Just watched "Outrage" and I must say that it's a very revealing and interesting doc. As many know politicians are crooks, and they lie and cheat and get involved in scandal mostly bribes and sexual affairs. However one secret that has been hidden which of late is becoming more and more the scandal norm in D.C. and of elected officials all across the land, is that many are closeted homosexuals. Who in engage in affairs and sexual encounters with their own gender. You must stand up and cheer for director Kirby Dick who you can tell as you watch really researched this topic well and was well informed as he interviewed many top sources who knew about the secret lives and sexual scandals of many closeted politicians.Interviews come from many independent internet people and off beat newspaper reporters who have connections to the political world and have even personally seen many of these closeted politicians at gay spots and been told by others of their activities. As gay journalists Andrew Sullivan even gives his take. Also well displayed is the most well known cases beginning with Idaho senator Larry Craig who was caught by an undercover cop in a bathroom stall at a Minnesota airport asking for sex. What's even more shocking is even after this we see in interviews that Craig will not own up and say that he is gay. As shown during his segments and something that is revealing and hurts gay people the most is it shows along with Craig he and all other outed gay politicians continue to vote no and against gay rights bills time after time. As it shows many other lesser known congressman who were found to be gay vote no on gay rights bills.As mentioned in the film from many gays that are fighting for rights they state that this voting no hurts the community. As those in power will not own up to their own faults and guilt of being gay as it hurts deep down inside so therefore their power of voting no defeats the hurt they feel as it's better to keep it inside. As the film states those with power can hide their homosexuality with no problem take the case of former New York mayor Ed Koch who had so much power that he banned his ex lover from the city! And the historians of literature and film give their history take as Tony Kushner showed with his "Angels in America" that this underworld of gay life in politicians from the right wing dates back many years as mentioned the most notable closeted figure was right wing attorney Roy Cohn. It even mentions many friends and staff members of both the Reagan and W. Bush administration were gays.It showcases how politicians work around their hidden homosexuality but yet to stay in the spotlight and to look more acceptable for the right wing they will even do a marriage of convenience. Take the case of Florida republican governor Charlie Crist who married just to look more acceptable for the right wing and Republican voters. Yet still Dick shows an honorable and acceptable side when openly gay Massachusetts congressman Barney Frank talks telling viewers for years that he's been open about his homosexuality and that he feels better for it. And most touching is the words of ex New Jersey governor Jim McGreevey who said it right he was living a lie as he was married to an attractive and elegant looking lady named Dana but inside no matter how hard he tried to hide it he was gay. And coming out and opening up made him feel better and it was a justice feel for all.Overall "Outrage" is a doc to watch it's interesting and revealing you feel anger at the same time a big thumbs up for Kirby Dick who's interviews and resources have exposed many and elaborated on many that were already lit up as more shocking info was told. Even though it's theme is homosexuality it still proves that those in power especially politicians abuse power and go to any means to hide their deepest darkest secrets. And still they feel as if though their actions are above the law. Clearly it's a film that showcases hypocrisy at it's best. As in the docs end as many gays would agree ex San Francisco supervisor and slain gay hero Harvey Milk said it best it would be best if all gays open up to the truth not only for themselves but to everyone. As clearly that's the message these closeted politicians should take it would be a better world for them and everyone else.

Excellent documentary dealing with hypocrisy in our government.If you are a staunch Republican, you will loathe this piece as it brings out that many of our ardent conservatives are condemning the practice of homosexuality, vote constantly against bills that would help homosexuals, when in reality these legislators are closet homosexuals themselves.Larry Craig and other Republicans are prominently mentioned here. The Democrats don't get away with anything here either. Disgraced Gov. McGreevey and New York ex-Mayor Ed Koch are mentioned. Some really awful things are mentioned about Koch. Glad I never voted for him. Since Koch has never admitted to homosexuality, I am surprised that he did not take umbrage with this documentary coming out.

Outrage is aptly titled. Very aptly. It is an indictment of closeted politicians who lobby for anti-gay legislation in the U.S. They are dishonorable people who do dishonorable things out of weakness. If one were to tell me they thought this film was too judgmental of its subjects, I would disagree on the grounds that it remains objective to its found footage and interviewees, but I still might understand the opinion. The film is designed to outrage us by showing us the grave, sad and cyclical injustice that is being done to the gay community right this minute. But it should, because it is a view of the subject that is sadly muted in day-to-day consciousness.The reason we have generally successful politicians in a technologically developed melting pot like, apparently, the United States such as Sen. Larry Craig, Gov. Charlie Crist, Rep. David Dreier and Ed Koch is because people have family and friends whose rights as a person they vote against because they think Charlie Crist is just the most charming guy, or Larry Craig wants to do something as abstract and arguable as protecting our family values. The year is 2009 in a superpower country that claims to the rest of the world to be free and ideal. Is there any significant reason to be nice about it anymore? Kirby Dick went to great lengths to be more honest than anyone else has ever been about the MPAA Ratings Board for his vital documentary This Film Is Not Yet Rated. Doing the same here is the sole key to his achieving a state of pure rage and disheartenment at the vanity, the spinelessness, the disingenuousness required to be embraced as a candidate in the Republican Party in this day and age. Yes, even that one. Of course he seems honest and down-to-earth and brave. The subjects of this documentary appear the same to that very constituency.In This Film Is Not Yet Rated, Dick actually began an official investigation into the lives of his subjects. Similarly here, he accompanies an investigator already working on uncovering the truth about the candidates who have fought to conform to an ideology in order to use a public office to seal the deal against those who share their pain and deal with it to more constructive ends. We see some of them, too. And they make a lot more sense when they talk, because they're Mass. Rep. Barney Frank, playwrights Larry Kramer and Tony Kushner, and columnist Michelangelo Signorile.The film is exactly what your conservative family and friends need to see. I know about the unspoken peace treaty on talking politics, and you don't have to. Just recommend a documentary that just blew you away called Outrage and tell them to sit down because they've got to watch it. It beats the eggshell-ridden small talk about school and work and other people.

This is a new documentary from filmmaker Kirby Dick and it is a pleasure. Outrage looks at notable people in American politics who actively fight against any legislation that may help gay Americans achieve the same equal rights enjoyed by heterosexuals. But the twist is, these politicians are themselves gay and are living a hypocritical double life.The film also looks at various journalists, mostly from the independent and underground press who investigate gay rumors and then confront the guilty with the truth and in doing so, effectively "out" them.Outrage makes the salient point that the reason so many of these intrepid journalists come from the non-mainstream media is because the mainstream media outlets simply prefer to ignore these kinds of stories, in part because of guilt over their own complicity in demonizing something that is not wrong, i.e. being gay.But those people expecting a salacious film full of trashy rumor and innuendo will be disappointed. Outrage is a well researched and balanced documentary that takes a difficult topic and still manages to find moments of humor without sacrificing the necessary seriousness.And this topic is deadly serious. People have died as a result of closeted gay politicians voting against AIDS funding and hate crimes legislation. And the elected officials who do that while still enjoying the "gay" lifestyle are beyond despicable, they are downright criminal.It's no surprise that most of the hypocrites are conservative Republicans and Outrage addresses why there is such a clear disparity between the humongous number of hypocritical politicians among Republicans and the vastly fewer number among Democrats.As it is explained, when Gerald Ford and Jimmy Carter ran for the Presidency in 1976, at that time, it could be argued that both the Republican Party and the Democratic Party were about equal in their support for gay rights.But starting with Ronald Reagan and continuing downward to George W., the Republican Party has made a dangerous Faustian pact with the arrogant and bigoted leaders of the Christian Right (which is neither).So, in exchange for plenty of money and votes, Republican candidates have been forced to adopt their hateful anti-gay lunacy, along with their misogyny and complete religious intolerance.This means that many decent Republican candidates who are firm believers in solid Republican values of small government and creating a pro-business climate are now forced to go along with idiotic policies they don't agree with like banning gay marriage or forbidding adoption by gay couples.But they have to do it or they won't get the cash or votes they need to get elected in some parts of the country. This is a very sad state of affairs and the Christian Right will eventually destroy the Republican Party, if they have not already done so. You have been warned!Much of the film looks at some recent, but noteworthy cases of famous gay men who have been caught in double lives like former New Jersey Governor Jim McGreevy and former Arizona Senator Jim Kolbe.It is completely amazing that all of them, to a person says that finally coming out of the closet was the best thing that ever happened to them with Jim McGreevy saying it most eloquently when he says (I'm paraphrasing) "the only right value is living the truth, not someone else's conception of the truth".But, for every breath of fresh honesty, there are ten douche-bags like Idaho Senator Larry Craig. This sanctimonious fool has been rumored to be gay for his entire career and was eventually arrested for soliciting sex from a cop in an airport bathroom, and the man still denies he's gay.But, you know something? I believe him. Senator Larry Craig can engage in sodomy or fellatio all day, every day and that won't make him gay. It just makes him a guy that likes homo-sex.Outrage even manages to make you feel sorry for the supremely deluded Larry Craig. Really, a guy with this much cognitive dissonance affecting the intimate parts of his life is a man in real, demonstrable psychological pain.He needs our compassion. He needs psychiatric help. What he doesn't need is a vote in the Senate. It's the same way I feel sorry for an alcoholic who can't stop drinking, I understand it's difficult, but that doesn't mean I'm going to let you drive a car.Outrage, director Kirby Dick combines very excellent interviews with a treasure trove of local and national news clips that make the filmmakers points with a hefty sense humor combined with a political stridency that you would think would get tiring, but doesn't.I happened to see the film tonight at a Preview Screening with Kirby Dick in attendance answering questions and he proved to be as quick witted and knowledgeable as his film.If Outrage plays anywhere near you, please take the time to see it or most certainly add it to your Netflix queue when it is available on DVD