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Outrage

 
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Outrage

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  • Director: Kirby Dick
  • AMG Rating: starstarstar
  • Genre: Culture & Society
  • Movie Type: Biography, Gender Issues
  • Themes: Keeping a Secret, Questioning Sexuality
  • Release Year: 2009
  • Run Time: 87 minutes

Plot

Kirby Dick, the Academy Award-nominated director of This Film Is Not Yet Rated, exposes the hypocrisy of closeted politicians who actively campaign against the very community they secretly belong to. Some of the most influential policy-makers in the United States are gay, but you wouldn't know it to look at their voting records -- despite being members of the LGBT community, many closeted politicians actually vote against the proposals designed to give that community equal rights. In speaking with such members of the gay community as U.S. representatives Tammy Baldwin and Barney Frank, as well as radio personality Michelangelo Signorile, activist Larry Kramer, and former N.J. governor Jim McGreevey, Dick is able to explore the complexities of leading a double lifestyle, as well as highlight the double standards of a media that has become obsessed with covering the sex lives of gay public figures. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

Review

Kirby Dick's Outrage is a suitably angry and provocative documentary that exposes the hypocrisy of politicians who promote an anti-gay agenda to win votes while purportedly living in the closet themselves. As with This Film Is Not Yet Rated, Dick's exposé of the MPAA, Outrage presents its case in slick and dramatic fashion, its palpable sense of righteous resentment ameliorated by a sardonic wit. Dick's interest extends beyond merely making a compelling case that these political figures are, in fact, gay, despite their denials. He also explores the media's reticence about exposing them. Dick could probably have devoted more time to exploring the consequences of our national discomfiture relating to the subject. There's a section where the film deals with the impact of President Reagan's refusal to address the budding AIDS crisis in the 1980s, and Dick also delves into the way the Republican Party latched onto gay rights as a hot-button issue that generated support for George W. Bush and other conservative politicians (including several who are exposed in the film). Dick shows the tragic consequences of this political opportunism in a montage of news stories from around the country about teens attacked and murdered because they were perceived to be gay. These segments really form the crux of the film's most powerful argument, but they kind of take a back seat to the sensational hook of the film, which is the exposure of several closeted politicians. In that sense, Outrage feels like a bit of a missed opportunity. Nevertheless, it is thought-provoking (hopefully) and cathartic in its indignation. ~ Josh Ralske, All Movie Guide

Cast

Tony Kushner; Barney Frank; Michelangelo Signorile; Jim McGreevey; Andrew Sullivan

Credit

Ashley York - Associate Producer, Tanner Barklow - Co-producer, Kirby Dick - Director, Doug Blush - Editor, Matthew Clarke - Editor, Peter Golub - Composer (Music Score), Thaddeus Wadleigh - Cinematographer, Amy Ziering - Producer
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Wikipedia: Outrage (2009 film)
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Home > Library > Miscellaneous > Wikipedia
For other uses of the term, see Outrage (disambiguation).
Outrage
Directed by Kirby Dick
Produced by Amy Ziering
Written by Kirby Dick
Music by Peter Golub
Cinematography Thaddeus Wadleigh
Editing by Douglas Blush
Matthew Clarke
Studio Chain Camera Pictures
Distributed by Magnolia Pictures
Release date(s) April 24, 2009 (Tribeca Film Festival)
May 8, 2009 (USA)
Running time 89 minutes
Country United States
Language English
Gross revenue $269,032

Outrage is a 2009 American documentary film written and directed by Kirby Dick about closeted gay politicians who promote anti-gay legislation. It premiered at the 2009 Tribeca Film Festival before being released theatrically on May 8, 2009.

Contents

Synopsis

Outrage argues that several American political figures have led closeted gay lives while supporting and endorsing legislation that is harmful to the gay community. The film focuses particular attention on Idaho Senator Larry Craig, an outspoken opponent of gay rights who in 2007 pled guilty to disorderly conduct for soliciting sex from an undercover police officer in a public bathroom. Outrage features interviews with several people who claim that Florida Governor Charlie Crist has led a private gay life while publicly opposing gay marriage and gay adoption. The film suggests that Crist's 2008 marriage to Carole Rome was a strategic political decision designed to deflect attention away from rumors about his sexual orientation.

Other politicians discussed in the film include former Virginia Representative Ed Schrock, California Representative David Dreier, former New York City mayor Ed Koch, and former Louisiana Representative Jim McCrery. Outrage also includes interviews with openly gay politicians Barney Frank, Tammy Baldwin, Jim Kolbe, James McGreevey, and Neil Giuliano.

One media personality, Shepard Smith of Fox News, is mentioned.[1] When asked in an interview why Smith was chosen, Dick replied, "his complicity with the network's homophobic agenda rises to a level of hypocrisy that I felt was worthy of reporting."[2]

The film examines the media’s reluctance to discuss issues involving gay politicians despite the many comparable news stories about heterosexual politicians and scandals. Outrage describes this behavior as a form of institutionalized homophobia that has resulted in a tacit policy of self-censorship when reporting on these issues.

Interviews

People interviewed in Outrage include:

Reception

While some journalists named the political figures discussed in the film[3][4][5], other prominent news organizations, such as The Washington Post, CNN, and NPR, refused to report names[6][7][8]. Dick questioned this reluctance, saying, “The press often reports on things that are very painful to the subjects they are writing about. [Closeted gay politicians] are public officials; this is reporting on hypocrisy, and there is an obligation on the press to write about it.”[6]

Film critics responded, for the most part, with positive reviews. Scott Foundas of The Village Voice praised Outrage for its well-honed arguments, sound sourcing, and journalistic boldness[9], and The San Francisco Chronicle's Jonathan Curiel described it as “essential viewing”[10]. Other critics, like Variety's John Anderson, lauded the film's aesthetic sense while disagreeing with its position on outing[11].

Critic Armond White disliked the film, calling it "no more serious than the spiteful gossipy clown Perez Hilton", and writing that the decision to only out conservatives "influences ideological separatism, encouraging the idea of elite gay privilege".[12]

In an interview with New York Post, Ed Koch denounced the film and claimed that it mischaracterized his record on gay issues[13]. He did not respond to the film's assertions that he had failed to adequately respond to the New York's AIDS epidemic, or to the film's allegations that he had had a boyfriend whom he had pressured to leave New York and remain silent about their relationship.

Controversies

NPR censorship

In a review for NPR, film critic Nathan Lee mentioned that Outrage's primary subjects were Larry Craig and Charlie Crist. NPR altered Lee's review by removing these references to Craig and Crist [14][15]. Lee responded in a comment on NPR's website:

“I personally disagree with NPR’s policy - there is no other area of ‘privacy’ that elicits such extreme tact. [I] also feel that it is a professional affront to my responsibility as a critic to discuss the content of a work of art, and an impingement of my first amendment right to free speech and the press.”[14]

NPR deleted this comment as well [14]. An NPR editor later explained these actions, noting that, “NPR has a long-held policy of trying to respect the privacy of public figures and of not airing or publishing rumors, allegations and reports about their private lives unless there is a compelling reason to do so.” [16]. This statement drew immediate criticism, as NPR had previously speculated on the sexual orientation of public figures such as Adam Lambert and Queen Latifah [16][17]. This led to questions about why closeted entertainers presented a “compelling reason” for reporting while politicians did not [18].

Doug McKelway

Michael Rogers appeared on a Washington, DC local news program, News Channel 8's Let's Talk Live, to discuss his work and his involvement with Outrage. One of the show's hosts, Doug McKelway, aggressively criticized Rogers for reporting on closeted politicians. When Rogers suggested that McKelway's views were homophobic, an incensed McKelway told Rogers that he would like to “punch [him] across the face”[19]. After the show, Rogers requested an apology, but McKelway, in an on air rebuttal, refused to give one [20].

See also

References

  1. ^ 'Outrage': Kirby Dick kicks open Washington's closet door, Patrick Goldstein, Los Angles Times, April 23, 2009.
  2. ^ http://www.huffingtonpost.com/brad-listi/ioutragei-an-interview-wi_b_203225.html Outrage: An Interview with Director Kirby Dick], Brad Listi, Huffington Post, May 13, 2009.
  3. ^ Turan, Kenneth (2009-05-08). "Movie Review: Outrage". The Los Angeles Times. http://articles.latimes.com/2009/may/08/entertainment/et-outrage8. Retrieved 2009-06-17. 
  4. ^ Foundas, Scott (2009-05-06). "Outrage: Dick Outs, Gays Hide". LA Weekly. http://www.laweekly.com/2009-05-07/film-tv/dick-outs-gays-hide/. Retrieved 2009-06-17. 
  5. ^ Reinhard, Beth (2009-05-01). "New film doesn't 'out' Gov. Crist". The Miami Herald. http://www.miamiherald.com/418/story/1028512.html. Retrieved 2009-06-17. 
  6. ^ a b Leiby, Richard (2009-05-06). "Documentary's Camera Aims To Shed Light On D.C.'s Closet". The Washington Post. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/05/05/AR2009050503851_pf.html. Retrieved 2009-06-17. 
  7. ^ "Outrage: New film outs gay politicians". CNN. 2009-05-03. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ro6QYhiYqb4. Retrieved 2009-06-17. 
  8. ^ "White-Hot 'Outrage' Over The Capitol Hill Closet". NPR.org. 2009-05-08. http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=103875747. Retrieved 2009-06-17. 
  9. ^ Foundas, Scott (2009-05-05). "Kirby Dick's Outrage Outs Closeted Pols and the Media that Protect Them". The Village Voice. http://www.villagevoice.com/2009-05-06/film/kirby-dick-s-outrage-outs-closeted-pols-and-the-media-that-protect-them/. 
  10. ^ Curiel, Jonathan (2009-05-08). "Review: Outrage". The San Francisco Chronicle. http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/05/08/MVBM17GGMI.DTL. 
  11. ^ Anderson, John (2009-04-25). "Outrage". Variety. http://www.variety.com/index.asp?layout=print_review&reviewid=VE1117940124&categoryid=31. 
  12. ^ White, Armond (2009-05-06). "Outrage". New York Press. http://www.nypress.com/article-19762-outrage.html. 
  13. ^ "Koch Has Right to Be Outraged". New York Post. 2009-04-29. http://www.nypost.com/seven/04292009/gossip/pagesix/koch_has_right_to_be_outraged_166670.htm. Retrieved 2009-06-17. 
  14. ^ a b c Hernandez, Eugene (2009-05-11). ""Outrage" Review Spiked for Naming Names". indieWIRE. http://www.indiewire.com/article/outrage_review_spiked_for_naming_names/. Retrieved 2009-06-17. 
  15. ^ Baron, Zach (2009-05-11). "NPR Censors Its Own Review of Outrage, Cites "Old-Fashioned" and Quite Possibly Dishonest Policy". The Village Voice. http://blogs.villagevoice.com/music/archives/2009/05/npr_censors_its.php. Retrieved 2009-06-17. 
  16. ^ a b Buchanan, Kyle (2009-05-11). "NPR's Hypocrisy: Outrage Review Censored, Gay Idol Speculation OK". Movieline. http://www.movieline.com/2009/05/nprs-hypocrisy-outrage-review-censored-gay-idol-speculation-ok.php. 
  17. ^ "Why Is NPR Picking And Choosing Which Public Figures To Out?". Queerty. 2009-05-12. http://www.queerty.com/why-is-npr-picking-and-choosing-which-public-figures-to-out-20090512/. Retrieved 2009-06-17. 
  18. ^ Buchanan, Kyle (2009-05-22). "NPR Responds to Movieline's Accusations of Hypocritical Outrage Handling". Movieline. http://www.movieline.com/2009/05/npr-responds-to-movielines-accusations-of-hypocritical-outrage-handling.php. Retrieved 2009-06-17. 
  19. ^ Heywood, Todd (2009-05-07). "DC Anchor to outing blogger: I would like to 'give you a punch across the face.'". The Raw Story. http://rawstory.com/news/2008/DC_Anchor_to_outing_blogger_I_0507.html. Retrieved 2009-06-17. 
  20. ^ "Doug McKelway Still Really, Really Wants to Punch Mike Rogers". Queerty. 2009-05-08. http://www.queerty.com/doug-mckelway-still-really-really-wants-to-punch-mike-rogers-20090508/. Retrieved 2009-06-17. 

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