An Open Letter to Kim Cattrall regarding the hypocrisy of Ben Cohen attending an anti-bullying event at Sidetrack the Video Bar (a venue that promotes bullying)
VIA Open Letter, Email, and Post:
August 26, 2011
Dear Ms. Cattrall,
I write to you because you have been a strong, public supporter of the Ben Cohen Standup Foundation and its published mission of being “dedicated solely to the cause of anti-bullying, wherever and to whomever it occurs”. Your photo (above, with Naya Rivera and Ben Cohen) is featured on the Foundation’s website and lends your image and good name, and with them great credence, to the public’s belief that Ben Cohen takes his Foundation’s mission seriously and means what he says when he promises to end bullying “wherever and to whomever it occurs”.
Considering the above, you need to know that Ben Cohen is currently scheduled to appear at Sidetrack the Video Bar on August 30th, 2011 for an event promoting the Standup Foundation in which he will appear on stage alongside Bradley Thomas Balof, a Sidetrack employee who is billed as the event’s MC and auctioneer.
On August 16th, 2011 at 730pm, Sidetrack screened the premiere episode of “Only@Brunch” which features Bradley Thomas Balof as co-host of this gay Chicago talk show, with format similar to “The View”. Sidetrack aired this video on its largest screen, provided free mimosas to attract viewers, and allowed its official logo to be featured on promotional materials with Sidetrack’s clear endorsement of the “Only@Brunch” content.
At the 1:37 mark of this video, another “Only@Brunch” co-host, Jesse Budlong, attacked Trig Palin, the son of Governor Sarah Palin and her husband Todd, with tasteless and unjustified bullying (for being a toddler with Down Syndrome). This attack arose while the “Only@Brunch” cast bullied Congresswoman Michele Bachmann because of her gender and physical appearance — and resulted in five minutes of these gay men mocking her looks in a video that Sidetrack aired in the Main Bar area of this Chicago gay establishment (the most prominent placement Sidetrack could give this bullying, in the most prominent gay venue in the country).
As a gay man living and working here in Chicago, I am ashamed of the way leaders of the gay community, such as Sidetrack’s owners Art Johnston and Jose Pepin “Pepe” Pena, consistently engage in hypocrisy like this.
Because of articles I wrote here on HillBuzz.org about this outrage, “Only@Brunch” was forced to issue a statement acknowledging the tasteless and unjustifiable nature of its bullying attack. Subsequently, “Only@Brunch” edited out its mocking of Trig Palin from the video it currently features on YouTube, but retained the five minutes of bullying directed at Congresswoman Bachmann. Sidetrack and its owners have made no apology whatsoever for providing this bullying a venue in which to air publicly before a large crowd.
Trig Palin is a common target for bullying attacks in the gay community, with venues such as Sidetrack airing videos that mock him and others with special needs for the way they were born. Similarly, Sidetrack has a long and documented history of brutally bullying women, Christians, and people with conservative political beliefs. Sidetrack features a weekly Thursday “Laugh Track Comedy Night”, which Bradley Thomas Balof often hosts, that invariably includes sexist and misogynistic attacks on Christian women such as Congresswoman Bachmann, Governor Sarah Palin, Governor Jan Brewer, columnist Ann Coulter, and others. Sidetrack is the only gay bar in Chicago that engages in this sort of orchestrated, endemic bullying on its video screens, I think because it’s the biggest bar in town and regularly attracts celebrities like Ben Cohen for events.
Since they believe they can get away with this, and possess so much political and economic clout, Sidetrack’s owners Johnston and Pena apparently see no problem with hosting an anti-bullying event on August 30th, 2011 (in which conservatives and Christians will be scolded for allegedly bullying gay people) after airing the “Only@Brunch” video on August 16th, 2011 (which showcased gay people bullying a special needs child and women who are conservative and Christian).
The hypocrisy is obvious and glaring — and does a great disservice to the Ben Cohen Standup Foundation because it’s certainly an affront to the published mission of dedication “solely to the cause of anti-bullying, wherever and to whomever it occurs”. Except when gay people are doing the bullying, and the victims are a toddler with Down Syndrome and Christian women the gay community doesn’t like, it would seem.
On a very personal level, Ms. Cattrall, I need to tell you that I have friends in New York City who have volunteered with God’s Love We Deliver and have gotten to know you, somewhat, through its own mission. My friends tell me you are hardworking, gracious, and truly committed to the causes you endorse. You are, they assure me, the real deal and no fan of hypocrisy. In New York, I’m told you are often an angel that rescues many a fundraising event, often agreeing to appear at the very last minute if another speaker falls through or something important is not getting enough attention. Seeing Kim Cattrall attached to anything means the organization involved deserves the public’s support and confidence. There aren’t words to properly thank you for all you do, for so very many.
For the last five days, I have been asking for an explanation from the Ben Cohen Standup Foundation for why Mr. Cohen remains scheduled to appear at Sidetrack the Video Bar here in Chicago on August 30th, 2011 after Sidetrack so egregiously aired a clear bullying attack on Trig Palin, Congresswoman Bachmann, and others on August 16th, 2011. I have corresponded with, and spoken to over the phone, Patrick Davis, the President of the Ben Cohen Standup Foundation on multiple occasions. While incredibly polite and unfailingly professional, Mr. Davis has STILL not explained to me why the Foundation is rewarding Sidetrack’s bad behavior with a personal appearance by Mr. Cohen. Sidetrack stands to make a great deal of money August 30th, because Mr. Cohen is a sought-after sex symbol in the gay community that draws large, thirsty, crowds to any bar he visits.
Can you please contact Mr. Patrick Davis at the Ben Cohen Standup Foundation (404-347-7778 or Patrick@BenCohenUSA.com) and ask him to explain why Mr. Cohen is choosing to abandon his pledge to standup to bullying “wherever and to whomever it occurs” by appearing in a venue that fosters bullying here in Chicago’s gay community?
I have spent the last week drawing attention to the fact that bullying towards special needs children, conservatives, Christians, and women is ongoing at Sidetrack the Video Bar here in Chicago and is a very serious problem in our community exacerbated by Sidetrack’s owners Johnston and Pena.
If Mr. Cohen chooses to honor his scheduled appearance at Sidetrack next Tuesday August 30th, 2011, he’s clearly voiding the Foundation’s mission and encouraging this sort of bullying committed by the gay community in Chicago to amplify nationwide.
It’s a bigger issue than just something happening here in Chicago, because this act of hypocrisy will permanently undermine the Foundation’s mission and will cast doubt on its “anti-bullying wherever and to whomever it occurs” core tenet.
Thank you Ms. Cattrall for involving yourself in this matter and inquiring of Mr. Cohen and Mr. Davis exactly what’s going on here, and how the August 30th appearance at Sidetrack complements the stated mission of the Ben Cohen Standup Foundation.
Kevin DuJan
Founder and Editor, HillBuzz.org
Fan of yours since Mannequin, permanent admirer because of God’s Love We Deliver
© 2011, Kevin DuJan. All rights reserved.
Also Recommended:
- HYPOCRISY ALERT! Ben Cohen to hold anti-bullying event August 30, 2011 at Sidetrack the Video Bar in Boystown, which is a bar that airs videos bullying special needs children, conservatives, Christians, and women
- Please leave comment on Sidetrack’s official page and ask them about hypocrisy of hosting a Ben Cohen anti-bullying event just two weeks after Sidetrack aired the Only@Brunch video bullying Trig Palin
- An Open Letter to Art Johnston Owner of Sidetrack the Video Bar Asking Why Hatred Towards Special Needs Children is Allowed to Play on His Screens
- Sunday Action Item: Can you please leave a comment on the YouTube video of the Chicago gay talk show that’s mocking Trig Palin? UPDATE: Video removed by Only@Brunch, but all comments screengrabbed and preserved in this thread.
- America Rising Video: An Open Letter to Democrats
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Great letter, Kevin! Many thanks for continuing to call out this hypocrisy. Hope Ms. Cattrall responds to your letter.
It’s a shame the Ben Cohen Standup Foundation has created a situation where I had to reach out to her.
It’s also been sent to her agents, PR people, and to her personally at the private address I have for her.
She is a great person. I hope she makes the call to Ben Cohen to ask whey this is happening.
What a great letter Kevin! My close friend is friends with Kim and I once enojoyed a dinner cooked by her boyfriend. I believe that she is a kind and charitable person. Hopefully she will read your letter and take it seriously. One thing that I would have changed or perhaps added to your letter; when refering to Sarah Palin as simpy a Chrisitan Conservative woman, I would have added-"the kind that has the courage to give a child with Down's Syndrom a chance at life."
If you could have your friend send it to Ms. Cattrall, that would be great. I only have her agents’ emails and a mail address, not her personal email. If you can get this to her through your connections, it would be a big help!
KD-dang (sounds like K. D. Lang but is more snazzy!),
You are awesome.
Your verbal and intellectual talents are a force of nature.
You are the Captain of HillBuzz!
Blessings on your path!
Great letter!
Know what I would produce if I had such talents? A video using Lady Gaga's song "Born this Way" as the soundtrack, showing one photo or video after another of precious people with Down Syndrome, then physical disabilities, then autism, then people of multiple races… Let's spread the respect around, no?
So great to see you back in the forefront at Hillbuzz, too, btw! I've not been around the internet much recently due to Much Crap in My Life, and this is such a nice surprise to see your writing here again. I was concerned about you.
Beautiful letter!
"The 501(c)3 non-profit status application of the Ben Cohen StandUp Foundation is in process. We expect to be able to issue non-profit contribution letters by February 2012, pending approval." (from the "submit your donation here" button page.
I've heard these applications can be completed in less than a month. In the meantime, correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe it's "all about the benjamins" (no pun intended).