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My contribution to fighting the blatant oppression of celebrities
I admit to being an old man whose brain has been addled by too much intrigue in my long life, but truly, after having spent many hours sifting through the posts at Datalounge, I must admit defeat.
I have tried to understand the motives of those who post there, but have not succeeded.
Please assist me in determining what is taking place there and if I have it right:
1. Datalounge is a gay website.
2. The gossip forum exists for members to exchange gossip anonymously.
3. As a consequence, there is no way for members to know for certain if a post is bogus or bona fide since no one is willing to reveal their identity and just how it is that they are an insider who has true knowledge of the situation being discussed.
4. A thread on the sexual orientation of Dominic Monaghan and Elijah Wood, two actors from the hit films, Fellowship of the Ring and The Two Towers, was started and soon grew to gargantuan proportions. Most of the gossip was about their purported relationship and all the evidence that pointed to their being gay and involved sexually.
5. The thread and all others about these films and the actors involved were moved off the main message board and now are no longer directly accessible through it. I assume this was due to bandwidth issues or else it was done to keep it out of the public's eye because of the inflammatory nature of the gossip and the tone of the posts, which range from raunchy speculation on what kind of sex the two enjoy to what this or that colour of clothing means.
6. There is a FAQ (frequently-asked questions) list that all new members are invited, indeed, exhorted, to read before posting so that they have the "canon" understanding of the situation. There is also a "Cliff's Notes" version that reinforces the "canon" take on the relationship. There is also the "Database" on Dom and Elijah's relationship and all the evidence collected to date that "proves" that the two are gay and are in a committed relationship. If a new person posts a message that questions the "canon" they are told to "RTFT" (read the fucking thread) or go check out these other sources of "truth" so that they don't bore the other members who have all accepted the "canon".
7. It appears that there is no moderator, but that a "MsA" is the acknowledged leader for her website hosts the Database" and she is often mentioned as having insider information and having compiled the FAQs and Cliff Notes.
8. MsA, besides keeping up the Bagend Inn and the Domlijah Database, appears to be a writer of Domlijah RPS – real person slash. RPS is made up of "fictional" stories about the male actors in homosexual situations involved in the films. Many members who post frequently on the DL threads appear to also be writers of RPS. Many are straight women who write RPS. MsA herself claims to be "queer", and a "tomboy fag" but is female. She is also in a heterosexual marriage. Further clarification of her status is impossible to discern.
9. Therefore, the sexual orientation of posters to the DL thread is in question – are they gay men or straight (or queer) women who write RPS?
10. RPS writers usually post disclaimers that state their stories are fictional and that no suggestion is being made about the "real" sexuality of the actors used in the stories. However, one wonders if this can be the case if a writer of RPS actually believes that the actors in their stories are truly in a homosexual relationship. Are their stories not then statements of "fact" rather than works of "fiction"?
11. Indeed, to these old eyes, it appears as if MsA started the Domlijah database and threads at DL gossip forum as a way to prove that the RPS she wrote was truthful if not entirely a historic transcript of reality.
12. Supposedly, the actors in question are "in the closet". They are not officially "out" to the world. There have been no public proclamations or confirmations of their being "gay" or in a "relationship". Thus, everything at DL about their being gay is speculation based on assumptions and anonymous and thus unproven "inside" information.
13. Gay actors do not have it easy in Hollywood or in society in general. Even an old codger like me understands that. I am committed to fighting oppression wherever I see it. I detest homophobia in all its manifestations. Therefore, if the two men in question are indeed gay and have been prevented from enjoying their relationship as any heterosexual actors would be able, I am horrified.
14. I also understand that many, if not most, gay actors stay in the closet because it is a matter of having a career -- or not. They choose to remain closeted.
15. If so, I wonder who are we to try to out them, directly or by stealth? Following them around taking pictures and trying to find evidence of their orientation seems to me to be evidence of misplaced priorities. Posting speculation to message boards about their orientation and making it appear to be factual instead of speculation seems also to be a threat to them as individuals.
16. I find this kind of "outing" by innuendo to be as oppressive as forcing them in the closet for it seems to be very insensitive to the realities of being a celebrity and an actor in Hollywood. To a non-materialist like me, this is very hard to fathom, but nonetheless, I do understand oppression. These are real people and they rely on their incomes for their livelihoods. Anything that threatens that, even if it is only gossip about their orientation, is not very loving or compassionate, despite proclamations to the contrary.
17. Are they really out? Recently, when a Hollywood gossip columnist asked the question "When hobbits live together they …" Elijah Wood replied "make sweet love together". This statement is taken as an accidental "outing" – that Elijah Wood inadvertently "outed" himself and Dominic Monaghan by this statement since we know that they were sharing Elijah's one bedroom apartment. Posters at Datalounge (DL) assume that they can proceed on the assumption that they are out and are indeed gay. There is no other way to take the statement. It is not seen as a joke for who would joke about being gay in Hollywood? Elijah also said he was a "fruit" in an interview. He later took that back, but nonetheless, this is taken as proof that he is gay and that he has loose lips and was tired of being in the closet.
18. Elijah also was supposedly seen several times in gay-friendly bars or in the gay district of a number of cities, including Hollywood and Vancouver, Seattle. He was also supposedly seen kissing a male friend, which DL regulars assume was Dominic Monaghan. There is no photographic proof provided of any of these sightings so we must rely on faith that they are true.
19. A number of anonymous posts at DL provided regulars with "insider" information on what the two celebrities would be wearing as a "shoutout" to those in the know. This shoutout was intended to show DL regulars that they indeed were gay and a couple. References to yellow and green, blue and gray, ties, roses in lapels, haircuts, black and white, candycanes, lollipops, badgers. These are used as "proof" that Dom and Elijah are indeed lovers and gay and that they and others in the know visit DL and post info there to show support. DL regulars post heart-felt good wishes to them and support for their relationship.
20. The mention of any heterosexual activity on the part of either man is pooh-poohed as homophobic wishful thinking by teenie fangirls. So the Franka Potente "affair" which Elijah has claimed was not an "affair" is seen to be an example of PR bearding. According to DL regulars, PR for New Line concocted the whole affair as a way to deflect attention off Elijah's gay orientation. Franka was Elijah's beard and received some reward in return for compliance. That Elijah denies there was any relationship now is seen to be proof that he is fed up with PR bullshit and is itching to come "out".
21. The alleged one-night stand between Elijah and a New Zealand actress is also portrayed on DL as another example of "bearding". According to those in the know at DL, New Line PR cooked up the story and fed it to Elijah as a way to keep him in the closet and provide proof of his "heterosexuality" so he will still appeal to the teenaged girl market share who would be horrified to think he is no longer available.
22. Recently, The Guardian, a British newspaper, ran an article about the "database" and the gay gossip message board, which although not directly named, was clearly a reference to DL and the Dom-Elijah affair or "dinosaur" as it is called at DL.
23. According to insider posts on DL and regulars, the "make sweet love" comment and the Guardian article pushed New Line PR to the limit and there has been a crackdown on Elijah and Dom. They are no longer allowed to appear in public at events. Dom is being escorted to awards ceremonies by New Line handlers (goons, as they are called on DL) to prevent him from further "shoutouts".
24. Elijah has disappeared. New Line has cancelled a number of Elijah's appearances. He did not attend the recent SAG awards. He cancelled out a couple of personal appearances. According to DL regulars, New Line/Time Warner PR is punishing him for his loose lips and outlandish behavior. He is being given the "smackdown" by PR heavies who are forcing him back into the closet for the sake of the Franchise.
25. We are patiently awaiting further confirmation that Dom and Elijah are still together and that they are indeed gay and a couple.
26. Other threads, particularly on Viggo Mortensen and Karl Urban, two other actors in the LOTR, focus on how Viggo is fed up with PR bullshit and is showing his support by having pictures posted of him and Karl in bed (fully clothed) holding hands in the style of John Lennon and Yoko Ono. For those who do not know the story, John and Yoko holed themselves up in a hotel room and remained in bed as a protest against war. That Viggo and Karl had this picture taken is seen by DL regulars as proof that they are gay lovers (or at least, Viggo is Bisexual and Karl is heteroflexible, whatever that means). It is also seen as a show of support for Dom and Elijah – Viggo and Karl are not showing their anti-war sentiments – they are saying "FUCK PR". The whole anti-war message is lost to these people who only see Domlijah everywhere they look. Even Viggo's young girlfriend is seen as a beard for him. So what if Karl has been in a heterosexual relationship for several years and has a child. No man is immune to claims of being gay in this world.
27. There is also an entire thread about Sean Astin, the married actor who plays Sam in LOTR. He is said to be in love with Elijah and against Dom and Elijah coming out. Debate rages as to whether he does this because he is concerned about Elijah as a person, or whether he is motivated by avarice. He is claimed to be psychologically damaged by his childhood and that is why he is misbehaving.
28. We are supposed to monitor this gossip board and post speculation on their sexual orientation because it is a sign of our individual altruism, our caring for these two oppressed souls who cannot show their love for each other to the world because of New Line and the homophobia of teenaged girls. Forget that these are some of the highest paid people in the world. Forget that they lead pampered lives. Forget that they live better than 99.5% of the world's population. Forget the tens of thousands of children who die each day from malnutrition. We must support our celebrities and fight the oppression they face in their chosen line of work.
There. A summation of the DomLijah Dinosaur and Prancing Pony gossip from this humble man's perspective.
Have I missed anything?
gathers up robes and tottles off in search of other examples of oppression
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