-By Warner Todd Huston
Earlier this afternoon, Mike Parker long-time reporter from CBS 2 News, Chicago, gave me a ring and asked me to make a quick trip downtown Chicago — well, “quick” being relative with Chicago traffic at rush hour — to appear with him in a piece on the recent announcement by the good folks at Archie Comics that they intended to add an openly gay character to their Archie comic book series.
It was a bit unusual for me. Not to be on TV, but to have TV call me about an item I hadn’t yet written about. I saw this story this morning but thought I’d put off writing about it until later tonight or Saturday. Now, usually I get everyone mad at me after I’ve written about something, but it looks like Mr. Parker wanted to initiate a preemptive strike with this one! Ha, ha.
Anyway, Mr. Parker was quite correct that I had a thing or two to say about the matter and I hope that I was able to effectively convey those ideas in the interview that will appear tonight during the 10 O’Clock news on Channel 2.
What struck me about this Archie announcement is that it seems we’re about to lose yet another safe haven for kid’s entertainment. Introducing a gay character may be “realistic” but does Archie have to be realistic? Kid’s entertainment doesn’t have to “reflect the current world of Teens.” It doesn’t have to present harsh realities or controversy. It can just be about fun or fantasy and it doesn’t have to delve into every aspect of life whether it be provocative, even deviate. Will the Archies have a skinhead character? Will they have a Holocaust denier character? Or how about on the other end of the spectrum and putting in a strict Christian character? Will Archie get one of those? Likely not as it doesn’t fit the liberal agenda.
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Gay Archie Comic Character: My Channel 2 News Response”