I spent a total of 15 years in the employ of companies owned by Rupert Murdoch, achieved some of the greatest professional success of my career and every single check I ever received cleared. I never worked directly for FOX News or The New York POST, perhaps two of the more notorious brands that he’s been associated with. And even when I did work with those entities I had absolutely nothing to do with any of their political decisions that so many seem to blame our current state of seemingly permanent division on.
I’ve lost many friends and the respect of others who still grudgingly still at least will send me a birthday greeting because they somehow see the fact that I would even try to defend that history as somehow exemplary that by association I, too, must be racist, divisive and incideniary and, worst of all, even remotely supportive of anything related to our current administration.
So I can somehow identify with the dilemna facing the likes of Gloria Gaynor and some of her fellow nominees for this year’s Kennedy Center Honors, a lifetime achievement award that has been bestowed upon some of the greatest contributors to the arts in our history for nearly half a century. It is considered one of the most encompassing accolades by those that have received it, and I have spoken to two of its previous recipients to confirm that that’s how they feel.
But now, of course, with this entity hijacked by our current administration and its leader personally injecting himself into the role of on-air host, the idea of anyone choosing to actually participate, or even accept it, has become a lightning rod for social media commentary and grandstanding by folks like THE VIEW’s Ana Navarro, who even with her show on summer hiatus felt compelled to opine earlier this week, as TV INSIDER’s Amanda Bell reported:
In a caption posted on Instagram, the cohost pleaded with Gaynor to decline the award on principle, writing, “A few years ago, I got to briefly meet @gloriagaynor at a concert in Miami. She gifted me a keychain that belted out “I Will Survive”, when you pressed it. Let’s just say, during first Trump term, I pressed it til it ran out of batteries. Yesterday, Trump announced he picked her to receive a Kennedy Center Honor, which he plans to host. Look, the woman is a goddess and deserves all the flowers that come her way. But I wish she wouldn’t accept an award from the hands of a man who has attacked the rights and history of women, people of color and LGBTQ. The gay community in particular, helped turn her signature song into an anthem. Trump is a stain on the prestige and significance of the KCH. Don’t do it, Gloria!”
Navarro’s impassioned plea was in direct contrast to how Gaynor herself expressed her reaction earlier in the week to FOX NEWS Digital:
“I am beyond blessed and honored to be receiving this award. My hope is that in accepting this honor, I can continue with the inspirational phenomenon that began with ‘I Will Survive.’ Sharing my music and art on a global level to provide encouragement, hope, empowerment, inspiration, understanding, and unity is the core of my purpose”.
According to Navarro’s Wikipedia page, the only award she has received to date was an honoree of the Great Immigrants Award[43] by Carnegie Corporation of New York . Since it was bestowed in 2020, I assume there was no in-person awards ceremony to be concerned about. But no Emmy or Peabody nomination just yet.
So it’s clear that she’s actually never been confronted with the seminal decision of whether or not to accept a prestigious honor from someone of questionable integrity. Let alone a convicted felon and alleged rapist.
This is ultimately Gloria Gaynor’s decision alone. As it also is Michael Crawford’s, George Strait’s, Sylvester Stallone’s and the members of KISS, including my onetime public school classmate Paul Stanley. I honestly don’t know what way Stanley leans politically. I have a pretty good idea how Sly and, from all accounts, Gene Simmons feel. It would be a pretty safe bet they will show up.
And all I can offer to the Navarros and the countless folks in my social media feeds who enthusiastically shared some version of this over the past few days is this: Unless you have personally been nominated for some sort of an award that you worked your entire life toward and actually been confronted with the decision that these folks currently have, any insistence that you would immediately tell those in charge to shove it is theoretical at best. Unless you’ve actually chosen to resign from a company which was taken over by someone whose values you found personally repugnant I would vehemently contend you’re reacting from a purely hypothetical perspective and by definition disqualifies you to offer it.
So many of these same folks are reminding anyone who might choose to pay attention of how George C. Scott’s and Marlon Brando’s refusals of accept Best Actor Oscars in the 70s as a template for the likes of Gaynor and Crawford to follow. And they’re quick to enthusiastically share what even FOX NEWS’ Stephanie Giang-Paunon was compelled to report yesterday:
Tom Cruise reportedly turned down an opportunity to receive one of the nation’s highest arts honors from President Donald Trump. The “Mission: Impossible” star, 63, was offered the prestigious award but declined due to “scheduling conflicts,” according to multiple Kennedy Center employees who spoke to The Washington Post.
Somehow, in their eyes this makes him more of a hero than the fictional ones he’s portrayed. But there is no political statement one way or the other eminating from Cruise or his camp. And he’s already won a bunch of Oscars and other awards. As did Brando and Scott. So when they were given this decision, their perspective was from shelves already overstuffed with hardware. Has anyone bothered to ask Gaynor or Crawford what their dens look like?
In my many years in entertainment I personally know exactly one person who chose to resign from a company whose code of conduct was too much of a cross to bear for this to continue to receive a generous salary. An openly gay executive wrote a blistering personal note to Pat Robertson when his International Family Entertainment took over MTM Entertainment regarding his history of how he’s preached against the right of two same-sex people to love each other and handed in his resignation. He was comfortable enough to take a sabbatical for a while but eventually needed to get back into the industry. His next employer? Yep, a company owned by Rupert Murdoch.
A number of other former colleagues of mine have become extremely outspoken and even remorseful about their years as trusted allies of Murdoch–levels far higher than I ever achieved. They are also extremely comfortable and, to the best of my knowledge, they too cashed every check they received and haven’t refunded a penny at any point.
But at least when they say that they would now never accept anything from him or any entity related to the likes of him their opinions are based on direct experience and informed choice. Not some “what-if” that has never been an actual scenario to date, or likely ever will.
So to those who are taking it upon themselves to rattle their sabers for yet another cause celebre, move on with your own lives already. On a purely relative basis, Fat Orange Jesus as an emcee is far less preposterous than he is as a dict–er, president. And the award is still the award.
And don’t worry about folks like Gaynor. Even without your input, they will survive.
Until next time…