Last week, the Daily Beast ran a piece lacerating me for asking a factual question about the identity of someone about to assume enormous power over our lives. Monday night, the Beast ran an interview of Edie Falco by my friend Kevin Sessums. He asks about her addiction, her recovery, her depression, her adoption of two children, her cancer ... but then he goes too far for many of the commenters on the blog. He asks about the character Falco is playing in a new play:
One is never sure if it is a substitute mother/daughter relationship for them or if they were lovers in jail.
I think it’s meant to be unclear.
But you do play it a bit butch.
Yeah, it’s begun to get more like that. And the words lend themselves to that. I mean, she’s been around the block a few times.
You do have a whole lesbian fanbase. You are aware of that.
I know. I’ve been told about that. It’s thrilling. Maybe it’s because my character on Nurse Jackie doesn’t take a lot of shit. Not that that means that’s a lesbian thing.
But they were your fans back during your Carmela days, too.
Really! Wow! Then I don’t friggin’ know why.
Have you ever buttered that side of your toast?
I beg your pardon! I am so not going there. Wow. I’ve never heard it put that way either. But no. I’m afraid I like boys.
Good for Kevin. If someone's entire private life is on the table except that, it's a function of homophobia. Period. A gay person is free to adopt such a homophobic veil; but a reporter need not enable it. So when does Benjy Sarlin write a piece on his own magazine's "ethics"?