For weeks,
Hollywood had been criticized for not contributing enough to
defeat a ballot initiative in California that would ban
same-sex marriage. Now members of the film and TV
industries are sweeping in to preserve gays' right to
get hitched.
Maybe they were
planning for a Hollywood ending all along?
After news of
Proposition 8's supporters outraising its opponents spread
and the measure gained support in public opinion polls, many
Hollywood insiders have made declarations of support
-- financial and otherwise -- against the
ban. While the "No on 8" campaign hasn't quite reached
the buzziness of other celebrity causes du jour, momentum is
growing.
"The
entertainment industry is obviously an important donor
base," said Chad Griffin, a political strategist for the
campaign. "It's an industry that's often stood up
against discrimination. This particular initiative
writes discrimination into the constitution. I think
it's something most fair-minded people, celebrities or
otherwise, are outraged about."
Leading the
Hollywood outreach is Oscar-winning producer Bruce Cohen,
who wed art consultant Gabriel Catone in a ceremony
officiated by Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa in June. The
American Beauty and Pushing Daisies
producer dug deep into his contacts to ask for their
support against the initiative. Cohen's biggest get?
Steven Spielberg.
"Steven's been an
incredible supporter of me, both personally and
professionally, so I called him and told him how much this
has meant to me and Gabe," said Cohen, who worked with
the director on The Color Purple in 1985. "When he
told me that he and Kate Capshaw were giving a
$100,000 contribution, I was so moved and thankful."
Since same-sex
marriage became legal in California in June, at least
11,000 couples have exchanged vows statewide, according to
the Williams Institute for Sexual Orientation Law and
Public Policy based at the University of California,
Los Angeles. Among those couples were Ellen DeGeneres
and actress Portia de Rossi, who married in August.
The talk show
host recently made a public service announcement urging
voters to oppose the ballot initiative and purchased
$100,000 of television commercial time for her ad.
"I don't know
what people are scared of," DeGeneres joked on her
show Wednesday. "Maybe they think their children will be
influenced [by gay marriage], but I've got to tell
you, I was raised by two heterosexuals. Everywhere I
looked -- heterosexuals. And they did not
influence me. It's time we love people for who they are and
let them love who they want."
Stars as big as
Brad Pitt -- and as small as NCIS actress
Pauley Perrette -- have also donated their own
cash to defeat Proposition 8 in California, according to
state records.
"I consider
myself a civil rights activist before I consider myself
an actress," said Perrette, who donated $3,000. "Before I
ever accidentally became an actress, I was a sociology
and psychology major, and I've always been very
involved in civil rights. I really believe this is the
biggest civil rights issue of our generation."
Pitt made
headlines when he donated $100,000 to fight the ballot
initiative. Trevor Neilson, Pitt's political and
philanthropic adviser, said the actor continues to be
surprised that his colleagues in the entertainment
industry have not donated more money to support the battle
against Proposition 8.
Among the other
famous contributors: Point of No Return actress
Bridget Fonda ($200); One Life to Live actor
Jason Tam ($100); In Plain Sight actress Mary
McCormack ($200); Good Will Hunting director
Gus Van Sant ($2,500); Brothers & Sisters
executive producer Greg Berlanti ($5,000); and Star
Trek actor George Takei ($2,600), who wed business
manager Brad Altman in September.
"I'm gay, and I
have a partner of 17 years," said The Real World
co-creator and executive producer Jonathan Murray, who
donated $10,000 to support gay marriage but hasn't wed
his partner. "We have a son who's 9. He'll be 10 soon. We
believe we have as much right to be married as any
other two adults in California. It's that simple."
The "Yes on 8"
campaign has far less wattage. The most famous
contributor to appear in state records is Orson Bean,
perhaps best known for his frequent appearances as a
panelist on To Tell the Truth. He donated $200.
Sonja Eddings
Brown, a spokeswoman for "Yes on 8," said the campaign
has not reached out to Hollywood because "the campaign is a
campaign of the people. It's not intended to be dotted with
celebrities."
"It's outstanding
that Brad Pitt and Steven Spielberg want to
participate in the process, but their examples in their
homes are the best indicator," said Eddings Brown.
"They've created homes that have a committed mother
and father in each of them. In Brad Pitt's case, he
went outside of the country and adopted kids who didn't have
a mother and a father."
The biggest boon
for the "No on 8" campaign may come from something
Tinseltown loves most: a good party. The movement held its
first star-studded no-press-allowed fund-raiser Tuesday at
supermarket mogul Ron Burkle's Beverly Hills estate.
Melissa Etheridge and Mary J. Blige performed at the
sold-out event, which required a minimum donation of
$1,000.
The bash, which
was attended by such celebs as Barbra Streiesand, David
Hyde Pierce, and Rob Reiner, raised over $4 million for the
campaign, according to Lorri L. Jean, CEO of the L.A.
Gay and Lesbian Center. That money will be used to
purchase airtime for campaign ads. Jean said she's
pleased with Hollywood's support but believes they can do
better.
"There could be a
lot more," said Jean. "I really hope that more people
who are in the entertainment industry will decide to get
involved with this campaign and will help us defeat
Proposition 8. The truth is, if we don't have more of
our straight allies -- not only in Hollywood but
in other areas -- we're going to have a hard time on
November 4." (Derrik J. Lang, AP)r
