In this exclusive audio interview Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™ talks with screen legend and LGBT Icon Tab Hunter about hosting with his partner Allan Glaser the Provincetown International Film Festival Launch Party Weekend that takes place June 3rd to June 5th in Provincetown, Massachusetts. Tab was selected as the Launch Weekend’s first-ever host in recognition of his status as a classic Hollywood film star and his local ties through his long-time collaborator and friend director John Waters who will also be attending. Waters is a founder of the Provincetown Film Society and the Provincetown International Film Festival. Opening Night schedule includes intimate meet and greets, special screenings of Hunter’s film the 1981 cult classic “Polyester” and the award-winning documentary “Tab Hunter Confidential”. There will also be the opportunity to hear from PIFF’s programmers about the upcoming festival lineup complete with insider tips, anecdotes, favorites and recommendations. We talked to Tab about his stellar career as he shared personal inspirational stories, lifelong survival philosophies and his spin on our LGBT issues.
When asked what advise he would give young LGBT kids dealing with bullying Hunter stated, “I’m not a good one on advise, but I have to tell you a story that’s really interesting. Years ago I was doing a television show with Geraldine Page who was a brilliant actress and I said ‘God you know Gerry, the press they love you and they just hate my guts. They’re just despicable to me and I feel terrible about this.’ She grabbed hold of my arm and said ‘Remember this Tab. If people don’t like you that’s their bad taste.’ I thought Whoa, that’s powerful. I thought, I’m going to apply that to my life and furthermore pass that along to every person I know particularly young people because they don’t have the support and guidance while they’re growing up. A lot of parents out there are very, ‘I want to be your friend’. That’s bullshit. You know, they’re parents be parents. There’s a yes and a no. There’s a right and a wrong. You have to have it and I was very fortunate to have a strong but religious German mother and that was important and I think we need boundaries in our lives. Today there doesn’t seem to be a lot of boundaries. But young people have to go forward as the best that they can and give a lot of thought to their development mentally, physically and spiritually.”
Tab Hunter has appeared in over 40 films. His breakout role in 1951 at age nineteen was with Samuel Goldwyn Studios in “The Lawless”. His Southern California “golden boy” good looks catapulted him to overnight matinee idol stardom and he enjoyed a robust film career throughout the 1950’s and 60’s. The 1970’s started out strong including a leading role in John Huston’s “The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean” starring Paul Newman but work began to wane in the later 70’s. A call from filmmaker and fan John Waters catapulted Hunter back into the limelight and took him into a new, freer direction with the now cult classic comedy “Polyester” in 1981 starring the infamous drag icon Divine. When his partner Allan Glaser saw Jeffrey Schwarz’s fabulous documentary “I am Divine” he hired Schwarz to do the brilliant documentary “Tab Hunter Confidential” recently release on iTunes and NETFLIX based on his bestselling autobiography. During the Provincetown International Film Festival Launch Party Weekend June 3rd to June 5th there will be must-attend festivities throughout including an intimate dinner with Tab Hunter and Allan Glaser, film
screenings, parties and more. The 18th annual Provincetown International Film Festival runs June 15th to 19th.
For Info & Tix: ptownfilmfest.org
ReplyDeleteAn absolutely charming interview and conversation.