Tag / writer

by shananaomi

Portia de Rossi: That Girl

Portia de Rossi: That Girl | Out Magazine
Cover Story, May 2013

Portia de Rossi has always been a lot more than one-half of television’s most powerful gay couple – and with a new season of the cult hit ‘Arrested Development,’ she’s back to prove it.

Her wife, Ellen DeGeneres, tweeted about the cover:

Portia’s comments about why they weren’t interested in having babies was widely covered by People, Entertainment Tonight and ABCNews.com.

This was actually my second cover story interview with Portia—I spoke to her in 2010 for The Advocate—and she was as smart, thoughtful and funny as I’d remembered.

by shananaomi

Women Can Take Tips on Negotiating from Pop Culture

Commentator, NPR’s “All Things Considered”
March 25, 2013

My contribution to the discussion about Sheryl Sandberg’s book, Lean In: Women, Work and the Will to Lead, took the form of a commentary piece about how few examples in pop culture there are for women who want to learn to be great negotiators.

One of my earliest memories is of my father teaching me two very important life skills: Don’t hit like a girl—the trick is, don’t put your thumb inside your fist—and how to shake hands like a man. We practiced both extensively. Still, nobody—not my dad, not my feminist mom—ever taught me how to negotiate to make sure I got paid what I was truly worth.

You can read the transcript here.

I also wrote a little more about my reaction to the book and the importance of men’s magazines in learning to haggle.

by shananaomi

Kimberly Peirce: ‘Why Are We Growing Domestic Terrorists?’

Kimberly Peirce: ‘Why Are We Growing Domestic Terrorists?’
Out.com, January 7, 2013

“You will know her name,” the poster for director Kimberly Peirce’s Carrie reboot promises… but it won’t be in March.

I spoke to Peirce one week after the Newtown, Conn., shootings about her adaptation of the 1974 Stephen King novel for a planned March feature in OUT. We discussed at length the possibility that Sony would bump Carrie’s release date, given how violently it ends and the possibility that maybe, maybe, maybe this time a mass shooting would be enough to spark serious, long-term change — rather than just another moment of hysteria followed by inaction.

In January it was announced they’d premiere the film in October instead, officially to take advantage of the Halloween market for supernatural thrillers. OUT will still run a longer featured profile about Peirce; in the meantime, we wanted to share some of her extremely smart and thoughtful responses about violence, escapism and the film.

by shananaomi

Lost & Found

Lost & Found | Out Magazine
Cover Story, September 2012

Long before “It Gets Better,” there was “The Perks of Being a Wallflower,” a young adult novel that became a touchstone for a generation. Can the movie follow suit?

This story included actor Ezra Miller’s first interview in which he talked about being queer. (I wrote more about “coming out” interviews here.)

You can read my extended interviews and outtakes with Ezra Miller, Logan Lerman and writer/director Stephen Chbosky. I also moderated a Q&A with Miller and Chbosky at a screening of the film co-hosted by OUT, Outfest & Lionsgate.

Read reactions and commentary from The Hollywood Reporter, Huffington Post, The Guardian, Indiewire and hundreds of other blogs.

by shananaomi

Diana Nyad, The Swimmer

Diana Nyad, The Swimmer | Out Magazine
Feature, August 2012

Three times she has tried to swim the 103 miles separating Cuba from Florida, and every time she has been defeated – by weather patterns, by box jellyfish, by exhaustion. This summer represents attempt number four. She is 63. She is as ready as she’s ever been.

Once the great journey begins, she will be surrounded by a small flotilla of support teams. But she will still be a tiny, solitary speck in the ocean, arms pushing into each wave, alone in the water. Alone in her head. And that’s where things really get tough.

Read reactions at AdAge, Jezebel, Outsports & FishbowlLA.

by shananaomi

Adam Levine Will Be Loved

Adam Levine Will Be Loved | Out Magazine
Cover Story, September 2011

The breakout star of NBC’s ‘The Voice’ wasn’t a contestant – it was its judge and Maroon 5’s front man. Here, the singer opens up about his natural exhibitionism, why his show trumps ‘Idol’, and how parents should react when a kid is queer.

Read reactions from Ryan Seacrest and “Idol” executive producer Nigel Lythgowe to Levine’s comments.