Tag Archives: Ellen DeGeneres

Speaker at Fort Worth City Council meeting to ‘air disapproval’ of Joel Burns’ It Gets Better speech

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Joel Burns

Fort Worth City Councilman Joel Burns has said repeatedly that he was moved to deliver his Oct. 12 It Gets Better speech when he read about the death of Zach Harrington, a gay teen who took his own life after hearing hateful anti-gay comments during a City Council meeting in Norman, Okla. Now, someone reportedly plans to protest Burns’ passionate speech — and undoubtedly make more hateful comments that could drive LGBT teens to suicide — during this Tuesday’s Fort Worth City Council meeting. Unbelievable.

The Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported Sunday that at least one person plans to speak during Tuesday’s meeting to “air disapproval” of Burns’ speech four weeks ago. The brief report in The S-T doesn’t identify the person or persons who plan to speak. It also doesn’t say where the newspaper got the information, which is strange:

At least one person — and possibly more — plans to be in attendance to air disapproval of the much-talked-about speech by Councilman Joel Burns last month in council chambers.

Burns, the first openly gay council member, gained national attention after delivering a stirring address, in the wake of recent incidents, pleading with gay teens not to resort to suicide.

Video of the speech became an instant sensation online.

Within a week, more than 200,000 people had posted the link to the speech on Facebook, and a media tour followed. Burns appeared for interviews on CBS’ Early Show, CNN, the Today show on NBC and the Ellen DeGeneres Show.

Burns was among the speakers during Saturday night’s Black Tie Dinner in Dallas. Burns choked up as he talked about how he’d been contacted earlier in the day by Harrington’s father.

“Mr. Harrington said that Zach’s mom, a teacher, is having a particularly difficult time these days, and that he wishes he could let Zach know how much they miss him, but they can’t because he killed himself — after attending a City Council meeting,” Burns said. “As I said on Oct. 12, no child should be made to feel that they are without worth. Let us remind them of their value while we still can.”

Burns then led a moment of silence “in remembrance of the needless loss of teens who found the bullying too much to bear.”

Today we can add 14-year-old Brandon Bitner to the list of those teens.

Tuesday’s council meeting, should you wish to attend, is at 7 p.m. at Council Chambers at City Hall, 1000 Throckmorton St.

—  John Wright

Joel Burns nominated for Texan of the Year

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Joel Burns

Gay Fort Worth City Councilman Joel Burns has been nominated for The Dallas Morning News’ Texan of the Year based on his inspiring “It Gets Better” speech, according to DMN editorial writer Rodger Jones.

Burns has already been interviewed by national media and by Ellen DeGeneres on her talk show in the wake of his 12-minute speech at a council meeting last month in which he talked about being bullied as a teenager and the time he considered taking his own life. Video of the speech quickly went viral and Burns became one of the most visible faces of the “It Gets Better” campaign.

Some of the other nominees are Southwest Airlines President Gary Kelly, philanthropist Elizabeth Shatto Massey, Texas Rangers President Nolan Ryan and, a separate nominee, the “entire Texas Rangers baseball team.”

Well, win or lose, I love me some Texas Rangers. But when it comes to Texan of the Year, Joel gets my vote.

—  admin

National spotlight focuses on Burns

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As Fort Worth councilman’s staff, volunteers continue to field e-mails, calls from bullied teens seeking help, Dallasites stage a 2nd vigil to remember teen suicide victims


DAVID TAFFET  |  Staff Writer taffet@dallasvoice.com

PROUD COUPLE | Fort Worth City Councilman Joel Burns, right, and his partner, J.D. Angle, march with the city’s contingent in the Tarrant County Pride Parade earlier this month. Burns has garnered national attention with the “It Gets Better” speech he delivered during the Oct. 12 Fort Worth City Council meeting. (Tammye Nash/Dallas Voice)
PROUD COUPLE | Fort Worth City Councilman Joel Burns, right, and his partner, J.D. Angle, march with the city’s contingent in the Tarrant County Pride Parade earlier this month. Burns has garnered national attention with the “It Gets Better” speech he delivered during the Oct. 12 Fort Worth City Council meeting. (Tammye Nash/Dallas Voice)

Joel Burns has been a familiar name and face in North Texas since 2007 when he was first elected to the Fort Worth City Council, becoming Cowtown’s first openly gay council member.

But in the last two weeks, thousands have learned Burns’ name and are hailing him as a hero of the LGBT community and the battle against bullying and teen suicide.

Fort Worth City Council’s Oct. 12 meeting started out as usual. But then Burns took his turn during that part of the meeting in which councilmembers routinely offer recognition to individuals and events in their own districts. But this time, Burns took on a national topic.

Struggling to choke back tears until finally giving up and letting the tears run down his face, Burns talked about several teenagers who were LGBT, or at least perceived to be LGBT, who had recently taken their own lives after enduring months, sometimes years, of anti-gay bullying and harassment.

And then the councilman told his own story, how he had himself been bullied as a teen and had contemplated suicide.

By the time he finished, everyone in the Council Chamber had risen to their feet to salute him with applause.

But it didn’t stop there. Burns posted the official  Fort Worth City Council video on YouTube as part of Dan Savage’s “It Gets Better” campaign to encourage and reassure LGBT teens — and suddenly, Burns was an Internet sensation.

Newspapers around the world posted the video on their websites and it went viral on YouTube. Before he knew it, Burns was being asked to be on, first local and then national and international news programs, including The Today Show with Matt Lauer. On Wednesday, Oct. 20, Burns was a guest on Ellen DeGeneres’ television talk show.

During an appearance on Ellen, Burns said that the best part of the last two weeks has been the number of teens from around the world who have e-mailed him and contacted him on Facebook.

“The countless number of kids from around the world … who said, ‘I was in a really, really bad place and I was making plans to take my own life,’” he said. “The fact that they have reconsidered — that makes it worth me crying at City Council, the heartache for my mom and dad, worth every bit of all that because they’re still alive.”

While Burns has been traveling coast-to-coast speaking out against bullying on all of the network morning shows in New York, on cable news and on Ellen in Los Angeles, a team of volunteers has been sorting through thousands of messages pouring into his e-mail inbox at Fort Worth City Hall.

By Monday, Oct. 18, more than 20,000 e-mails had arrived after the video had been streamed 1.3 million times. On Thursday, Oct. 21, the number of YouTube hits passed 2 million, and the e-mail and Facebook messages continue to pour in.

The YouTube page has logged more than 27,000 comments.

Actually reaching Burns or his office this week has been almost impossible. His office phone switches to directly to voice mail.

The Fort Worth City Hall media office said they would pass a message to his office to contact Dallas Voice. But spokesman Bill Begley said he’d walk a message down to Burns’ office himself.

Will Trevino in Councilmember Kathleen Hicks’ office said that former staff and volunteers in Burns’ office had been working overtime trying to keep up with the flood of messages.

Remembering the lost ones
Wednesday was Spirit Day, designated to remember young people who have committed suicide as a result of bullying. Many wore purple to show solidarity for efforts to stop the bullying based on actual or perceived sexual orientation.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton joined the call for an end to bullying by releasing an “It Gets Better” video earlier this week and wearing purple on Spirit Day.

More than 200 people gathered in the Caven parking lot off Cedar Springs Road and held a candlelight vigil marching to the Legacy of Love monument at Oak Lawn Avenue.

Marchers carried purple signs that read “Hope” and “It Gets Better.”

At the monument, organizer Ivan Watson read the names of recent suicide victims and a moment of silence was observed for each one.

Watson said he was inspired to organize the vigil after hearing about Asher Brown, the recent Houston suicide victim.

Organizer Steve Weir of DallasGay-Agenda.com billed the event as a peace march and vigil in memory of those who died and a stand against bullying D/FW area. He said that school policies must change to make schools safe for LGBT youth.

Rafael McDonnell from Resource Center Dallas said he searched bullying policies of school districts across the state and found none that specifically addresses bullying based on sexual orientation. Austin’s comes closest, he said.

McDonnell also said that Philadelphia’s school system passed a comprehensive anti-bullying policy that specifically addresses sexual orientation and sexual identity.

“It’s in Lew Blackburn’s hands,” McDonnell said.

Blackburn is the DISD trustee who has shown the most interest in crafting a policy that will protect LGBT students and those perceived to be.

The “It Gets Better” campaign continues. Randy Potts is the grandson of evangelist Oral Roberts. His uncle was gay and committed suicide. He is recording an “It Gets Better” video this weekend.

To watch video from Wednesday’s vigil, go to DallasVoice.com/videos

This article appeared in the Dallas Voice print edition October 22, 2010

—  Kevin Thomas

Perez Hilton pledges to end his bullying ways

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Last week, I sat down at the computer and watched a number of videos from people — famous and not-so-famous — who were participating in Dan Savage’s “It Gets Better” campaign, sending video messages to LGBTQ youth that even though they may face bullying and harassment and discrimination now, life will get better if they just hang on.

One of the videos I saw was from gay gossip maven Perez Hilton. I have to admit, I didn’t even finish watching his video because I — apparently like a lot of other people — couldn’t stomach the apparent hypocrisy of watching this man — who has made a living bullying people and outing people who weren’t ready to be out — speaking out against bullying and trying to console young people who were being bullied.

Apparently, Perez realized the hypocrisy of it, too. And he went on Ellen DeGeneres’ show to acknowledge that hypocrisy and to pledge to change his ways. Will he change? I guess we just have to wait and see. But in the meantime, watch the video, and decide for yourself whether you believe he is sincere.

—  admin

De Rossi to become DeGeneres

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Several weeks ago, I did a story on same sex couples who change their names. Ellen and Portia must have been reading.

This week, Portia de Rossi announced that she filed to legally have her name changed to Portia Lee James DeGeneres. This won’t be her first name change. The actress was born Amanda Lee Rogers. De Rossi met partner Ellen DeGeneres in 2004.

—  David Taffet

Ellen’s out: DeGeneres quits ‘American Idol’

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Ellen DeGeneres won’t return to American Idol as a judge next season, she announced Thursday night.

DeGeneres came on board as a “replacement” for Paula Abdul, although it was generally acknowledged she was added to the lineup to provide continuity once Simon Cowell, the tart-tongued judge who, let’s face it, made the show a hit in the first place, left at the end of last season. DeGeneres admitted her contract allowed her to have a say in who would replace Cowell. No replacement for him has been named yet, and nationwide auditions are set to begin next month.

DeGeneres cited how hard it is to be mean as a reason for her departure, but the show is undergoing other shakeups. In addition to Cowell’s departure, this season was generally seen as one of the weakest, with talented but lackluster singers, too much chatter from four judges (instead of three) and declining ratings (though it’s still a mammoth hit). Nigel Lythgoe, who executive-produced American Idol before leaving a few years ago to run So You Think You Can Dance, has been brought back on board. He reportedly dislikes the four-judge panel

Ominously, he seemed to like Randy Jackson, who is embarrassingly banal deadweight whose critiques are repetitive and childish. At least Paula was watchable, like a train wreck. Kara DioGuardi is more flotsam.

—  Arnold Wayne Jones

Constance is going to the prom

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Constance McMillen
Constance McMillen

Constance McMillen is finally going to the prom.

Each year the National Center for Lesbian Rights holds what they call “the lesbian prom” in San Francisco. McMillen has been invited to the May 1 event and NCLR Executive Director Kate Kendell said the group will pay for her travel.

Can you imagine being a high school senior and experiencing the ups and downs she’s gone through. First the uproar in her town that resulted in the cancellation of her school prom, just because she wanted to wear a tux and take her girlfriend.

Then she became an instant celebrity, highlighted by an appearance on the Ellen Degeneres show where she was awarded a college scholarship.

Back home, to show just how nasty and spiteful they could be, a secret prom is scheduled and she’s invited to a fake prom. Rather than just plan a private party, her classmates decided that a nice bit of humiliation was necessary.

But now she gets to attend a prom in San Francisco. Hmmm … rural Mississippi or San Francisco. No matter what her classmates (and school officials) have planned for her next, this comeback kid is going to one up them with the entire LGBT community backing her.

—  David Taffet

Time's 100 most influential

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Mayor Annise Parker

Mayor Annise Parker

Time magazine wants to know who its readers think are the 100 most influential people in the world. The gays (and the lesbians and the allies) are doing quite well.

In spot number 83 (as of this writing) is Houston Mayor Annise Parker. This is her first appearance on the list. Parker won election in January making Houston the largest city in the United States with an openly gay or lesbian mayor and the largest city in the world with a lesbian mayor. (Only Berlin, which is slightly larger than Houston, is a larger city with a gay mayor).

Before becoming mayor, Parker served three terms on the city council and three terms as city controller. Before entering elective office, she headed Houston’s Gay and Lesbian Political Caucus.

To vote, go to her page, click on the rating, move it up or down and enter the capture words that prevent spam.

Other interesting choices:

Adam Lambert is in fifth place.

Neil Patrick Harris is #12, two spots ahead of Barack Obama.

Ellen Degeneres is 39th.

Also in the running are David Boies and Ted Olsen. They are the attorneys in the Prop 8 case in California representing the dump-the-ban side. They are currently at #114.

Bristol Palin is at 162. Her mom, Sarah, is at #29. Levi Johnston doesn’t show up.

And in the top spot? Most influential person in the world? Really??

At the time of this writing, Lady Gaga is in the top spot. As a native of Yonkers, I have to campaign against her. Love her music, but she’s been going around denying she’s from Yonkers, without revealing where she’s from. New York City? Well, just say it, then. Us Yonkersites are a proud bunch. I’ve called Dallas home for more than 30 years, Gaga, but I don’t deny my Roosevelt High School-Nathan’s Famous-P.S. 28-Colonial Heights roots.

—  David Taffet

So, what kind of judge did Ellen turn out to be?

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When Ellen DeGeneres was announced last fall as the new permanent judge on American Idol, replacing spacey, perpetually upbeat Paula Abdul, the cry went out that Ellen (a) wasn’t a singing expert and (b) would be an even softer touch than Paula. That has turned out not to be true.

Last week when Ellen had to make cuts during “Hollywood Week,” she showed she could be harsh, but that could have been because she really needed to parse the finalists by 70 percent. Surely once the live performances began, with the judges not making any decisions but only offering opinions, she would be perky.

Not so much. Over two days this week — first 12 women, then 12 men — Ellen seemed to agree most often with Simon. She wasn’t afraid to express her disappointment with a performance and point out pitch problems or colorless stage presence. 

She had good reason. Most of the performances this week were listless, deer-in-the-headlights failures that tried too hard to mimic current pop artists. (Randy continued to prove himself useless with advice that criticized both too MANY chances or NOT ENOUGH. He and Kara also seemed preoccupied with their ability to sell a singer’s style more than their substance.)

But ultimately, the week proved that Ellen has her own style and has added a dimension to this nine-year-old series.

—  Arnold Wayne Jones

'Idol:' gay AND insufferably homophobic?

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The season premiere of American Idol was Tuesday night, and I openly admit I watched it, as I plan to watch the entire season. Idol has always been an odd mix of gay-friendly and gay-insulting. This year, Ellen DeGeneres joins the series as a new permanent judge, and Neil Patrick Harris serves as one of the on-the-road guest judges later this season. Of course Adam Lambert was a finalist last season. And let’s face it: Lots of gay guys watch (and try out).

Part of the fun of the early auditions — some would say the worst part of the show — is watching all the self-deceived tone-deaf neophytes humiliate themselves while believing they are the next Lady Gaga. But it has become increasingly annoying to me how the show seems to concentrate of what appear to be the crazy GAY contestants: Men in tiaras and makeup, those who seems to lift directly out of their loafers.

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I love the great panoply of gay culture, from the drag performers to the lipstick lesbians to the bears (love me some bears!) to the flamboyant twinks. Maybe the gay guys are just more emotionally accessible so their performances are more outre and their disappointment more unrestrained. But it has gone from making me laugh to bothering me that it makes me laugh to feeling it’s all just too damn insulting. Maybe if some of the good male singers ALSO seemed to be gay (a la Adam and Clay), it wouldn’t seem like they were JUST making fun of the gays, But it definitely comes off that way.

Whadaya think? Does this bother anyone else as much as it does me?

—  Arnold Wayne Jones