Jackson Encourages Hayes to Respond to 'Straight Jacket'

As BroadwayWorld has previously reported, in a recent Newsweek article, Ramin Setoodeh posed the question: "Heterosexual actors play gay all the time. Why doesn't it ever work in reverse?"

Setoodeh went on to state that Sean Hayes, currently starring in the Broadway revival of PROMISES, PROMISES, cannot come across as straight in the role. He writes "Hayes is among Hollywood's best verbal slapstickers, but his sexual orientation is part of who he is, and also part of his charm. (The fact that he only came out of the closet just before Promises was another one of those Ricky Martin-duh moments.) But frankly, it's weird seeing Hayes play straight. He comes off as wooden and insincere, like he's trying to hide something, which of course he is. Even the play's most hilarious scene, when Chuck tries to pick up a drunk woman at a bar, devolves into unintentional camp. Is it funny because of all the '60s-era one-liners, or because the woman is so drunk (and clueless) that she agrees to go home with a guy we all know is gay?"

The comments have drawn the wrath of many, including Hayes' PROMISES co-star Kristin Chenoweth, Michael Urie, Cheyenne Jackson, GLEE creator Ryan Murphy, Dustin Lance Black, Jane Lynch, Cynthia Nixon and more.

One voice that has been noticably absent is that of Sean Hayes, who has issued no public comment to date about the slams at his PROMISES performance on account of his sexual orientation.  In an article out it the New York Post's PopWrap today, fellow thespian Cheyenne Jackson encourages Hayes to speak, saying: "I'm hoping that he directly or indirectly addresses it... He has to. It's the big pink elephant in the room." Jackson went on to praise Hayes' Broadway debut performance, saying "I'm so proud of him. It's just so great. It's a great year for him personally, professionally and I'm excited to support him."

To read the full interview in the Post, click here.

Photo Credit: Walter McBride/Retna Ltd.