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Josh Gad refuses to say he supports marriage equality in Australia

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J

johnsmith

remember me
So much for being the first gay Disney character. Pretty cowardly response, imo. Disney's probably to blame for this too though. I'm sure they told him to ixnay on the gay stuff.

He's been honoured with the role of Disney's first openly gay character, but just don't ask Josh Gad about marriage equality.

While he says he is "proud" to play LeFou, who subtly reveals his desire for antagonist Gaston (Luke Evans) in Disney's live-action remake of Beauty and the Beast, legalising same-sex marriage is a topic that he says is too controversial for discussion.

The American comedian, most famed for voicing Olaf in Frozen, has spoken in the past about his brother (his "role model") who is "gay and married." When asked if he had any message for Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull to bring about change in Australia, Gad and his Disney minders were reluctant to respond.

"I'm going to stay out of that one. I don't need that controversy," Gad told Fairfax Media at the Sydney premiere of the film, before being swiftly led away by his publicity team.
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http://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/new...gad-on-marriage-equality-20170309-guv14s.html

Context:

A little background on the situation in Australia: The country’s leaders have been engaging in an aggravating hot-potato-fumbling of marriage equality for years now, despite overwhelming public support for the freedom to marry. Surveys generally peg support in the mid-sixties, but politicians have avoided the issue with stalling tactics like a ludicrously expensive proposal to hold a non-binding public vote. Frustration with national leaders over their cowardly avoidance of relationship recognition is reaching a fever pitch, with Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull recently finding himself unwelcome at the gay and lesbian Mardi Gras parade earlier this month.
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http://www.slate.com/blogs/outward/...uestion_at_beauty_and_the_beast_premiere.html
 
G

Garrett Hawke

Member
Everything about this "exclusively gay moment" has been milquetoast and hamfisted.

The gay moment is two men dancing for fucks sake.

They should be ashamed, just a clear attempt to gain publicity points from progressives while doing the least possible.
 
I

Isotropy

Member
I'm not sure what to think - it seems obnoxious, the way he said it.

To be fair, he may be completely unfamiliar with the climate and not want to screw anything up.

The reality is, he could have condemned Turnbull in pretty strong language over marriage equality and got big applause for it.
 
J

johnsmith

remember me
Messofanego said:
What's this about Australia and gay marriage? Not legal there yet?
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Added another link for context

A little background on the situation in Australia: The country’s leaders have been engaging in an aggravating hot-potato-fumbling of marriage equality for years now, despite overwhelming public support for the freedom to marry. Surveys generally peg support in the mid-sixties, but politicians have avoided the issue with stalling tactics like a ludicrously expensive proposal to hold a non-binding public vote. Frustration with national leaders over their cowardly avoidance of relationship recognition is reaching a fever pitch, with Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull recently finding himself unwelcome at the gay and lesbian Mardi Gras parade earlier this month.
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T

Tagg9

Member
ElBoxyBrown said:
It's common sense to support equal rights.
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While I wouldn't say it's "common sense", it's obviously the right side ethically speaking. I don't necessarily blame Josh Gad for this, as he's obviously just trying to promote the movie and keep politics out of fit.
 
K

kirblar

Member
A little background on the situation in Australia: The country’s leaders have been engaging in an aggravating hot-potato-fumbling of marriage equality for years now, despite overwhelming public support for the freedom to marry. Surveys generally peg support in the mid-sixties, but politicians have avoided the issue with stalling tactics like a ludicrously expensive proposal to hold a non-binding public vote. Frustration with national leaders over their cowardly avoidance of relationship recognition is reaching a fever pitch, with Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull recently finding himself unwelcome at the gay and lesbian Mardi Gras parade earlier this month.
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Are AU's political gerrymanders even more ridiculous than the US's or something?
 
E

Einchy

semen stains the mountaintops
Well, I think there's two possibilities in here.

One: He doesn't support equal rights for the LQTBQ community, and if so, fuck him.

Two: He does support them but with all the controversy, he is scared to speak for it because of the possible backslash he could get.

I don't necessarily fault him if it's the second, I'm not sure if I would be brave enough to speak my mind when I knew millions would hear me.
 
R

Razmos

Member
Moosichu said:
It's the moral duty of the citizens of this planet to stand up for what is right.
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Noshino said:
I hate it when people say this. Everyone should be involved in politics, everyone.
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I mean obviously yeah, I personally think he should have said something, but I can see why he wouldn't want to risk causing issues for himself or the company he's representing.

Disney probably cares about the money more than equality and would rather he say nothing so it doesn't reflect on them and lose them business with bigots or whatever.

It's shitty but realistic
 
S

Shaanyboi

Banned
Tagg9 said:
While I wouldn't say it's "common sense", it's obviously the right side ethically speaking. I don't necessarily blame Josh Gad for this, as he's obviously just trying to promote the movie and keep politics out of fit.
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Chris Evans is playing Captain America, has an infinitely bigger target on his back, and yet he and Don Cheadle have zero issue expressing their disgust in the Trump administration. Yet Gad is too fucking afraid to say "I support equal rights."
 
D

dejay

Banned
Isotropy said:
I'm not sure what to think - it seems obnoxious, the way he said it.

To be fair, he may be completely unfamiliar with the climate and not want to screw anything up.

The reality is, he could have condemned Turnbull in pretty strong language over marriage equality and got big applause for it.
Click to expand...

He could have said "Of course, I support marriage equality everywhere in the world". It would have been non-confrontational. Instead he shows as much backbone as Turnbull on the subject.
 
P

Patryn

Member
Shaanyboi said:
Chris Evans is playing Captain America, has an infinitely bigger target on his back, and yet he and Don Cheadle have zero issue expressing their disgust in the Trump administration. Yet Gad is too fucking afraid to say "I support equal rights."
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Chris Evans and Don Cheadle have a lot more leverage with Disney than Josh Gad.
 
I

Isotropy

Member
kirblar said:
Are AU's political gerrymanders even more ridiculous than the US's or something?
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No - basically, marriage equality has sort of snuck up as an issue that most support, but wasn't an election decider. So the current Prime Minister sold out all his progressive credentials to his party's conservative wing in order to buy the position.

So now marriage equality is a big thing, and he's tied to this bizarre plebesite position, and if he wavers he'll be destroyed by party infighting.
 
P

Perfect Blue

Banned
Shaanyboi said:
How can he "meddle"?

There's a pretty obvious way to respond to that question.
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Obvious for us sure, but maybe not whatever contract he has with Disney. They likely don't want anymore negative publicity around this movie.

I just can't muster the outrage for someone not wanting to discuss politics.
 
T

Tagg9

Member
Shaanyboi said:
Chris Evans is playing Captain America, has an infinitely bigger target on his back, and yet he and Don Cheadle have zero issue expressing their disgust in the Trump administration. Yet Gad is too fucking afraid to say "I support equal rights."
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I do agree that he should have said "I support gay marriage, but I'd rather keep politics out of it and not address the Australian PM."
 
O

old manatee

Banned
"I'm going to stay out of that one. I don't need that controversy," Gad told Fairfax Media at the Sydney premiere of the film, before being swiftly led away by his publicity team.
Click to expand...

That unfunny bag of crap really dodged a bullet.
 
B

Banglish

Member
Einchy said:
Well, I think there's two possibilities in here.

One: He doesn't support equal rights for the LQTBQ community, and if so, fuck him.

Two: He does support them but with all the controversy, he is scared to speak for it because of the possible backslash he could get.

I don't necessarily fault him if it's the second, I'm not sure if I would be brave enough to speak my mind when I knew millions would hear me.
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But you know for a fact millions of people do disagree with you, but you truly believe you are of the ethically correct stance and aren't afraid to state your position. He's a coward.
 
R

Razmos

Member
GameAddict411 said:
Supporting basic human rights isn't just politics. Stop with this downplaying BS.
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Eurgh I already responded to this. Maybe I didn't word it properly but I wasn't trying to downplay shit. I think everyone should support gay rights no matter what but realistically the world is a little bit more complicated than what I want.
 
G

Garrett Hawke

Member
Perfect Blue said:
Obvious for us sure, but maybe not whatever contract he has with Disney. They likely don't want anymore negative publicity around this movie.

I just can't muster the outrage for someone not wanting to discuss politics.
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He had no problem discussing it when he was promoting his film.
 
E

ElBoxyBrown

Banned
Disney doubled down on LeFou being gay. They attracted controversy from bigots and homophobes and they know and don't care for their money. I highly doubt there was some contract preventing Gad from saying he supports marriage equality. This makes Gad suspicious.
 
S

Sanjuro

Member
ElBoxyBrown said:
Disney doubled down on LeFou being gay. They attracted controversy from bigots and homophobes and they know and don't care for their money. I highly doubt there was some contract preventing Gad from saying he supports marriage equality.
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Disney is rushing to remove gay Rafiki as we speak.
 
T

TheYanger

Member
Dude just wants to catch a break after all the shit that's erupted over it. Everyone can say "It's everyone's duty to support civil rights" but that's easy to say when you're not being pelted with the issue constantly for probably a month now, while it not ACTUALLY being your job.

I mean, I sit down all the time when people want to discuss important issues and say "I really don't want to talk about that right now" too.
 
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