Something we should all think about. Happy Pride Month. (And no we don’t need a straight month.). https://www.chronofhorse.com/article/why-pride-matters/
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This was such a fantastic essay!
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Such a good, needed article.
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I’m super impressed she’s a high-level rider AND an attorney.
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I had that same thought.
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If you don’t think visibility is important, look at how much Will and Grace and Ellen changed minds.
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I went to a taping of Ellen’s show years ago. I’d only seen her show a few times, but my friends were fans of it. While we were waiting in line outside the studio, she drove by, smiled, and waved to everyone. That was the last smile we saw from her.
As the taping went on, we were surprised, and disappointed that the fun and humorous Ellen whom we thought we knew from her show, was someone else. The Ellen we were seeing in person had two personalities. When the cameras were rolling, she was the fun and humorous person we were used to. When the cameras stopped for breaks, she was irritable and abrupt to her staff. It wasn’t pleasant to hear how she spoke to them.
Ellen said at the start that it was her first day back to work after a vacation. We could all relate to that and didn’t think much of it. But as time went on, it was clear that her crankiness wasn’t unusual. The guest was Chris Noth (Mister Big on Sex and the City). We were excited to see him, but unfortunately he didn’t bring much levity to the show, and the pace stalled. By now the audience had realized there were two Ellens, and most us were quiet, unless told to applaud by the signs overhead and stage hands.
Ellen didn’t change my mind about anything because she’s gay. She changed my mind about her because of her unkind behavior behind the scenes.
As for Will and Grace, my mind wasn’t changed about anything because it had gay characters and plot lines. It was a very well written, well acted, and a very funny tv show. I miss it.
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I always got the vibe that she was trying to one up her guests all the time. Which to me, is not really a great quality in a host of anything.
And the “prank” of having people jump out and scare them? I thought that got old very fast.
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I’m talking about her sitcom, and about her coming out. It was a huge risk for her, and killed her sitcom, but it created a tidal wave in the gay community that she was so brave.
I understand that she is also a bad person. My neighbor worked on her show. But that all came out later.
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Its effect was seismic in mainstream culture.
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Y’all are doing a good job keeping it horse related as Willograce Farm (owned by the producers) still has horses on the circuit with Paris Sellon 
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I was amazed that Will and Grace came back for a reboot a couple of years ago after such a long gap. I don’t know if that set a record, but it was a long time.
Although Law and Order would probably be another contender for that award, I guess. But not with such a high percentage of the original or previous cast.
Although now that I say that, Night Court might actually win that award. That show was off the air for a really long time before it came back recently.
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I remember when this happened. I was a young teenager and didn’t fully understand, I guess because I didn’t realize it was a historic first. I remember my dad trying to diplomatically explain to me why it was a big deal.
I was listening to a podcast with someone who worked on that sitcom recently. Apparently Ellen was tough to work with even back then.
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IIRC John Cleese appeared on an episode of Will and Grace bc his daughter and Paris Sellon were joking around at a horse show and decided it would be fun if one’s dad appeared on the other dad’s show.
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Well, Ellen’s wife Portia is a dressage rider, so…
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Has that always been the case? For some reason I thought she did the hunters at one point.
She did.
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Thanks.
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Video proof
My search string was Portia Ellens wife horse.
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I have always loved him for that.
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