1) Two weeks after Jay Leno’s cringeworthy interview with Ryan Phillippe, in which he asked the actor to relive his earliest gig (as a gay teen on One Life to Live) by offering the camera his "gayest look" (see clip below), the Tonight host has issued an apology to gay people and whoever else was offended. Which is nice, but Leno’s done this before (just a couple years ago) and may well do it again, given the opportunity. Dude’s giving up his chair to Conan in a year; what’s he got to lose? Kudos to Avenue Q playwright Jeff Whitty, who first confronted Leno this time (and two years ago, as well), but it seems doubtful that anything is going to change, or that any Leno fans who were truly outraged will do anything as drastic as switch allegiance to Letterman.
2) A few days after New York magazine’s film critic David Edelstein peed on the fresh grave of director Anthony Minghella, Edelstein is apologizing, sort of. He essentially suggested that, after Minghella’s brilliant, personal, small-scale first film Truly Madly Deeply, Minghella devolved into a middlebrow hack who made overrated Oscar-bait movies (The English Patient, The Talented Mr. Ripley, Cold Mountain), for which devolution Edelstein blamed the heavy hand of then-Miramax co-chief Harvey Weinstein. In his apology, Edelstein’s not backing down from his opinion of Minghella’s work, but he’s sorry for blaming Weinstein, though he insists that the famously arm-twisting mogul did not twist his arm to wrest this mea culpa.
Now, reasonable people can disagree on the merits of Minghella’s work (if anything, argues EW’s Mark Harris, Minghella didn’t get enough credit for the careful crafting of his movies), and a lot of folks (a la Seinfeld’s Elaine) really didn’t get The English Patient and found it long-winded and boring. Of course, that’s another argument against Edelstein’s earlier thesis that "Harvey Scissorhands" snipped Minghella’s work too eagerly in the editing room. So what Edelstein’s concession seems to say is: Sorry, Harvey, that I blamed you for your recently deceased friend’s hackery; apparently, he became a hack all by himself. That’s supposed to sound less rude and insulting?
UPDATE: And now, it’s time for my own apology, to David Edelstein, who, in the comments below, writes that I have mischaracterized his initial article and accused him of saying something he explicitly did not say. I apologize for my use of the words "hack" and "hackery," which overstate Edelstein’s description of what he sees as the decline in the quality of Minghella’s post-Truly work. I should have taken him at his word that he did not mean to go so far as to call Minghella a hack, just as I am willing to take Edelstein’s word that no Weinstein arm-twisting prompted his apology. By the way, no arm-twisting prompted mine, either.
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According to the 16 pages of responses from the recent Mark Harris column, we’re supposed to get over it. I wonder if any of those people are willing to go look at the links of ‘gay faces’ Jeff Whitty’s page provides.
I can’t imagine any gay people–or gay-friendly people–have the poor taste to watch Leno, anyway….
Who cares about that DONKEY (said like Chef Ramsey) Leno anyway?
Do ya really think Leno meant it in an offensive manor? Seriously? I think that’s getting a little picky. No, I don’t watch Leno. I don’t find him all that funny. But I don’t think it was a “jab” at the gay community or any gay person, at that. Sometimes a battle is just not worth fighting. Save it for something a little more obvious.
stupid is as stupid does. seriously? peeing on someone’s grave in protest? what’s the matter, are you missing the 60’s? go get a life why don’t cha and stop acting like the angry little boy you are. no one’s impressed. and find a toilet.
Leno is about as relevant as a bowl of soggy cornflakes and half as funny.
I don’t believe that celebreties make public apologies for any other reason than to save their pathetic careers. I think I’d have more respect for them if they just stuck to their guns; at least it would be honest!
i agree with that article on anthony minghella… i dont see how thats peeing on his grave.
So confused by this blog post. If you don’t care about these ‘apologies,’ then why are you writing about them? In fact, I think you DO care, and are more offended by the apologies than the original behavior. Moreover, your anger toward David Edelstein is palpable. And finally, I think your summary of Edelstein (“He essentially suggested that…”) completely misrepresents what Edelstein wrote.
The Mark Harris column about the Jimmy Kimmel video last month is completely different and you know it. And many of the people-including myself-who responded on those 16 pages were gay themselves. Get off your high horse.
The two worst “apologies” were dog the bounty hunter (is he a “celebrity”????) and the guy from Grey’s Anatomy – I mean, really, rehab for saying “fa**ot” Really? Did you go to Promises or the place in Utah like Lohan?
ho hum who cares
I “got” The English Patient. I saw the nuanced direction, action and story. It still sucked. Just because something is crafted well doesn’t make it interesting.
Re: Jay Leno. Not sure what hub bub is about. Even Ellen interviewed Ryan about the show where he played the first overtly gay individual on a soap. But since I’m not a fan of Ryan’s I pretty much channel surfed while he was on. He’s about as exciting as a wet noodle.
I take extreme offense at the suggestion that a film critic is a celebrity. That is an insult to the noble art of celebrity as practiced by rich blond girls acting dumb everywhere.
I shouldn’t bother to reply (what’s the point?), but Gary Susman’s assertion that in my original post I “essentially suggested that, after Minghella’s brilliant, personal, small-scale first film Truly Madly Deeply, Minghella devolved into a middlebrow hack” is explicitly belied by this line in the piece: “I am not remotely suggesting here that Minghella sold out and became a Hollywood hack: Every one of his films was an attempt to merge his own bold, socially committed sensibilities with the insistent demands of his shmasters.” That last word is an example of where I was being an a-hole–the most serious problem with what I wrote. Anyway, there is enough to criticize in my piece without mischaracterizing it.
Why do we care what “Gays” think anyway? Every group is made fun of and exploited for comedy. Why is it only ok for Gays to make “Gay Comedy” or Blacks to make “Black Comedy” for that matter? Its what people hate about Liberalism and Political correctness thats making this country suck. The majority caves to this constant whining from Minorities. I say Screw em and if they dont like it then dont watch the show.
I have been watching Jay Leno for years and I remember as far back as 1986- yes- 1986- (when he filled in for Carson)-that Leno has been making jokes aimed at gay people. There have been many many more than just two incidents. I honestly think he actually has something vindictive against them! Jay is a very funny man- now mind you- but the gay stuff has got to stop! I know I know- freedom of speech- what a world- what a world..
Im gay and i was watching the Leno episode. I thought the comment was kind of stupid and watching Ryan squirm was almost funny but all in all it as just kinda cheesy. I dont recall being offended and forgot about it 15 mins later now its all over the news…. I dont get it. was just cheap stupid humor.. not what i would call hateful, i have experienced real homophobia including bashing but Leno didnt set my radar off. people are overreacting.
Why?????? 1000 times why apologize???
After 55 years of living as a Black Man on this land that YOU (whites)call america,I finally understand!!
It’s OK (even good)for Two white men to make fun of gays,but NOT OK for one Black Man (Isaiah Washington)to indirectly callout one white man for being gay.
THANKS FOR ENLIGHTENING ME.
Did anyone notice that Leno makes fun of EVERYONE?? Come, on. Get a life. Complain about something important. It is OK for “gays” to call straights “Breeders”, but let one straight person make any sort of remark about “gays”, the stuff hits the fan. What happened to tolerance? It goes both ways, folks.
Oh you poor widdle straight people. gettin picked on by the gays? aww. cry me a frickin river. least you are full-rights citizens. tho i do agree that the jay leno thing was no big deal
If gay persons are not ashamed of their behavior, why is it an issue? Obviously, there is an inate sense of wrong or it would not bother them.
If gay persons are not ashamed of their behavior, why is it an issue? Obviously, there is an inate sense of wrong or it would not bother them.
The main point is we are all going to die and where will we go? Some will go to heaven (the saved) and some will go to hell (the unsaved – including queers)!!!!
Why is it ok for Leno to berate Gays but it is not ok for Imus to say “nappy head”? The morality in America has fallen,people dont know the difference between respect and ignorance.Pretty sad!!
Leno was actually making fun of the the bad acting, writing, and stereotyped characterizations on soap operas, making fun of the way gay characters are portrayed ON SOAP OPERAS and not actual gay people but I guess everyone loves a good manufactured controversy. It gives everyone an opportunity to write incredibly hateful, racist, and homophobic posts on message boards. Thanks Jeff Whitty!
Why should straight people be forced to accept as normal that which they know is not normal? Homosexuality is a dysfunctional condition. Persons of the same sex cannot mate.
The emperor has no clothes.
PLEASE—Give me a break. I see no reason for the Gay community to be bent out of shape over what Jay Leno said and did. I am VERY close to some Gays, who also agree. GET A LIFE , and live it.