Television Critics Association Day One: Florence Henderson is so cool!

Hey everyone! Michael here at the Television Critic Association's July 2008 Summer Press Tour sniffing out all things gay for y'all! And on the first day some things smelled sweeter than others.

Things got off to a rather inauspicious start when a channel I'd never heard of — TV One — aimed primarily at an African-American audience showed a clip from their upcoming season of a talk show called Black Men Revealed, hosted by brothers Doug and Ryan Stewart (AKA "The 2 Live Stews"). It included an extended clip of an episode focused on the "Down Low" and the "guys that are gay that aren't openly gay and guys that are passing various diseases to different black women around the world." So closeted gay men in Africa are spreading HIV there? Um, okay.

Each episode of the show consists of a panel of regulars joined by a guest to discuss that episode's particular theme such "Fatherhood: Be a Man About It" or "Why I never Called Her Back". It's impossible to know without having seen the whole down low episode, but the clip — and the reaction of host Ryan Stewart during the discussion afterward — does not bode well.

Ryan Stewart and Doug Stewart

From the clip that was shown, Kevin, the gay guest on the "Down Low" episode, seemed more of a court jester than an actual contributor, making some odd observations that I think were supposed to be jokes. When another journalist asked if the show would consider hiring Kevin as a panelist, Ryan responded by saying " If they were to hire Kevin, I probably would leave the set." The show's producer, Monique Chenault, then suggested that Kevin "...did have affection an affection for Ryan" which caused Ryan to promptly add "Not the way it sounds though." I'm glad he cleared that up because I naturally assumed Kevin had a sexual interest in a guy exhibiting homophobic attitudes. Oy.

Again, it's impossible to say what the actual episode will be like, but given that this is the clip the producers chose to show to a roomful of journalists in hopes of getting us to write about the series, I suspect come next December we won't be giving the show an AfterElton.com visibility award.

Up next was the Hallmark Channel panel featuring Jane Seymour, Florence Henderson, Greg Evigan, Donna Mills, Daphne Zuniga, Mark Consuelos, Meredith Baxter and Lesley Ann Warren just to name a few of the more well known actors. Think of it at the Island of Misfit Toys for actors trying to extend their careers. Can I just say one thing — actors are tiny and skinny! Last year I couldn't believe how small Holly Hunter was and Jane Seymour is just as tiny. It's kind of scary.

Donna Mills, Daphne Zuniga, Jane Seymour

(Picture courtesy of Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images)

Based on the movies presented — grandfathers bonding with grandsons, cowboys and their mail order brides, women bonding while remodeling their homes — Hallmark is going to remain about as gay-friendly as ESPN. But it's always fascinating to see these stars of yesteryear that so many of us grew up with.

But the highlight of the first day came at the lunch after the Hallmark panel when most of the above stars joined us lowly journalists for lunch. I hadn't really planned on interviewing anyone as none of their projects are gay and those actors of gay interest, such as Lesley Ann Warren, we had already interviewed. Then it occurred to me that the woman who knew Robert Reed was gay for all those years during The Brady Bunch was seated only a few spots away. Naturally, I had to ask her something!

AfterElton.com: Given Robert Reed’s situation being closeted while on the show, what do you think he would think about where we are today with actors including T.R. Knight and Neil Patrick Harris able to come out?
Florence Henderson: I’m just so sorry that Robert didn’t live long enough to see this time. He was such a great actor and such a great friend and I agonize for him because it was such a difficult time. Here he was the father of America. I can’t imagine the struggle and the strain and stress of living a life where you can’t be who you are. I’ve always had tremendous compassion for him, and for anyone.

Lots more from Florence after the break...

I remember a few years ago, I sang with the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus and afterward they were having a party and my husband and I were booked on a plane. And they said, “Please come.” We changed our flight and we went to the conductor’s home and they were all there. And so many of them told me that their families had disowned them and what it meant that I came. Florence Henderson/Carol Brady came to be with them.

And at the end of the evening they asked to go outside and the moon was shining and there was a flight of stairs and they all gathered – there was about a hundred of them – and they sang, you know, May the road rise up to meet you and may the wind always be at your back, A cappella. It was one of the most moving things that I ever – my husband and I just wept. We were overcome by that.

AE: Whether we like to admit it or not, TV really shapes how people view things in our culture. I’m curious when you have spoken out concerning Robert Reed over the years, did you realize as "America's Mom" you were reaching Middle America in a way that gay men couldn't or did you just think you were just speaking and not thinking of that?
FH: Michael, I think I was just speaking out because, you know, I grew up in a very large, very poor family. I know what it’s like to be rejected and discriminated against on that level and I think that I’ve always gravitated toward anyone that I feel is being hurt or not being accepted because of race, religion, sexual orientation – anything like that.

I’ve just always tried to speak out about that and live my life like that, accepting people, loving people. We’re all just human beings doing the best we can and I just, I’ve gotten into some bitter arguments with people because they might think I don’t think the way I do, and I love to nail them.

Florence Henderson

(Pictures courtesy of Getty Images/Frederick M. Brown)

AE: It’s interesting hearing you talk about your background being discriminated against. I think that’s why so many gay men are liberal because they know exactly what it’s like to be discriminated against. I suspect that's we often especially identify with women because we're able to say, “You’re just like anybody else. Why should you be treated any different just because of some unimportant trait?”
FH: Like I, having grown up in the business, grown up in theater, my mentors were all gay, most of them. And the dancers, they were always the kindest to me and the most helpful – try this, do this. I never once thought about gay or straight. I just thought, “These are the nicest people.”

I mean, I was so naïve and innocent most of the time. I got to New York when I was just 17. I’ve always gravitated towards kindness and goodness and talent and professionalism, and that’s what I always saw.

AE: Knowing what Robert went through, being in the closet and worried about all that, do you have any advice to today’s actors who, let's face it, still face those sorts of decisions and issues?
FH: Well, in the best of all possible worlds, I would say actors are actors. I could certainly play a lesbian with absolutely no problem. Gay men can play a straight man with absolutely no problem. I would wish that that – all of those [people], you know – oh, they can’t do that, they can’t do that, would disappear. ... I can sympathize with the actors that feel that their careers would really, really, really suffer and I admire the ones that say, “To hell with it. I’ve got to live my life.”

You know Ellen [DeGeneres], before she came out, I did her show, her old series, and we had long talks about it and she said, “You know, you don’t come out because the gay community wants you to. You come out because you feel that it’s right for you. This is your life.” And she obviously made the right decision and you know how rough it was for her. But I just adore her, and everyone does. You forget about the other thing, like, so quickly. It’s just not important. It’s not important.

At that point I turned off the recorder and we chatted for a moment longer (I confessed Brent and I still watch The Brady Bunch whenever we run across it) and I was utterly charmed by Florence. In fact, I was thinking she was so sweet and such a cool person that I really wanted to give her a hug. But that seemed pretty inappropriate, so I just held out my hand and thanked her for her time.

She popped to her feet, held out her arms and said she wanted a hug. And I thought that was about the coolest thing ever.

Check back tomorrow for details on Day Two of the TCA!