FIVE GAY ACTORS IN MID-CENTURY HOLLYWOOD - WalterFilm

Contents:

• WHICH ACTORS THE WIZARD OF OZ WERE GAY?
• FROM GAY TO STRAIGHT? THE CONTROVERSIAL THERAPY
• THE GAYS
• QUEER FANS MOURN LLIE JORDAN, A SYMBOL OF A 'LOST GENERATN' OF GAY MEN
• "OZ": TEN YEARS {FONT:NORMAL 800 1.2REM/1.2 "D BOLD",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NORMAL;LOR:HER;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;PADDG-BOTTOM:6PX;POSN:RELATIVE;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;}{BACKGROUND:#89308A;BOTTOM:0;NTENT:'';DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:2PX;LEFT:0;POSN:ABSOLUTE;RIGHT:0;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;WIDTH:100%;}{LEFT:51%;RIGHT:51%;WIDTH:0;}{FONT:NORMAL 800 1.2REM/1.2 "D BOLD",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NORMAL;LOR:HER;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;PADDG-BOTTOM:6PX;POSN:RELATIVE;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;}{BACKGROUND:#89308A;BOTTOM:0;NTENT:'';DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:2PX;LEFT:0;POSN:ABSOLUTE;RIGHT:0;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;WIDTH:100%;}{LEFT:51%;RIGHT:51%;WIDTH:0;}TVBY MICHAEL JENSENJULY 11, 2007/3:50 PMBY MICHAEL JENSENJULY 11, 2007 / 3:50 PM{"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"NEWSARTICLE","HEADLE":"\"OZ\": TEN YEARS LATER","DATEPUBLISHED":"2007-07-11T19:50:40.000+0000","DATEMODIFIED":"2007-07-11T19:50:40.000+0000","IMAGE":{"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT","WIDTH":1920,"HEIGHT":1080},"URL":","THOR":{"@TYPE":"ORGANIZATN","NAME":"LOGO TV"},"MAENTYOFPAGE":{"@TYPE":"WEBPAGE","@ID":"},"PUBLISHER":{"@TYPE":"ORGANIZATN","@ID":","NAME":"LOGO TV","URL":","LOGO":{"@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT"}},"CREATOR":"MICHAEL JENSEN","KEYWORDS":"THE BACKLOT","ARTICLESECTN":"TV"}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}WH SHOWS SUCH AS SIX FEET UNR AND THE SOPRANOS, PREMIUM BLE WORK HBO HAS A SERVED REPUTATN FOR EDGY, QUALY DRAMA. BUT WAS ON THIS DAY TEN YEARS AGO THAT THE WORK PREMIERED OZ, S FIRST ONE-HOUR DRAMATIC TELEVISN SERI. SET WH A MAXIMUM SECURY PRISON SOMEWHERE THE UNED STAT, THE PRISON DRAMA BROKE BOUNDARI WH S VLENCE, PROFANY AND NUDY, AS WELL AS WH S DIVERSE AND MULTI-RACIAL ST OF STRONGLY IMAGED CHARACTERS. TOM FONTANA, WRER AND EXECUTIVE PRODUCER FOR OZ, RECENTLY SPOKE WH ABOUT THE SHOW AND S PLACE TELEVISN {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}FROM THE BEGNG, “THIS SHOW'S ABOUT POWER” {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}PREMIERG BEFORE WILL & GRACE OR QUEER AS FOLK, AND NNG UNTIL 2003, OZ WOULD ARGUABLY GO ON TO DO BETTER THAN EHER OF THEM SHOWG THE FULL SPECTM OF MALE SEXUALY. THE DRAMA NVCGLY PORTRAYED THE MYRIAD WAYS SEXUALY ULD BE EXPRSED BETWEEN MEN WHETHER GAY, BI OR STRAIGHT. IT WOULD ALSO GIVE VIEWERS ONE OF TELEVISN'S MOST MEMORABLE MALE/MALE RELATNSHIPS THE LONG-NNG, POWERFUL AND PLEX ROMANCE BETWEEN PRISONERS CHRIS KELLER (PLAYED BY CHRISTOPHER MELONI) AND TOBIAS BEECHER (LEE TERGEN).{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}WHEN OZ PREMIERED, FONTANA WAS SIMULTANEOLY JUGGLG ANOTHER CRILLY-ACCLAIMED SERI, HOMICI: LIFE ON THE STREET WHICH WOULD HAVE S OWN GROUNDBREAKG GAY MOMENT WHEN DETECTIVE TIM BAYLISS (KYLE SER), WAS OUTED AS A BISEXUAL JANUARY 1998. HOWEVER, BAYLISS' BISEXUALY NEVER WENT BEYOND A FEW DAT AND DISCSNS WH -WORKERS. FONTANA EXPLAED WHY THE NATURE OF OZ ALLOWED HIM TO GO FURTHER EXPLORG THE CHARACTERS' SEXUALY THAN ON HOMICI:{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}“THE THG IS WH HOMICI, YOU KNOW, WE DID SO LTLE ABOUT THE TECTIV' PERSONAL LIV, BEE WHAT WE REALLY WANTED WAS THEIR CHARACTERS TO BE REVEALED THROUGH THEIR WORK. [...] WHEREAS THE DYNAMIC OF OZ ALWAYS WAS — BEE THIS SHOW'S ABOUT POWER — AND SO THE ELEMENT OF SEXUALY AS RELAT TO POWER... WHETHER 'S STRAIGHT, GAY, BI, OR WHATEVER... ALWAYS WAS PLAY, OM THE VERY BEGNG.”{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}INED, OM THE BEGNG, THE SHOW FEATURED GAY CHARACTERS PROMENTLY. SOME MAY HAVE BEEN ON THE TRADNAL ‘GAY MAN' NG OF THE POWER LADR — NAMELY, THE BOTTOM OF THE PECKG ORR. SUCH WAS THE SE WH FIRST SEASON CHARACTER BILLIE KEANE (DERRICK SIMMONS), THE EFFEMATE BROTHER OF MATE JEFFERSON KEANE (LEON), WHO NEED PROTECTG OM THE OTHER {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}BUT LATER SEASONS ALSO SHOWED GAY MEN WHO WERE UNABASHEDLY WILLG TO ASSERT THEMSELV. RICHIE HANLON (JORDAN LAGE), A GAY PRISONER WHO ENTERED OZ SEASON 2, QUICKLY ENUNTERED SEXUAL HARASSMENT OM FELLOW PRISONER MARK MACK (LEIF RIDLL), BUT WAS UNWILLG TO TAKE THE ABE:{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}MACK: YOU'RE A FAG. YOU SUCK DICK. SO WHAT'S THE PROBLEM?{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}HANLON: I SUCK THE DICKS I WANT TO SUCK, SO F*** {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}BEG SET PRISON, HOWEVER, THE SHOW ALSO ALT ANKLY WH THE SEXUALY OF PRISONERS WHO DID NOT NSIR THEMSELV GAY, YET WERE DRIVEN TO SAME-SEX RELATNS EHER THROUGH LONELS OR THROUGH RAPE. ONE OF THE PRIMARY WAYS THE THEM WERE EXPLORED WAS THROUGH THE CHARACTER OF TOBIAS BEECHER. BEECHER WAS A WEALTHY, MIDDLE-CLASS LAWYER, HBAND AND FATHER, WHO FOUND HIMSELF OZ (THE NICKNAME FOR THE OSWALD STATE CORRECTNAL FACILY) AFTER ACCINTALLY KILLG A GIRL WHILE DRIVG {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}TOTALLY UNEQUIPPED FOR PRISON LIFE THE FIRST SEASON, BEECHER FELL PREY TO VERN SCHILLGER (J.K. SIMMONS), THE WHE SUPREMACIST LEAR OF THE ARYAN BROTHERHOOD OZ. SCHILLGER'S HOMOPHOBIA DID NOT PREVENT HIM OM TRYG TO RAPE ANY UNPROTECTED WHE MAN WHO ME THROUGH THE GAT OF THE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}BEECHER FOUGHT BACK OM HIS IAL “PRAG” (I.E. SEXUAL SLAVE) STAT, EVENTUALLY TABLISHG A LEVEL OF PENNCE OM SCHILLGER, ALTHOUGH THE POWER STGGLE BETWEEN THE TWO MEN WOULD NTUE TILL THE END OF THE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}ONCE EE OF SCHILLGER, THOUGH, BEECHER ALSO STGGLED WH THE LONELS THAT FONTANA SAYS WAS ANOTHER CENTRAL THEME OF THE SERI:{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}“IT WASN'T THAT I WAS THKG, ‘OH BOY, HERE'S AN OPPORTUNY TO SHOW A LOT OF GUYS F***G', WAS REALLY AN OPPORTUNY, FOR ME, TO TALK ABOUT THE LONELS, AND HOW THE LONELS, ANYBODY'S LIFE, BE PENSATED [FOR] [...] THAT'S WHY THE FIRST SEASON I HAD THE THG WHERE [THE ERNOR] GOT RID OF NJUGAL VISS [FOR THE PRISONERS], BEE I WANTED THE STAK TO BE TENSIFIED AS OPPOSED TO THERE BEG THIS RELEASE.”{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}A LOVE STORY EMERG {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}ENTER CHRIS KELLER, A STRAPPG, CHARISMATIC, BLUE-EYED, SEXUALLY AMBIGUO PRISONER WHO BEME BEECHER'S PODMATE EPISO 2:4. KELLER SUPPORTED BEECHER THROUGH THE NEWS OF HIS WIFE'S ATH, ALL WHILE OFFERG PANNSHIP, WRTLG LSONS AND THE APPARENT PROMISE OF A IENDSHIP WH NO {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}IN A PRISON FILLED WH CLIQU, POWER STGGL AND MANIPULATN, KELLER SEEMED LIKE A GODSEND. THE PREVLY HETEROSEXUAL BEECHER WAS VERY QUICKLY SMTEN — AND WH A FEW EPISOS, BEECHER AND KELLER WERE EXCHANGG CLARATNS OF LOVE WHILE KISSG THE LNDRY {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}IN REALY, HOWEVER, KELLER WAS LEAGUE WH SCHILLGER, AND HE EVENTUALLY LIVERED BEECHER OVER FOR A BEATG WHICH BOTH HIS ARMS AND LEGS WERE BROKEN. ABOUT THE MEN'S RELATNSHIPS AND THE BETRAYAL, WHICH OCCURRED AT THE END OF THE SEND SEASON, FONTANA SAYS: “THAT WAS AS FAR AS I KNEW THE STORY.” [LGHS] “I MEAN LERALLY, THAT WAS AS FAR AS ... SO THAT WHAT YOU DISVERED WAS THAT WAS ALL A LIE, THAT EVERYTHG THAT KELLER HAD DONE WAS A LIE, AND THAT WAS WHERE MY HEAD ... NOT THAT I WAS GONNA LEAVE , BUT THAT'S AS FAR AS I HAD MY HEAD, ABOUT WHERE ULD GO.”{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}HE SAYS THAT SEEG MELONI AND TERGEN A FAKE ROMANCE WAS WHAT SPIRED HIM TO MAKE A REAL ONE: “THE KELLER/BEECHER THG REALLY GREW OUT OF THE DYNAMIC BETWEEN THE TWO ACTORS, CHRIS AND LEE, THE SENSE THAT MY ORIGAL TENTN WAS SIMPLY FOR KELLER TO BE A CLASSIC SEXUAL PREDATOR, G THE BEECHER CHARACTER. BUT THE CHEMISTRY BETWEEN THE TWO ACTORS ONSCREEN WAS SUCH THAT I WENT, ‘WELL WA A MUTE, THERE'S MORE HERE AND 'S MUCH MORE TERTG THAN ANYTHG THAT I WOULD HAVE NCEIVED OF.' [...] IT WAS EXCG TO SEE THE DYNAMIC BETWEEN THEM, SO THAT'S WHY I STAYED WH THAT STORY TERMS OF BEECHER 'S VELOPMENT AS A CHARACTER.”{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}PART OF THE CHEMISTRY BETWEEN THE TWO ACTORS ME OM THE EXTENT TO WHICH THEY VTED THEMSELV THEIR ROL, SO THAT EVEN THEIR UNSCRIPTED MOMENTS THEY WERE BELIEVABLE AS TWO MEN LOVE. IN FACT, OVER THE NEXT FOUR SEASONS, SOME OF THEIR MOST MEMORABLE MOMENTS WOULD BE WORDLS: KELLER SUALLY NNG HIS HAND OVER BEECHER'S ARM; THE LOOK BEECHER'S EY WHEN HE GO TO VIS KELLER HOSPAL AFTER HE HAS BEEN JURED; BEECHER ANXLY NNG HIS FGERS THROUGH HIS HAIR BEFORE GOG TO SEE KELLER FOR THE FIRST TIME AFTER A LONG SEPARATN. THE WAY KELLER PS FOR A MOMENT BEFORE TURNG AROUND WHEN BEECHER SAYS HIS {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}LOVE, STCTN, SACRIFICE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}IT HELPED THAT AS THE STORYLE UNFOLD WAS LS A STORY ‘ABOUT' SEXUAL ORIENTATN THAN WAS ABOUT THE DUAL NATURE OF ANY LOVE: THE SIRE TO PROTECT AND RE FOR SOMEONE VERS THE SELFISH SIRE TO POSSS THEM AT ALL STS. THIS NFLICT WAS PARTICULARLY ACUTE FOR THE BISEXUAL KELLER, A PRIME MANIPULATOR WHOSE RELATNSHIPS WH MEN AND WOMEN BOTH SI AND OUTSI PRISON HAD BEEN DRIVEN BY A NEED TO SEE IF HE ULD TREAT THEM BADLY AND STILL GET THEM TO E BACK TO {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}AWARE OF HIS OWN STCTIVE TENNCI LOVE, KELLER STGGLED TO ATTA THE MORE NOBLE ASPECTS OF SACRIFICE AND SELFLSNS. AT THE END OF SEASON 4, HE NFS TO A CRIME THAT BEECHER HAS MTED ORR TO TRY AND PROTECT BEECHER OM {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}FONTANA SAYS: “WHAT I THOUGHT WOULD BE TERTG WOULD BE, IF YOU TAKE THIS GUY WHO HAS BEEN A SEXUAL PREDATOR, AND OVER THE URSE OF TIME, THE LIE OF ‘I'M LOVE WH BEECHER' BE THE TTH OF ‘I'M LOVE WH BEECHER'. AND HOW DO THAT AFFECT [KELLER] AND SOFTEN HIM AND MAKE HIM E TO A DIFFERENT KD OF PLACE? I MEAN 'S A CLASSIC LOVE STORY THE SENSE THAT BEECHER'S GENUE LOVE FOR KELLER CHANGED KELLER AS A PERSON, AND KD OF EED HIM TO THE POT WHERE, GOG OM BEG PLETELY SELFISH, HE ULD THEN BE PLETELY SELFLS. BUT EVEN SO, WAS HE [REALLY]?”{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}IN OTHER WORDS, N A LEOPARD TLY CHANGE S SPOTS?{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}SENT TO A DIFFERENT PRISON TO AWA TRIAL, KELLER TRI TO PH BEECHER AWAY - PARTICULARLY SCE HE KNOWS THAT BEECHER MAY BE UP FOR PAROLE. BUT BY THE BEGNG OF SEASON 5, AFTER KELLER'S FALSE NFSN HAS BEEN DISVERED, BEECHER IS SENT BACK TO OZ. THROUGHOUT THE SIXTH AND FAL SEASON, AS BEECHER ONCE AGA HAS A CHANCE AT EEDOM, KELLER BE CREASGLY SPERATE AND STCTIVE HIS EFFORTS TO KEEP BEECHER WH {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}FONTANA SAYS: “WHAT I WAS GOG FOR WAS, WHAT [KELLER] SAID TO [ BEECHER ] TERMS OF ‘RUN AS FAR AWAY OM ME AS POSSIBLE' [AT THE END OF SEASON 4], WAS A GENUE ACT OF LOVE. BEE I THK HE KNEW OF HIS OWN OBSSN. AND HE KNEW THAT THE OBSSN WOULD LEAD TO A TERRIBLE OUTE. SO HIS IMPULSE WAS TO SAY ‘OK, I'M GONNA PH YOU AWAY'. BUT ULTIMATELY, YOU KNOW, THE LOVE BE THE THG THAT HE KNOWS HE HAS TO HAVE. SO HOPEFULLY 'S ABOUT THE PLEXY OF LOVE, BEE ON THE ONE HAND, HE LOV BEECHER ENOUGH TO KNOW THAT HE'S BAD FOR HIM. AND YET ON THE OTHER HAND, HE LOV HIM SO MUCH, HE HAS TO [TRY AND] STROY BEECHER, A WAY, STROY HIS EEDOM, ORR TO POSSS HIM.”{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}DPE THE CREASGLY DARK TURN TAKEN BY THE RELATNSHIP, FONTANA SAYS: “I DO THK THAT THEY TLY DID LOVE EACH OTHER. AND THE WAY THAT LOVE N BE BOTH BLISSFUL AND BTAL. THEY LOVED EACH OTHER FULLY, WASN'T JT HEARTS AND FLOWERS KD OF LOVE, HAD ALL THE BUMPS AND GRDS OF A REAL RELATNSHIP, AND OF AN TENSE ... YOU KNOW, KD OF PRIMAL RELATNSHIP.”{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}BEECHER AND KELLER'S UNSEEN SEX LIFE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}KELLER AND BEECHER'S ROMANCE CERTALY RAN THE EMOTNAL GAMUT. AND, PRE-QUEER AS FOLK, MAY HAVE BEEN MORE FULLY-REALIZED PHYSILLY THAN ANY OTHER MALE/MALE RELATNSHIP ON AMERIN TELEVISN. BUT A SHOW THAT NEVER FLCHED OM SHOWG VLENT RAP BETWEEN MEN, AS WELL AS SEVERAL FAIRLY GRAPHIC (IF AGGRSIVE) MALE/FEMALE UPLGS, WAS STRIKG THAT BEECHER AND KELLER NEVER GOT MUCH BEYOND {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}SURPRISED WHEN THIS IS POTED OUT TO HIM, FONTANA STAT THAT THE LACK OF A SEX SCENE WAS “TOTALLY UNNSC ON MY PART”, AND CERTALY NOT THE RULT OF ANY WORK CENSORSHIP: “YEAH, NO, HBO DIDN'T HAVE ANY PROBLEMS, HBO NEVER TOLD ME DON'T DO ANYTHG. SO WASN'T HBO SAYG ‘OH, TOM, PLEASE DON'T SHOW TWO MEN HAVG LOVG SEX.' THEY DIDN'T ... NOBODY SAID THAT.”{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}HE REFLECTS: “I THK [ WAS] BEE MY MD ... I THK THAT THE SEX THAT WE DID SEE, WHICH WAS FAIRLY VLENT — EVEN THE SE, LIKE, THE FIRST SEASON WHEN EDIE FAL'S CHARACTER [DIANE WHTLEY] SLEPT WH TERRY KNEY'S CHARACTER [TIM MCMAN], WAS NOT AN ATTRACTIVE SEX SCENE, WAS A SPERATE SEX SCENE. AND TO GO BACK TO WHAT I WAS SAYG BEFORE, THE SHOW WAS REALLY ABOUT POWER AND THE LACK OF POWER. AND THE SEXUALY AND THE VLENCE WERE ED AS A PRISM FOR AN EXAMATN OF POWER. AND SO A SOFT AND LOVG SEX SCENE BETWEEN TWO OF THE CHARACTERS PROBABLY WOULD HAVE BEEN UNTER TO WHAT WAS MY HEAD ABOUT WHY I WAS SHOWG ANY SEX AT {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}“I MEAN, IF YOU THK ABOUT , WHAT WOULD A SEX SCENE BETWEEN [BEECHER AND KELLER] HAVE BEEN LIKE? I MEAN BEE THEY DID LOVE EACH OTHER, WOULD HAVE HAD A KD OF ... WOULD HAVE HAD TO BE, LIKE, NICE SEX. WHICH WASN'T PART OF THE TAPTRY OF THE SHOW, IS I GUS WHAT I'M SAYG, WHICH IS WHY STCTIVELY I GUS I NEVER WENT THERE.”{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}KIDDG, HE ADDS: “BUT — YOU KNOW, F*** , LET'S GO BACK AND SHOOT THE SEX SCEN BETWEEN [MELONI AND TERGEN]! THEY'D DO , THOSE TWO CLOWNS! THEY'RE READY!”{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}HE IS PROBABLY RRECT SAYG THIS. THE RELAXED RPONS OF THE TWO ACTORS TO QUTNS ABOUT THEIR SAME-SEX STORYLE, ALONG WH THEIR PASSNATE ONSTAGE KISS AT THE 2000 GLAAD MEDIA AWARDS, WERE PART OF WHAT ENARED THEM TO GAY {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}ON A SHOW THAT ALSO HAD A LARGE STRAIGHT FANBASE, THOUGH, FONTANA SAYS THAT HE NEVER FOUND HIMSELF PRSURED OR CRICIZED FOR THE BEECHER/KELLER STORYLE: “THE DIENCE NEVER SEEMED TO DITE THAT, AND THE WORK NEVER SEEMED TO DITE THAT, AND THE REVIEWERS NEVER SEEMED TO DITE THAT.”{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}COMFORT THROUGH BTALY {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}PART OF WHAT MA THE RELATNSHIP MORE ACCEPTABLE TO STRAIGHT MALE VIEWERS, PARTICULAR, MAY HAVE BEEN THE SHEER BTALY OF THE WORLD THAT OZ PICTED. IT WAS DIFFICULT FOR THEM TO SNEER AT BEECHER AND KELLER AS WEAK OR “FAGGY” WHEN, ON A WEEKLY BASIS, THE CHARACTERS WERE ALG WH SUATNS THAT MOST MEN, WHETHER STRAIGHT OR GAY, WOULD STGGLE TO {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}THE SHOW ALSO HAD A BROKEBACK MOUNTA-LIKE QUALY OF SIMPLY PRENTG YOU DIRECTLY WH THE MEN'S RAW EXPERIENCE, WH NO APOLOGI OR JTIFITNS OFFERED FOR DOG SO. WHERE WILL & GRACE SUBSTUTED JUDY GARLAND JOK FOR SEXUALY, OZ TOOK YOU STRAIGHT TO THE HEART OF A DARK, TENSE LOVE AFFAIR, A WAY THAT WAS HARD TO {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}ON , A FEMALE POSTER RELLED WATCHG OZ WH HER BOYIEND, WHO SHOUTED “NO!” WHEN HE SAW BEECHER AND KELLER KISS. SHE THOUGHT HE WAS REACTG HOMOPHOBILLY, BUT TURNED OUT THAT HE WAS SHOUTG TO BEECHER: “DON'T TAKE HIM BACK, YOU IDT! HE BROKE BOTH YOUR ARMS AND YOUR LEGS!”{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}ONE OF THE TERTG THGS ABOUT OZ WAS THAT DREW SEVERAL ACTORS WH A RAP/HIP-HOP BACKGROUND — NOT TRADNALLY A MUNY IENDLY TO HOMOSEXUALY. IN THE URSE OF THE SHOW'S N, THERE WERE GUT APPEARANC OM LL COOL J AND MASTER P, AS WELL AS LONGER-LASTG TURNS OM PERFORMERS SUCH AS METHOD MAN, AND LORD JAMAR OF THE GROUP BRAND NUBIAN. ACRDG TO FONTANA, HOWEVER, NO-ONE ON THE SHOW EVER VOICED A PLAT ABOUT THE BEECHER/KELLER STORYLE OR THE SHOW'S GAY NTENT — AT LEAST NOT TO HIM:{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}“OH, YOU MEAN TERMS OF AN ACTOR WHO WASN'T VOLVED THAT STORY GOG, LIKE, ‘MAN, I N'T BELIEVE YOU'RE DOG THAT'? UM ... THE TTH IS I N'T ANSWER THAT, BEE IF THEY HAD I PROBABLY WOULD HAVE FIRED THEM.” HE LGHS. “AND THEY PROBABLY KNEW THAT. BEE ... YOU KNOW, THE WHOLE ... WHAT WAS WONRFUL ABOUT THE ST OF OZ WAS THAT THEY GOT THE WHOLE THG, THEY UNRSTOOD THE WHOLE THG, AND SO ... I MEAN IF ANYBODY HAD A PROBLEM WH , NOBODY ARTICULATED TO ME. BUT LIKE I SAID THEY PROBABLY WERE AAID TO, BEE THEY KNEW I'D GET PISSED OFF. BEE I DON'T THK 'S RIGHT FOR PEOPLE TO BE CRICIZG OTHER PEOPLE'S STORYL.”{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}GETTG TO HEAVEN OM OZ {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}WH THE SHOW, OTHER PEOPLE WHOM YOU MIGHT HAVE EXPECTED TO BE AGAST THE BEECHER/KELLER ROMANCE WERE THE CHARACTERS OF SISTER PETER MARIE REIMONDO (PLAYED BY RA MORENO), AND FATHER RAY MADA (PLAYED BY OUT ACTOR B.D. WONG), A CATHOLIC NUN AND PRIT RPECTIVELY, WHO SERVED THE PRISON POPULATN. IN FACT, BOTH CHARACTERS WERE SYMPATHETIC TO THE RELATNSHIP, AND EVEN WENT OUT OF THEIR WAY TO ARRANGE FOR THE LOVERS TO MEET. SPEAKG ABOUT THEIR ATTUS, FONTANA (WHO SERVED AS EXECUTIVE PRODUCER ON THE 2004 DOCUMENTARY IN GOOD CONSCIENCE, A FILM ABOUT THE CATHOLIC CHURCH'S STANCE ON HOMOSEXUALY) SAYS THAT:{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}“THE NATURE OF THE PRITS AND NUNS WHO WORK PRISONS IS VERY DIFFERENT OM WHAT THOSE CLOWNS THE VATIN DO. AND THE AMERIN CATHOLIC CHURCH IS ... ONCE YOU GET TO THAT LEVEL OF PEOPLE WHO ARE MTED SOCIALLY TO, WHETHER 'S PRISONS OR WHATEVER THEY'RE MTED TO, THEY DON'T MAKE THOSE KD OF JUDGMENTS. I KNOW A LOT OF ACTIVIST PRITS AND A LOT OF ACTIVIST NUNS, AND THEY WOULDN'T BE THOSE JOBS IF THEY SUDNLY WERE TRYG TO BE DICTATORIAL ABOUT, ‘OH, HOMOSEXUALY IS THIS,' OR ... THE ON THAT I {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}“NOW MAYBE THERE ARE PEOPLE OUT THERE WHO ARE MUCH MORE HARD-NOSED, BUT THE ON THAT I KNOW AND THE ON THAT I MET [WHILE DOG REARCH FOR OZ], SPECIFILLY THE PEOPLE THE PRISONS, WERE REALLY VERY OPEN AND LOVG, AND UNRSTANDG OF THE LONELS AND THE FEAR THAT EXISTS PRISON, AND HOW THAT N GENERATE DIFFERENT KDS OF RELATNSHIPS. SO, FOR ME WAS NEVER AN ISSUE.”{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}NONE OF THIS IS TO SAY THAT BEECHER AND KELLER NEVER MET WH ANY DISAPPROVAL PURSUG THEIR RELATNSHIP. KAREEM SAID (PLAYED BY EAMONN WALKER), THE LEAR OF THE MLIM PRISONERS OZ, WAS HORRIFIED BY HOMOSEXUALY — A FACT WHICH SOMETIM PUT A STRA ON HIS OTHERWISE CLOSE IENDSHIP WH BEECHER. MANY OF THE PRISONERS HAD THE PREDICTABLE MACHO DISMISSIVE ATTU ABOUT ‘FAGS'.{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}AT THE SAME TIME, THE BEECHER/KELLER ROMANCE DID FULFILL THE IAL OF A SAME-SEX UPLE ON TELEVISN WHOSE RELATNSHIP WAS OPEN AND ACKNOWLEDGED BY EVERYONE AROUND THEM, WHO DID NOT SPEND TIME AGONIZG OVER THEIR SEXUALY, AND WHOSE ISSU AS A UPLE WERE MOSTLY UNRELATED TO {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}NEHER OF THE CHARACTERS ULD EVER HAVE BEEN SCRIBED AS ROLE MOLS. THEIR RELATNSHIP WAS BORN PARTLY OUT OF RTRICTN AND LONELS, AND MIGHT NEVER HAVE HAPPENED OUTSI OF OZ. BUT THE WAY THAT RELATNSHIP WAS WRTEN AND STAGED, ALWAYS CLUD AN ELEMENT OF GENUE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}THE RELATNSHIP IS ULTIMATELY A DOOMED ONE, BUT THAT LOVE WAS EVINCED OM THE VERY FIRST TRODUCTN OF KELLER UNR THE HEADG “BOY MEETS BOY”, WHEN THE MERA PANS OVER BEECHER AND KELLER'S FAC AS ONE OF THE SHOW'S CHARACTERS READS A LOVE POEM, TO THE PROMISE THAT KELLER MAK BEECHER AS HE IS LED OFF AT THE END OF SEASON 4:{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}KELLER: I'LL SEE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}BEECHER: WHEN?{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}KELLER: BACK HERE. OR {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}BEECHER: YOU REALLY THK WE'RE GONNA GET TO HEAVEN?{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}KELLER: AH ... YOU AND ME TOGETHER? GOD DON'T HAVE THE BALLS TO KEEP {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}GET OZ ON DVD OM OR WATCH RE-NS ON HBO {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;CLEAR:BOTH;}THE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;MARG:0 TO;WIDTH:90%;M-WIDTH:288PX;MAX-WIDTH:1440PX;M-HEIGHT:194PX;}LATT NEWS

WHICH ACTORS THE WIZARD OF OZ WERE GAY?

Now that gay actors like Nathan Lane, Jim Parsons, Victor Garber, Jonathan Groff, and Neil Patrick Harris are “out of the closet” and on the rise, ’s hard to image jt how different thgs were the relatively recent past. Not only was the notn of beg openly gay and havg a viable reer unimagable, but gayns self was also a ncept pole society uldn’t untenance.

“Homosexuals” subsisted on society’s margs, mentned only whispered gossip, fearsome psychiatric studi, and Conservative diatrib cryg perversn. Still, spe of all, gay men managed to make their way to very top of the actg profsn the gild closets of Hollywood. The ser cril receptn given to two of the postmortem Liberace bpic for televisn Liberace: Behd the Mic (1988) wh gay Victor Garber and a screenplay by the gay Gav Lambert, and Behd the Canlabra (2011) wh the straight Michael Douglas and Matt Damon, directed by the equally straight Steven Sorbergh reflects his populary.

Their producer, Ross Hunter (who was also gay) nnily st the young actor alongsi veteran star Jane Wyman both films, th wng the heart of olr female moviegoers enamored of good-lookg young men. It lasted only two years, but served s purpose., Still didn’t fortall a joke mor that he had married his iend, sger-actor Jim Nabors (who was also gay but not closeted) om makg the rounds.

FROM GAY TO STRAIGHT? THE CONTROVERSIAL THERAPY

In 1950, he was arrted along wh a group of other gay men for Disorrly Conduct when the police raid a private party, which was not an unmon circumstance. Perks me que late to marriage (1973) havg spent the better part of his life as a closeted but a somewhat eewheelg gay man whose lovers clud (the prevly noted) Tab Hunter, actor-dancer Grover Dale, Rudolph Nureyev (who certaly got around), and Stephen Sondheim, wh whom he -scripted the edy-thriller The Last of Sheila.

His books clu Open Secret: Gay Hollywood 1928-2000, The Srse Picture: The Art and Life of Mart Srse and Cahiers du Cema — Masters of Cema: Roman Polanski. "He ntued: "The biggt thg for me is where I e om, 's like people like me and people who have intified as bisexual or gay or as any part of the muny, you're jt not weled.

It's eher you faced sane amounts of profany, like the F-word was thrown around all the time or you would get your ass kicked if you were gay. "I've been love wh both men and women and I've been proud to be a part of the gay muny my personal life and jt want to share now publicly, onle.

THE GAYS

It is, of urse, mon knowledge that Judy Garland is a gay in — beloved and worshiped by gay men of a certa age and class — but what else explas the ubiquo referenc to “Oz” drag performanc and the nam of bars and bs terg to the muny?

It would be a mistake to nfe a discsn of The Wizard of Oz to a certa class of gay men, but seekg a pot of orig, there is a domant narrative of queer history which “Oz” and Garland were important parts of a mostly whe, middle-class, urban gay male subculture by the 1950s. The orig of the exprsn “Friend of Dorothy, ” which beme a phrase ed by gay men to intify themselv to each other, is lost to history — may have predated this era, and may not even refer to Garland’s role the movie, but the belief that do is wispread (another possibily is that refers to Dorothy Parker, who was also a iend to gays). Acrdg to “Oz” scholar Dee Michel, who is wrg a book on “Oz” and gay men, there are certa beliefs about the film and the LGBT muny that persist spe of a lack of clear historil evince.

“The beliefs, ” he said, “overlap and rerce each other and have bee part of gay folklore, creasg our sense of history and rercg gay inty.

QUEER FANS MOURN LLIE JORDAN, A SYMBOL OF A 'LOST GENERATN' OF GAY MEN

Other prt referenc to “Oz” as an unrground culture shared by gay men seem to show up the 1970s and ’80s, lookg back and attemptg to expla the appeal of the film.

The explanatns often take the form of an intifitn of gay men and others wh a girl om a small muny who is misunrstood by her fay, who is whisked away to a place where she be iends wh characters who seem like they uld be gay men (pecially the Cowardly Ln, who refers to himself as a “sissy” and “dandy ln”). The story beme a metaphor for the real-life dreams and experienc of gay men who left middle Ameri for the gay muni of New York Cy and San Francis, which were analogized to Oz or the Emerald Cy. Garland’s stggl seemed to mirror those of gay men at the time, and she was admired for risg above her problems performance, although as she noted herself, she was never able to get over the rabow her life off the stage or screen.

Neverthels, gay folklore and film ntue to tell the story, que possibly imposg the perspective of whe, cisgenr gay male historians on an event that was largely the work of queer and trans people of lor.

"OZ": TEN YEARS {FONT:NORMAL 800 1.2REM/1.2 "D BOLD",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NORMAL;LOR:HER;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;PADDG-BOTTOM:6PX;POSN:RELATIVE;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;}{BACKGROUND:#89308A;BOTTOM:0;NTENT:'';DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:2PX;LEFT:0;POSN:ABSOLUTE;RIGHT:0;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;WIDTH:100%;}{LEFT:51%;RIGHT:51%;WIDTH:0;}{FONT:NORMAL 800 1.2REM/1.2 "D BOLD",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NORMAL;LOR:HER;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;PADDG-BOTTOM:6PX;POSN:RELATIVE;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;}{BACKGROUND:#89308A;BOTTOM:0;NTENT:'';DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:2PX;LEFT:0;POSN:ABSOLUTE;RIGHT:0;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;WIDTH:100%;}{LEFT:51%;RIGHT:51%;WIDTH:0;}TVBY MICHAEL JENSENJULY 11, 2007/3:50 PMBY MICHAEL JENSENJULY 11, 2007 / 3:50 PM{"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"NEWSARTICLE","HEADLE":"\"OZ\": TEN YEARS LATER","DATEPUBLISHED":"2007-07-11T19:50:40.000+0000","DATEMODIFIED":"2007-07-11T19:50:40.000+0000","IMAGE":{"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT","WIDTH":1920,"HEIGHT":1080},"URL":","THOR":{"@TYPE":"ORGANIZATN","NAME":"LOGO TV"},"MAENTYOFPAGE":{"@TYPE":"WEBPAGE","@ID":"},"PUBLISHER":{"@TYPE":"ORGANIZATN","@ID":","NAME":"LOGO TV","URL":","LOGO":{"@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT"}},"CREATOR":"MICHAEL JENSEN","KEYWORDS":"THE BACKLOT","ARTICLESECTN":"TV"}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}WH SHOWS SUCH AS SIX FEET UNR AND THE SOPRANOS, PREMIUM BLE WORK HBO HAS A SERVED REPUTATN FOR EDGY, QUALY DRAMA. BUT WAS ON THIS DAY TEN YEARS AGO THAT THE WORK PREMIERED OZ, S FIRST ONE-HOUR DRAMATIC TELEVISN SERI. SET WH A MAXIMUM SECURY PRISON SOMEWHERE THE UNED STAT, THE PRISON DRAMA BROKE BOUNDARI WH S VLENCE, PROFANY AND NUDY, AS WELL AS WH S DIVERSE AND MULTI-RACIAL ST OF STRONGLY IMAGED CHARACTERS. TOM FONTANA, WRER AND EXECUTIVE PRODUCER FOR OZ, RECENTLY SPOKE WH ABOUT THE SHOW AND S PLACE TELEVISN {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}FROM THE BEGNG, “THIS SHOW'S ABOUT POWER” {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}PREMIERG BEFORE WILL & GRACE OR QUEER AS FOLK, AND NNG UNTIL 2003, OZ WOULD ARGUABLY GO ON TO DO BETTER THAN EHER OF THEM SHOWG THE FULL SPECTM OF MALE SEXUALY. THE DRAMA NVCGLY PORTRAYED THE MYRIAD WAYS SEXUALY ULD BE EXPRSED BETWEEN MEN WHETHER GAY, BI OR STRAIGHT. IT WOULD ALSO GIVE VIEWERS ONE OF TELEVISN'S MOST MEMORABLE MALE/MALE RELATNSHIPS THE LONG-NNG, POWERFUL AND PLEX ROMANCE BETWEEN PRISONERS CHRIS KELLER (PLAYED BY CHRISTOPHER MELONI) AND TOBIAS BEECHER (LEE TERGEN).{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}WHEN OZ PREMIERED, FONTANA WAS SIMULTANEOLY JUGGLG ANOTHER CRILLY-ACCLAIMED SERI, HOMICI: LIFE ON THE STREET WHICH WOULD HAVE S OWN GROUNDBREAKG GAY MOMENT WHEN DETECTIVE TIM BAYLISS (KYLE SER), WAS OUTED AS A BISEXUAL JANUARY 1998. HOWEVER, BAYLISS' BISEXUALY NEVER WENT BEYOND A FEW DAT AND DISCSNS WH -WORKERS. FONTANA EXPLAED WHY THE NATURE OF OZ ALLOWED HIM TO GO FURTHER EXPLORG THE CHARACTERS' SEXUALY THAN ON HOMICI:{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}“THE THG IS WH HOMICI, YOU KNOW, WE DID SO LTLE ABOUT THE TECTIV' PERSONAL LIV, BEE WHAT WE REALLY WANTED WAS THEIR CHARACTERS TO BE REVEALED THROUGH THEIR WORK. [...] WHEREAS THE DYNAMIC OF OZ ALWAYS WAS — BEE THIS SHOW'S ABOUT POWER — AND SO THE ELEMENT OF SEXUALY AS RELAT TO POWER... WHETHER 'S STRAIGHT, GAY, BI, OR WHATEVER... ALWAYS WAS PLAY, OM THE VERY BEGNG.”{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}INED, OM THE BEGNG, THE SHOW FEATURED GAY CHARACTERS PROMENTLY. SOME MAY HAVE BEEN ON THE TRADNAL ‘GAY MAN' NG OF THE POWER LADR — NAMELY, THE BOTTOM OF THE PECKG ORR. SUCH WAS THE SE WH FIRST SEASON CHARACTER BILLIE KEANE (DERRICK SIMMONS), THE EFFEMATE BROTHER OF MATE JEFFERSON KEANE (LEON), WHO NEED PROTECTG OM THE OTHER {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}BUT LATER SEASONS ALSO SHOWED GAY MEN WHO WERE UNABASHEDLY WILLG TO ASSERT THEMSELV. RICHIE HANLON (JORDAN LAGE), A GAY PRISONER WHO ENTERED OZ SEASON 2, QUICKLY ENUNTERED SEXUAL HARASSMENT OM FELLOW PRISONER MARK MACK (LEIF RIDLL), BUT WAS UNWILLG TO TAKE THE ABE:{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}MACK: YOU'RE A FAG. YOU SUCK DICK. SO WHAT'S THE PROBLEM?{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}HANLON: I SUCK THE DICKS I WANT TO SUCK, SO F*** {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}BEG SET PRISON, HOWEVER, THE SHOW ALSO ALT ANKLY WH THE SEXUALY OF PRISONERS WHO DID NOT NSIR THEMSELV GAY, YET WERE DRIVEN TO SAME-SEX RELATNS EHER THROUGH LONELS OR THROUGH RAPE. ONE OF THE PRIMARY WAYS THE THEM WERE EXPLORED WAS THROUGH THE CHARACTER OF TOBIAS BEECHER. BEECHER WAS A WEALTHY, MIDDLE-CLASS LAWYER, HBAND AND FATHER, WHO FOUND HIMSELF OZ (THE NICKNAME FOR THE OSWALD STATE CORRECTNAL FACILY) AFTER ACCINTALLY KILLG A GIRL WHILE DRIVG {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}TOTALLY UNEQUIPPED FOR PRISON LIFE THE FIRST SEASON, BEECHER FELL PREY TO VERN SCHILLGER (J.K. SIMMONS), THE WHE SUPREMACIST LEAR OF THE ARYAN BROTHERHOOD OZ. SCHILLGER'S HOMOPHOBIA DID NOT PREVENT HIM OM TRYG TO RAPE ANY UNPROTECTED WHE MAN WHO ME THROUGH THE GAT OF THE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}BEECHER FOUGHT BACK OM HIS IAL “PRAG” (I.E. SEXUAL SLAVE) STAT, EVENTUALLY TABLISHG A LEVEL OF PENNCE OM SCHILLGER, ALTHOUGH THE POWER STGGLE BETWEEN THE TWO MEN WOULD NTUE TILL THE END OF THE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}ONCE EE OF SCHILLGER, THOUGH, BEECHER ALSO STGGLED WH THE LONELS THAT FONTANA SAYS WAS ANOTHER CENTRAL THEME OF THE SERI:{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}“IT WASN'T THAT I WAS THKG, ‘OH BOY, HERE'S AN OPPORTUNY TO SHOW A LOT OF GUYS F***G', WAS REALLY AN OPPORTUNY, FOR ME, TO TALK ABOUT THE LONELS, AND HOW THE LONELS, ANYBODY'S LIFE, BE PENSATED [FOR] [...] THAT'S WHY THE FIRST SEASON I HAD THE THG WHERE [THE ERNOR] GOT RID OF NJUGAL VISS [FOR THE PRISONERS], BEE I WANTED THE STAK TO BE TENSIFIED AS OPPOSED TO THERE BEG THIS RELEASE.”{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}A LOVE STORY EMERG {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}ENTER CHRIS KELLER, A STRAPPG, CHARISMATIC, BLUE-EYED, SEXUALLY AMBIGUO PRISONER WHO BEME BEECHER'S PODMATE EPISO 2:4. KELLER SUPPORTED BEECHER THROUGH THE NEWS OF HIS WIFE'S ATH, ALL WHILE OFFERG PANNSHIP, WRTLG LSONS AND THE APPARENT PROMISE OF A IENDSHIP WH NO {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}IN A PRISON FILLED WH CLIQU, POWER STGGL AND MANIPULATN, KELLER SEEMED LIKE A GODSEND. THE PREVLY HETEROSEXUAL BEECHER WAS VERY QUICKLY SMTEN — AND WH A FEW EPISOS, BEECHER AND KELLER WERE EXCHANGG CLARATNS OF LOVE WHILE KISSG THE LNDRY {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}IN REALY, HOWEVER, KELLER WAS LEAGUE WH SCHILLGER, AND HE EVENTUALLY LIVERED BEECHER OVER FOR A BEATG WHICH BOTH HIS ARMS AND LEGS WERE BROKEN. ABOUT THE MEN'S RELATNSHIPS AND THE BETRAYAL, WHICH OCCURRED AT THE END OF THE SEND SEASON, FONTANA SAYS: “THAT WAS AS FAR AS I KNEW THE STORY.” [LGHS] “I MEAN LERALLY, THAT WAS AS FAR AS ... SO THAT WHAT YOU DISVERED WAS THAT WAS ALL A LIE, THAT EVERYTHG THAT KELLER HAD DONE WAS A LIE, AND THAT WAS WHERE MY HEAD ... NOT THAT I WAS GONNA LEAVE , BUT THAT'S AS FAR AS I HAD MY HEAD, ABOUT WHERE ULD GO.”{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}HE SAYS THAT SEEG MELONI AND TERGEN A FAKE ROMANCE WAS WHAT SPIRED HIM TO MAKE A REAL ONE: “THE KELLER/BEECHER THG REALLY GREW OUT OF THE DYNAMIC BETWEEN THE TWO ACTORS, CHRIS AND LEE, THE SENSE THAT MY ORIGAL TENTN WAS SIMPLY FOR KELLER TO BE A CLASSIC SEXUAL PREDATOR, G THE BEECHER CHARACTER. BUT THE CHEMISTRY BETWEEN THE TWO ACTORS ONSCREEN WAS SUCH THAT I WENT, ‘WELL WA A MUTE, THERE'S MORE HERE AND 'S MUCH MORE TERTG THAN ANYTHG THAT I WOULD HAVE NCEIVED OF.' [...] IT WAS EXCG TO SEE THE DYNAMIC BETWEEN THEM, SO THAT'S WHY I STAYED WH THAT STORY TERMS OF BEECHER 'S VELOPMENT AS A CHARACTER.”{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}PART OF THE CHEMISTRY BETWEEN THE TWO ACTORS ME OM THE EXTENT TO WHICH THEY VTED THEMSELV THEIR ROL, SO THAT EVEN THEIR UNSCRIPTED MOMENTS THEY WERE BELIEVABLE AS TWO MEN LOVE. IN FACT, OVER THE NEXT FOUR SEASONS, SOME OF THEIR MOST MEMORABLE MOMENTS WOULD BE WORDLS: KELLER SUALLY NNG HIS HAND OVER BEECHER'S ARM; THE LOOK BEECHER'S EY WHEN HE GO TO VIS KELLER HOSPAL AFTER HE HAS BEEN JURED; BEECHER ANXLY NNG HIS FGERS THROUGH HIS HAIR BEFORE GOG TO SEE KELLER FOR THE FIRST TIME AFTER A LONG SEPARATN. THE WAY KELLER PS FOR A MOMENT BEFORE TURNG AROUND WHEN BEECHER SAYS HIS {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}LOVE, STCTN, SACRIFICE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}IT HELPED THAT AS THE STORYLE UNFOLD WAS LS A STORY ‘ABOUT' SEXUAL ORIENTATN THAN WAS ABOUT THE DUAL NATURE OF ANY LOVE: THE SIRE TO PROTECT AND RE FOR SOMEONE VERS THE SELFISH SIRE TO POSSS THEM AT ALL STS. THIS NFLICT WAS PARTICULARLY ACUTE FOR THE BISEXUAL KELLER, A PRIME MANIPULATOR WHOSE RELATNSHIPS WH MEN AND WOMEN BOTH SI AND OUTSI PRISON HAD BEEN DRIVEN BY A NEED TO SEE IF HE ULD TREAT THEM BADLY AND STILL GET THEM TO E BACK TO {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}AWARE OF HIS OWN STCTIVE TENNCI LOVE, KELLER STGGLED TO ATTA THE MORE NOBLE ASPECTS OF SACRIFICE AND SELFLSNS. AT THE END OF SEASON 4, HE NFS TO A CRIME THAT BEECHER HAS MTED ORR TO TRY AND PROTECT BEECHER OM {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}FONTANA SAYS: “WHAT I THOUGHT WOULD BE TERTG WOULD BE, IF YOU TAKE THIS GUY WHO HAS BEEN A SEXUAL PREDATOR, AND OVER THE URSE OF TIME, THE LIE OF ‘I'M LOVE WH BEECHER' BE THE TTH OF ‘I'M LOVE WH BEECHER'. AND HOW DO THAT AFFECT [KELLER] AND SOFTEN HIM AND MAKE HIM E TO A DIFFERENT KD OF PLACE? I MEAN 'S A CLASSIC LOVE STORY THE SENSE THAT BEECHER'S GENUE LOVE FOR KELLER CHANGED KELLER AS A PERSON, AND KD OF EED HIM TO THE POT WHERE, GOG OM BEG PLETELY SELFISH, HE ULD THEN BE PLETELY SELFLS. BUT EVEN SO, WAS HE [REALLY]?”{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}IN OTHER WORDS, N A LEOPARD TLY CHANGE S SPOTS?{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}SENT TO A DIFFERENT PRISON TO AWA TRIAL, KELLER TRI TO PH BEECHER AWAY - PARTICULARLY SCE HE KNOWS THAT BEECHER MAY BE UP FOR PAROLE. BUT BY THE BEGNG OF SEASON 5, AFTER KELLER'S FALSE NFSN HAS BEEN DISVERED, BEECHER IS SENT BACK TO OZ. THROUGHOUT THE SIXTH AND FAL SEASON, AS BEECHER ONCE AGA HAS A CHANCE AT EEDOM, KELLER BE CREASGLY SPERATE AND STCTIVE HIS EFFORTS TO KEEP BEECHER WH {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}FONTANA SAYS: “WHAT I WAS GOG FOR WAS, WHAT [KELLER] SAID TO [ BEECHER ] TERMS OF ‘RUN AS FAR AWAY OM ME AS POSSIBLE' [AT THE END OF SEASON 4], WAS A GENUE ACT OF LOVE. BEE I THK HE KNEW OF HIS OWN OBSSN. AND HE KNEW THAT THE OBSSN WOULD LEAD TO A TERRIBLE OUTE. SO HIS IMPULSE WAS TO SAY ‘OK, I'M GONNA PH YOU AWAY'. BUT ULTIMATELY, YOU KNOW, THE LOVE BE THE THG THAT HE KNOWS HE HAS TO HAVE. SO HOPEFULLY 'S ABOUT THE PLEXY OF LOVE, BEE ON THE ONE HAND, HE LOV BEECHER ENOUGH TO KNOW THAT HE'S BAD FOR HIM. AND YET ON THE OTHER HAND, HE LOV HIM SO MUCH, HE HAS TO [TRY AND] STROY BEECHER, A WAY, STROY HIS EEDOM, ORR TO POSSS HIM.”{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}DPE THE CREASGLY DARK TURN TAKEN BY THE RELATNSHIP, FONTANA SAYS: “I DO THK THAT THEY TLY DID LOVE EACH OTHER. AND THE WAY THAT LOVE N BE BOTH BLISSFUL AND BTAL. THEY LOVED EACH OTHER FULLY, WASN'T JT HEARTS AND FLOWERS KD OF LOVE, HAD ALL THE BUMPS AND GRDS OF A REAL RELATNSHIP, AND OF AN TENSE ... YOU KNOW, KD OF PRIMAL RELATNSHIP.”{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}BEECHER AND KELLER'S UNSEEN SEX LIFE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}KELLER AND BEECHER'S ROMANCE CERTALY RAN THE EMOTNAL GAMUT. AND, PRE-QUEER AS FOLK, MAY HAVE BEEN MORE FULLY-REALIZED PHYSILLY THAN ANY OTHER MALE/MALE RELATNSHIP ON AMERIN TELEVISN. BUT A SHOW THAT NEVER FLCHED OM SHOWG VLENT RAP BETWEEN MEN, AS WELL AS SEVERAL FAIRLY GRAPHIC (IF AGGRSIVE) MALE/FEMALE UPLGS, WAS STRIKG THAT BEECHER AND KELLER NEVER GOT MUCH BEYOND {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}SURPRISED WHEN THIS IS POTED OUT TO HIM, FONTANA STAT THAT THE LACK OF A SEX SCENE WAS “TOTALLY UNNSC ON MY PART”, AND CERTALY NOT THE RULT OF ANY WORK CENSORSHIP: “YEAH, NO, HBO DIDN'T HAVE ANY PROBLEMS, HBO NEVER TOLD ME DON'T DO ANYTHG. SO WASN'T HBO SAYG ‘OH, TOM, PLEASE DON'T SHOW TWO MEN HAVG LOVG SEX.' THEY DIDN'T ... NOBODY SAID THAT.”{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}HE REFLECTS: “I THK [ WAS] BEE MY MD ... I THK THAT THE SEX THAT WE DID SEE, WHICH WAS FAIRLY VLENT — EVEN THE SE, LIKE, THE FIRST SEASON WHEN EDIE FAL'S CHARACTER [DIANE WHTLEY] SLEPT WH TERRY KNEY'S CHARACTER [TIM MCMAN], WAS NOT AN ATTRACTIVE SEX SCENE, WAS A SPERATE SEX SCENE. AND TO GO BACK TO WHAT I WAS SAYG BEFORE, THE SHOW WAS REALLY ABOUT POWER AND THE LACK OF POWER. AND THE SEXUALY AND THE VLENCE WERE ED AS A PRISM FOR AN EXAMATN OF POWER. AND SO A SOFT AND LOVG SEX SCENE BETWEEN TWO OF THE CHARACTERS PROBABLY WOULD HAVE BEEN UNTER TO WHAT WAS MY HEAD ABOUT WHY I WAS SHOWG ANY SEX AT {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}“I MEAN, IF YOU THK ABOUT , WHAT WOULD A SEX SCENE BETWEEN [BEECHER AND KELLER] HAVE BEEN LIKE? I MEAN BEE THEY DID LOVE EACH OTHER, WOULD HAVE HAD A KD OF ... WOULD HAVE HAD TO BE, LIKE, NICE SEX. WHICH WASN'T PART OF THE TAPTRY OF THE SHOW, IS I GUS WHAT I'M SAYG, WHICH IS WHY STCTIVELY I GUS I NEVER WENT THERE.”{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}KIDDG, HE ADDS: “BUT — YOU KNOW, F*** , LET'S GO BACK AND SHOOT THE SEX SCEN BETWEEN [MELONI AND TERGEN]! THEY'D DO , THOSE TWO CLOWNS! THEY'RE READY!”{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}HE IS PROBABLY RRECT SAYG THIS. THE RELAXED RPONS OF THE TWO ACTORS TO QUTNS ABOUT THEIR SAME-SEX STORYLE, ALONG WH THEIR PASSNATE ONSTAGE KISS AT THE 2000 GLAAD MEDIA AWARDS, WERE PART OF WHAT ENARED THEM TO GAY {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}ON A SHOW THAT ALSO HAD A LARGE STRAIGHT FANBASE, THOUGH, FONTANA SAYS THAT HE NEVER FOUND HIMSELF PRSURED OR CRICIZED FOR THE BEECHER/KELLER STORYLE: “THE DIENCE NEVER SEEMED TO DITE THAT, AND THE WORK NEVER SEEMED TO DITE THAT, AND THE REVIEWERS NEVER SEEMED TO DITE THAT.”{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}COMFORT THROUGH BTALY {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}PART OF WHAT MA THE RELATNSHIP MORE ACCEPTABLE TO STRAIGHT MALE VIEWERS, PARTICULAR, MAY HAVE BEEN THE SHEER BTALY OF THE WORLD THAT OZ PICTED. IT WAS DIFFICULT FOR THEM TO SNEER AT BEECHER AND KELLER AS WEAK OR “FAGGY” WHEN, ON A WEEKLY BASIS, THE CHARACTERS WERE ALG WH SUATNS THAT MOST MEN, WHETHER STRAIGHT OR GAY, WOULD STGGLE TO {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}THE SHOW ALSO HAD A BROKEBACK MOUNTA-LIKE QUALY OF SIMPLY PRENTG YOU DIRECTLY WH THE MEN'S RAW EXPERIENCE, WH NO APOLOGI OR JTIFITNS OFFERED FOR DOG SO. WHERE WILL & GRACE SUBSTUTED JUDY GARLAND JOK FOR SEXUALY, OZ TOOK YOU STRAIGHT TO THE HEART OF A DARK, TENSE LOVE AFFAIR, A WAY THAT WAS HARD TO {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}ON , A FEMALE POSTER RELLED WATCHG OZ WH HER BOYIEND, WHO SHOUTED “NO!” WHEN HE SAW BEECHER AND KELLER KISS. SHE THOUGHT HE WAS REACTG HOMOPHOBILLY, BUT TURNED OUT THAT HE WAS SHOUTG TO BEECHER: “DON'T TAKE HIM BACK, YOU IDT! HE BROKE BOTH YOUR ARMS AND YOUR LEGS!”{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}ONE OF THE TERTG THGS ABOUT OZ WAS THAT DREW SEVERAL ACTORS WH A RAP/HIP-HOP BACKGROUND — NOT TRADNALLY A MUNY IENDLY TO HOMOSEXUALY. IN THE URSE OF THE SHOW'S N, THERE WERE GUT APPEARANC OM LL COOL J AND MASTER P, AS WELL AS LONGER-LASTG TURNS OM PERFORMERS SUCH AS METHOD MAN, AND LORD JAMAR OF THE GROUP BRAND NUBIAN. ACRDG TO FONTANA, HOWEVER, NO-ONE ON THE SHOW EVER VOICED A PLAT ABOUT THE BEECHER/KELLER STORYLE OR THE SHOW'S GAY NTENT — AT LEAST NOT TO HIM:{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}“OH, YOU MEAN TERMS OF AN ACTOR WHO WASN'T VOLVED THAT STORY GOG, LIKE, ‘MAN, I N'T BELIEVE YOU'RE DOG THAT'? UM ... THE TTH IS I N'T ANSWER THAT, BEE IF THEY HAD I PROBABLY WOULD HAVE FIRED THEM.” HE LGHS. “AND THEY PROBABLY KNEW THAT. BEE ... YOU KNOW, THE WHOLE ... WHAT WAS WONRFUL ABOUT THE ST OF OZ WAS THAT THEY GOT THE WHOLE THG, THEY UNRSTOOD THE WHOLE THG, AND SO ... I MEAN IF ANYBODY HAD A PROBLEM WH , NOBODY ARTICULATED TO ME. BUT LIKE I SAID THEY PROBABLY WERE AAID TO, BEE THEY KNEW I'D GET PISSED OFF. BEE I DON'T THK 'S RIGHT FOR PEOPLE TO BE CRICIZG OTHER PEOPLE'S STORYL.”{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}GETTG TO HEAVEN OM OZ {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}WH THE SHOW, OTHER PEOPLE WHOM YOU MIGHT HAVE EXPECTED TO BE AGAST THE BEECHER/KELLER ROMANCE WERE THE CHARACTERS OF SISTER PETER MARIE REIMONDO (PLAYED BY RA MORENO), AND FATHER RAY MADA (PLAYED BY OUT ACTOR B.D. WONG), A CATHOLIC NUN AND PRIT RPECTIVELY, WHO SERVED THE PRISON POPULATN. IN FACT, BOTH CHARACTERS WERE SYMPATHETIC TO THE RELATNSHIP, AND EVEN WENT OUT OF THEIR WAY TO ARRANGE FOR THE LOVERS TO MEET. SPEAKG ABOUT THEIR ATTUS, FONTANA (WHO SERVED AS EXECUTIVE PRODUCER ON THE 2004 DOCUMENTARY IN GOOD CONSCIENCE, A FILM ABOUT THE CATHOLIC CHURCH'S STANCE ON HOMOSEXUALY) SAYS THAT:{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}“THE NATURE OF THE PRITS AND NUNS WHO WORK PRISONS IS VERY DIFFERENT OM WHAT THOSE CLOWNS THE VATIN DO. AND THE AMERIN CATHOLIC CHURCH IS ... ONCE YOU GET TO THAT LEVEL OF PEOPLE WHO ARE MTED SOCIALLY TO, WHETHER 'S PRISONS OR WHATEVER THEY'RE MTED TO, THEY DON'T MAKE THOSE KD OF JUDGMENTS. I KNOW A LOT OF ACTIVIST PRITS AND A LOT OF ACTIVIST NUNS, AND THEY WOULDN'T BE THOSE JOBS IF THEY SUDNLY WERE TRYG TO BE DICTATORIAL ABOUT, ‘OH, HOMOSEXUALY IS THIS,' OR ... THE ON THAT I {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}“NOW MAYBE THERE ARE PEOPLE OUT THERE WHO ARE MUCH MORE HARD-NOSED, BUT THE ON THAT I KNOW AND THE ON THAT I MET [WHILE DOG REARCH FOR OZ], SPECIFILLY THE PEOPLE THE PRISONS, WERE REALLY VERY OPEN AND LOVG, AND UNRSTANDG OF THE LONELS AND THE FEAR THAT EXISTS PRISON, AND HOW THAT N GENERATE DIFFERENT KDS OF RELATNSHIPS. SO, FOR ME WAS NEVER AN ISSUE.”{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}NONE OF THIS IS TO SAY THAT BEECHER AND KELLER NEVER MET WH ANY DISAPPROVAL PURSUG THEIR RELATNSHIP. KAREEM SAID (PLAYED BY EAMONN WALKER), THE LEAR OF THE MLIM PRISONERS OZ, WAS HORRIFIED BY HOMOSEXUALY — A FACT WHICH SOMETIM PUT A STRA ON HIS OTHERWISE CLOSE IENDSHIP WH BEECHER. MANY OF THE PRISONERS HAD THE PREDICTABLE MACHO DISMISSIVE ATTU ABOUT ‘FAGS'.{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}AT THE SAME TIME, THE BEECHER/KELLER ROMANCE DID FULFILL THE IAL OF A SAME-SEX UPLE ON TELEVISN WHOSE RELATNSHIP WAS OPEN AND ACKNOWLEDGED BY EVERYONE AROUND THEM, WHO DID NOT SPEND TIME AGONIZG OVER THEIR SEXUALY, AND WHOSE ISSU AS A UPLE WERE MOSTLY UNRELATED TO {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}NEHER OF THE CHARACTERS ULD EVER HAVE BEEN SCRIBED AS ROLE MOLS. THEIR RELATNSHIP WAS BORN PARTLY OUT OF RTRICTN AND LONELS, AND MIGHT NEVER HAVE HAPPENED OUTSI OF OZ. BUT THE WAY THAT RELATNSHIP WAS WRTEN AND STAGED, ALWAYS CLUD AN ELEMENT OF GENUE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}THE RELATNSHIP IS ULTIMATELY A DOOMED ONE, BUT THAT LOVE WAS EVINCED OM THE VERY FIRST TRODUCTN OF KELLER UNR THE HEADG “BOY MEETS BOY”, WHEN THE MERA PANS OVER BEECHER AND KELLER'S FAC AS ONE OF THE SHOW'S CHARACTERS READS A LOVE POEM, TO THE PROMISE THAT KELLER MAK BEECHER AS HE IS LED OFF AT THE END OF SEASON 4:{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}KELLER: I'LL SEE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}BEECHER: WHEN?{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}KELLER: BACK HERE. OR {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}BEECHER: YOU REALLY THK WE'RE GONNA GET TO HEAVEN?{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}KELLER: AH ... YOU AND ME TOGETHER? GOD DON'T HAVE THE BALLS TO KEEP {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}GET OZ ON DVD OM OR WATCH RE-NS ON HBO {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;CLEAR:BOTH;}THE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;MARG:0 TO;WIDTH:90%;M-WIDTH:288PX;MAX-WIDTH:1440PX;M-HEIGHT:194PX;}LATT NEWS

Ten years later, at the 1979 March on Washgton, acrdg to Michael Bronski, lbian sger Holly Near end her set wh Over the Rabow, llg the gay natnal anthem. The Wiz, a Broadway mil produced by a black gay man and adapted as a film starrg Diana Ross, occupi an important place both black and gay culture, as evinced by the muny-watch parti and Twter rpons to the recent live broadst on NBC.

After the suici aths of several young people the fall of 2010, cludg Rutgers Universy stunt Tyler Clementi, crowds gathered for a vigil New York’s Washgton Square Park, wavg rabow-lored glow sticks while openly gay Broadway star Cheyenne Jackson led them sgg Over the Rabow. That om terpretg the three central male characters Srecrow (Ray Bolger), T Man (Jack Haley), and the Cowardly Ln (Bert Lahr) as gay men revolvg around a mpy heroe (Judy Garland’s Dorothy). Oz imagery is equently seen LGBT pri paras, wh dividuals drsg as characters, floats g Oz as a unifyg theme, and anizers choosg Oz for the theme of the para as a whole (the 2003 Europri Para, held Manchter, England, clud gay men drsed as characters om The Wizard of Oz).

"When I was younger I thought I was straight, bee I was more attracted to women, and I didn't know there were more optns bis gay and straight.