Spanish-language GLAAD PSA features Sara Ramirez of Grey's Anatomy

A Message from Grey's Anatomy's Sara Ramirez

Latina actress Sara Ramirez, known for her Broadway work in plays such as The Capeman, Dreamgirls and Monthy Python's Spamalot and, of course, her turn as Dr. Callie Torres on ABC's successful Grey's Anatomy series, has joined the Gay Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) in a 30 second Spanish language public service announcement against discrimination that premiered today at Terra.com, the largest internet access provider in Spain and Latin America

The PSA was launched as part of GLAAD's "Be an Ally and Friend" campaign which features 22 public figures from television, film and sports.

"Sara’s beloved by millions of Grey’s Anatomy fans, which makes her a terrific person to share this message of support," said Monica Trasandes, GLAAD's Director of Spanish Language Media, "The fact that she delivers this positive message in Spanish will help many people understand how words can hurt the gay and transgender people around them."

Here is the translated transcript of the ad:

Hi, I am Sara Ramirez.
Discrimination and intolerance can affect our families.
What happens when this discrimination happens against a brother, niece, mother or uncle who is gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender? Would you accept it?

For a more inclusive world say no to stereotypes and discrimination.

For more information please visit the Gay Alliance Against Discrimination - GLAAD.ORG

Breaking News: We don't want Isaiah off Grey's Anatomy

We have said it before. Alas, the powers that be seem to have spoken.

Other Blogs: Enrique Iglesias gays it up, Moscow Pride violence, Queens pride, Matt Sanchez and MORE!

Keith Boykin has some interesting thoughts on that YouTube video making the rounds of Enrique Iglesias more than performing at a gay bar in London (see above). Terrance is smitten. I personaly retch everytime I hear his voice, but - hey - that's me.

Rex covers the recent violence at Moscow Pride, so does Doug Ireland here, while Joe.My.God took pictures at yesterday's small protest outside the Russian consulate in New York. Michael Petrelis also has photos of a similar protest outside the Russian consulate in San Francisco. Good as You takes issue with one aspect of the protests in NY and SF.

Rex also posts an article he wrote in 1991 about the Soviet Union's first ever gay pride events.

Bernard's gone fishing and sometimes I get the feeling I might want to join him.

Bloggernista answers that all important question: Where in the world is Matt Sanchez? Explains why some YouTube videos I found of the former gay porn star and marine reservist show him in Iraq (Previously on Blabbeando...).

Bushwick Boy takes a look at Sunday's Queens Pride festivities. Manhattan Offender was also there and took video clips to prove it.

Chris Crain has announced the launch of a gay news aggregator webpage named, appropriately GayNewsWatch.com.

Jasmyne Cannick has a series of posts on her recent trip to Africa alongside "Grey's Anatomy" actor Isaiah Washington.

JockoHomo has a look at some HIV/AIDS awareness ads from Glasgow.

Miss Wild Thing picks her tribe over news that a former Democratic National Committee gay outreach advisor is suing the DNC.

Donald asks dancehall-reggae singer Buju Banton to explain himself in light of a recent performance he did in New York (and has a related poll for his blog readers).

From Venezuela, Jogreg admits that it wasn't easy to open up about his life as a gay man in Venezuela in as public a venue the BBC (he won a contest and was given access to write in blog-form on the BBC site for a couple of months) [NOTE: Both of those links lead to Spanish-language only entries, sorry].

Out of La Mega, Luis Jimenez throws a homophobic fit

[PLEASE NOTE: No anonymous comments will be allowed in reply to this post]

Long criticized for sponsoring homophobia during his stint as a radio shock-jock in NYC's La Mega radio station, Luis Jimenez always scoffed at the criticism saying that if they made fun of gays from time to time, well, they made fun of everybody else anyway so it should not be taken as an offense. He would also say that he personally had no animosity towards gays.

Jimenez, who recently left the radio station in an increasingly acrimonious split when he made a $5 million deal with Univision Radio, has seen his star rise despite (or should I say because) of the filth and raunch that characterized his run in the morning show "El Vacilon de la Mañana."

Question is, was Jimenez sincere when he said, for all intents and purposes, that he did not have a homophobic bone in his body?

Today, in his weekly El Diario La Prensa column, well-known political analyst Gerson Borrero reveals details of an alleged confrontation between Jimenez and Polito Vega on January 12th. Vega, who runs a salsa music show for La Mega and is allied with the radio station's owner, Raul Alarcon, is said to have forced other members of "El Vacilon" to sign contracts that prohibited them from following Jimenez to Univision radio.

Borrero writes that the two ran into each other at a parking garage in mid-Manhattan. Vega noticed Jimenez and said, in Spanish, "Hi Luis, how are you?"

"How do you think I am doing, old hypocrite! Faggot!" Jimenez is said to have shot back in anger, also in Spanish.

"You're the hypocrite, faggot!" replied Vega.

Jimenez then allegedly almost jumped out of his skin in anger and shouted "You are a back-stabber! Cock-sucker!" As Vega turned around and started to leave, Jimenez added "You have Raulito [Alarcon]'s fist up you ass, faggot."

Even Borrero makes note of the homophobic expressions used by both radio personalities though he says La Mega listeners might think they're more in line with language used in "El Vacilon."

If the description of the exchange is accurate, it shows that even when he thinks he is off the air, Jimenez deems it fit to call people a faggot [maricon], a cock-sucker [mama-bichos] or question their masculinity by alleging that he's got a fist up his ass.

The difference between the Grey's Anatomy fracas and Luis Jimenez is that while Isaiah Washington does not espouse what might be his homophobic views through his work in the top rated dramatic television show in the country, Jimenez usage of homophobic insults in private is pretty much what he did on air during his stint in the top rated Spanish language radio show in the nation.

But, because all this happens and is reported in Spanish-language media, while Washington might well lose his job over his comments, Jimenez will get $5 million to do more of the same, care of Univision radio.

UPDATE: Luis Jimenez is back in town (January 18, 2008)

Grey's Anatomy? Keep Isaiah

A few leaders in the African-American gay community are reacting to calls for the firing of Isaiah Washington from the popular television show "Grey's Anatomy" by supporting the actor and calling on the show's producers to keep him in the cast.

This follows a series of public missteps made by the actor in trying to clarify or outright deny having called another cast-member a "faggot" during an on-set dispute which has come to be fodder for the celebrity shows (and gained even wider notoriety than the series of rumored cast skirmishes that plagued "Desperate Housewives" in it's second season as reporters looked for dirt when that show became the top rated televisions how).

Having seen Washington deny he ever made the comment during the red carpet ceremony at the Golden Globes and then tell a reporter "I love gay, I wanted to be gay, please let me be gay," it still seems to me that he was trying to make light of the whole incident as a way to deflect media attention (though if that was his intention, he failed miserably at it). Then again others might be right in saying that it was his bigoted way of reacting to the constant questions about the reported incident months after cast and crew said it had been blown out of proportion and dealt with.

Everyone certainly seems to be drawing away what they want to believe from the whole incident. And there is enough to keep media entertained: Sexuality, homophobia, race, discord between cast members of the most popular drama on television, etc.

But take away the No. 1 rating, the paparazzi and the red carpet and does Washington truly owe the lesbian and gay community and apology?

Washington originally used the homophobic epithet during shooting the show and by all accounts the issue was resolved where it should have been: Between the cast members and producers. As much as has been made of his Golden Globe awards comments, this time around he didn't bring up the epithet as an insult to TR Knight or anyone else. Unfortunately, he used it to deny that he had ever directed it in Knight's way. Wrong you say? Yes! Insensitive? You bet!

But an attack on the lesbian and gay community? I'm not so sure.

An apology came late last week but it might have been a little too late. It didn't help that the statement seemed to reflect the generic mea culpa's of a well-oiled public relations firm trying to save an actor's career. Washington has since fired his PR firm.

And yet, personally I feel that it remains an issue of how the actor fits within the cast and how the other cast members - including TR Knight - feel in working with Washington. Last week on Ellen, in a moving interview, Theodore Raymond "McYummy" Knight did express surprise that Washington would deny using the word during the Golden Globes. Still, after all the bru-ha-ha, he also seemed willing to move on.

In the meantime, there have been a few prominent black gay leaders, including producer Paris Barclay, that have called for Washington's firing. In the blog-o-sphere it has been a different story, particularly over at Jasmyne Cannick's site (she has also launched a "Keep Isaiah Washington on Grey's Anatomy" petition campaign here).

For other commentary I also suggest that you check these out as well:

• Keith Boykin: "There is something about Isaiah"
• Kenyon Farrow: "Isaiah Washington/TR Knight Drama"

PS! - That cover of Joy Division's "Love Will Tear Us Apart" in last Thursday's episode? By Norway's Suzanne & the Magical Orchestra if you were wondering. Available in the free CD that comes with this month's MOJO magazine.

Oh! The horror...

What does it mean when your favorite new television show uses songs from your favorite album so far this year in two consecutive episodes as a soundtrack to the drama unfolding with one of your favorite characters on network television as played by one of your favorite actors? MUST mean something! But for the love of god I can't figure out what! The horror!

But when it's been a while since the United States music industry paid any attention to Roisin Murphy (or her former band Moloko, for that matter) - and I don't believe her album has even been picked for distribution in the United States - we must be thankful for small favors (and the exposure).

We must thank the TV show's Music Supervisor Alexandra "where-can-I-get-a job-like-that" Patsavas for her keen music taste and hope for more groovy tunage down the line.

And let's hope to see Roisin Murphy performing live in the United States sometime soon...