Queer Nation Protests At Today Show

Yesterday several of you emailed me to wonder what they’d just seen over the shoulders of Today Show hosts Kathy Lee Gifford and Hoda Kotb. Queer Nation activist Duncan Osborne explains:

“We walked in from 49th and 6th because they had the small crowd on the little plaza and the 49th St. side of the plate glass windows was unobstructed. As we whipped open… the Boycott Homophobia banner and pulled out Gay-Bashing is not an Olympic Sport signs, the cops tried to grab us and hustle us across the street. We insisted on holding our ground (Get your hands off me! This is a public sidewalk!) and succeeded in staying there, evidently quite visible over Hoda’s shoulder. After 5-10 minutes, they went to commercial, and got up from the anchor desk. Kathie Lee gave a smile and wave to the plaza crowd, then turned and looked at us, glared at me, and refused to return the smile and wave I was giving her. About 15 minutes later, they came back to the anchor desk for a segment. This time Kathie Lee looked at me, still stony, but felt forced to return my wave a little. Then they lowered the curtains around the whole studio. We packed up and left. A good time was had by all. All except for Kathie Lee, apparently.”

That’s famed activist and Gay USA host Ann Northrop behind the letter “B”. Photo by Donna Aceto.