Davison, Madonna and Films About AIDS

After speaking with Bruce Davison at the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation Media Awards, never would anyone suspect that he would make the misinformed comments about Madonna just 24 hours later in his April 22 Counterpunch article.

Davison’s problem with Madonna stems from excerpted comments from the Advocate magazine, in which she suggested that more films should be made about gays and lesbians, and the seriousness of AIDS, and not just art-house films like his Oscar-nominated “Longtime Companion.”

While no one is suggesting that “Longtime Companion” had no impact, it would be great to see high-profile films about gay and lesbian heroes, role models and positive images in history--films that are accessible to people in all parts of the country. Surely, many people did see “Longtime Companion,” but in comparing them to the number who saw “Days of Thunder” and “Dick Tracy,” a studio executive could say that no one saw “Longtime Companion.” This was Madonna’s point.

SHAWN GRIFFIN

Los Angeles