Selling Queer
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My Doc Coming to Dish
By Dekker ⋅ September 23, 2008 ⋅
My documentary “Selling Queer” is coming to Dish Network this Winter. The film won Best Doc at the NY Independent Film Festival and was screened at Cannes before its limited theatrical run. The home video was originally produced via Ardustry Entertainment is no longer available. It had a nice full page write up in IFQ Magazine next to an interview with a personal favorite, Danny Boyle. The film focuses on Orlando’s Gay Days week and specifically asks the question that was on the mind of people paying attention in 2004… Are marketers selling an image of gay identity back to gay people now that they’ve realized the gay community has discretionary income?
Imdb told me it sucked! Really? You don’t say. Okay, I’ll admit it. I have a two star documentary on imdb. How does that make me feel? Wonderful. It tells me that a controversial documentary did its job. It also showcases a fatal flaw in imdb concerning small release films. I’m not going to say that my film is perfect by any stretch… but I will say that it’s no way a 2 star movie. It’s an award-winning documentary, and the first film made on the topic of the gay marketing boom of the early millennium. The film is called Selling Queer, and it obviously made an impact because The Washington Peace Center (a 50 year old anti-racism organization) snaked the name and presented a seminar series called “Selling Queerness / Queer Anti-Capitalism”. Of which I know attendees had seen and enjoyed my doc.
The 2 star rating is strange and represents issues with the way that imdb calculates its results. Essentially, you have a few groups of people who had seen the film at screenings and if they were offended they voted 1. If they thought it raised some good questions, they voted 10. IMDB stripped most of these votes out completely and vomitted up a 2. This seems to happen with titles that are controversial. You can see it trend in episodes of American Idol, The Daily Show, The Colbert Report, Howard Stern, A&E’s Biography and Charlie Rose. All have many episodes that rate 2 on the imdb scale. So, no, I’m not offended by a 2 when it comes to a doc. Besides, it had a limited theatrical run and it’s coming to Dish Network Pay-Per-View before the end of the year… so it’s still alive.
Why is it so offensive? I’m not sure. I can tell you that many of the people who spoke out in it were very sorry to have done so. I can also tell you that we were given a lot of access through a relationship with Chris Manley and his company Gay Days Inc. One of the big issues is that Chris wanted a PR piece and I started out filming something that was very complimentary, but I just didn’t have the heart to follow through when I heard these awful stories and discontentment. I had to show it like it was. Chris is an amazing person, he rescues dogs and supports many local Central Florida businesses. That doesn’t mean that I can give him a pass. It also doesn’t mean I can condemn him. I don’t do so in the doc. I just try to relay facts and show the events as they were.
One piece of the hatred puzzle is that Rob Labby, one of the main subjects of the film, is a serious Christian. As such he went on Christian radio and talked about the movie. This caused a lot of already on the fence viewers, and potential viewers, to think this was a smear piece made by a right-wing nut. It’s not. I’m very happy to have been able to work with the activists, theaters, distributors and festivals that I did. I’m very happy to have gotten the film finished as my first feature-length work and I’m very happy that it’s still being shown. Another one of the big points of contention with the film is that I’m not gay. In fact, I was married to my first wife when the film was in post a few years ago. This caused many offended people to assume that the film was a way of cashing in on their community. That’s also not true. All the profits go to charity.
It’s a comedy of errors, but check the film out on Dish Network this Winter and decide for yourself.
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Here is Rob’s side of the story
writen by Rob
I am one of the major players an instigator in the Documentary called Selling Queer. I just found out that the video that was made several years ago in Orlando that shows how the Gay community is being taken advantage of by its own was going to be on the dish network. I was also very surprised to find out that I am on the religious right side of the gay community and that the people in the Doc. we’re sorry that they were HONEST at the time, and said what they said.
All I wanted to do was to have an affordable family orientated event without alcohol and sexual overtones that was also a fund raising event for a struggling Gay Community. I asked around if there was anything like this going on during Gay Days. When I found out there wasn’t any I thought why not start it myself. My target group were those in the gay community that were older ( over 35 ) and those who were non drinking, or would like that option. I also figured that there was the ever growing family orientated part of the community that was being left out of the Disney Family? Gay Days sexual drunk fests get together. There was also a large group of guys and gals that could not afford the $100.00 – $200.00 – or even $300.00 ticket prices for this event that was supposed to be for everyone. In the beginning I brought the idea to our local gay church. They thought it was a good idea. So I started working on the project in conjunction with Joy Metropolitan Community Church in Orlando as a fund raiser for them. Well even they went over to the dark side. I am sad to say. When they found out what was going on they opted to go with the BIG BUCKS and forgot about the families, seniors, and non drinkers and those who could not afford the rediculas prices for the Balls and parties etc. that were taking place during the event.
Being a 64 year old retired gay man I as well as so many others who feel left out of this youth booze and money orientated event called Gay Days. I always was and always will be an advocate for the gay community and have not and will not make a penny out of this video or any of the projects I am or were a part of. In fact I lost a lot of money and a lot of faith in the gay community in Orlando Florida during the time Selling Queer was being made. Those that said they would and wanted to help me sabotaged me for their own gain. The Gay Days and Gay Day groups ( there were 2 different groups fighting for the top profit margin.) neither was or is a not for profit group. Neither of the groups would ever say how much money they actually made on Gay Days. That way it would look like giving the community a few hundred dollars was a real generous thing. But when you think of the Millions of dollars that were filtered through the Gay Days and Gay Day organizations, what they gave back to the community was little to nothing. What they got out of the community was far more than they put back. I still believe that sex sells more so than family values in the Gay Community. If this makes me a religious right wing nut then so be it. Even Disney bought into the Gay scene under the guise of helping the Gay Community. Let’s face it if every one that was gay left Disney tomorrow they would have to close the doors. They find and hire Queens that can’t work anywhere else to work for them for pennies on the dollar. They exploit the Gay Community in so many ways. This is one of their more noticeable ones. Why would they let Homosexuals kiss and make out and dress in inappropriate clothes and use foul language in their Family only park if it wasn’t to make a buck. I am far from a prude believe me. But everything has its place. Disney even had signs in the parks stating during Gay Days stating if you don’t want to be offended to come back another day. Well to be honest I am offended very offended the way the Gay community is exploiting its self.
My partner and I have a Totally Free web site for the forgotten older Gay men in the Gay Community. We say it’s a site for Seniors and those who someday will become Seniors. http://gayseniors.info We are retired and make no profit out of the site. It is not a business but an avocation and labor of love. We have thousands and thousands of free registered members, worldwide. The very positive response we get is really rewarding. Guys who would be laughed at and snubbed if they went to Gay Days have a Totally Free place to meet and interact and find out there is a place for the so called over the hill gay male ( over 30 ) I am and always will be an advocate for the forgotten Gay male. I was one. I only hope you offer your hand to an older gay, man some time. Remember as we say on the site “Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, and today is a gift: That’s why we call it the present. You judge for yourself.
By the way I never received a copy of the complete video from the production company. I have one of the first copies and I know it’s been changed since its conception. After all it is on the DISH NETWORK not on Logo. Logo will put on shows like Queer as Folk a series that has its place but won’t admit that there are a growing contingent of senior gay men looking for validation and not feeling their too old or fat or infirmed to be a active part of the Gay Community. Were here were Gay ( not Queer ) and some day God willing you to will be one of us ( A Senior Citizen ) As I grow older I don’t get more cynical I just recognize stupidity easier. Has this type of discrimination or theft and hit in your life let us know if you or someone you know did see or have this happen. We would love to let others know about it so it might save them some trouble and pain. Thanks so much
RobManfred@gayseniors.info
Thanks for your interest.
Sincerely Rob Labby