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3 MAY l6.2009*ftNotes 19 Documentary explores closeted, outed public figures from page 18 these politicians, to get where they have gotten, are very savvy and realize that any thing like that is just going to backfire on them. It just isn't worth it to get into that territory because it just platforms their cause, really. Did anyone back out of testifying on fiim? Yes, One or two people said yes and changed their mind. I'd rather not say whom. The challenge was getting the peo ple we got. Some of these people took 6-9 months to get. Did you approach Mary Cheney? We did not. I don't think we felt we had good access to her until very late in the game, when it turned out just by a person al connection there was a possible access. But that was too late. We stopped doing interviews a few months before. I thought you iet Jim McCreevey off a iittle too easy by not confronting him about, or realiy going into, the brewing scandal that motivated his coming out when he did. It is tangentially addressed in some of the news clips, that he resigned because of a scandal having to do with appointing someone he had a relationship with to his staff. [Not going into that further] was really an issue of time. But, I agree with you. He's a brilliant politician and it was a very brilliant political move on one hand. On the other hand, it was very important, someone coming forward and saying, "I was closeted and a gay politician." The [McCreevey] interview was phenomenal. There was another hour I could have put in the film. All kinds of fascinating stories he told about how he protected the closet. I actually hope he re-enters politics again because as I recall he was, sexuality and scandal aside, quite progressive. Well, I don't think he's going back into politics. Who do you feel is the biggest devil in the film? Larry Craig is plain vile, but Charlie Crist comes across like Damien from "The Omen III." I'm actually scared I'll see crows on my way home for saying that. (Laughs) Well, what's interesting about Crist is here's a person who really wants to make everybody happy. That's the way I see him. I do not see him as a real vision ary at all. I see him as a real compromiser. He just made this choice [to support Florida's Amendment 2 and ban on gays adopting], it's such a purely political choice, it's not something he believes at all. I feel that very strongly. On one level that's really unforgivable, to vilify a whole group of people just to get elected when you don't believe it. But, he's not a Larry Craig or Terry Dolan. What else did Larry Kramer have to say? Did some vitriol about former NYC Mayor Koch — who is pretty much outed once and for all here — end up on the cutting room floor? I'd followed Larry's activity for many years. so it was a real honor just to meet him and talk to him. Obviously'he's still very angry about Koch and rightfully so, I think. One of the things I was looking at was the activists versus the more mainstream gay rights organiza tions and the roles that they play. I was very interested in the interplay between the two because there's a tension. With Larry there's no question that his vitriol, if you will, certainly con tributed to progress on AIDS research and whatever cause he's been involved with. Larry's not afraid to express it but he plays an extremely important role. He along with Peter Tatchell, whom we inter viewed but couldn't put in the film. To be in the presence of these activists and how they think and work, they're just attuned to injustice. What else got cut? We interviewed about twice as many peo ple. One of the pleasures of making this film was how articulate everybody was. Regardless of where they were in the polit ical spectrum, they had thought about these issues for decades. In many ways the themes were being laid out for me by what they said. They had really been 'I* t.y ■ Photo Credit: Magnolia Pictures through all the pain and struggle and thought it through. Is it possible for an openly gay politician to run and win high office without selling their soul and playing straight? Like run for President? Right now, that's a good question. I think it's possible. I think see ‘Outrage’ on 27 Nev\f from 2(x)ist Optic Stylish, yet comfortable, 2(x)ist’s new Optic underwear line comes in White, Black, Turquoise, Purple and Fiji Orange. Choose from Crew Neck T-Shirt, Tank Top, No Show Brief and Trunk in sizes S to XL. Made from 96% Modal / 4% Spandex, Optic is soft and form-fitting. BiSmlHKKB^ginrth Carolina’s gay & lesbian everything store! msmUBbTSB^rn'^ RALEIGH ulS^SS!mS3^fSla8ScS^^^3W.4667 309 1V. martin ST. 27601 • 919.856.1429 PM MON-SAT: 11 AM -9 PM SUN; 12 PM-7 PM ^^B^^^^ra^^orders@whiterabbitbooks.com www.whiterabbitbooks.com - • SstSstSst
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