CT Black gay executive was "secret weapon" behind SW success

If you're like most SW fans, you probably don't recognise the name of Ashley Boone, Jr., the Fox executive who shepherded the release of many Fox hits in the 70s.

According to this Hollywood Reporter article, his personal touch was instrumental to the success of Star Wars in 1977: https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/f...rs-secret-weapon-why-was-he-forgotten-1275211

 

I dont really think it mattered he was gay..

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As an LGBT person, I strongly believe it matters. It mattered that he had to remain closeted. It's a very sad reminder of how much intolerance existed in the industry at the time.
The number of LGBT people of color who have risen to a prominent place in the entertainment industry is shamefully small. Negating who he was and how much wonderful work he did would only contribute to the further erasure of the accomplishments of people like him. That's a bad thing.

 

Thanks for the link. Really interesting behind the scenes industry stuff, and they even got Lucas to comment!

 

You are misunderstanding what @darthvader88 said. Your thread title implies the fact that he was gay and black made him a "secret weapon". That is of course not true. Those facts had absolutely nothing to do with his ability to do his job. It is quite awful how you identified him as what he was before saying WHO he was, like the actual article does.

 

You're completely and absolutely wrong on all counts. Just because you incorrectly infer something certainly doesn't mean it was implied in any way whatsoever. The specifics about his identity certainly aren't what made him a "secret weapon" (the article's term, not mine). At the same time, it is certainly quite possible that being different from the average Hollywood executive at the time made it easier for him to think outside the box and go in a different route with the marketing. This happens in many fields. If that were true (I make no judgment) it could only be a good thing, not a bad thing. And pointing out the positive contributions made by people like Mr Boone is just a way to highlight the awesome stuff that can come from encouraging greater diversity within the corporate structures that have historically not had enough of it. I genuinely don't understand why you would expect that the specifics of his identity be remanded back to the closet. It was bad enough that he had to remain closeted throughout his professional life. Now you expect him to be put back in the closet after he's dead? That is truly awful.

 

You categorised him in your thread title. Note how the article itself didn't do this. And you may not have intended the title to be understood like that, but you cannot deny that it can be, and has been here. You absolutely should have used his name in the title, not his race or sexual orientation, as they have nothing to do with him having been a "secret weapon".

 

For the love of God, how is something that I take pride in a "categorization"?? Why can't you let us enjoy something that we can take pride in? As an LGBT person of color, I was extremely proud to read about his contributions to the release of the movie that has been my all-time favorite.

Why won't you let people like me take pride in something that someone in my extended family did so well that it made it possible for people all over the world to enjoy this magical experience? Of course I'm proud that he was black and gay, and there's nothing wrong with the fact that he was.

The only thing that is obviously wrong was that he had to remain closeted for his entire life. And that's because of people who won't just let us be.

And right now, I feel that's what you are trying to do. Would you feel better if we simply didn't talk about the fact that he was black and gay? Would that be more comfortable for you?

Why can't you just express happiness about his wonderful contributions to the history of Star Wars?

 

No, it isn't important to me that he was black or gay. I don't think it is something that should be important, it shouldn't matter. I was interested to hear about his accomplishments, and his personality. You though seem to be only interested in him because of his skin colour and who he slept with, like it is what defines him. I don't like that.

How do you know this? Maybe he wasn't interested in telling everyone that he was gay, just as I don't go around telling everyone what I like for breakfast.

I can. from the article, it sounds like he was a great person.

 

And you can't do that if you know he was black and gay?

Once again, you seem to be going out of your way to say offensive stuff. I ask that you please stop saying these incredibly offensive things. If you don't understand why they are offensive, feel free to PM me.

If you have something positive to say about this man, please go ahead. Otherwise I would appreciate you stop trying to derail the thread by making false and ridiculous accusations and generally acting like someone who isn't interested in being an ally to people like us.

 

What? That was the very first thing I knew about him thanks to your title and as I said, I was interested in who he was as a person.

I have not said anything offensive to you or anybody else.

Maybe you wrote this before seeing my full edited post (hit reply by accident). But I have full appreciation of his work and I think he deserves to be remembered, not a secret. And finally, how do you know I am not "people like us"?

 

Yes, you have. And I asked you to PM me if you genuinely don't understand why what you said was incredibly offensive. And yet you haven't. But, fine. Do you start thinking about someone's private life when/because you know/hear they are heterosexual? If not, why would you imply that others do?
Do you still not understand why what you said was incredibly offensive?

 

You asked me to PM you if I didn't understand why what I said was offensive. I didn't PM you because I know what I said wasn't offensive. You may have misunderstood what I said somewhere, you can PM me if that is the case.
If someone does something of great importance or accomplishment, I will appreciate that person no matter what colour, gender, sexual orientation they are. By putting the fact that Ashley Boone jr. was black and gay in the title of your thread here before even his name, shows how important you believe race and sexual orientation to be and that you are appreciating him because you identify him as being the same as you in this so important matter.
Would you have made this thread if you didn't identify with him?

 

I most certainly did not misunderstand, and you still haven't answered the question I just asked you. So please tell me why you think anyone would be interested in the details of his private life.

 

Sounds like a cool guy, interesting to learn about him.

 

i didn't answer that because the question didn 't make sense. Who was interested in his private life?

Edit: ah ok I think I see where the misunderstanding is. You thought I said you were interested in who he slept with, as in which individuals. I actually meant the gender he slept with.

 

You alleged, falsely of course, that my sole interest in him had to do with "who he slept with". And you said it less than 2 hours ago. You have forgotten already?

Stop making false and offensive insinuations.

 

See my previous post edit. Apologies for creating the misunderstanding.

 

How do you know he slept with anyone at all? I know quite a few LGBT people who are asexual. Furthermore, I never make assumptions about anyone's private life, be they straight or LGBT, because it isn't any of my business.

Now thanks to you this discussion has strayed far from the thread topic, please stop making this all about you and how you misunderstood the title of the thread and allow the discussion to continue with the actual topic of this thread.

 

It was just a figure of speech meaning that he was gay, and I know this because you told me. I agree that his sex/private life is none of our buisness, which is why on introduction I don't need to know someones sexual orientation.

 

I don't understand what's going on in this thread.

 

You're probably not the only one. It seems someone is intent on hijacking the thread with inane comments, malicious accusations, and all sorts of nonsense.

 

I have not done any of that. I have remained on the topic that your thread title laid out. I have also only made positive comments about Ashley Boone jr.

 

And yet you seem to have a hard time understanding why people who are also LGBT people of color would see him as someone to be extremely proud of.
No matter how much you try to shame me, I am still proud of the role he played in the story of Star Wars, and it's also very sad to see how little recognition he has gotten since his involvement with the franchise. Almost everyone only mentions Alan Ladd Jr as the executive who helped Lucas get the movie made.

 

To be fair, I don't know that name either.