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'Torchwood's' John Barrowmann on P.M. David Cameron's support of same-sex kissing ban on UK TV
"Torchwood" star John Barrowman is stunned and dismayed by British Prime Minister David Cameron's apparent support for a ban on showing same-sex kissing on U.K. television outside late-night "adult" viewing hours.Cameron reportedly favors a policy that would forbid showing any such images during the "pre-watershed" TV hours before 9 p.m. That doesn't sit well with the openly gay Barrowman, whose "Torchwood" character, Capt. Jack Harkness, likewise is no stranger to kissing other men.
"I'm shocked," Barrowman says. "I don't have all the information, but if it's true and it's going to happen, I think it's ridiculous. If we can see a man and a woman kiss [in the earlier hours], we should be able to see two men kiss or two women kiss. It's a sign of affection and love. There's nothing dirty about it. It's perfectly natural, perfectly normal. To do this suggests that it's bad, that's it's wrong. And there is nothing about me and my life that is wrong."
The actor says he's especially surprised by this news because he was invited to 10 Downing Street after Cameron became prime minister. "They wanted to have a relationship with a lot of the gay community and get their thoughts on stuff," he says. "This frightens me, because this goes back to what I call the old conservative ways of the Conservative party in the U.K. It shows that they are not being progressive and not moving forward."
Barrowman says he isn't advocating showing full-on sex scenes during pre-watershed hours, "but a kiss? That's ridiculous. This sparks a bit of a flame in me, and it's something that I will stand up for."
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And here I thought the UK was light years ahead of the US on the subject of equality. Cameron should be ashamed. I hope John's high profile there will force public outcry against Cameron's nonsensical stance. >_
I'm with John. It's just a kiss, for goodness' sake!
That's just ridiculous, I totally agree with John, there is nothing wrong with two people showing they love each other through a kiss. It's just a kiss!
karma is a b!tch. that's what they get for killing ianto.
So does that mean Torchwood: Miracle Day will be shown edited (or not shown until the middle of the night) for some episodes because we ALL know Jack will meet up with a guy at SOME point (he has to move past Ianto) and they will have to kiss. Plus here in the States, Starz is doing a LOT more than kissing with their shows... I think I'm being a little *shudder* conservative with my estimate here.
i am surprized that some people are old fashioned it time to move on it shouldent matter if men kissing men or woman kissing woman or men and woman people should just get over them self there is a lots worse can be shown on tv its not hurting anyone i think the pm should just shut up
"I'm shocked," Barrowman says. "I don't have all the information, but if it's true and it's going to happen, I think it's ridiculous."
This is the critical quote. John doesn't have all the information. This story has no link back to Cameron, he's never said anything about same sex kissing - it's all just come from a fuss generated by the Daily Mail and whipped up by a soapstar and The Sun. Cameron, I'm sure, has no interest or concern about same-sex kissing, you people just need to READ.
@Dan Torchwood is a post-watershed series, so this will have no effect on it at all. What it would mean is a show likely to air pre-watershed, like Glee, would have to be edited if certain episodes were to air in the US (Glee fans know what I'm talking about). It will also result in at least two episodes of Star Trek Deep Space Nine being banned from UK TV, however, as that is not a post-watershed series.
@Alex Glee is aired at 9pm, so is also a post-watershed series and wouldn't need any editing.
I don't believe that this is true whatsoever - the original source for it was the Daily Mail, which instantly raises suspicions - as they're about as trustworthy as a pan made of chicken wire. They make stuff up continuously - about people, about places, about illnesses, about politics - and especially about minority groups such as LGBT and immigrants.
Unless something does seem to be moving forward, or a confirmed source runs the story with proper accreditation, then I won't bother to be worried.
I don't want to believe that something this stupid, archaic and insulting might actually be put in place in the UK. It's unfeasible and unmanageable. Friends of the same sex kiss - will that be banned? Same-sex couples exist in this thing called real life - are they to be banned from kissing outdoors?
Is there some sort of assumption that heterosexuals are less sexual beings than non-heterosexuals? Or will seeing two people of the same sex kiss turn the world GHAY? I mean ... srsly ...
I'll stop now, before I actually start banging my head on a wall...
I think that Cameron is overreacting here. It's just kissing not full on sex! If people don't like it, all they have to do is switch channels! Common sense-easy as that!