Actress Ellen Barkin has described the
decision by a Utah-based NBC affiliate to not air the gay-themed
sitcom The New Normal as “homophobic.”
The New Normal features
a gay couple (played by Andrew Rannells and Justin Bartha) trying to
start a family and the surrogate mother (Georgia King) who comes to
their aid.
Jeff
Simpson, CEO of KSL-TV parent company of the Mormon Church-owned
Bonneville International, on Friday told Deseret News
that the show “feels inappropriate.”
Simpson reportedly
cited crude dialogue and offensive characterizations as reasons
for keeping the show off its fall schedule.
Barkin, who co-stars in the upcoming
sitcom from Glee creator Ryan Murphy, took to Twitter to
express herself.
“Anyone in Utah
interested in @NBCTheNewNormal please clog up @KSL5TV feed 4 their
blatantly homophic [sic] decision 2 not air the show #KSLBigots,”
she messaged her more than 102,000 Twitter followers.
“So L&O SVU (rape and child
murder) is ok? But loving gay couple having a baby is inappropriate,”
she added. “Shame on u @kslcom.”
The station's decision comes a month
after the Christian conservative group One Million Moms called
for an ad boycott against the show.
(Related: Ryan
Murphy: One Million Moms will love The
New Normal.)