Lance Loud January 1973: the PBS documentary series An American Family introduces viewers to their first unashamed gay person. Filmmakers Alan and Susan Raymond recall television's first queer youth. (Rebels & Pioneers).Susan Raymond: The first time we met Lance we turned on the cameras, walked into the door of his room at the Chelsea Hotel, and just started shooting. Didn't even say hello. Alan Raymond: We were told by [producing station] WNET Wnet Windows Networking WNET Women's Network for Entrepreneurial Training WNET Wireless Network that he was "a little different." His roommate seemed like he was part of a couple. It was eminently clear early on. The coded word was flamboyant. SR: Flamboyant was in every press release. It was definitely overblown o·ver·blown v. Past participle of overblow. adj. 1. a. Done to excess; overdone: overblown decorations. b. by the PBS PBS in full Public Broadcasting Service Private, nonprofit U.S. corporation of public television stations. PBS provides its member stations, which are supported by public funds and private contributions rather than by commercials, with educational, cultural, publicists. AR: The typical view is that [his mother] Pat only then realized he was gay. That's not true. He came out to his family at 16. SR: He didn't come out to his family in episode number 2 at 19. He came out to America. Pat Loud wasn't shocked. America was shocked. AR: It triggered an avalanche of homophobic press. [Terms such as] "evil flower" and "emotional dwarf' were applied to Lance. SR: I didn't realize what a bashing he was going to take. AR: It cast a shadow over his whole life. Clearly, no one had put a real live gay person on TV before. Before Lance there wasn't an accessible gay character. I don't think we realized [the impact it would have]. SR: Will & Grace, The Real World can be traced directly back to Lance. AR: What you see on TV is the real him. He proved to be one of the most interesting members of the family. The important thing was that he was living within the context of an American family “Loud Family” redirects here. For the rock band, see The Loud Family (band). Considered television's first reality show, An American Family was shot documentary style in 1971 and first aired in the United States on PBS in early 1973. that accepted him as gay. SR: He was a free spirit seeking to live his life on his terms. AR: He touched a lot of young people. He was a cultural lightning rod lightning rod, a rod made of materials, especially metals, that are good conductors of electricity, which is mounted on top of a building or other structure and attached to the ground by a cable. . SR: By the `80s we couldn't even explain to kids what the controversy was about. AR: I wish he'd been more appreciated in his lifetime. AR: We all love Lance and miss him. The Raymonds' Lance Loud! A Death in an American Family, an ITVS ITVS Independent Television Service documentary, will appear on PBS in early January. |
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