Hollywood comes out in support of same-sex marriage

For weeks, Hollywood had been criticized for not accidental abundant to defeat a election action in California that would ban same-sex marriage. Now, associates of the blur and TV industries are across-the-board in to bottle gays' appropriate to get hitched.

Maybe they were planning for a Hollywood catastrophe all along?

After account of Proposition 8's supporters outraising its opponents advance and the admeasurement acquired abutment in accessible assessment polls, abounding Hollywood assembly accept fabricated declarations of abutment — banking and contrarily — adjoin the ban. While the "No on 8" attack hasn't absolutely accomplished the buzziness of added celebrity causes du jour, drive is growing.

"The ball industry is acutely an important donor base," said Chad Griffin, a political architect for the campaign. "It's an industry that's generally stood up adjoin discrimination. This accurate action writes bigotry into the constitution. I anticipate it's something a lot of candid people, celebrities or otherwise, are affronted about."

Leading the Hollywood beat is Oscar-winning ambassador Bruce Cohen, who wed art adviser Gabriel Catone in a commemoration officiated by Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa in June. The "American Beauty" and "Pushing Daisies" ambassador dug abysmal into his contacts to ask for their abutment adjoin the initiative. Cohen's bigger get? Steven Spielberg.

"Steven's been an absurd adherent of me, both alone and professionally, so I alleged him and told him how abundant this has meant to me and Gabe," said Cohen, who formed with the administrator on "The Color Purple" in 1985. "When he told me that he and Kate Capshaw were giving a $100,000 contribution, I was so confused and thankful."

Since same-sex alliance became acknowledged in California in June, at atomic 11,000 couples accept exchanged vows statewide, according to the Williams Institute for Sexual Orientation Law and Accessible Policy based at the University of California, Los Angeles. Among those couples were Ellen DeGeneres and extra Portia de Rossi, who affiliated in August.

The allocution appearance host afresh fabricated a accessible account advertisement advancement voters to argue the election action and purchased $100,000 of television bartering time for her ad.

"I don't apperceive what humans are afraid of," DeGeneres joked on her appearance Wednesday. "Maybe they anticipate their accouchement will be afflicted (by gay marriage), but I've got to acquaint you, I was aloft by two heterosexuals. Everywhere I looked — heterosexuals. And they did not access me. It's time we adulation humans for who they are and let them adulation who they want."

Stars as big as Brad Pitt — and as baby as "NCIS" extra Pauley Perrette — accept aswell donated their own banknote to defeat Proposition 8 in California, according to accompaniment records.

"I accede myself a civilian rights activist afore I accede myself an actress," said Perrette, who donated $3,000. "Before I anytime accidentally became an actress, I was a folklore and attitude major, and I've consistently been actual complex in civilian rights. I absolutely accept this is the bigger civilian rights affair of our generation."

Pitt fabricated account if he donated $100,000 to action the election initiative. Trevor Neilson, Pitt's political and altruistic adviser, said the amateur continues to be afraid that his colleagues in the ball industry accept not donated added money to abutment the action adjoin Proposition 8.

Among the added acclaimed contributors: "Point of No Return" extra Bridget Fonda ($200); "One Life to Live" amateur Jason Tam ($100); "In Plain Sight" extra Mary McCormack ($200); "Good Will Hunting" administrator Gus Van Sant ($2,500); "Brothers & Sisters" controlling ambassador Greg Berlanti ($5,000) and "Star Trek" amateur George Takei ($2,600), who wed business administrator Brad Altman in September.

"I'm gay, and I accept a accomplice of 17 years," said "The Real World" co-creator and controlling ambassador Jonathan Murray, who donated $10,000 to abutment gay alliance but hasn't wed his partner. "We accept a son who's 9. He'll be 10 soon. We accept we accept as abundant appropriate to be affiliated as any added two adults in California. It's that simple."

The "Yes on 8" attack has far beneath wattage. The a lot of acclaimed contributor to arise in accompaniment annal is Orson Bean, conceivably best accepted for his common appearances as a panelist on "To Acquaint the Truth." He donated $200.

Sonja Eddings Brown, a backer for "Yes on 8," said the attack has not accomplished out to Hollywood because "the attack is a attack of the people. It's not advised to be dotted with celebrities."

"It's outstanding that Brad Pitt and Steven Spielberg wish to participate in the process, but their examples in their homes are the best indicator," said Eddings Brown. "They've created homes that accept a committed mother and ancestor in anniversary of them. In Brad Pitt's case, he went alfresco of the country and adopted kids who didn't accept a mother and a father."

The bigger benefaction for the "No on 8" attack may appear from something Tinseltown loves most: a acceptable party. The movement captivated its aboriginal star-studded no-press-allowed fundraiser Tuesday at bazaar mogul Ron Burkle's Beverly Hills estate. Melissa Etheridge and Mary J. Blige performed at the sold-out event, which appropriate a minimum donation of $1,000.

The bash, which was abounding by such celebs as Barbara Streiesand, David Hyde Pierce and Rob Reiner, aloft over $4 actor for the campaign, according to Lorri L. Jean, CEO of the L.A. Gay and Lesbian Center. That money will be acclimated to acquirement air time for attack ads. Jean said she's admiring with Hollywood's abutment but believes they can do better.

"There could be a lot more," said Jean. "I absolutely achievement that added humans who are in the ball industry will adjudge to get complex with this attack and will advice us defeat Proposition 8. The accuracy is, if we don't accept added of our beeline allies — not alone in Hollywood but in added areas — we're traveling to accept a harder time on Nov. 4th."