FREE!
Vol
No
The News & Entertainment Paper for N.C.’s Gay Community
IN THIS
ISSUE:
■HI '?? HH
•An interview with
GOTHAM
page 8
•A review of the film
'Cruising'
page 13
•“Media Notes”: a new
column, examining cover
age of gay stories by major
media, begins
page 5
•Book Review:
“Tales of the City”
page 11
DEADLINES
f jor next issue:
For a number of reasons,
we are combining issues 8
& 9. Our next issue will be
out March 20.
Deadline for advertising
is March 14.
s
J
Pacino boogies (sort of) in ‘Cruising’
‘Cruising’ Opens
Protests in major cities;
unanimously bad reviews
Compiled by Michael Baker
and Don King
The hotly debated film about homosexual murders opened
across the country on February 15, despite rumors of a
postponement. Although there have been protests m several
major cities, and scathing reviews in almost every conceivable
publication, Cruising appears to be doing brisk business in the
early weeks of its showing.
According to the manager of the Tryon Mall Theatre in
Charlotte: “We opened ‘The Jerk’ during Christmas, and
we’re doing about as much business with ‘Cruising’ as we did
then.” Manager Cato went on to say that “We’ve only given
four refunds— to older couples who just couldn’t take it.”
Sanford Jordan, district manager for the Martin Theatres,
told the Raleigh News & Observer that ‘Cruising’ was doing
“very, very good” business at Raleigh’s Terrace Theatre. But
he, too, said that a few people had walked out, saying the film
was “too rough and just too gory.”
Filming incited Riots
Directed by William Friedkin and starring A1 Pacino, the
film has been surrounded by controversy ever since a copy of
the script was leaked to Village Voice columnist Arthur Bell
early last summer.
Although there had been several sporatic attempts
throughout last July to disrupt filming of Cruising, it wasn’t
until July 25 that the anger against the film (which had been
criticized by several journalists, including Arthur Bell of The
Village Voice) developed into a full demonstration, during
which a gay man was arrested for allegedly assaulting an
officer.
The New York Post ran the headline “Gays Riot over
Movie” on the front page, the New York Times editorialized
on the subject, and radio and television networks picked up
the story of the protests and debates.
NGTF issued a statement concerning the film in August,
saying: “We have reached the conclusion that the film. . . .
represents a gross distortion of the lives of gay men by
portraying them as violent and sex-obsessed. . .Like other
groups before us who have been victimized by false and
inflammatory media images, we will not sit still for an
entertainment that debases our humanitv.”
“R” rating
There was further controversy when the time came for the
film to be rated by the Motion Picture Association. By
trimming three minutes from ‘Cruising,’ the producers
received an R rating. (An R rating allows a parent or guardian
to take his child to the film.)
The General Cinema Corporation, the nation’s largest
theatre chain, disagreed with the rating. GCC had bid to show
continued on page 2
National News
Resignations Follow Tearoom
Scandals
Olympia, WA (IONA)— The president ot the Olympia Brewing
Company and a Republican state representative have resigned their
positions following their arrests on misdemeanor charges of “lewd
conduct” in a public restroom.
Leopold Schmidt, 39, was arrested on Valentine’s Day along
with Republican state representative Eric Rohrbach, 28. Also
arrested was Joseph Gregorious, 40, the director of the Alcohol and
Substances Abuse Section of Washington’s Department o Social
and Health Services.
Schmidt, the son of the company’s founder and first president,
resigned his $132,000 per year position as head of the nation’s
seventh largest brewery two days after the arrest, citing “medical
reasons.”
Representative Eric Rohrbach, Republican from Normandy
Park, resigned from the state legislature. But Rohrbach went on the
floor of the House on February 18th to say, “1 am not a
homosexual.”
He further told a hushed group of legislators: “Charges made
against me last week, which have been expanded upon by the
media, have caused me untold personal embarrassment and
irreprarable damage.”
“Because of this, it would be difficult, if not impossible, for me to
effectively serve my constituents. Mary K.ay, my fiancee, and 1 plan
to be married and I must think of her and our future.”
“I have also seriously considered my responsibilities to this
legislative body. I am proud of the work I have accomplished as a
member of this legislature. I thank all of you for your personal
support, but 1 must, in light of the foregoing, submit my immediate
resignation.”
The third man, Joseph Dean Gregorious, a state official in the
state’s Bureau of Alcohol and Substance Abuse, submitted a letter
of resignation to his boss at the Department of Social and Health
Services. He asked to be reassigned to another position even if it
means demotion and a decrease in salary.
The boss, Glen H. Miller, accepted the resignation and gave
Gregorious 30 days’ leave. Depending on merit system regulations.
Miller said he would try to find a place for him within the
department. Gregorious has been with the department for more
than 20 years.
The arrests occured in the restroom of a lakefront park located
about a dozen blocks from the state capitol. Police had the
restroom staked out for three weeks because of “citizen
complaints” about the sexual activity in the area, says the city’s
police chief John Wurner.
Wurner said officers had identified 20 to 30 regular visitors of the
restroom in the past two weeks and that homosexual activities had
been observed.These men may now be arrested, he says.
The arrests were made by undercover officer Jim Flint, after he
entered the restroom and “was solicited himself,” Wurner said.
“The acts were taking place right in front of him.”
According to a recent issue of Gay Community News,
representatives of the Olympia Gay Rights Coalition are
wondering why the police had the restroom staked out at this
particular time, alleging that “the restroom has been a well-known
‘tea-room’ for over 20 years.” The group is also concerned over
Police Chief Wurner’s “list" of regular visitors to the restroom, and
possible repercussions from its existence.
Roger L. Winters, president of the Dorian Group. Washington
state’s largest gay rights organization, has been critical of the local
media for its coverage of the arrests. In addition. Winters, who is
also acting director of the Seattle chapter of the ACLU, said,
“There is some concern about reports of ‘illegal homosexual
activity’ since no law makes homosexual activity per se a crime."
Considering the question of police entrapment. Winters stated,
“We may never know if no defense in court is done.” Because the
three men have forfeited their bail, there will be no appearances in
Army Man Pleads Not Guilty
Seattle, WA (GCN)—Roger Cutsinger, 21, charged with the murder
of his roommate as he walked across the campus of the University of
Washington on Dec. 14, has entered a plea of not guilty before the
Superior Court of that state.
continued on page 7