Badpuppy Gay Today

Wednesday, 16 April 1997

Religious conservatives supporting such organizations as the Mississippi-based American Family Association (AFA), have flooded Birmingham, Alabama's ABC-TV affiliate (ABC 33/40) with demands that it cancel the April 30 episode of "Ellen," in which Ellen Morgan (played by real-life lesbian, Ellen DeGeneres) is scheduled to openly embrace the fact of her attraction to others of her own sex. The "religious" campaign in Birmingham, at least, seems to have succeeded with ABC 33/40, but not with gay and lesbian Alabamans who have quickly and adeptly organized to circumvent censorship.

Tom Blackerby, president of the AFA in Montgomery has applauded the ABC affiliate, but he insists that his group is not censorious. "We don't believe in censorship," he told the Birmingham Post-Herald, "But we do believe we as parents and responsible citizens have the right and even the duty to be good stewards of our money and not spend it with those companies that promote a deviant lifestyle."

Blackerby's group has threatened a boycott against any company that plans advertisements on the "Ellen" episode in question. Speaking of the censorious Birmingham affiliate station, Blackerby said, "I applaud them for the courage they exhibited."

Alabamans, according to the TV station, have responded to its decision to pull the plug on "Ellen" with more than 1,500 telephone calls, 946 favoring the censors and 565 opposing censorship. The Birmingham station thus becomes the first in the nation to refuse the controversial program in which a lead character, for the first time, is both homosexually-inclined and at ease with her inclination.

The American Family Association, founded by Mississippian, Donald Wildmon, has launched boycotts against the advertisers of previously shown television fare, including "NYPD Blue," with complaints about shows' nudity and profanity. The AFA publishes a "dirty dozen" list of TV programs it finds objectionable.

"With 'Ellen'," said AFA's Blackerby, "this will be the first time that a lead character was a homosexual. They (the networks) continue to push the envelope...If we continue to let them push the envelope further and further, then we're going to end up like they have TV in Europe, where you can't even watch an advertisement without nudity, sex and violence and everything else."

Well-organized opposition to the local ABC station's decision has come from both heterosexual supporters on local radio stations and by the Birmingham Pride Alliance, a gay and lesbian group presently working to assure that those citizens in Birmingham who reject censorship can show support for free speech by attending a special showing of the "Ellen" episode at Birmingham's Boutwell Auditorium through a direct-link satellite feed of the program.

Kevin Snow, a comedian, and Birmingham Pride Alliance's entertainment chair, says that tickets will be $5. They will go on sale, according to Ticketlink, on Thursday morning at 10 AM. "This is my home," BPA's Snow told GayToday, his voice full of enthusiasm, "and they can't take away our First Amendment rights. Some people think Alabama's backward? We'll show 'em different."

Snow said he expects tickets to the special "Ellen" showing to be sold out in less than two hours, and that a major national publicity blitz is also apparently in the works. Absolute Vodka and other corporate sponsors have rushed forward to offer help.

Chastity Bono, GLAAD entertainment media director said, "The courage and determination of Alabama lesbians, gay men and their friends and family to be part of television history is overwhelming. GLAAD is proud to support their tireless efforts."

Prospective ticket buyers are advised they may call after 10AM Thursday morning Ticketlink (1-800-277-1700) where there is, aside from the $5 admission charge, a $1.25 ticket charge. Further information can also be obtained from Birmingham Pride Alliance (205) 254-9199.