T.R. Knight Answers No on 8's Plea for Money With $50,000

Grey’s Anatomy star T.R. Knight has donated $50,000 to No on 8. The donation comes one day after Equality California called for an emergency LGBT media briefing and reported Yes on 8 is ahead in the polls.

Jenn Kennedy

Grey’s Anatomy star T.R. Knight has donated $50,000 to No on 8 to fight the proposed California constitutional amendment, Proposition 8, that would outlaw same-sex marriage in the state, Out.com’s Popnography blog reported Wednesday. The donation comes one day after Equality California called for an emergency LGBT media briefing and reported that contrary to published reports, Yes on 8 is ahead in the polls.

The donation was uncovered on the California secretary of state’s website, reporting that Knight, a self-employed actor with a New York address, had donated.

Knight’s donation comes after Ohio entrepreneur Jonathan Lewis issued a challenge of sorts to Los Angeles's entertainment industry -- raise $500,000 for No on Prop. 8, and he and his family will match the contributions dollar for dollar.

Other celebrities who have made donations since Lewis's offer to match funds include Pete Wentz and Fall Out Boy to the tune of $50,000; Angels in America scribe Tony Kushner, $15,000; and E! talk-show host Chelsea Handler, $5,000. (The Advocate)

Click here to follow The Advocate on Twitter. Page 1 of 1

READ COMMENTS (20) MORE \ EMAIL PRINT

RECOMMEND

Reader Comments

Back to top
Name: Darlene
Date posted: 10/24/2008 4:06:00 PM
Hometown: Greenfield

Comment:
The donated money I feel could go to better use. Starving. struggling to make ends meet. Just not me, but others as well. I'm struggling to come up with $35,000.00 to pay for fertility treatments. Thought I'd voice my opinion
Back to top
Name: Jesse Walton
Date posted: 10/19/2008 9:04:00 AM
Hometown: San Gabriel, CA

Comment:
MAKE a sign. Grab poster-board and marker. Show the Astroturfers what real grass roots are. Crying, sniping, blaming...it will NOT get it done. Get out on a street corner. Go picket a Mormon church and BRING YOU KIDS AND/OR Partner/Spouse. Gala fundraisers and mushy ads got us in this position, and we can't sit by and wait for VIPs to suddenly get a clue. We lose this time, we've lost for 20 years. Paint and bed-sheets, hung on overpasses. Home-made signs. T-shirts, Arm-Bands. We've got two days left to get people registered to vote. We've all got printers to make our OWN flyers and pass them out. Take ownership of the future and in loving memory of thousands of brave men and women who we lost, so many of whom were forced to spend so many years of their lives in hiding and in fear, quit whining about what someone else isn't doing and ACTUP !
Back to top
Name: David
Date posted: 10/18/2008 12:13:00 AM
Hometown: SF Area

Comment:
No on 8 has run a terrible campaign. In mid-August I asked for a yard sign. Would I be willing to pay? Sure, just get me the yard sign. When did it show up? October! This is a no-brainer folks, gotta get the signs out. If gays are marginalized, you can do whatever you want to them. If you walk down the street and keep seeing No On 8 signs, they are part of the mainstream and you can't push them around. My conclusion - I should have made my own freaking sign and stopped giving my money to people who have their heads up their you-know-whats. It's a shame that so many people will have to take a big step backwards due to the stupidity of a few.
Back to top
Name: Jeff
Date posted: 10/10/2008 8:15:00 PM
Hometown: San Francisco

Comment:
Thank you, TR Knight for putting your money where your mouth is!!! Hey Ellen, Portia, Rosie, Elton and all the other gay celebs who haven't yet donated to No on 8: a few weeks ago, I dipped into my savings and wrote a check for $1,000. I'm not wealthy by any stretch of the imagination, and I know all of you make a HELL of a lot more money than I do, so WHAT GIVES???
Back to top
Name: Matt
Date posted: 10/9/2008 4:20:00 PM
Hometown: Portland

Comment:
Who are you people to tell other Americans how to spend their money. If the stars don't want give to the cause mind your business and worry about your own paycheck
Back to top
Name: Wayne
Date posted: 10/9/2008 2:57:00 PM
Hometown: NYC

Comment:
GAYS NEED TO LET THE OBAMA CAMP KNOW THAT IF OBAMA DOESN'T START MAKING MARRIAGE EQUALITY AND PROP 8 AN ISSUE AND ACTUALLY HAVE THE BALLS TO SPEAK OUT AND DO A FEW "NO ON 8" COMMERCIALS, THEN HE WILL NOT GET OUR VOTES! WHY SHOULD WE VOTE FOR OBAMA WHEN OBAMA WON'T STEP UP TO THE PLATE AND FIGHT FOR OUR RIGHTS? OBAMA SEEMS TO THINK HAVING "FAITH TOURS" FOR ANTI-GAY BIGOTS IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN OUR EQUALITY.
Back to top
Name: Ted
Date posted: 10/9/2008 2:08:00 PM
Hometown: Kingston, NY

Comment:
Ellen has been making a plea for donations from others but I have seen nothing as to how much she herself as donated to the cause. Anyone know?
Back to top
Name: owen
Date posted: 10/9/2008 2:07:00 PM
Hometown: west hollywood

Comment:
Yup, time to get your tongue out of Barak's ass.. Obama will win and he has already raised over $400M. Yes folks have raised twice what the NO have. Are the $200. jeans that important?
Back to top
Name: n gozzano
Date posted: 10/9/2008 12:58:00 PM
Hometown: Los Angeles

Comment:
YOU PEOPLE NEED TO FORGET ABOUT OBAMA AND STREISAND AND FOCUS ON WHY WERE LOSING THIS THING. IT'S BECAUSE THE PEOPLE RUNNING NO ON 8 HAVE PUT TOGETHER A TOTALLY INCOMPETENT AD CAMPAIGN. THEY HAVE NO COHERENT MESSAGE AND YES ON 8 HAS STEPPED RIGHT IN WITH THE MOST CONVENTIONAL AND OBVIOUS ADS AND IT'S WORKING LIKE A CHARM. HEADS HAVE GOT TO ROLL AT NO ON 8 AND THEY NEED TO GO TO A HARD HITTING SCARE THE VOTERS ABOUT THE OTHER SIDE CAMPAIGN (HOW IS EASY IS THAT WHEN YOUR DEALING WITH PSYCHO FUNDAMENTALISTS). COMPLAIN ABOUT ABOUT CELINDA LAKE, STEVE SMITH AND GEOFF KORS COMPLETELY BLOWING THIS THING FOR US! THAT'S WHERE THE REAL BLAME LIES.
Back to top
Name: Joe
Date posted: 10/9/2008 11:20:00 AM
Hometown: Fort Worth

Comment:
Wow, there are a lot of Obama haters here. Obama has said that he's AGAINST Prop 8. The election is winding down. I don't think he has the time or wants to risk losing voters by making Prop 8 a big issue. Whether or not you like him not taking a more public stand against Prop 8 is one thing, blaming him for celebrities' (both gay & straight "allies") failure to pony up money is something ENTIRELY DIFFERENT.

PREVIOUS 1 2 NEXT

More Online Only

Film Awards Shows Gone Gay

From Rob Lowe singing with Snow White to Madonna and Britney swapping spit, Adam Lambert's racy AMA performance reminded us of some of the great gay moments in awards-show history.

DVDs Hot Sheet: Rihanna, New Moon

Whether you spend your time jamming to Rihanna's Chris Brown kiss-off "Russian Roulette," in theaters with those lusty male vampires- or curled up on the couch with Scarlett O'Hara, it's a packed week in entertainment.

Washington D C View From Washington: The DADT Shuffle

A gay White House employee offered his very first interviews to the LGBT press while Congress took one step forward and one step back on "don't ask, don't tell" repeal in 2010.

Art The Kids Are All Right
Photographer Jeffrey Kilmer has dedicated the last seven years to capturing the awkwardness, rebellion, and personal style of young men across the country and around the world. His book, 23% PURE, is a collection of hot guys, far and wide.

Film Teen Spirit

While Native American cultures have long honored people of integrated genders, a new documentary looks at a shocking hate crime against a two-gendered Colorado teenager.

Politicians L.A. Confidential

What's it like to be 33, gay, and one of the most powerful people in America's second-largest city? Stressful, says Matt Szabo, the new deputy chief of staff to Los Angeles mayor Antonio Villaraigosa.

Commentary Love Bites for Twilight's Gay Fans

Gay fanpires are sure to flock to New Moon, but with questions lingering about author Stephanie Meyer and the cash she gives to the Mormon Church, Mike Albo wonders if we'd be better off tying a clove of garlic around our necks.

Youth Church Opens Doors for Homeless Gay Teens

A church-turned-shelter for homeless youth in Queens, New York is a far cry from sleeping on the streets after a $200,000 renovation and a partnership with the Ali Forney Center for LGBT youth.

Music France's Latest Export

He's opened for Britney and Katy Perry, kept Dita Von Teese company in the front row at Paris Fashion Week, and gets name-checked on Twitter by Lady Gaga, Miley Cyrus, and Sarah Silverman. So who the hell is Sliimy, anyway?

Prevention New Breast Health Rules Leave Out Lesbians

Now that new government guidelines are out on how to best care for your breasts, lesbians, bisexuals, and transgender women are left with a lot of questions.

Marriage Equality Triumph in the Tar Heel State

The loss of marriage equality in Maine was a major blow on Election Night, but down the coast in North Carolina there was an LGBT victory. Pam Spaulding talks to Chapel Hill's mayor-elect, Mark Kleinschmidt.

Theater Puppet Masters

When performance-art drag diva Joey Arias combines forces with master puppeteer Basil Twist, anything — no, seriously, anything — can happen.

News Softball With Oprah and Palin

Dave White recaps as Oprah plays nice with Palin in her exclusive, personality-rehabbing interview. Topics include Katie Couric ("badgering"), Levi Johnston ("Ricky Hollywood"), and step class ("gee, it's fun").

News View From Washington: Frank Tells

This week Congressman Barney Frank laid out a plan and a timetable for repealing "don't ask, don't tell..." and a reminder that he's been saying it would happen in 2010 from the beginning.