News release:
Los Angeles, January 22, 2007 - To commemorate the upcoming Lunar New Year on February 7, the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) premiered a public service announcement (PSA) featuring actor Rex Lee (Entourage). This latest installment in GLAAD's ongoing public education campaign "Be an Ally & a Friend" encourages viewers to treat others with dignity and respect regardless of gender identity/expression or sexual orientation.
The PSA will make its broadcast television debut on Thursday, February 7, on ImaginAsian TV (iaTV) and AZN Television in honor of the Chinese New Year, which is the largest Lunar New Year celebration within the East Asian community. ImaginAsian TV is the first 24-hour national television network committed to promoting and serving the diverse cultures that comprise the Asian American community. AZN Television is the network for Asian America and its programming targets the fast-growing, affluent and multi-generational Asian American community, as well as a broader American audience interested in the Asian experience.
"Rex Lee's heartfelt call for the acceptance of all people regardless of sexual orientation and gender identity or expression is a natural fit for this East Asian holiday, and his message reminds us that everyone deserves to be treated with dignity and respect," said GLAAD Asian-Pacific Islander Media Strategist Andy Marra. "We are grateful to ImaginAsian TV and AZN Television for inviting us to reach their audiences with this important message."
The Lunar New Year is celebrated widely in East Asian communities, including China, Taiwan, Korea, Mongolia, Nepal, Bhutan and Vietnam. Despite some individual differences, each community celebrates the Lunar New Year as a time of renewal, family togetherness, paying respect to elders and emphasizing community empowerment.
GLAAD's "Be an Ally & a Friend" PSA campaign features 22 public figures from television, film and sports. The spots encourage people to be allies to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people and to help combat discrimination, directing viewers to resources at GLAAD.org.
Approximately every two weeks, GLAAD is releasing a new 20- or 30-second version of the spot to be aired through broadcast collaborations with Access Hollywood, national cable networks such as Fox Reality, GSN, IFC, ImaginAsian TV, Lifetime, The N, Sci Fi Channel and Sundance Channel; local cable systems and network affiliates; online at LiveVideo, YouTube, AOL Video and MySpace; and others to be announced.
The PSAs were directed by Nadine Licostie and produced by Licostie and Connie Grazia for Red Thread Productions.
About GLAAD
The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) is dedicated to promoting and ensuring fair, accurate and inclusive representation of people and events in the media as a means of eliminating homophobia and discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation. For more information, please visit www.glaad.org.
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