Great post David. Its a powerful movie, but I heard the same theme today on Fresh Air of all places, where Terry Gross obsessed over the kissing. Its disturbing to think that a normal display of love and affection draws this kind of titilation. And hearing these actors interviewed reminds me that great writers and great directors often take attractive fluff balls and turn them into admirable characters. But its the characters who are truly admirable - Scott Smith and Harvey Milk - not James Franco and Sean Penn.

Posted by: Mike in DC | Nov 24, 2008 8:30:03 PM

What a sobering insight. I'm so grateful that you are speaking out and waking me up to this. The movie is important and powerful. I hope it will be treated with the dignity that it deserves.

Posted by: Jeff | Nov 24, 2008 8:52:51 PM

An old friend, a grade-school teacher in NYC, once told me about bringing to school a videotape she'd recorded the previous day of an appearance by one of her students -- a 3rd grader -- who had a one-day walk-on part on a network soap opera. Just before her student's scene came onscreen in the classroom, however, the class saw the abrupt tail-end of a previous scene in which (typical of a soap opera) an actor and actress were kissing. Well, all the eight-year-olds threw their hands over their eyes, squealed, "Ewww!" and giggled. Like children do. I am constantly reminded of that story when I see things like the Letterman Show, where adults who should know better still squeal in discomfort at a sign of affection between two human beings. We have to remind ourselves that those third graders eventually got over their squeamishness. We can only hope the same for our media.

Posted by: Dean | Nov 24, 2008 9:20:09 PM

this is ridiculous thanks for bringing it to our attention
http://queersunited.blogspot.com/

Posted by: queerunity | Nov 25, 2008 12:32:40 PM

Do you really think that Brokeback was robbed because gays let it become a "joke?" I think it lost because the majority of the voting members of the academy are too conservative.

Anyway, I think, that the gay so-called "community" has a bigger problem than a single movie. Look what happened in California before and after November 4th. There is simply a lack of leadership. I blame myself too. BEFORE the election, I donated money. But even though my gut told me otherwise, I listened to many of my gay friends who said, oh 8 is way ahead. It will never pass. The gay media is just saying it is close to draw in more donations to fight off the easy money being raised by the religious right. Once 8 passed, a few gay folks marched (me included) but this was totally backwards. Furthermore, it was really tough to figure out what to do, where the protests were happening and how to get involved. What was/is the strategy. Lots of confusion. You go to the logical places--The LA Gay and Lesbian Center or HRC and you get some angry quotes and requests for donations, but they don't list all the protests. You have to hunt on google for that. And then you have sketchy information at best.

No, the problem is not close minded, conservative, straight people, it is the unorganized, leaderless, uncommitted gay community.

By the way, you don't really expect Milk to "break out" do you?

It is tough to sell ANY drama these days. JFK, Ali, Nixon, Malcolm X, heck even Bush have headlined their own movies and none has broken out. Not because of any social prejudice, rather, people generally want to have fun at the movies. And while Milk is a big figure to some gay people, 99% of America has never heard of him and is not interested.

And about the focusing on the kissing. C'mon. It's funny! James Franco kissing Spicoli is funny! If I kissed a straight woman, believe me, it would be funny too and I would talk about it for weeks.

Posted by: Doug | Nov 25, 2008 1:03:18 PM

Excellent Post! XXXXXOOOO and we mean it! :)

Posted by: mandt | Nov 25, 2008 1:34:32 PM

Thanks for the post. It was a god analysis.

I really wish the producers of the movie had released it in September or Octboer... before people voted on Prop 8.

Posted by: Ron | Nov 25, 2008 4:51:29 PM

The emphasis on the kiss is silly and childish. Letterman is a comedian, however. I am sick to death of people making fun of other people and just about sick to death of people judging people on the basis of where they put their sexual organs or how they satisfy their urge for sexual gratification or intimacy or, forgive me, love. Am I crazy or is it true, like I think it is, that if someone tells me they are a homosexual or heterosexual they are telling me as much about themselves as if they had said they have brown eyes or blonde hair or pigtails? Can't we finally all put the superficial shit aside and get just a wee bit beyond it. Just thinking. Happy Thanksgiving. By the way, in honor of Miss Alaska, why not have some Tofurkey and just say no to stupidity.

Posted by: Brian | Nov 25, 2008 5:02:56 PM

David, I think you're wrong. I watched the clip--yes, they were a little awkward, but it was cute actually, esp when franco kissed Letterman. Look, straight guys WHO ARE NEVER GOING TO SEE OR RENT MILK, saw two famous straight guys talking about kissing men in a way that was not threatening, slightly comic and somehow ok. The best way to change people's mind is to meet them where they are and invite them forward. Letterman and Franco reflected straight male discomfort (meet them where they are) but pulled them toward a "no big deal" attitude that ended with a sweet peck on the cheek.

You don't have to see the movie to realize its impact. The Letterman/Franco kiss is the perfect example.

Posted by: Mike Alvear | Nov 26, 2008 1:51:01 PM

I went to the same school as David and am pissed that so much time was spent on the Kiss. This is a serious movie Dave just like Brokeback Mountain was and as I remember the kiss got the same attention-what gives? As long as straight guys play gay-guess what folks-gays kiss so get over it. Dave is another issue since he is on television a lot more and could be a voice for tolerance but instead he plays the foil. I am lost.

Posted by: Mark Satterthwaite | Nov 26, 2008 3:36:19 PM

I want to support Mike Alvear's comment. You are wrong on this one David. Meeting people where they are is always the necessary and most effective first step. Letterman and Franco were terrific on the show.

Posted by: Brian Hutchins | Nov 26, 2008 6:20:21 PM

As a mom with a gay son, I will take two men kissing anywhere just so people see it and get used to it. I want my son to live in a world where it is not only ok for two men to kiss but it is simply a part of life. Before Jake came out, I had never seen two men kiss ... not ever. I remember the first time. I was waiting for Jake to get done with a rehearsal at a church. A gay group had a meeting in the church and they were all arriving just before Jake's rehearsal was done. As each man arrived he greeted the others with a kiss on the lips. I just watched with such fascination. It was affirming to me. It seemed God was answering my prayers at that moment as I saw the love and warmth each one had for the other.

Posted by: Randi Reitan | Nov 26, 2008 10:46:20 PM

This is a very good conversation to have. Thanks for writing about this, Mr. Mixner, and I hope you, and other bloggers, will return to this topic again as this important movie opens in more places and on more screens.

I want to say that it is not true to say that "no one protested" about Oprah's "Brokeback Mountain" half-hour segment (it didn't even get a whole show). Several people, including myself, expressed strong disappointment in Oprah's ridiculous, offensive, narcissistic questions, on Dave Cullen's (major) "Brokeback Mountain" site. (To me personally, "Brokeback Mountain" remains the most affecting and important movie I've ever seen.)

I heard parts of the Terry Gross interview, and my reaction was, good God, why does she even have to ask James Franco about kissing Sean Penn -- at all?? I was honestly surprised that she didn't know better, and didn't descend into the territory of "what's on the minds of homophobic men." James Franco is an actor, he's professional, end of story. The issues raised by "Milk" just colossally tower over the matter of the mechanics of how an actor kisses someone he may not be attracted to.

Thanks to Randi Reitan for your story - beautiful.

Posted by: Missourian | Nov 28, 2008 6:22:41 PM

Actually, I think Franco handled Letterman's lack of sensitivity fairly well. He did say it was a serious movie about an important person.

Posted by: LKitsch | Nov 29, 2008 12:20:11 AM

Letterman has a long history of what you so kindly call "insensitivity." He's the All-American jerk. Does anybody remember his interview with Lauren Bacall? He was such a complete idiot that even she had trouble holding back.
David, your caution is well taken. Trivialization is a two-edged sword.

Posted by: BILLOFTHEDESERT | Nov 30, 2008 8:04:43 PM