OUTTAKE VOICES™ (Interviews)

Bob Witeck, CEO and co-founder of Witeck-Combs Communications based in Washington, DC, the nation's premier public relations and marketing firm specializing in reaching LGBT households and consumers talks with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™. This year Witeck-Combs is being honored at the GLAAD Amplifier Awards with the Public Visibility Award on October 4th in NYC. We talked to Bob about what the GLAAD Award means to him and his lifelong commitment to LGBT Civil Rights. Bob Witeck and Wes Combs co-authored “Business Inside Out” considered the handbook on marketing insights, practical tips and strategies targeting the LGBT market. Over the years Witeck has talked a lot about ‘Gay Buying Power'. When asked whether passing marriage equality on the federal level would boost the US Economy, Witeck stated, “Absolutely. Marriage equality is almost a business imperative. In July I had a chance to write a blog piece for CNN which they featured on their homepage. I wanted to point out how business benefits from gay marriage. For example, the trends that we have to hire the best and brightest have always required companies to begin with what happened in New York thirty years ago which was to offer domestic partnership benefits but marriage actually just ups that ante. It just assures that equality of relationships everywhere we turn in every market, in every jurisdiction and what a business hates the most is having a hodgepodge of different relationships to address. If you were a company, a multi-state employer, for example and you have gay couples in Massachusetts and you have gay couples in Arkansas and you have gay couples in California and Illinois, in Illinois you have civil unions, marriage in Massachusetts, you have no protections in Arkansas and in California you have some measure of hybrid and some people there are even married. That kind of complexity is actually two things. It’s a problem for employers to administer. Second it also costs money to have to have complicated administration of benefits and tax structure. I think ultimately that a simplification will be a very important tool that will help employers to recruit talent which I think will help strengthen a lot of businesses and then again households that are married have stability and those are the ones that are more likely to put down roots in their communities. They’re the ones that will spend money to buy a house more often than not; that will have children more often than not in the future and to spend money the ways that every family spends money, college and vacations and you know, diapers. I think that those things we’re spending money on now but I think that what marriage equality does is it gives us the stability to make long term plans and that allows us to do it in a more thoughtful way.” Besides being honored this year by GLAAD, Witeck was named one of 20 outstanding openly gay Virginians by Equality Virginia and in 2010 was nominated for the Trailblazer Award by Out & Equal Workplace Advocates the national organization that champions safe and equitable workplaces for LGBT people. He and his partner Bob Connelly live in Arlington, Virginia. For More Info: witeckcombs.com

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Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) discusses her candidacy for the U.S. Senate in this intimate audio conference call with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson Host of OUTTAKE VOICES™ and members of the LGBT press. The Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund arranged this opportunity for a dialogue with the Congresswoman. Chuck Wolfe, CEO of the Victory Fund, praised Baldwin during the conference call stating her bid for the Senate will be “An important race of our community. The Victory Fund endorsed Tammy in her first state legislative race back in 1992. She hasn’t lost a race. We hope we are able to help her continue that success rate all the way through 2012.” Besides being a fierce advocate for LGBT Civil Rights Baldwin is vowing to stand up for the middle class, “no matter how tough the odds or how powerful the special interests it means fighting against.” This is great news for the 2012 elections. Wisconsin has been going through some rough times with their antigay right wing Governor. We’ve interviewed Baldwin a number of times on OUTTAKE VOICES™ and as a champion of doing the right thing Tammy will bring a sense of sanity and confidence back to the people of Wisconsin and America. When asked how we can combat homophobia as the 2012 elections rev up and the GOP candidates continue attacking our LGBT community Baldwin stated, “To the extent that I am faced with it in my campaign I plan on responding very directly and we’re going to have campaigns unfolding across the country. But to the extent that it (homophobia) is raised in the US Senate race in Wisconsin I’m certainly not going to turn the other way.” On being openly gay Baldwin thinks Wisconsin will value her honesty stating, “I have always since the beginning in all my adult life been out and honest about my sexual orientation and I think that voters appreciate the values of honesty and expect integrity in their elected officials.” Baldwin however insists the race “won’t be about me” and instead will focus on the problems facing everyday Americans, “It will be about the middle-class, the threats that they’re facing right now, the struggles that families are experiencing and which candidate for U.S. Senate is going to be the best fighter for them.” For More Info: tammybaldwin.com

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Jay Critchley, gay activist and artist, talks about the 24th Annual Provincetown Harbor Swim for Life and Paddler Flotilla that happens this Saturday, September 10th. Hundreds of swimmers, kayakers, volunteers and the public will be participating in this fabulous Provincetown fundraising tradition presented by the Provincetown Community Compact. Swimmers across the country will swim the 1.4 mile across Provincetown Harbor to benefit the following community organizations and projects: Helping Our Women. AIDS Support Group of Cape Cod, Outer Cape Health Services, Provincetown Rescue Squad, Lower Cape Ambulance, Academy at Provincetown Schools, Soup Kitchen of Provincetown, The Compact Community Fund and Safe Harbor AIDS Documentary. Last year swimmers raised $200,000. Critchley stated, “We take four hundreds swimmers across to Long Point Light and they swim back to The Boatslip Resort. It’s the 24th year and we’ve raised close to three million dollars in that time to support women’s health, AIDS and other community projects. So it’s really become a major Provincetown event the Saturday after Labor Day.” The weekend events include the Celebration of Life free concert on Friday September 9th at the UU Meeting House. On Saturday is the Swim for Life & Paddler Flotilla followed by the Mermaid Brunch and awards ceremony at the Boatslip Resort. Artist Jay Critchley's visual and environmental activism have traversed the globe. His one person show “Deep Bones” is currently at the Freight + Volume Gallery in New York City which received reviews from the New York Times, The Village Voice and Forbes. A longtime Provincetown resident he utilizes the town, landscape, harbor, beaches and dunes as his medium. Jay has taught at the Museum School of the Boston Museum of Fine Arts and has had a residency at Harvard University. His social practice includes running the Provincetown Community Compact which sponsors the annual Provincetown Harbor Swim for Life & Paddler Flotilla in its 24th year set for September 10, 2011. So put on your most fabulous swim cap and join the festivities! For More Info: jaycritchley.com For More Info: www.swim4life.org

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Comedian Jackie Monahan talks with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™  in part 4 of our series of celebrity chats from the Provincetown International Film Festival. Jackie plays Zylar in Madeleine Olnek’s new film “Codependent Lesbian Space Alien Seeks Same” an ironic mix of cult ’50s sci-fi, urban dating and interspecies romance. This hysterical film tracks the misadventures of three aliens from the planet Zots who are sent down to Earth to have their hearts broken in an attempt to rid themselves of romantic emotions which are considered toxic to their planet’s atmosphere. B. Ruby Rich, Film Quarterly said, “Dispensing with realism, melodrama and suffering, writer–director Madeleine Olnek’s ‘Codependent Lesbian Space Alien Seeks Same’ makes a return to cheesy, 1950s-era science fiction: black-and-white footage, Twilight Zone sound effects and all. Olnek’s pointed jokes and sweetheart ending mark ‘Codependent Lesbian Space Alien Seeks Same’ as a modern-day lesbian fairy tale.” The film was also an official selection at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival and is currently playing the festival circuit. When asked what her personal commitment is to LGBT civil rights Monahan stated, “I do whatever I can for civil rights. I’m an out comic. I was told immediately by industry not to be out. That I would make so much more money (not being out), that I’m cutting my salary in less than half of what I could be making. No one knows I’m a lesbian by looking at me and my comedy does not have to be out but I made a conscious decision to be out, to be true to myself and to everyone that I love. I love being a lesbian and I’m very proud of it.” Jackie Monahan is currently appearing with veteran comedienne Vicki Shaw and rising star Gloria Bigelow in the “Curiously Strong Comedy National Tour” bringing together three of the most acclaimed female stand up comedians in the country. When she’s not on tour she can be found doing spots on Maxim’s Sirius radio and VH1 shows. She has also appeared on Logo in her television special “One Night Stand Up” and has a hit podcast “Girls on Girls” for the HERE! TV Network. For More Info: jackiemonahan.com For More Info: codependentlesbianspacealienseekssame.com

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Twin brothers Jackson and Coleman Vrana from Elephant, the punk-infused hip-hop duo based in Hollywood that we first heard about when we interviewed Josie Cotton talk with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™. Their controversial new music video Queer Nation takes on homophobia and is getting buzz. When asked what their inspiration was behind the song and video for Queer Nation Vrana stated, “At the time we were listening to a lot of homophobic hip-hop, which we like even though you know what it is, we still enjoy it. We kind of wanted to respond to that. So we wrote a song that I think kind of turns that type of song on its head and I think we burn a few gay stereotypes in the process. We made a video for it with Jim Zabilla the director. We shot it in a trailer truck on a parking lot. It was inspired by the whole Party Monster idea and it’s getting some really good responses so we’re really excited about it.” Vrana added about the explicit language, “We think it’s pretty important to challenge people to embrace the language and culture in general that they’re not comfortable with. We both view it as a form of social progression when you can make people challenge their own idea of language.” Their music is raw and hot with LGBT topics like Notorious H.I.V. to The Tranny Step. Jackson and Coleman Vrana are very outspoken about our LGBT issues especially our LGBTQ teens who are four times more likely to attempt suicide than their heterosexual peers. They state on their website, “To fight for your own identity is to fight for everyone’s. Our message is in our DNA. Being yourself and embracing it, owning it, may be the message of Elephant.” For More Info: elephantwave.com

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Legendary filmmaker Albert Maysles talks to Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™ in part three of our series of celebrity chats from the Provincetown International Film Festival. Maysles was the recipient of the Career Achievement Award at PIFF this year for his amazing documentaries including GIMME SHELTER, GREY GARDENS and SALESMAN that he created with his late brother David. When we asked what he thought about the way GREY GARDENS came back the way that it did Maysles stated, “I should have expected that it would have that kind of reaction. When the film first came out there were dozens of gay men having GREY GARDEN parties all over the country and even in England where gay men would dress up as Edie and have their parties and it’s still going on. Then of course there was the HBO feature film, the Broadway Musical and also a book that my daughter published all about GREY GARDENS with lots and lots of drawings and a CD of an hour and a half of sound of the two women talking when the camera wasn’t running.” Maysles has directed a new film called THE LOVE WE MAKE with Paul McCartney that addresses 9/11 as well as McCartney’s subsequent Concert for New York City. “There was so much suffering as a result of 9/11 it’s hard to imagine how one might bring relief to those who were impacted by the attacks and honor those firefighters, police officers and rescue workers who lost their lives in their heroic attempt to help others,” said Maysles. “But Paul had the answer: music and a film that would tell the full story.” THE LOVE WE MAKE will air on SHOWTIME September 10th where both GREY GARDENS and SALEMAN are available for viewing on SHOWTIME ON DEMAND until August 23rd. Albert Maysles is a pioneer of Direct Cinema who along with his late brother David was the first to make nonfiction feature films where the drama of life unfolds as is without scripts, sets, interviews or narration. Called "the dean of documentary filmmakers" by The New York Times, Albert has received a Guggenheim Fellowship, two Peabody Awards, three Emmy Awards, five Lifetime Achievement Awards, the Columbia Dupont Award and an Academy Award nomination for LALEE’S KIN. Eastman Kodak saluted him as one of the world's 100 finest cinematographers. For More Info: MAYSLESFILMS.com

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Tracy Gilchrist, Editor in Chief of Shewired.com talks with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™. Shewired the lesbian online outlet of Here Media has recently unveiled a fresh new design by Boo Jarchow, Associate Editor of Shewired, that allows users to easily navigate their way through the hottest headlines from the world of pop culture, politics, travel, health and lifestyle. When asked what her personal commitment is to LGBT civil rights Gilchrist stated, “I came out in the late eighties. One of the ways that I have been committed is just through my own visibility. I’ve been out in every job that I ever had. Now that I’m kind of a professional lesbian, I think to some degree that’s helpful because it changes hearts and minds that you can work with people who are gay; we’re just kind of normal. In that sense I’ve always been myself and so that is one of my commitments to LGBT civil rights. The other one is now that I am a professional lesbian is to do my best to cover the issues that are pertinent to people in our community. To get the news out and to at least on my end make people aware of what legislation is out there that will effect their lives and who are the people we need to watch out for who are trying to take our civil rights away or just keep them from us to begin with. Also who are our heroes. I do feel it’s my duty at this point to try to put that information out in the world.” SheWired continues to offer its dynamic roster of writers who bring a unique perspective to important gay women’s issues. Fans now have quick, easy access to SheWired’s original editorial and video content. Gilchrist encourages users to engage with other members of the SheWired community in the robust social networking section of the site which allows members with a SheWired profile to interact easily through e-mail, chat, photo sharing and more. Tracy Gilchrist has acted as SheWired's Editor in Chief since its 2008 inception. Formerly, she worked as Senior Editor for Here Media's pioneering Lesbiannation.com. She has also contributed entertainment pieces to The Advocate, Advocate.com, Los Angeles Magazine and In Los Angeles. For More Info: shewired.com

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Comedian Paula Poundstone talks with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™. Poundstone is a regular panelist on NPR'S hit weekly news quiz show, "Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me," which won a Peabody Award for broadcasting excellence and is currently on tour with her own one-woman show. We recently caught her sold-out live performance in Provincetown. When Paula came on the comedy scene, she thought her lack of focus would be her downfall. Now it’s called spontaneity, not lack of focus. We had a chance to catch up with Paula about her show, the NPR series and LGBT issues. When asked what her personal commitment is to LGBT civil rights, Poundstone stated, “I think that I am an advocate of civil rights for all, I don’t know if it’s limited to one particular group. I am thrilled to death to see America maturing in the gay marriage arena. Although frankly, I’m not clear why anyone wants to be married but OK. I always thought that people’s argument against gay marriage has always been that it would somehow destroy the sanctity of marriage and I’m kind of a mind that whoever was in charge of the sanctity to begin with had kind of fallen asleep at the helm! I think it is exciting to live in a time when things are changing. I’m really excited when my daughter who’s in high school tells me ‘you know so and so is gay.’ I just marvel. Not because her friend is gay but that it’s casual information. It’s just when I was growing up, in high school, I was the class of ’77, of course there were many gays among my class, no one would ever have said so. Ever... So I think it’s thrilling and I try to emphasize that to my kids how lucky they are to be alive in a time when people can more or less be who they are.” Paula is headed to Alaska to record the NPR hit weekly news quiz show, “Wait Wait... Don’t Tell Me”. Poundstone states “To have access to the NPR audience is pretty darn fun. They’re smart. They’re well informed. Not that I fall into either of those categories, by the way; less and less so as I grow older, in fact.” She adds her appearances on NPR actually improve her stand-up act and vice versa. For More Tour Info: paulapoundstone.com

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Nicole Conn talks about her new film “A Perfect Ending” starring Morgan Fairchild, John Heard, Barbara Niven and newcomer Jessica Clark with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™. Conn stated this is her best cinematic achievement in 20 years of filmmaking and audiences will be thrilled when sparks fly between Barbara Niven and Jessica Clark. When Nicole Conn released her landmark film, “Claire of the Moon” in 1992, the landscape was practically void of other lesbian-themed movies. Nearly 20 years later, a sprinkling of movies with queer themes has made it to the mainstream like Brokeback Mountain, Boys Don’t Cry, The Kids are Alright. But the field is still so small that most people can name those films off the top of their head. With this summer’s restored re-release of “Claire of the Moon”, Nicole Conn takes a look back at the film, her career and the future of women’s films. When asked what her personal commitment is to LGBT civil rights, Conn stated, “Complete and utter devotion to LGBT civil rights. I believe that we should get everything that everyone else gets. I believe in absolute equality for all human beings. I have worked with HRC on many fundraisers for my documentary “Little Man”. They sponsored the film in many places. And I continue to fight that fight and I believe in the fight for marriage equality, all equality across the board. I am not a political filmmaker and I’ve gotten some negative feedback around that. I’m really a storyteller and that’s just who I am. I’m not political in my art, I’m political in my life.” “Claire of the Moon” will be released by Peccadillo Pictures Ltd. this month along with a Nicole Conn Box Set that will include “Claire of the Moon”, “Cynara”, and “Elena Undone”. “A Perfect Ending” will be playing the festival circuit this year and into 2012. For More Info: soulkissfilms.com

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In part two of our series of celebrity chats from the Provincetown International Film Festival, John Waters talks to Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™. Waters is one of the founders of the PIFF and every year he conducts an event highlighting his movie pick of the year. John’s favorite movie of 2010 is "Domaine" a French film directed by Patric Chiha that tracks the evolution of the unusually close relationship between an alcoholic mathematician (Betty Blue’s Béatrice Dalle) and her gay teenage nephew. Their friendship is an homage to that of Albert Einstein and Kurt Gödel but with more white wine and visits to a shadowy discotheque. The result is a sexy, fresh, and poignant movie, one that gets to the underlying truths John Waters truly appreciates. We also talked to Waters about LGBT civil rights, gay marriage and LGBTQ teen bullying. LGBTQ teens are up to four times more likely to attempt suicide than their heterosexual peers. Over the past year, numerous teens have taken their own lives after facing bullying incidents. When asked what advise he would have for these kids, Waters stated, “Bullying is going to happen even if you’re not gay. Bullying is a thing that you have to learn to deal with; it’s part of getting through life unfortunately. High school is how you learn. Wait until you get a job and you get bullied in your job. Wait until you try to get into the art world to make a film, you get bullied. So unfortunately you have to learn how to deal with bullies. You have to figure out a way to be smart enough to get around them or make them laugh. People that wanted to beat me up, I made them laugh first. Humor can be a great weapon but teachers are very wrong to allow it. When I went to high school there was no talk about bullying. They (teachers) didn’t lift a finger to stop it so that’s very wrong.” John Waters, filmmaker, actor, stand-up comedian, writer, journalist, visual artist, and art collector rose to fame in the early 1970s for his cult films like “Pink Flamingos” and “Female Trouble”. His 80’s film “Hairspray” brought him mainstream success followed by the Broadway play of the same name. His bestselling book “Role Models” is now available in paperback just in time for your summer reading.

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