An NBC affiliate station based out of Salt Lake City, Utah has said it will not run the upcoming sitcom The New Normal because of its content. The New Normal follows a gay couple’s attempts to start a family with the help of a surrogate.
"Same-sex families are a beloved part of American television thanks to shows like Modern Family, Glee and Grey’s Anatomy," said GLAAD President Herndon Graddick. "While audiences, critics and advertisers have all supported LGBT stories, KSL is demonstrating how deeply out of touch it is with the rest of the country."
"We invite Jeff Simpson to sit down with GLAAD and local LGBT families. We know that if he would, he would see that not only are our families normal, but by citing 'crude and rude' content and refusing to affirm LGBT families, KSL and Mr. Simpson are sending a dangerous message to Utah. They should make that right."
KSL CEO Jeff Simpson told the outlet Deseret News that, “For our brand, this program simply feels inappropriate on several dimensions, especially during family viewing time.”
The anti-gay group One Million Moms, a project of the American Family Association, also targeted The New Normal in July when it urged its members to send letters to NBC demanding they not air the show. The group equated its depiction of a loving gay couple trying have a start a family with “the decay of morals and values.”
Ellen Barkin, one of the shows stars, took to twitter to voice her disapproval and call the station out for hypocrisy, stating:
Shame on u
— Ellen Barkin (@EllenBarkin) August 25, 2012@kslcom not airing@nbcthenewnormal So L&O SVU (rape & child murder) is ok? But loving gay couple having a baby is inappropriate?
Utah residents may still have a chance to see the show on a local station however, as KUCW has announced that they will try to air the show on the weekends, once they find a time slot.
Stay tuned to GLAAD blog for updates.
