Milk Oscar Winner to Obama: Get With It!

Milk win stirs politics backstage at the Oscars

By Ted Casablanca Feb 23, 2009 3:25 AMTags
Josh Brolin, Sean Penn, MilkDanny Nicoletta/Focus Features

"Absolutely," Best Original Screenplay winner Dustin Lance Black told me, when I asked him if he felt President Obama should reverse his stance on gay marriage.

Black had just won for his moving and compelling story of slain gay rights activist Harvey Milk. Black's touching acceptance speech included a plug for gay marriage, which, of course, California voters just famously—and barely—shot down.

Black wasn't done with things presidential when I caught up with him:

"I'd' also like [Obama] to repeal 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell,' " Black said about things he'd' like changed in Washington. Us, too! To hell with this business of gays being second-class citizens, and there's a no place like the Oscars to get the message out!

P.S. to Tom Hanks and Penélope Cruz: Tom, thanks for getting this anti-Prop 8 party started at the Globes this year! And, Penélope, thanks for your teary words at the podium and backstage, too, that it's the artists who need to get messages of hope out the most.

There are more than a few of us who agree with you.

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