After receiving a note from a subscriber regarding the item in yesterday's newsletter regarding comments made at the MAC AWARDS show on Monday, I realize that I did not clearly hear the original remark in its entirety. The press table was located on the far right (facing the stage), the podium on the far left. And there was a general "chatter" going on around me. Apparently there was an additional phrase in the remark that I did not catch, one that many gays and friends of gays in the audience felt was particularly offensive. I find it offensive as well, now that I have been made aware of the exact words and their meaning (it was a pun - you had to hear it clearly to catch it).
That being said, and with no attempt to brush aside the incident, and hoping and trusting that an apology is forthcoming (or perhaps has already been made - I personally am not in the habit of listening to the radio late at night), one must take into consideration the fact that Mr. Reynolds has not just tirelessly promoted cabaret performers, he regularly (I think it is on Friday nights) has has his guest Mr. Sidney Myer and a group of openly gay comics to liven up his show. He regularly promotes, appears in and attends GMHC and BC/EFA events, and in no way could be considered anti-gay from what I know.
I truly believe the remark, as offensive as it was, was thought by him to be funny at the time. As I said immediately to by pal Daniel after the remark was made, there is no way to joke about AIDS. Hopefully Joey Reynolds is aware of that fact now. Talk of boycott, letter writing campaigns and the like are childish and usually counter productive (and for some, self-serving - self-promoting tactics).
(I will be repeating this in Tuesday's Newsletter)
