Cleary Wolters Reveals Her Story In “Out Of Orange” (Audio)

In this exclusive audio interview Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™ talks with Cleary Wolters about her memoir “Out Of Orange”. Cleary is the real inspiration of Piper Kerman’s “Orange Is The New Black” character Nora Jansen that became the Netflix series’ Alex Vause portrayed by Laura Prepon. “Out Of Orange” is Wolters’ riveting backstory about the criminal activities that led to Cleary and Piper’s imprisonment as well as what really happened during incarceration. After her release in 2008 Wolters thought she left her scandalous past behind her until she saw a commercial for a new TV show that stopped her in her tracks. The scene showed a young blond woman hopping out of a van wearing an orange prison uniform. A blur of words and images followed including allusions to lesbian lovers, drug smuggling and life behind bars. Then she saw a woman wearing her signature black-rimmed glasses and dropped the remote. In that moment Cleary knew that her private past had been brought to light in the most public way imaginable and nothing would ever be the same again. Cleary talks about the inspiration for revealing her side of the story in this must-read memoir “Out Of Orange” and gives us her spin on our LGBT issues.

When asked what her personal commitment is to LGBT civil rights Wolters stated, “I came out in 1980 and in 1980 in big cities, urban places where fashion is born from, we were tolerated, at best. Things have changed dramatically in the 35 years since I came out but we’re nowhere near done with the change that needs to occur. I would like to live in a world where anyone LGBTQ gets to share in the American Dream, I mean all of it from birth to death. I would like to see Americans in general, politicians specifically, treat oppression of LGBTQ people anywhere in the world the same way as they treat oppression for crimes against humanity, human rights, genocide, any of these things directed at us needs to be treated exactly the way they’re directed at any other group of people and even then we’re not done. Again beyond that as long as there is a human being tortured or killed or imprisoned for who they are, we’re a long way from home.”

Cleary Wolters, the real-life inspiration for the character Alex Vause in the Netflix series “Orange Is The New Black” was charged with conspiracy to import heroin and served almost 6 years in a Dublin, California prison before being paroled in 2008. When “Orange Is The New Black” first came out Wolters was prevented from telling her story under a gag order as part of her probation and was restricted from any contact with Piper Kerman or any others involved in the drug conspiracy case. Cleary has been writing all her life and while in prison wrote volumes of written poetry, fiction and screenplays. “Out Of Orange” is her first memoir published by HarperOne. Currently she’s editing a trilogy of novels she wrote while in prison and a follow-up to “Out Of Orange”. Wolters is also a software testing engineer by profession and is currently working on her PhD in Information Assurance and Security. She lives in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Jeremy Kramer)
For More Info: clearywolters.com

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Atomic Veterans Speak In New Documentary (AUDIO)

In this exclusive audio interview Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™ talks with documentary filmmaker Garry DuFour about his current project “Atomic Veterans Speak.” From 1942 until 1962 almost 200,000 U.S. soldiers were often unknowingly exposed to different levels of radiation during the testing of atomic and hydrogen weapons. DuFour, a disabled Vietnam veteran living in Vermont is bringing recognition, respect and honor to these heroes who were used as human guinea pigs by the Department of Defense. Out of almost 200,000 U.S. soldiers who witnessed these bomb explosions less than 15 per cent are alive today. Dufour is currently conducting interviews with the survivors of these horrific government experiments whose ages run from the youngest at 79 to those well into their 90’s. Garry first learned of these secret to top-secret nuclear experiments when he was a staff member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs from 1979 to 1981 when veterans who witnessed several nuclear blasts were coming down with different types of cancers due to radiation poisoning. The Chairman of the Committee, the late Senator Alan Cranston of California was the first Senator to hold hearings about the Atomic Veterans, who they were now known as, to provide health care and compensation for since hardly any records were kept to verify they participated in these secret tests. We talked to Garry about his inspiration for his documentary “Atomic Veterans Speak” and as a fierce gay ally his spin on our LGBT equality.

When asked what his personal commitment is to LGBT civil rights Dufour stated, “I was a combat chaplain's assistant in Vietnam, 101st airborne and believe me if you will all types of soldiers and I mean all types would come to our of office. Well the office probably was a bunker way out in Vietnam and talked about to the Chaplin about their problems. And I noticed when you brought up LGBT that out in combat most soldiers don’t care about your sexual orientation. The deeper, the hotter combat you were there to work together and the Chaplin and I noticed that. I mean you were out there and we were one solid team. It doesn’t matter your sexual orientation or years ago some people would say sexual preference and I came across several not only gay soldiers but bisexual ones and I always thought the military was at least 20% gay, bisexual and the gay soldiers, bisexual and lesbian, they’re not only fighting for their country, even if they’re stateside but some of them are obviously putting up with harassment right within the ranks. Those soldiers have a lot on their shoulders and they’re still doing a darn good job.”

Garry DuFour handled correspondence between the government and veterans who were exposed nuclear radiation and fallout from Top Secret experiments conducted by the US Government in the early development of nuclear weapons during WWII. During this time he photocopied many of these letters that explained how these soldiers were used as guinea pigs to see the effects. This information was not released to the public until the Clinton Administration in the mid 1990’s. Dufour was also appointed by a federal judge for the Agent Orange Class Action Lawsuit Distribution Plan. Garry has had a unique career ranging from acting in California to reporting for "Stars and Stripes" to multiple positions in the United States Senate. He hopes his documentary “Atomic Veterans Speak” will honor and recognize these heroes and their families for their service and sacrifice.
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Betty Buckley Returns To Provincetown In September (Audio)

In this exclusive audio interview Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™ talks with Tony Winner Betty Buckley about her upcoming events presented by Adam Berry at the Peregrine Theatre Ensemble in Provincetown, Massachusetts on September 2nd, 3rd and 4th. Buckley is doing a "talk back" with the audience after the performance of "Carrie the Musical" on Sept. 2nd and on Sept. 3rd and 4th she will be performing songs from her album "Ghostlight" produced by T Bone Burnett and material from her musical theater catalogue for a two-night concert event entitled "An Evening With Betty Buckley". Betty has been called “The Voice of Broadway” and won a Tony Award for her performance as Grizabella, the Glamour Cat, in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s “Cats”. Her career spans across theater, film, television and concert halls around the world and she was inducted into the Theater Hall of Fame in 2012. Currently she’s appearing as Big Edie in the musical “Grey Gardens” now through August 30th at Bay Street Theater in Sag Harbor, New York. We talked to Betty about her busy summer schedule and as a fierce gay ally she shared her insights on our LGBT issues.

When asked what her personal commitment is to LGBT civil rights Buckley stated, “Everyone in theater is completely committed to that and has great concern because all of our companions are gay. So many artists in the theater are gay men and gay women, that’s been a cause of mine. My original dance teachers from the time I was eleven in Fort Worth, Texas were a gay couple. Thank God for gay people in the arts and in theater and design. What would we do otherwise? Some of the great fashion, great theatrical minds are persons from the gay community. My brother Norman Buckley who’s a brilliant director in television, he directed “Pretty Little Liars”, “The Fosters”, “Mysteries of Laura” and “Rizzoli & Isles” amongst other TV shows is a gay man who just lost his husband last fall to suicide. His husband Davyd Whaley was a brilliant painter who had been very abused in his childhood for being gay. It’s a profound and necessary concern of our community. We’ve all raised money for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS through the years, which has been an honor and a privilege. I was just at a friend’s house in East Hampton and their little six year old son has been persistent about saying that he is a girl and they finally in recent months have allowed him to assume the identity that is obviously most naturally his. It’s good that all this information is coming to our consciousness the way it is now. The bullying and the scare that people feel about not being part of the mainstream is such a sad thing and we have to stop because its uniqueness, its individuality that’s created all good things and we should praise that and celebrate it wherever it occurs in our world.”

Betty Buckley other Broadway credits include “1776”, “Pippin”, “Song and Dance”, “The Mystery of Edwin Drood” and “Carrie”. Her films include her debut in Brian de Palma’s screen version of Stephen King’s “Carrie”, Bruce Beresford’s “Tender Mercies”, Roman Polanski’s “Frantic”, Woody Allen’s “Another Woman”, Lawrence Kasden’s “Wyatt Earp” and M. Night Shymalan’s “The Happening”. On television Buckley starred for three seasons in the HBO series “Oz “and as Abby Bradford in the hit series “Eight is Enough”. She has also appeared as a guest star in numerous television series, miniseries and films for television. For information and tickets for her upcoming events in Provincetown, Massachusetts on September 2nd, 3rd & 4th: peregrinetheatre.com
For More Info: bettybuckley.com

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Marriage Activists Celebrate LGBT Equality (AUDIO)

In the conclusion of our exclusive two part audio montage series Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™ talks with LGBT lawyers, activists and allies at the annual Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders (GLAD) Summer Party at the Pilgrim Monument and Museum in Provincetown, Massachusetts. This has been an epic year to celebrate especially with the historic Supreme Court marriage equality ruling. First we talked to Elyse Cherry who is CEO of Boston Community Capital and served as a board member of GLAD in the 1990’s when the marriage battle began 20 years ago. Cherry hopes that our LGBT community builds on the momentum of the historic Supreme Court ruling and LGBT candidates run for political office throughout the nation. Then we chatted with Gary Buseck GLAD’s Legal Director who has been involved with GLAD in various capacities for more than 35 years including serving as Executive Director from 1997 to January, 2004. Gary talked about celebrating the wonderful progress GLAD has achieved so far and ready to move to the next level of LGBT equality which include national nondiscrimination protections for our community. He is especially concerned about our LGBT youth’s safety in and out of the school and religious liberty issues.

Next we chatted with Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey who is the first openly gay state attorney general elected in America. Maura talked about celebrating the work GLAD has done advancing equality across the country. When asked about what she would you like to see happen for LGBT equality in the next few years Healey talked about advancing transgender protections, safety for LGBT young people and ensuring LGBT seniors’ healthcare and nursing home protections. Then Dianne Phillips, GLAD's Board of Directors President talked about what’s on the agenda for the organization including their current lawsuit Jacqueline Cote, et al. v. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc where Wal-Mart has violated the federal Civil Rights Act by discriminating against Jacqueline Cote based on her sex.

Our favorite political humorist Kate Clinton returned as auctioneer extraordinaire raising $160,000 for GLAD. When we asked Kate about her spin on recent advancements for our LGBT community she joked that you can always judge our success by backlash that’s already happening by our opponents. Kate also reminded us that although we can now legally marry in all 50 states our community can still be fired in 30 of those states where sexual orientation is not protected and how the national Equality Act needs to pass to finally end LGBT discrimination. Next we chatted with Robert Four who has been involved in the marriage movement since the late 1990’s. Robert stated he would like to see comprehensive nondiscrimination legislation across the country that would ensure housing and job security for our LGBT community. Then we spoke to artist Barbara Cohen who has supported GLAD for years and also strives to see equality across the board for our LGBT community. Barbara attended the Summer Party with marriage icon Edie Windsor who she graciously introduced us to. Edie told us she was at the event because GLAD began the whole marriage movement. Windsor told us she had one request and that was to stop using the term “same-sex marriage”. We agree with Edie 100%. For over ten years we have been trying to educate the heterosexual and LGBT community to not use the term that was conceived by Karl Rove the former White House Deputy Chief of Staff during the George W. Bush administration to raise a red flag with the religious right by using the word “sex” in describing our LGBT community. When mainstream media uses this term all you can hear is the redundancy of the word sex. When asked what she would like to see happen for LGBT equality in the next few years Edie added she would like to see LGBT homeless kids who statistically account for 50% of all homeless youth to be off the streets and receive the love and support they deserve just for being themselves. She concluded by saying she was pleased to see the progress happening for trans people in this country and hopes to see rights for not just gender but gender identity. (Photos by Marilyn Rosen)
Listen To Part One
For More Info: glad.org 

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