It’s Debra Messing, You Gays

“Will & Grace” Star Eric McCormack Didn’t Want To Play Gay, Megan Mullally Reveals

The Huffington Post reports:

“Will & Grace” is often cited as a pioneering sitcom in terms of its portrayal of openly gay characters and relationships. But one of the show’s stars wasn’t so enthusiastic about tackling a gay role.
In a new interview on Larry King Now, actress Megan Mullally reveals that her co-star Eric McCormack was hesitant to accept the rule of Will Truman, due in part to the character’s sexuality, at first.
“Everybody originally passed — all four of us originally passed on the roles,” Mullally notes. “Eric McCormack had been playing a manly cowboy on a series in Canada and didn’t want to play gay.”
Of course, McCormack — who ended up nabbing an Emmy for the role — eventually signed on, alongside Mullally, Sean Hayes and Debra Messing.

Well, give the guy the credit for taking on the rol at the end. Remember Will & Grace first aired back in 1998.

Via debramessingaround:

Event:
Messing, Shah, and global and local leaders dedicated to creating an AIDS free generation will discuss how packaging a wide range of HIV interventions helps to dramatically reduce new infections. Speakers will highlight the role partnership plays in delivering HIV prevention tools where they are needed most.

Hosts:
PSI (Population Services International)

Speakers:
Debra Messing, Award Winning Actress, PSI Global Health Ambassador
Dr. Rajiv Shah, USAID Administrator
Dr. Paul De Lay, Deputy Executive Director UNAIDS
Paul Hempel, Senior Vice President, Ethics and Compliance, Alere
Dr. Krishna Jafa, Director, Sexual & Reproductive Health and TB, PSI
Chief Mumena of the Kaonde people of Solwezi, Zambia

When:
Tuesday, July 24, 2012 at 2:00 p.m.

Where:
Walter E. Washington Convention Center (Press Conf. Room #1)
801 Mount Vernon Place NW
Washington, DC 20001

Source

Will & Grace Stars, Eric McCormack & Debra Messing, “Pray For A Gay Child”

Pink News reports:

Eric McCormack and Debra Messing, stars of the ground-breaking sitcom Will and Grace have joked that they now pray their children will grow up gay.
McCormack and Messing had been hosting an event for LGBT suicide prevention charity The Trevor Project at the Chelsea Piers in New York City, which they described as “one of the nation’s most beautiful urban parks/cruising grounds”, on Monday.
With the approbation of the vice president for their work advancing views on equal marriage in the US, the actors said they ought to have had an invitation to dinner at the White House or “at least a tea with Michelle”.
In May, shortly before President Obama’s support for equal marriage, Vice President Joe Biden said last he “absolutely comfortable” with gay couples marrying. He credited Will and Grace with evolving many American’s attitudes to homosexuality.
He said: “I think Will & Grace probably did more to educate the American public than almost anything anybody has done so far. People fear that is different and now they’re beginning to understand.”
When McCormack said they hoped for a world in which gay, bi or transgender children could grow up “safe and equal to their straight peers”, Messing joked they were possibly better.
McCormack, who is straight, said: “I pray to God my son grows up gay.”
Messing, who also has a son, added: “I know. I’d be devastated if my son grows up to be a hetero. I mean, I’d still love him … but as a parent you just envision a certain life for your child. I mean, if he’s straight, think of all the fabulous things he’s going to miss out on.
“When I think my son might never know the joys of having a quarter share on Fire Island and walking through Judy Garland Memorial Park on the way to the Meat Rack…

Debra Messing Tweets About Vice President Joe Biden’s Remarks On Will & Grace

Grace Back on TV With New Will

The Advocate reports:

Former Will & Grace star Debra Messing will return to series television as leading lady opposite a gay male character in NBC’s Smash, reports website Deadline.
According to the site, “Smash is an ambitious drama about the mounting of a Broadway musical, which was based on an idea by Steven Spielberg. The pilot … follows a cross section of characters who come together to put on a Marilyn Monroe musical on Broadway. At the heart of the show are the musical’s composer Tom, who is gay, and the lyricist Julia (Messing), who is somewhat against the idea of a Marilyn Monroe-themed musical.”
Besides Spielberg, the series comes with an incredibly impressive pedigree. Among the executive producers are Chicago and Hairspray producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron and Grammy and Tony award-winning songwriters Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman, who will write original songs for the show. American Idiot’s Michael Mayer will direct.