![]() ![]() ![]() and Robert Kennedy and beyond.Īmid it all emerges a vivid portrait of a “force of nature” - a funny, intelligent, self-effacing, fiercely competitive and deeply religious woman who raised 11 children and even now, at age 84, continues to be passionately involved in the kind of humanitarian causes her husband was known for.ĬHANNEL SURFING: Some of you might have the season debuts of “Community” and “Whitney” on your programming guides for Friday. It also boasts a vast sweep, ranging from the McCarthy hearings and the civil rights movement, to Vietnam and the assassinations of John F. Narrated by Rory, the film benefits greatly from candid interviews with not only her mother, but her many older siblings who had up-close views of American history in the making. Thursday, HBO) is an informative, intimate and thoroughly touching account of the Kennedy matriarch’s remarkable life. In a country where gay kids still commit suicide because they are made to feel alone or alien, empathetic and poignant portrayals such as Kurt Hummel (Chris Colfer) on “Glee” not only provide inspiration to real-life teens, but vital lessons to parents and teachers, as well.Īnd that’s when you begin to comprehend the true vitality and substance embedded in those research statistics.ĮNDURING LOVE STORY: When filmmaker Rory Kennedy informed her mother that she was making a documentary about her, Ethel Kennedy laughed scornfully and declared it to be a “bad idea.” Turns out it really wasn’t. With that in mind, the most essential gay characters on television these days are, without a doubt, the teens. Considering how we tend to form such strong bonds with the small-screen characters we invite into our living rooms, it would be silly to believe that TV didn’t play some kind of role in turning the tide. By early this year, that number was down to 43 percent. In 2004, 60 percent of Americans opposed same-sex marriage, according to the Pew Research Center. ![]() ![]() However you slice it, TV does make a difference when it comes to public perception of the gay community. On the other hand, the characters played by Andrew Rannells and Justin Bartha on “The New Normal” could qualify as fall TV’s most adorable couple. The new CBS sitcom “Partners,” about a bromance between a gay man and his longtime straight friend, tends to be cartoonish and annoying. There are still tiresome stereotypes and overly broad portrayals. We relate to (and laugh with) Cam and Mitchell as they struggle to be perfect parents and partners on “Modern Family.” And we root for Callie and Arizona through all their triumphs and tragedies on “Grey’s Anatomy.” It’s a diverse world and most of us want to see that diversity reflected on our TV screens. These days TV’s gay characters are, for the most part, not only accepted, but expected. Now, the novelty, and the fear, have clearly subsided - except perhaps at a certain NBC affiliate in Salt Lake City. Those statistics may not make for mind-blowing news in this post-“Will & Grace” era until you pause to consider that only 15 years ago - after Ellen DeGeneres came out - ABC typically attached “parental discretion” advisories to her show. The 17th annual “Where We Are on TV” report found that 4.4 percent of actors appearing regularly on prime-time network dramas and comedies during the 2012-13 season will portray lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender characters. It might as well also describe the current state of gay characters in prime time.Īccording to a recent study by the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, the number of gay and bisexual characters on scripted broadcast television is at its highest level ever this season, and the number on cable TV is also increasing. “The New Normal” is the title of a freshman NBC comedy about two gay men who yearn to become parents. ![]()
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