This weekend, I caught a Facebook status update from my good, straight, awesome LGBT ally friend, Amir.
It read:
“Is Oxygen Network homophobic? Cuz they cut the Cruel Intentions kiss btwn Selma Blair and Sarah Michelle Gellar just now.”
Cruel Intentions WITHOUT the kiss? For those of you who don’t know the film, it’s a fairly integral and important part of the story.
As the troublemaking homosexual I am, I promised Amir I’d get to the bottom of it. With my finger poised cautiously over the GLAAD speed dial on my phone, I searched for email addresses for everyone at the Oxygen Network I could find. I wrote to several individuals in the publicity and marketing office and pressed send.
Having not heard back 4 days later, I followed-up today. Within an hour, I heard back from Meredith Gold – Senior Director of Program Planning for the network.
It seems TV versions of movies are cut by the studios, approved by directors and sent to the networks. When the director has approved of the TV version, no further edits can be made. Such was the case with Sony, Director Roger Kumble and Cruel Intentions and this cut of it which was probably made more than 10 years ago (back before Katy Perry was yodeling about kissing girls regularly).
The good news though…after hearing from just a small handful of viewers, the Oxygen Network sprang into action, got in touch with Sony and Sony is re-cutting a version of the film which will include the ever-important kiss. As it goes with movies on cable networks, it will air thousands of times most likely in the next year. The new cut of the film will begin airing on the network in the coming few weeks pending director approval.
Moral of the story: When you see something, say something.
UPDATE: I received word from Oxygen that the unedited version of the film is now in-house at the network. It will air this weekend starting on Saturday night at 8:30pm! Tune in! And thank you again for listening to your viewers, Oxygen!
For your edification, the cut scene:
Talk About Equality 