11 February 2009

Honesty in Media?

| TheProfessor
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I am a retired academic and an illustrious member of Canberra’s eclectic and colourful homosexual community.

My grievance is this: I had believed the days of homosexual vilification had long been consigned to the dustbins of history, but was made acutely aware of the unpalatable truth during a radio broadcast several days ago.

The two broadcasters, both of whom are well-known homosexuals within our community and shall remain nameless, waxed lyrical about Valentine’s Day, but instead of referring to their partners, they spoke about their “girlfriends”.

I was mortified to hear this, because it is one thing to be ambiguous about one’s homosexual status, through the invocation of the weasel-word “partner”, but rather more severe to be openly fraudulent about that status.

How can we stand proud within our community, and assert our right to love and marry somebody of our own gender, when those homosexuals bestowed with the privilege of having a voice in the media refuse to acknowledge their true nature?

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Gay schmay – straight schmait.

Be who you are with a chest full of pride ffs.

i enjoy reading riotact but have never written. this story caught my eye because i heard the conversation that the debate is about on the radio. it wasn’t hamish and andy, it was the two blokes on [Ed – deleted] in the morning. my friend knows them and one has a male partner and the other broke up with his male partner and this is why he does not like valentines day. 🙁 was funny that they pretended to be straight – good on them!

VYBerlinaV8_the_one_they_all_copy said :

…and that’s what makes it funny.

and sometimes, we wait to hear it.

Anthony Callea was an idol for teen girls, right up until that guy from the Channel Ten traffic helicopter unintentionally outed him as part of the nightly news.

I just assumed that he was gay from the very first time I saw him on TV. When he was “accidentally” outed by the TV traffic chopper guy (made a comment on air about having seen him and his boyfriend at a party and that they made a nice couple, or something like that), I laughed, because I had always assumed that the gay thing was party of his deliberate marketing up to that point.

Do you mean Hamish and Andy?

Or Scotty and Nige?

I meant the latter. Are Hamish and Andy on Canberra radio? I have never listened to any of them for longer then it takes to realise that I am on the wrong station.

Its was back in March 2007, but I have now been reliably informed by someone here that it was part of the “casual banter and morning traffic report” for radio, not Ch10 nightly news.

Vic Larusso mentioned mid-broadcast that he was at a party or a barbeque the night before, and one of the guys he went to school with was shagging Anthony Callea.
It was then part of the next morning’s Daily Telegraph.
Anthony’s label denied it on his behalf until April, when Anthony confirmed it.

http://www.samesame.com.au/news/local/588/Callea_Speaks_Out

tylersmayhem4:01 pm 11 Feb 09

Anthony Callea was an idol for teen girls, right up until that guy from the Channel Ten traffic helicopter unintentionally outed him as part of the nightly news.

Really?! What’s the deal with this – I never heard about it!

VYBerlinaV8_the_one_they_all_copy1:55 pm 11 Feb 09

No, VY. It makes me weep for humanity.

Wow, you should study arts at ANU…

Steady Eddie1:53 pm 11 Feb 09

R. Slicker said :

stirred21 said :

Trev Fincham said :

Do you mean Hamish and Andy?

Or Scotty and Nige?

Scotty is married…

His wife, what does he think about all this?

Ah, yes – Bert Newton, Celebrity Squares 1976. No joke like an old joke . . .

stirred21 said :

Trev Fincham said :

Do you mean Hamish and Andy?

Or Scotty and Nige?

Scotty is married…

His wife, what does he think about all this?

Anthony Callea was an idol for teen girls, right up until that guy from the Channel Ten traffic helicopter unintentionally outed him as part of the nightly news.

tylersmayhem1:44 pm 11 Feb 09

Darren Hayes from Savage Garden was married at some point too!

Deadmandrinking1:32 pm 11 Feb 09

No, VY. It makes me weep for humanity.

Trev Fincham said :

Do you mean Hamish and Andy?

Or Scotty and Nige?

Scotty is married…

VYBerlinaV8_the_one_they_all_copy1:27 pm 11 Feb 09

…and that’s what makes it funny.

Deadmandrinking1:17 pm 11 Feb 09

‘I only believe in gay marriage when both chicks are hot.’

Hey!

‘I only believe in gay marriage when both chicks are hot.’

I said it again!

‘I only believe in gay marriage when both chicks are hot.’

There it is again, everybody. (haw haw haw)

I only believe in gay marriage when both chicks are hot.

Yay!

‘I only believe in gay marriage when both chicks are hot.’

Now we all die a little inside.

Trev Fincham1:14 pm 11 Feb 09

Do you mean Hamish and Andy?

Or Scotty and Nige?

Only because I really really care.

Pommy bastard11:36 am 11 Feb 09

I get the impression we’ve been spoofed…

tylersmayhem11:35 am 11 Feb 09

Perhaps “girlfriend” is the new catchy term for the primary physical sexual receiver in homosexual relationships – and you’re just a little slow on the up-take, and take things a little to seriously and literally?

Holden Caulfield11:29 am 11 Feb 09

housebound said :

I’m on OP’s side on this one. Integrity from media shouldn’t be too much to ask for.

What next, integrity from used car salesman?

PreciousLilywhite11:29 am 11 Feb 09

“How can we stand proud within our community, and assert our right to love and marry somebody of our own gender, when those homosexuals bestowed with the privilege of having a voice in the media refuse to acknowledge their true nature?”

Does anyone else sense the irony of this statement when coupled with…

“I am a retired academic and an illustrious member of Canberra’s eclectic and colourful homosexual community”

Dude, I’m not part of your colourful homosexual community and I don’t waltz in academic circles but isn’t it a little hypocritical/ironic to be in a media forum such as this, pressing a point about honesty etc. and essentially asking people to out themselves, yet you, yourself hide behind the cloak of ‘The Professor’?

To TheProfessor, it’s none of your business what they want to say to the public about their own life. Because here is the key words, “it’s their OWN life” they are talking about. You don’t know the full story, and hey, they may even have GF’s which you don’t know about.

Until they go on radio and talk about your personal life I think you need to simply take a chill pill and let them say what ever they want to say about themselves.

is one thing to be ambiguous about one’s homosexual status, through the invocation of the weasel-word “partner”, but rather more severe to be openly fraudulent about that status.

No need to be open, just don’t lie. As a generalisation, those who are “openly fraudlent” in one situation could well think it is ok to be “openly fraudlent” whenever it is convenient.

Pommy bastard10:53 am 11 Feb 09

“Integrity in the media:’ has nothing to do with openness about your own sexuality.

I’m on OP’s side on this one. Integrity from media shouldn’t be too much to ask for.

p1 said :

I only know the names of two Canberra based radio guys, and only know those because of an annoying TV ad that 104.7 have had on lately, so I am assume they are the allegedly gay guys (not that there is anything wrong with that).

You see one of them out with their FEMALE partner all the time.

I use the word partner for my male partner. But then boyfriend doesn’t quite feel right foor long term relationships.

Plus I like the ambiguity.

VYBerlinaV8_the_one_they_all_copy10:08 am 11 Feb 09

I only believe in gay marriage when both chicks are hot.

I only know the names of two Canberra based radio guys, and only know those because of an annoying TV ad that 104.7 have had on lately, so I am assume they are the allegedly gay guys (not that there is anything wrong with that).

HTFU princess

If it’s true it sucks but this story gives absolutely nothing to go on. What am I meant to do?

OOH THOSE POOR PEOPLE I DON’T KNOW THE IDENTITY OF. LET US SPRING FORTH AND….DO SOMETHING FOR…YEAH!

Maybe their boyfriends are now post-op?

Pommy bastard9:41 am 11 Feb 09

The whole point is a nonsense in any case, hardly worthy of someone who boasts of being an “academic.” The idea that these “minor celebrity in Canberra” gays not being “out” will in no way influence the progress towards gay rights in marriage etc.

We’re not living in 1950 now.

Maybe they turned bi?

While I whole heartedly support honesty in the media, and would be sad that someone had to hide their personality due to perceived (usually real) intolerance of the population, in this case I think that it is a little more complex then them lying in the media. They not there to support you socio-political agenda.

Who are these “broacasters who are well-known homosexuals”? I don’t know about them and I’m gay myself.

Perhaps they were just pandering to their listeners wishes or perceived preferences. No matter what occupation you have, every now and then your own personal views have to take a back seat in order to get the job done, no matter what the occupation is. If these individuals have been tasked with illicting the public’s views on the airwaves, then this was probably a very astute choice of on their part to ensure that people particiated in that part of their shift behind the mikes.

I personally have no problem with this. As an aside, what are your thoughts on forcing people to declare their sexuality in other parts of life? Ten pounds of black pudding says this particular barrow you are pushing would be on the other foot, so to speak.

Yaaaaawwwwnnn.

Isn’t the usuage of the word ‘girlfriend’ by homosexuals similar to when people use the word ‘guys’ to describe women?

Pommy bastard8:51 am 11 Feb 09

You be as open about your homosexuality as you want, let them do as they see fit.

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