AUSSIES DE-GAY BROADWAY AND PETER ALLEN

In a move that is sure to both surprise and deeply offend the global gay community, the Australian production of Broadway's THE BOY FROM OZ has cut the Broadway show's singular kiss between Hugh Jackman who portrays gay performer Peter Allen and his male co-star, Murray Bartlett who plays Peter Allen's longtime lover, Greg Connell.  In true Will and Grace form, audiences will watch two gay lovers play out their lives on stage without ever expressing any sort of physical intimacy, even a kiss.

Apparently, Mr. Jackman and his producers felt that Sydney and Melbourne audiences would be offended by a same sex lip lock.  Clearly, our impression of liberal and gay-friendly Australia is at least somewhat off base.

Bartlett actually had the gall to defend this blatantly homophobic stunt claiming that although he was not "required" to kiss Miss Jackman during the Australian season, he was confident that his scenes as Peter Allen's gay lover were still sending out an important message.

And that message would be that gay men are sterile eunuchs?

"We just wanted to keep it very simple and very pure," he said.

Simple and pure?  A kiss between two lovers is complicated and impure?

Bartlett added that "It's reaching so many people and sending out a message of tolerance and that love is the most important thing, regardless of where you stand. We're very proud of that."

[Imagine my blood boiling as I write this.]

Of course, gay leaders in Australia do not quite agree with Bartlett's homophobic spin  and have criticized the scrapping of the kiss, saying the stadium show has been "Disney-fied" for mainstream audiences.

"If people are prepared to see a story about a great Australian and a great gay Australian, then really there shouldn't be a problem with two men kissing," explained a prominent Australian Gay and Lesbian Rights Lobby spokesman.  Another group, the Victorian Gay and Lesbian Rights Lobby said the move was a backwards step.

"People are going to go and watch THE BOY FROM OZ and they are going to definitely know about Peter Allen's life and I think a simple kiss, if that's offending Australians, there's something wrong with progressive Australia."

"It's just strange; Peter Allen was an Australian icon and his sexuality was well known and I can't see how Australians could be offended by it, in any way."

Well, somebody was and offended enough to censor the kiss.

I was unable to find any comment from Mr. Jackman himself on this issue; perhaps he was too busy consoling his countryman, Mel Gibson.

Comments

[Queer Beacon]

Well, I guess it doesn't help that they have their own George W. Bush for Prime Minister...sad news.

[clinton]

This piece of musical theatre has more problems than the lack of a man on man lip smack. Without Jackman's enormous charisma and talent it wouldn't be seeing the light of day again. I am not up on my Peter Allen history, how big was he in his home country?

[Alec]

Their Prime Minister, John Howard, makes Dubya look and sound like a 'Librul'. The irony being, Howard is leader of the Australian Liberal Party. Newspeak as George Orwell said.

[stan]

This reminds of that tender kiss shared between Robin Williams & Bobby Cannavale in The Night Listener...showing only the back of Bobby's head!

Perhaps the director of Oz could have implied a tender kiss by having Jackman & Bartlett do it behind a screen...at the back of the stage...while having a drunk Judy stumble across the stage.