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 Diverse Images of Lesbians and Gays Will Abound First Gay Male Lead Character to Appear in Sitcom |
| By Don Romesburg GLAAD Publications Manager
"The Fall '98 TV lineup marks a significant year for unique and diverse
images of lesbian and gay Americans," –
Los Angeles-The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) announced Wednesday that the 1998 fall television lineup will include a unique array of regular and recurring lesbian, gay and bisexual characters of color. Joining them will be national television's first gay male lead character on the new sitcom Will & Grace. In years past, gay characters of color, and particularly lesbians of color, have been virtually non-existent on television.
In addition, primetime will welcome back two African-American gay male characters: Chicago Hope's Dr. Dennis Hancock (Vondie Curtis-Hall), and Carter Heywood (Michael Boatman) on Spin City, a GLAAD Media Award-winner. Joan M. Garry, GLAAD Executive Director, said this figure represents a decrease from last year's record setting number of lesbian and gay characters.
Garry continued, "No longer are lesbian and gay characters strictly peripheral on network television and GLAAD hopes to see these portrayals continue to grow-reflecting the realities of diversity, family and faith." Lesbian, gay and bisexual characters will be returning to such shows as Friends, Mad About You, Nash Bridges and NYPD Blue. In all, the season will include five new regular and recurring characters. After Ellen DeGeneres' groundbreaking year, NBC will make a little history of its own with Will & Grace. The new Monday night comedy will feature television's first gay male lead character, Will Truman (Eric McCormack). The sitcom also brings Will's sassy friend Jack (Sean P. Hayes) to the small screen. William Horn, GLAAD Assistant Entertainment Media Director said of NBC's Will & Grace, "We are delighted with such a smart sitcom which tells the story, in an extremely funny, witty, and at times poignant way, of two best friends-one of whom happens to be gay. Will & Grace possess the qualities of a hit TV show: a great cast, an accomplished director and incredible chemistry between a talented cast." For a detailed list of this season's characters, please visit GLAAD's "TV Scoreboard" at http://www.glaad.org .  GLAAD is the nation's lesbian and gay multimedia advocacy organization,dedicated to promoting fair, accurate and inclusive representations of individuals and events in the media as a means of
challenging discrimination based on sexual orientation or identity.
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Rain Pryor in Showtime's "Rude Awakenings"
Tisha Campbell 