for. To make mere civilians jealous?

*
Technically speaking George Cukor invented it. Or maybe Warren Beatty. But they didn't name it, did they?!

26 comments:

jahs34 said...

Does these guys actually research?, they are saying that the Leni bio will do for Foster what The Reader did for Winslett, what? Jodie already has 2 Oscars.

Sally Belle said...

Jodie is not in or out...she's a very private person. She would not discuss her private life or relationships if she were hetero. She's certainly not hiding in a closet.

Jodie did have the money for Flora Plum again. She had a start date, January 2009, and then, economic disaster! Financing fell apart. Sadly, she is abandoning the notion of ever getting it made.

The Leni bio, a long way off, and probably never...but, she hasn't given it up yet.

Nothing but Jodie love here.

Paul Outlaw said...

Where are Ellen & Elton?

NATHANIEL R said...

Paul... they don't make movies so i didn't include them.

Paul Outlaw said...

Hmmm...Ellen is the lesbian queen of screens big and small, Nat! Married to Portia, five Daytime Emmys, one Primetime Emmy, Oscar & Emmy host, star of Finding Nemo and her upcoming Mother Nature project. She's more Film Experience material than NPH (not as cute as NPH, perhaps...)
;-)

Ian said...

I'm not following the Gus Van Sant apes from Bela Tarr line. Context?

Technically, Dustin Lance Black wrote "Pedro" before all of the "Milk" hubbub. And I've known about his awesomeness from "Big Love" for awhile now. :-)

I was expecting Ellen to be number one, but yay for Barney Frank!

Will said...

Nathaniel snub is outrageous, I agree.

Would they stop outing Anderson Cooper! Don't they realize that he's a journalist. He's visiting regions were homosexuality is illegal or even facing the death penalty.

Adam M. said...

Actually, Jodie Foster is officially out. I remember the headlines when she thanked her "partner of 20-some odd years" while receiving some lifetime achievement award. Of course, they broke up shortly after, but that's beside the point.

And what's this? Gus Van Sant is a homosexual?? Why did I not know this?

The blip about Matt Drudge is a bit irritating. The Drudge Report is a fantastic news blog. Sure it leans conservative, but to say that it's either "antigay," "anti-choice," or "anti-tolerance" is absurd. Drudge is a master of crafting headlines that knock anyone down a few pegs-- conservative OR democrat. To me, he always seems more interested in playing devil's advocate (against the current accepted opinion of what is "true" or "right") than playing sides.

Nathaniel - I hereby declare you NUMERO UNO on "Adam M.'s Entirely Subjective 1st Ever Out Power 50 Movie Bloggers." Congrats!

Anonymous said...

Next year, the director of Push/Precious will probably be on this list, Lee Daniel.

The author of the book might be too, she's bisexual.

Anonymous said...

I honestly don't think Jodie is officially out. Like Sally said before she's a really private person.

No Queen Latifah??lol Just kidding.




~Melissa~

Peter said...

Arrested Development never used a laugh track, did it?

Billy D said...

THANK YOU for pointing out that Jodie is still in the closet!

And please tell us this long story about your hate involving the Broken Hearts Club. I remember being a fan, though I haven't seen it in years.

Erin said...

I had no idea that Wanda Sykes is gay.

Whether Anderson Cooper belonged on that list or not, he beat Rachel Maddow?! And yeah, I'm not so sure Jodie belonged on it either. Then again, I lost whatever respect I had for Out when they put Katy Perry on their cover.

Then again, props for including Tammy Baldwin, one of my favorite alums from my alma mater - I saw her speak there and she's even more wonderful in person.

Alex F said...

Eh, this list is pretty preposterous and useless. I'm not sure how they can judge based on "political clout" as most of them have none. Once you take that away the other three judging criteria basically reads like a popularity contest.

As to this in or out business for Foster, I don't care either way if she technically didn't come out or not. But seriously, like you mentioned, I didn't realize she's only had 3 lead roles this decade!

That sure is lazy.

I know people make all sorts of assumptions that you can't be out and a leading movie star, but damn what is she worried about? That she never would've been able to make a Flightplan?

She kind of irritates me because in interviews she sounds like she might have some good films in her, but it hasn't turned out very well for her, I'm afraid...and I should say that I actually like her.

Saltire Flower said...

Hang on a second...Drudge is gay? I guess I'm the only one who missed that bit of news.

And BOOOO. Rachel should have beaten Anderson Cooper.

Shawn said...

I know you can't take the laugh track, but CBS comedies How I Met Your Mother and Big Bang Theory are comedy gold.

Karen said...

Neil Patrick Harris is such a cutie. I used to have a poster of him on my wall as Doogie Howser, M.D. - I must have been in the 5th grade back then.

NATHANIEL R said...

Ian... Gus Van Sant is kinda into him, yes. It was around the time of Gerry where he was enjoying referencing his work. Slant asked him about it in an interview.

Paul ... maybe. I just wanted to mention NPH's boyfriend cuz of the name dropping. I AM SHALLOW.

Peter... no it didn't. And it spoiled me (along with the other shows that spoiled me: sex & city, 30 rock, kath & kim and more... I'm so glad it's becoming the norm. Yay!)

Saltire ... I didn't know that either. But I don't read him.

Alex... i know i pick on Jodie too much when I mention her. but the lazy thing bothers me too. She is so talented and even when she makes movies she doesn't really challenge herself. She just keeps doing the same type of role. I would love for her to give us a character as juicy as Clarice again. I realize a Clarice Starling comes along once in a blue moon. But still... just about the only time Jodie challenged herself this decade was Inside Man.

Paul Outlaw said...

Jodie Foster's filmography has always been hit or miss but it doesn't help that after she directed Little Man Tate the next three projects on her resumé are the Axis of Evil/Bermuda Triangle: Shadows and Fog, Sommersby and Maverick. I always prefer to think that Mel Gibson ruined her (not Richard Gere, Woody Allen or her directorial ambitions).

John T said...

I agree-it has to be slightly difficult for someone who, at the mere age of 19, was thrown into one of the oddest political scandals in celebrity history, to really be open about anything, but I think the more frustrating thing about Jodie is the lack of adventure in acting lately. She's become a bit like all those other marquee actors of the 1990's (Tom Hanks is a fine male example) who have coasted on public goodwill and adoration for the last decade, but not doing anything truly challenging. Time for Hanks to find his Vertigo and Foster her Long Day's Journey.

Anonymous said...

Hmm, I didn't know you were from Michigan. Whereabouts? I'm from Traverse City. It's a good state.

NATHANIEL R said...

from the suburbs of detroit (redford to be exact). but i've been a new yorker now for awhile. But michigan is like my roots. ;)

Wayne B. said...

"How I invented* actressexuality and the blogosphere totally uses the word now?"

one of your greatest contributions to society. :)

Sally Belle said...

I guess I didn't express myself well...what I meant was...Jodie Foster is living her life, not discussing or trying to hide her sexual preference. She is not in the closet. She is just living her life as a private person. I bring this up again because, I think that is where we all want to go. Where it is not questioned as to gay or straight. We just are. Jodie's whole point is to live her life without sensationalizing it.

But, she is not in the closet! Remember, she was a child actor and grew up in the spotlight....she just doesn't want to live in it again. Has Meryl Streep been photographed with her husband that many more times then Jodie has with her ex?

There is a private school in West L.A. where the rich and powerful same sex couples with children send them to school. They do that because...1. it is a good school and 2. so the children will go to school with other kids who have 2 dads or 2 moms, as well as kids who have 1 dad and 1 mom. So, there isn't a distinction between normal or not normal...it's all normal. That is how it should be.

j said...

No way should NPH be farther down on the list than Dustin Lance Black.

NATHANIEL R said...

JenKneeBee -- agreed. I'm not sure Out realizes how lowly screenwriters are in Hollywood ;)