Today Show to Allow Gay Couples in Wedding Contest

NBC's The Today Show caved in to pressure from the LGBT community and GLAAD over their decision not to allow gays and lesbians to participate in the Modern Day Wedding contest. The prize is a big fancy-schmancy wedding in New York, paid for by the peacock network.

The "straights only" policy was first made public by the blog, Good As You, which caught the attention of GLAAD, who called on Today to open the contest to same-sex couples. Online petitions and e-mail campaigns were launched, which made the suits at NBC sit up and take notice.

Contest organizers (and a lot of us as well) were under the mistaken impression that same-sex marriage was illegal in New York State. GLAAD pointed out that although New York cannot legally issue licenses to same-sex couples, the state does recognize those licenses issued in states where same-sex marriage is legal and therefore, for couples with such a  license, a ceremony can legally take place. Confused yet?

Today Show producers posted the following on its website yesterday:

Over the past few days TODAY has received a considerable response regarding our wedding contest application. The rules stated that eligible couples must be able to be legally married in New York, where we will host the wedding, therefore excluding same-sex couple applicants. Our intent was not to be discriminatory or exclusive. In 2005 when the wedding took place outside of New York, the application process was open to same-sex couples. We have listened to every voicemail and read every email. We take this feedback seriously, and we will change our application process. TODAY is a longtime supporter of the LGBT community, and GLAAD considers us an ally. We are committed to keeping those relationships strong and positive. We have opened up the application process to same-sex couples, and will extend the deadline to Monday, July 12. Moving forward, we ensure that our future wedding contests will be inclusive of all couples.

GLAAD said in a statement yesterday afternoon:

Following a meeting between GLAAD and NBC executives, NBC announced that after listening to community concerns it will open the contest to same-sex couples and extend the submission deadline until Monday, July 12. Couples now have until then to apply.  Finalists will be announced later this year and the wedding takes place live on the Today Show this October.

We’re thrilled that Today Show's ‘Modern Wedding Contest’ now recognizes what most fair-minded Americans have already concluded - a wedding celebrates love and commitment, whether the spouses are straight or gay. NBC heard the thousands of viewers who contacted them and they have moved to make their contest a truly modern wedding where any couple can share their story. NBC is living up to its own high standard of fairness and for this, we applaud them.  We encourage qualified same-sex couples to submit their applications before Monday, July 12 and we look forward to next year when same-sex couples will have the ability to apply to the contest from the beginning.

 Interested couples can submit their applications via the Today Show FaceBook page.

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Call to Action: Today Show's Wedding Contest Discriminates Against Gays and Lesbians

NBC's Today Show is doing another one of its over the top "win a free wedding" contests, called "Modern Day Wedding" and the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) is calling them out on their "straights only" policy. GLAAD contacted the Today Show and questioned them about their application listing only bride and groom as possible entrants.

The response GLAAD received from the longest running morning show said, “For the TODAY show wedding, the couple must be able to be legally married in New York, which is where the wedding will take place." Here is GLAAD's response, as posted on its website:

This is not a valid argument since New York State legally recognizes same-sex marriages licensed in other states. Same-sex couples can now legally obtain marriage licenses in Iowa, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire and Washington D.C. NBC is mistakenly equating the marriage license with the wedding celebration. Same-sex weddings are entirely legal in New York State.  As long as the marriage license is conferred upon the same-sex couple by another state, New York State recognizes the marriage as a fully valid and legal one. NBC’s exclusion of same-sex couples from its contest is not motivated by the law, but bias against these couples.

The Today Show is awarding a wedding celebration, not a marriage license.  If a same-sex couple won the contest, producers and the winning couple could easily work together to ensure that the couple properly obtained and complied with the requirements of a marriage license in one of the license-conferring jurisdictions. The full wedding celebration would then take place on the Today Show.  Given these legal realities, GLAAD has urged NBC to amend its contest rules and allow same-sex couples to apply.

You can take action and strike a blow for fairness and equality by contacting NBC and demanding that the Today Show demonstrates just how modern it is by opening the "Modern Day Wedding" contest to same-sex couples. Change.org, which first broke the story, has set up an on line petition demanding that Today allow same-sex couple to compete just as they have done in Today's past contest, "Hometown Wedding".

Or, you can contact the following NBC executives directly by e-mail and demand that they change this discriminatory contest rule immediately:

Jim Bell, Executive Producer
NBC Today Show
(212) 664-4602
today@nbc.com
jim.bell@nbcuni.com

Lauren Kapp, Senior Vice President, NBC News Marketing & Communications
NBC Television Network
(212) 664-4444
lauren.kapp@nbcuni.com

William Bartlett, Corporate Communications Senior Vice-President
NBC Television Network
(212) 664-4444
william.bartlett@nbcuni.com

Kathy Kelly-Brown, Corporate Communications Senior Vice-President
NBC Television Network
(212) 664-4444
kathy.kelly-brown@nbcuni.com

Megan Kopf, Corporate Communications Manager
NBC Television Network
(212) 664-4444
megan.kopf@nbcuni.com

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Country Singer Chely Wright Comes out as Lesbian (video)

When rumors started to circulate around the web last weekend about a major star coming out this week, I was mildly interested, but didn't give it much thought.

The last celeb to burst through the closet doors was actor Sean Hayes, who's true confession to the Advocate last month resulted in the yawn heard 'round the world. I mean seriously. Was it really even necessary? Hayes himself admits he was never in the closet. I can't even remember if I wrote anything about it. The very least I expected from the latest gay buzz was that it would be someone I had actually heard of.

Now the interwebs are all abuzz with the news that country music singer Chely Wright has announced that she's a lesbian. My first thought was, "who is she and why can't she spell her name right?". I'll be honest with you, I'm not a big fan of country music. Like any gay man, I love Dolly Parton, Loretta Lynn and Patsy Cline, but I think that's more of a gay thing than a music thing.

When I saw the following clip from Wright's Today Show appearance I became a little less cynical. I understand that it's hard enough to come out when you're not a celebrity, but no one in the history of country music has ever come out. Even kd lang waited until she crossed over to mainstream pop before she came out. Fans of this genre are some of the most conservative people out there. This could be a career-ending decision. Bravo to a brave young woman who decided to risk it all in order to live her life openly and honestly.

Far be it from me to rain on anyone's Pride Parade. So it is with all due respect to this courageous woman that I say welcome to the family, Chely Wright (whoever you are).

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

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Cyndi and Gaga talk AIDS Awareness with Hoda and Al (video)

Image by Getty Images via Daylife

Yesterday's Today with Hoda and Kathy Lee was the best show they've ever done for two reasons; Cyndi Lauper and Lady Gaga guested to promote their new MAC campaign and HIV/AIDS awareness.

The other reason was that Kathy Lee was not there. She didn't want to risk getting stuck at work and missing her upcoming vacation. I knew there had to be an up side to all this snow. The two went off script for a little while, talking about awards, fans and fame. Gaga talked about performing with Elton at the Grammies and Cyndi even gave some motherly advice to the new pop diva.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

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"Family Ties" star Meredith Baxter Comes Out (video)

In an effort to head off being outed in the tabloids, 80's TV mom and star of every movie on the Lifetime Channel, Meredith Baxter has publicly come out as a lesbian to People Magazine and the Today Show's Matt Lauer.

Baxter tells People that she first started dating women about seven years ago and has been in a relationship for the last four years with building contractor (I know, don't say it.) Nancy Locke. Baxter says the couple has been living a very out life in LA and even took an all lesbian cruise.

Watch the Matt Lauer interview below.