Sure, Washington D.C. had most of the action this weekend what with President Obama‘s big gay speech on Saturday and the big gay march on Sunday. But the West Coast represented this weekend as well at the GLSEN Respect Awards in Los Angeles which honored, among others, Grey’s Anatomy creator Shonda Rhimes.
The event featured a hodge-podge of celebrity appearances including Shonda’s Grey’s stars Sara Ramirez and Chandra Wilson and Private Practice star Paul Adelstein. Sara had plenty to say about Calzona, most which will thrill fans.
In red carpet interview, Sara put to rest any further discussion of a Callie/McSteamy rehook-up this season. According to E! Online it is the No. 1 asked about coupling by fans this season. Um, not by its queer fans. Apparently E! Online doesn’t have a very big gay contingent.
But fear not Calzona fans, there doesn’t sound like there will be any McSteaming up the screens anytime soon:
What we’re going to see this season with Callie is a healthy relationship — wow! Yes, it’s a drama and you’ve got to have conflict. That’s what I love about it. Regardless of who’s in the relationship, you’re seeing those universal conflicts that happen in a relationship, whether it’s heterosexual or homosexual or whatever it is. People issues. I think they’re really going to try and solidify Callie and Arizona in this season.
Well thank God. I still think Jessica Capshaw should stay away from any and all parking lots on set. But it’s nice to see them portrayed as one of the show’s few solid relationships.
When asked to further define Callie’s sexuality, she said:
It falls into a gray area that people can’t quite define and I think sometimes that’s frustrating. We can’t define you, we don’t have a box to put it in, so bisexual is the only thing we can come up with. Right now, technically she’s in a lesbian relationship, but Callie is open, she’s exploring something that I’d call sexual fluidity. It’s not about the gender, it’s about the person — it’s about the spirit of the person and the essence of the person and to me, it’s quite unconventional.
Right, OK — we knew that. But then, don’t break Calzona fans’ hearts by adding this when E! Online asked if there was any chance for Callie and McSteamy down the road: “We’ll see about later in the season,” Sara teases.
If that happens, um, do we take back Shonda’s Respect Award? Actually, GLSEN gave her the Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion Award for her integration of LGBT characters, storylines and actors on her shows.
Also honored were HBO as a Corporate Role Model and philanthropist David C. Bohnett for Lifetime Achievement. HBO was called “second to none in portraying positive images of the LGBT community” through its shows.
The night included an unusually large contingent from Dancing With the Stars. In attendance were Kelly Osbourne and Melissa Joan Hart along with their professional partners Mark Ballas and Louis van Amstel. Recently booted contestant Debi Mazar and her dancing partner Maksim Chmerkovsky arrived separately, as did former Tom DeLayCheryl Burke.
So, what do you think? Do Shonda and HBO deserve Respect? Are you encouraged or worried by Sara’s thoughts on Calzona and McSteamy. And, seriously, what’s up with all the DWTS people? Discuss.
