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The death of Irene Cara and the broken promise

Singer inspired a generation of gay men

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Irene Cara (Photo courtesy of Judith A. Moose/JM Media)

As I walked down the dark alley towards the glowing light, the opening bridge of the song called to me. ā€œBaby, look at me and tell me what you see, You ainā€™t seen the best of me yet, Give me time, Iā€™ll make you forget all the rest, I got more in me…ā€Ā 

The movie “Fame” had just come out and its anthem theme song was HOT. The glowing light that night was a gay disco, tucked away from heterosexual view, while gay bashers circled in trucks a few blocks away. That safe haven in the dark alley allowed me, a 20-year old youth, a path out of the closet in which I emotionally and sexually had residence. To me, the words of the song “Fame,” and its overwhelming delivery, was my inner drive and conviction that I could be me, and my own personal superstar.

The young woman delivering the song was barely an adult herself. Irene Cara had been a child performer and was now breaking into the fame she was singing about. She was ā€œinstantlyā€ famous thanks to “Fame.” Amongst other accolades, she was nominated for a Best New Artist Grammy. The song itself won the Oscar that year.

The Grammy nomination put a public trapping on what we all knew: She was a star, and had all the makings to become a superstar, an icon.

For LGBTQ people, her work that year spoke to our souls and our optimism. As ā€œRandy 503ā€ shared on the Joe.My.God site,Ā ā€œI was a deeply closeted and lonely kid in my early 20s. Not lonely because I didn’t have friends (had tons of them,) but lonely because I refused to admit I was gay and kept away from all that. I saw the movie and was transfixed. Bought the album and played it all the time, especially her songs. Her voice was so strong, and so expressive, it really touched me.ā€Ā 

Caraā€™s second song in the movie also resonated with the gay audience. While “Fame” spoke to the sassy optimism of embracing our outstanding selves and taking the world by storm, “Out Here On My Own” spoke to the dark loneliness of the closet. ā€œSometimes I wonder where Iā€™ve been, who I am, do I fit in ā€¦ when Iā€™m down and feeling blue, I close my eyes so I can be strong and be with you ā€¦ I dry the tears Iā€™ve never shown, Out here on my own.ā€

Randy points out,Ā ā€œOut here on my own always left me in tears. It hit so close to home, and I could feel sadness on it. It’s a great song sung by one of the best.ā€

After the success of “Fame,” Cara ventured into a sitcom pilot and a freshman album, ā€œAnyone Can See.ā€ Neither caught the world on fire, as apparently only some of us could actually ā€œseeā€ her real worth.

It was not long after however, where Caraā€™s apparent life mission to deliver culture changing anthems, came calling again. She was recruited to help out with the new “Flashdance” movie, and to work with iconic gay producer Giorgio Moroder for its theme song. Cara was reportedly reluctant. She had already been criticized as a second tier Donna Summer with “Fame,” and was hesitant to get into that musical lane. Later she would work with John Farrar whom she credited as being responsible for ALL of Olivia Newton Johnā€™s hits. It seems that her superstar aspirations were more to be Pop Princess than another Queen of Disco.

She did sign on board with Moroder and “Flashdance,” and made history. Her song “Flashdanceā€¦ What a Feeling” went to #1 for six straight weeks. It affected American culture in style, attitude and substance. On Academy Awards night, Cara made history again. (She had already made history in a minor way a few years before as the first person to ever perform two nominated songs in one evening.) This time, she became the second African American woman to win an Oscar ā€“ the first being “Gone With the Wind”ā€™s Hattie McDaniels.Ā 

Cara was the first African American woman to ever win a non-acting Oscar ever.

The anthem “Flashdanceā€¦What a Feeling” spoke to LGBTQ audiences of the 80s, in a way that “Fame” had. ā€œFirst when thereā€™s nothing but a slow glowing dream that your fear seems to hide deep inside your mind. All alone, I have cried silent tears full of pride in a world made of steel, made of stone, Well, I hear the music, close my eyes, feel the rhythm wrap around, take hold of my heart. What a feeling, being is believing I can have it all..ā€

Online, Joe.My.God reader BearlvrFl shared, ā€œLUV the song ā€œOut Here On My Ownā€ I call ‘Flashdance: What A Feeling’ my coming out song, popular on the dance floor very close to the time I finally came out at the age of 22. I could relate to ā€œTake your passion/And make it happen.ā€ Super simple lyric, but itā€™s timing was everything for me, having been closeted for so long.ā€

This time, AIDS had brought a very dark cloud over the community, however. Its ravage was starting to take widespread hold. It made the line in the song ā€œnow Iā€™m dancing for my lifeā€ even more poignant and relevant.

The darkness that was falling over the LGBT world was on a parallel track in Caraā€™s own life. As she picked up Oscars and Grammys, there was a sadness in her eyes above the smile on her face. She shared later that the public glory was matched with a behind-the-scenes horror story. Her record company was keeping her from garnering any success from her accomplishments. Columnist Liz Smith stated in a 1993 piece that Cara earned only $183 in royalties.

Cara inspired women of her generation. Patti Piatt shared on Twitter, ā€œI am from a generation of women who thought anything was possible because of Irene Cara. She gave us so much joy. We all danced to her songs, didn’t matter if we could dance, we danced because she made us want to dance.ā€ 

In spite of singing THE anthem of women empowerment, Cara became an example of a woman destroyed by the male dominated music industry. As she fought back for earnings due her, she became black-listed, and her trek to superstardom halted. They made her all but disappear. A decade later, she won, but by that time, the damage had been done. 

Her final solo album subconsciously called out her professional demise with songs titled ā€œNow That Itā€™s Over,ā€ ā€œGet a Gripā€ and the ultimate defeatist title ā€œSay Goodnight Irene.ā€

ā€œI know well enough this is going nowhere ā€¦ Might as well say goodnight, Say Goodnight, Irene.ā€

In the end, she seemed to find peace. Her final professional projects were gifts to other women musicians of color. She comfortably settled into what she called ā€œsemi-retirementā€ and her Florida home with a steady stream of funds from her hard-earned residuals.

The promise of becoming a superstar eluded her, but she busted the ceiling so it might not elude others. Painfully for fans, the promise from the song “Fame,” ā€œIā€™m gonna live foreverā€ also did not come true.Ā 

Letā€™s instead, think of her making ā€œit to heavenā€ and lighting ā€œup the sky like a flame.ā€

For those trying to find final meaning from her life, and the un-fulfilled promise of what could have been for her and for us, may do so in the words from her lesser-known anthem. Here we swap out a promise instead for “The Dream”:Ā 

ā€œWe can all be free, we hold the key, if we can see what we want to be. Life is never easy, you get no guarantees, why not give your all and see what you can find?ā€

And, yes.

Irene Cara, we will always remember your name.

“The Dream”

*************************

Rob Watson is the host of the popular Hollywood-based radio/podcast show RATED LGBT RADIO.

He is an established LGBTQ columnist and blogger having written for many top online publications including Parents Magazine, the Huffington Post, LGBTQ Nation, Gay Star News, the New Civil Rights Movement, and more.

He served as Executive Editor for The Good Man Project, has appeared on MSNBC and been quoted in Business Week and Forbes Magazine.

He is CEO of Watson Writes, a marketing communications agency, and can be reached at [email protected] .

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GLAAD to honor Oprah Winfrey with Lifetime Achievement Award

Ceremony to take place in Los Angeles on Thursday

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Oprah Winfrey on CBS News program "Person to Person" with Norah Oā€™Donnell last fall. Oā€™Donnell spoke with Winfrey about life lessons, the road to happiness and the new book Winfrey co-authored. (CBS News YouTube screenshot)

To the pantheon of LGBTQ allies honored by the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation with the Lifetime Achievement Award, luminaries such as Barbra Streisand, Cher and Liza Minnelli enter Oprah Winfrey.

The global media icon, philanthropist and longtime advocate for LGBTQ rights will be honored with the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award at the 35th annual GLAAD Media Awards in Los Angeles on March 14, 2024. The award honors Winfreyā€™s unwavering commitment to promoting equality, acceptance and understanding for the LGBTQ community throughout her remarkable career, cementing her place among the most influential and dedicated allies in the fight for equality.

Born in rural Mississippi and raised in Milwaukee and Nashville, Winfreyā€™s journey to becoming a media mogul and cultural influencer began when she was just a teenager. At the age of 19, she landed her first job in media as a young intern at WLAC-TV (now WTVF-TV), the CBS affiliate in Nashville. Her natural talent and charisma quickly earned her a position as the first African American female news anchor at the station, setting the stage for a groundbreaking career that would span decades.

In 1984, Winfrey relocated to Chicago to host WLS-TVā€™s morning talk show, ā€œAM Chicago.ā€ Little did she know that this move would be the catalyst for her meteoric rise to fame. The show, later renamed ā€œThe Oprah Winfrey Show,ā€ became a cultural phenomenon, attracting millions of viewers across the U.S. and in more than 100 countries worldwide. Winfreyā€™s unique blend of empathy, wisdom and storytelling resonated with audiences, making her one of the most beloved and influential figures in media history.

A pivotal moment in Winfreyā€™s career came in 1986 when she negotiated a groundbreaking contract with King World Productions, the company founded by legendary boxing promoter Don King. The contract gave Winfrey full ownership of ā€œThe Oprah Winfrey Showā€ and allowed her to produce the show through her own production company, Harpo Productions. This unprecedented deal demonstrated Winfreyā€™s business acumen and laid the foundation for her future success, paving the way for her to become one of the wealthiest and most powerful women in the world.

Throughout her career, Winfrey has consistently used her platform to shine a light on important social issues, including LGBTQ rights, racial equality and womenā€™s empowerment. Her compassionate and empathetic approach to storytelling has helped to break down barriers, challenge stereotypes and promote understanding and acceptance of marginalized communities.

In 1997, Winfrey featured Ellen DeGeneres on her talk show, providing a platform for the comedian to publicly come out as gay. This groundbreaking episode helped to normalize LGBTQ visibility in mainstream media and paved the way for greater acceptance and understanding of the community.

Winfreyā€™s dedication to LGBTQ equality is further evident in her portrayal of strong, complex characters like Sofia in the acclaimed 1985 film ā€œThe Color Purple,ā€ which featured one of the first same-sex kisses in a mainstream Hollywood production.

In addition to her work in television and film, Winfrey has built a vast media empire that includes the creation of the Oprah Winfrey Network, a partnership with Discovery Communications, and the publication of O, the Oprah Magazine. Her business savvy and entrepreneurial spirit have made her one of the most successful and influential figures in the entertainment industry, with a net worth estimated at $2.6 billion as of 2023.

But Winfreyā€™s impact extends far beyond her financial success. She has also been a tireless advocate for education and philanthropy, donating millions of dollars to charitable causes and establishing the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls in South Africa, which provides education and support for underprivileged girls. Winfreyā€™s commitment to giving back to the communities that have supported her throughout her journey is a testament to her character and her belief in the power of education to transform lives.

In her personal life, Winfrey is known for her love of reading, her commitment to personal growth and self-improvement and her close friendships with celebrities like Gayle King and Tyler Perry. Despite years of speculation and rumors surrounding the nature of her relationship with King, Winfrey has always maintained a dignified silence, emphasizing the importance of love, acceptance and the right to privacy. Her unwavering support for the LGBTQ community, both in her professional and personal life, has made her a role model and a beacon of hope for millions of people around the world.

Winfreyā€™s fierce determination to fight discrimination and promote equality has been a constant throughout her career. In 1987, she confronted racism head-on by taking her show to the predominantly white community of Forsyth County, Ga. During a heated town hall meeting, one audience member expressed his fear of racial integration, stating, ā€œIā€™m afraid of [Black people] coming to Forsyth County.ā€ Winfrey responded with her signature grace and wisdom, saying, ā€œI hear your fear. When I look at your face, I see the fear. But how are you going to get past it if you donā€™t allow yourself the opportunity to get to know other people?ā€ This powerful exchange demonstrated Winfreyā€™s unique ability to facilitate difficult conversations and promote understanding across racial divides.

From her willingness to confront white segregationists in Georgia to her ongoing efforts to elevate diverse voices and stories through her work in television, film and theater, Winfrey has always been a champion for social justice. Her legacy as a trailblazer and an advocate for the marginalized will continue to inspire generations to come.

In the words of GLAAD President Sarah Kate Ellis, ā€œOprah Winfrey has been a beacon of hope and inspiration for the LGBTQ community for decades. Her groundbreaking work in media has not only entertained and informed millions of people around the world, but it has also helped to change hearts and minds and promote greater understanding and acceptance for our community.ā€

Maya Angelou, one of Winfreyā€™s most important influences, put it best;Ā ā€œIā€™ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.ā€ As Winfrey accepts the Lifetime Achievement Award, her legacy of compassion, empathy and unwavering commitment to equality serves as a powerful reminder of the enduring impact of a life well-lived.

The GLAAD Media Awards, which have been held annually since 1990, recognize and honor media for their fair, accurate and inclusive representations of the LGBTQ community. As As Winfrey prepares to accept this prestigious award on March 14, 2024, her extraordinary journey and unwavering commitment to LGBTQ equality serve as a powerful reminder of the impact that one person can have on the world.

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High flying and adored, Chita Rivera charts her path to heaven

D.C. native passed away on Tuesday at 91

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Entertainment Tonight interviews Chita Rivera on the red carpet at a 2018 event in New York (ET YouTube screenshot)

She never danced Evita, but she was still ā€œhigh flying adored.ā€ Today, Chita Rivera has left the stage, but she clearly will never dance out of the hearts of all who loved, admired and respected her.

Clearly, she was a talent no one could reckon. Born in 1933 as Dolores Conchita Figueroa del Rivero, Chita Riveraā€™s rise to stardom began with ballet classes at the age of 11. Her undeniable talent led her from the School of American Ballet to the spotlight of Broadway, where she broke ground as one of the first Hispanic women to achieve leading roles in theater during a time when representation was minimal.

She is known in critical circles as ā€œthe greatest musical-theater dancer ever.ā€Ā Jason Alexander has been one of the first Broadway voices to speak of her passing and said, ā€œThis extraordinary woman, the incomparable. Chita Rivera was one of the greatest spirits and colleagues Iā€™ve ever known. She set the bar in every way. I will cherish her always. Dance in heaven, my friend.ā€

She was the original Velma Kelly in “Chicago” and racked up 10 Tony nominations and two wins. Her performances were life changing. In 2009, she was presented with the Presidential Medal of Freedom for her contributions to American culture.

It is not a surprise that she was revered at her passing. What was shocking was that she passed at all. If there was anyone who you could anticipate had the spirit and will to live forever, it was Chita Rivera. She somehow seemed immortal. 

And she loved LGBTQ people.

It was a mere decade ago when Rivera chose to celebrate her 80th birthday by headlining a sold-out show, “Chita-A Celebration,” at the August Wilson Theater. The event benefited Broadway Cares Equity Fights AIDS.

ā€œThe roar for her was deafening,ā€ they report. After six rapturous standing ovations, Rivera stood proud, having raised $413,660 for the cause in that single performance. ā€œI had no idea celebrating my 100th birthday would be so much fun,ā€ quipped the then 80-year old.

If Rivera was at all a diva, she was a generous one. ā€œIā€™m not comfortable with just me, me, me. Thatā€™s boring,ā€ she has said. Rivera was a publicly vocal advocate for LGBTQ rights. She was among the luminaries who supported many AIDS benefit concerts and took a firm stance for equality. Through her philanthropic efforts, Rivera contributed to nurturing acceptance and championing the visibility of LGBTQ individuals in the arts.

Rivera was personally touched by the AIDS crisis having lost dozens of friends to the disease. She spoke publicly about it when she was performing in “Kiss of a Spider Woman.” ā€œItā€™s a very difficult role for me to play in these times, when youā€™ve lost so many friends, and suddenly youā€™re standing there and youā€™re playing ā€˜Death.ā€™ And youā€™ve just heard about some friends (who have died), you know? Sometimes itā€™s really, really hard. But then I get all kinds of things from it: I get strength from having to go right through it. When Larry Kert (her “West Side Story” co-star) passed away, I thought I saw him in the balcony when I was singing “Kiss of the Spider Woman.” Thereā€™s a lot going on. Itā€™s a serious play, an important play. And this a good time right now because we need all of these channels open. We gotta get them in there to get the message out there.ā€

GLAAD put out a statement at her passing on Tuesday, ā€œBroadway legend Chita Rivera has sadly passed away at age 91. Rivera spent much of her long career advocating for LGBTQ people and people living with HIV and AIDS. Our hearts go out to everyone who loved her.ā€Ā Ā 

GLAAD President Sara Kate Ellis, wrote her own personal tribute, ā€œSo sad to hear about the death of Chita Rivera. I had the pleasure of spending time with her at Remember the Ribbon: A Tribute to World AIDS Day in 2022. She spent much of her life advocating for the LGBTQ community and people living with HIV and AIDS. Sending love to her family.ā€

Rivera observed of her own legacy, ā€œMany of the shows I danced in donā€™t exist on film, but they do exist in the memories of those who were in the theater for that single moment in time. And nothing can replace that.ā€

She lived her life in single moments. The record of what she accomplished is imbedded in hearts, minds, memories and the forever told stories of Broadway. She will always be known by reputation and by legacy. As she makes her way up the red carpet, we can only hope she is greeted by her throng of angels, all those who passed before her. They know the exact name that we, who she has left, should have for her.

Legend.

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Queer nominees leave empty handed from disastrous Golden Globes

On the road toward a very ā€˜straight and narrowā€™ Oscar night?

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Matt Bomer was one of a few queer nominees but lost the Golden Globe. (Washington Blade file photo by Michael Key)

By now, even if you didnā€™t watch them, you probably already know that Sunday nightā€™s presentation of the 81st Annual Golden Globe Awards was pretty much a debacle.

From its tense first few minutes, when host Jo Koy (seriously, how many people had to say ā€œnoā€ to the job before they got to Jo Koy?) took his opening monologue rapidly past ā€œirreverentā€ to ā€œdisrespectfulā€ as his audience squirmed uncomfortably, it was clear that the eveningā€™s attempt at a free-wheeling but good-natured roast of Hollywood disguised as an awards show was not going to go as planned. Koyā€™s efforts at snark were met with palpable hostility from the celebrity crowd, most of whom looked like they would rather be anywhere else but in the audience at the Beverly Hilton, and things just got worse from there.

We could go on about the lackluster, often tone-deaf writing, or the poorly conceived ā€œstunt pairingsā€ of stars as presenters, or the general sloppiness that made the show feel precarious from beginning to end, but fortunately, thereā€™s no need for us to relive all that here. The reason youā€™re reading this (since this is the Blade, after all) is to find out about the ā€œqueer takeā€ on the Golden Globes; unfortunately, the only one we can offer is that there really was no queer take on the Golden Globes.

Going into the ceremony, which, as always with the Hollywood Foreign Press Associationā€™s annual awards show, bestowed the organization’s honors for both film and television, there were only a handful of out queer acting nominees. Two of these competed in a single category (Best Male Actor in a Motion Picture Drama): Colman Domingo, nominated for his star turn in the title role of ā€œRustin,ā€ and Andrew Scott, who was up for his widely acclaimed performance in Andrew Haighā€™s ethereal gay ghost story, ā€œAll of Us Strangers.ā€ Both lost the award to Cillian Murphy, the star of Christopher Nolanā€™s ā€œOppenheimer.ā€

The other out nominee in the film acting categories, previous four-time Golden Globe winner Jodie Foster, was competing as Best Supporting Female Actor in Any Motion Picture for her performance in the Netflix biopic ā€œNyad,ā€ but she lost to Daā€™Vine Joy Randolph of Alexander Payneā€™s ā€œThe Holdovers.ā€

On the TV side, out gay performer Matt Bomer, nominated as Best Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or TV Movie for Showtimeā€™s queer historical romance ā€œFellow Travelers,ā€ lost to Steven Yuen in the Netflix smash, ā€œBeef.ā€ Natasha Lyonne – who identifies as straight but has always been open about her bisexual attractions – was up for Best Actress in a Musical or Comedy Series as the star of ā€œPoker Face.ā€ That award went instead to Ayo Edebiri of ā€œThe Bear.ā€

Itā€™s true that Billie Eilish – who was nominated alongside brother Finneas Oā€™Connell for co-writing Best Original Song nominee ā€œWhat Was I Made For?ā€ from ā€œBarbie,ā€ an award that they went on to win – has identified publicly as being attracted to both males and females, something she recently reasserted in a Variety interview (before following up with an Instagram post commenting that ā€œliterally who caresā€ about her sexuality), so at least there was one winner from the queer community during the evening.

As for the movies and shows themselves, several of the nominated titles included queer characters and themes, with Best Picture nominees ā€œMaestroā€ (about bisexual composer/conductor Leonard Bernstein) and ā€œMay Decemberā€ (from pioneering ā€œNew Queer Cinemaā€ filmmaker Todd Haynes) as the most obvious examples. Both films received multiple nods; neither walked away with a single win. In the TV division, several queer-oriented shows, from ā€œFellow Travelersā€ to ā€œThe Last of Usā€ to ā€œTed Lasso,ā€ lost in their respective categories, and ā€œWanda Sykes: Iā€™m An Entertainer,ā€ the out lesbian comedianā€™s Netflix special nominated for the newly added Best Standup Performance category, lost to former Golden Globes host Ricky Gervaisā€™ ā€œRicky Gervais: Apocalypse.ā€

There were few queer moments of note, in fact, during the event, though the presence of trans ā€œEuphoriaā€ star Hunter Schaefer onstage as a presenter was a welcome nod to inclusion. A more positive spin can be found by acknowledging the show of diversity – an issue around which the Golden Globes has long been deservedly criticized – among the winners. Several acting wins went to Black performers (Randolph, Edebiri) and performers of Asian descent (Yuen and ā€œBeefā€ co-star Ali Wong), while Lily Gladstone became the first indigenous American performer to win a Golden Globe as Best Leading Female Actor (Motion Picture Drama) for ā€œKillers of the Flower Moon.ā€ (Note: Gladstone has identified as “middle-gendered” in subsequent interviews and uses she/they pronouns.) We can only be thrilled for these well-deserved wins.

Still, if the Golden Globes are – as theyā€™ve long been considered – the official ā€œkick-offā€ of Awards Season and an important (if not always accurate) indicator of the likeliest big contenders at the subsequent (and more prestigious) ceremonies to follow over the next few weeks, it looks like we might be on the road toward very ā€œstraight and narrowā€ Oscar night.

The complete list of nominees and winners can be found at the Golden Globes website.

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