March 21, 1930– Jam Co Don't nfe him wh Co Chanel, the fashn in. This Co was a gay, pudgy, bald character actor whom I admired a great al, for reasons you n easily grasp. He worked steadily for over three s mercials, televisn, film and stage. He was born and grew up The Bronx.
Contents:
- CO: THE GROUNDBREAKG GAY CHARACTER ‘THE GOLN GIRLS’ LEFT BEHD
- SWV'S COKO SAYS SHE HAD NO PROBLEM ACCEPTG THAT HER YOUNGT SON IS GAY
- LEA CO WIKI, WIFE, GAY, NET WORTH, FAY, NOW
- CO VANWEGHE MARRIED, HBAND, GAY (PARTNER), FATHER, FAY, WEIGHT
CO: THE GROUNDBREAKG GAY CHARACTER ‘THE GOLN GIRLS’ LEFT BEHD
Before T, Capta Holt, Mchell, Cam, Will, Jack, and Ellen, there was Co — the gay hoeboy that served scy one-lers and cheeke seven seasons of The Goln Girls. Charl Lev‘s drag performer-turned-hoekeeper nonted drama and nnected wh his found fay Miami, and provid primetime dienc wh a proment and posive gay character durg the height of the AIDS crisis. The chance to wre about an unrreprented age group spoke to her, as did Ltlefield’s sistence that the show have a gay character the ma st.
At the time, gay characters were mostly relegated to appearg on very special episos where the straight leadg st had to al wh a gay gut star. Harris was on board wh the ia, as she’d already phed primetime boundari wh Soap, a show that featured one of the first recurrg gay characters Billy Crystal’s Jodie Dallas.
SWV'S COKO SAYS SHE HAD NO PROBLEM ACCEPTG THAT HER YOUNGT SON IS GAY
Sensg that “Co the tty drag queen/hoeboy” probably didn’t sound as progrsive as tend, the pilot’s director Jay Sandrich advised Charl Lev to dn for the gay character whout any stereotypil affectatns.
LEA CO WIKI, WIFE, GAY, NET WORTH, FAY, NOW
Lev bombed and the producers told him to jt play the same kd of gay character he’d prevly played a few episos of the drama Hill Street Blu.
CO VANWEGHE MARRIED, HBAND, GAY (PARTNER), FATHER, FAY, WEIGHT
The dience was also pleasantly surprised by Lev’s Co, as an out-and-proud gay man was still a very rare sight on TV 1985.