George Michael: Outed (Documentary)

I still remember that I was in my college when the news of George Michale was all over on how he was caught in a lewd act in public toilet. Somehow, either because of lack of interest or just busy with studies, I never really read more about what really transpired after this and what had actually happened that led to this event. So in that sense, this is a very powerful story of how the musician turned the tables on his homophobic haters, but at the same time, The lack of remorse from those who wrenched star out of the closet is unbelievable. This 2 part documentary was recently telecast on UK' Channel 4.

In 1998, Michael, who was in a relationship with Kenny Goss, one of many invaluable contributors here, was arrested for “engaging in a lewd act” in a public toilet in Beverly Hills, California. The arresting officer, an undercover cop had lured the singer in a sting operation. Michael pleaded no contest, was fined $810 and made to do 80 hours of community service: a minor sentence which reflected the minor nature of the offence. Where Michael paid a higher price, however, was in the court of the media — or at least that part of the tabloid media in the US and, especially, the UK that preyed on celebrities’ indiscretions (and particularly secretly gay celebrities’ indiscretions) — with undisguised glee. What this documentary shows through multiple interviews of cops, ex-boyfriend, cousin and manager and heads of these tabloids, we see how Michael dealt with this situation. For any other superstar, being outed as gay could, given the homophobic climate of the time, have spelled the end of their career. Brilliantly and bravely, Michael turned it to his advantage. Just six months after his conviction, he released the song Outside, accompanied by a cheeky video that mocked his arrest. He went TV interviews and publicly admitted to being gay and being reckless, and took on head on, which not only won him ore fans but the whole tabloid approach of making money out of him fell flat.

The first part of the documentary mainly concentrated on reminding viewers of the hostile backdrop to Michael’s arrest and the circumstances which had persuaded him to remain in the closet. But Michael’s sexuality had always been obvious to those who met him and was probably one of those things that everyone knew but no one talked. It also shows rancid homophobia that infected the media, particularly at the height of the Aids crisis. The two-parter, which arrives seven years after Michael’s death aged 53, combines never-before broadcast audio of the singer with extensive interviews with his cousin/manager and Michael’s long-time partner Kenny Goss. Memories of Michael’s angst and fragility are still very raw for them both. It is staggering though to see, when those journalists are interviewed, they have almost no remorse or apology of doing what they did. In fact, one of them say that 'your misfortune is our fortune'. It isa great documentary that shows us how far we have come from this unfortunate days of 1998, and how much further we still have to go to treat each other as humans. The director examines the unfair and judgmental language that the press used toward queer people in the 1980s and 1990s. The documentary is largely about homophobia in the media and the dangerous ripple effect it causes. It’s also an empowering piece for queer people to recognize how we continue to survive despite the stigmas and shame those in power try to inflict upon us. (7/10)