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Hollywood Has Its First Gay Studio Chief

Ross' role at Disney is a milestone, but the industry just shrugs

By Harry Kimball, Newser Staff

Posted Oct 7, 2009 12:06 PM CDT

(Newser) – You wouldn’t know it from the press—well, most of the press—but Hollywood has just passed a milestone and minted its first openly gay studio chief. Rich Ross has taken over at Disney, which "has long been the most gay friendly studio in Hollywood,” writes Patrick Goldstein in the Los Angeles Times. And while this is a "really big first," nobody in the industry or outside it seems to care. "It's about time," one producer tells him.

"Disney hasn't exactly been playing up that Ross is gay," writes Goldstein. "But there are two ways of interpreting that. It's possible that Disney is hoping no one makes a fuss or that none of the business reporters who will eventually interview Ross will make his personal life an issue. But it's also possible that after all these years, the sexual orientation of a major entertainment executive isn't big news anymore. That alone would be a huge step forward."

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Fireworks light up the sky on Cinderella Castle at the Magic Kingdom in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. (AP Photo)

Rich Ross. (AP Photo)

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It's possible that Disney is hoping no one makes a fuss...But it's also possible that after all these years, the sexual orientation of a major entertainment executive isn't big news anymore. - Patrick Goldstein

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COMMENTS

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Showing 3 of 9 comments

fancygapva

Oct 8, 2009 12:47 PM CDT

Gay is not "catching"

fancygapva

Oct 8, 2009 12:46 PM CDT

Disney has ALWAYS hired lots of gay artists and producers. Headline should have read First Openly Gay Studeo Chief. Now, all y'all homophobes have a ball thinking about the nasssssttttttyyyyy things gay people do....

Robert_Dada

Oct 8, 2009 1:15 AM CDT

Always an a-hole newsrmandan imbecile.

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Hollywood Has Its First Gay Studio Chief