I went to the OUTFEST shorts program last night and it was fantastic. Apparently there is something call “All Girl Friday” and there’s a shorts program that is part of that. The theater was full and the audience was in good spirits. Several of the shorts were quite funny! Laugh out loud funny.
The best part of the evening was meeting Meredith Baxter. You may remember her as Alex P. Keaton’s mom on the hit television series FAMILY TIES. 
Most recently, she appeared as Lilly’s mother on the television drama COLD CASE (a show that I have loved, loved, loved since the beginning). Meredith is big news at OUTFEST because she just came out a short time ago. TWO people asked me to photograph themselves with her. She asked if I was the official photographer. Cute. Made me like her more than I already did. Apparently she’s doing a panel today on what it means to be gay in LA … so I’m off to the panel for insights. Should be interesting. Will write more on it tomorrow. Meredith is waiting.
Post note: Went to the panel and enjoyed it immensely. The main point of discussion was about the consequences for actors coming out. Given the big dust up over Sean Hayes’ performance on Broadway, it was an interesting topic to view from the perspective of the actor seeking work and trying to build a career. Building a successful production film career is capricious, complicated, and volatile. It is, however, a cakewalk compared to building an ACTING career. The public is a fickle lover. And when she turns on you … well, enough said …
So it was interesting to hear the point of view of the panelists. Meredith was the only female on the panel (shocker? not!) She was quite clever and had several witty comments. Howard Bragman (Fifteen Minutes Public Relations), Meredith’s PR guy was also on the panel. His firm specializes in guiding actors through difficult media times. He had a lot to say about the importance that coming out made for the LGBQT community. The more visible and present we are, the better it is. I had heard Writer/Producer Don Roos speak numerous times at Sundance. I really loved his film, HAPPY ENDINGS. I did not know the two other actors on the panel. They both spoke about how important it is to be out and how they always had been. And I didn’t know either one of them. I thought that was significant. I have since been able to discover that one actor was Doug Spearman of NOAH’S ARK. I’m still searching for the other one.
