By Jeremy Kinser and Karen Ocamb

Carol Channing performs "Before the Parade Passes By" from Jerry Herman's Hello, Dolly! as the names of those lost to AIDS are scrolled on the large screen behind her at last year's Ribbon of Hope Awards on Worlds AIDS Day, Dec. 1, 2005. photo credit: Craig Matthews

Anyone who has ever seen Carol Channing kick up her heels in her friend Jerry Herman’s Hello Dolly!, or belt out a tune with her favorite singing group, the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus, or deliver an over-the-top performance at any one of a hundred AIDS benefits would find it exceedingly hard to imagine that the 85 year old Broadway legend has an anti-gay sinew in her slender body.

But that’s the impression left by an interview with the Ohio-based Gay People’s Chronicle, now circulating on the Internet. The Nov. 10 story by Kaizaad Kotwal titled “You know what the Bible says: Broadway legend Carol Channing shares some startling views about her gay fans” implies that, despite her long pro-gay history, Channing privately judges gays by anti-gay biblical standards. Kotwal published the transcript of his interview to substantiate the contention.

Surprised by the allegation, IN Los Angeles magazine secured an interview with Channing and asked her directly about the charge.

IN: The reporter said that he asked you “You seem to have a very large gay following. Have you ever thought about why?” And you supposedly said “I don't think about them. I'm grateful that they seem to like me. They're terribly loyal to me. But I'm knee-deep in the Bible and you know what it says about that.” Could you clarify that please? Do you remember what you said?

Channing: I never said that! I've never read anything in the Bible about being gay or at least I haven't read that part. But, it is true that I don't think about them in that way. They are gay. Who cares? The Bible says “Love thy neighbor as thyself.” I don't recognize differences except their goodness and artistic abilities, which I always admire.

IN: So what DO you think of gay people?

Channing: Again. I don't think about them as gay. They're people, period.

IN: The reporter supposedly said “I read that you have fought for gay rights. Do you think that the things gay people are fighting for are important?” And you supposedly said “I don't think about it. If they can't take care of their own problems, why should I bother? It's not my problem.”

Channing: I didn't say it like that. I'm angry that I have to even answer questions like these and I shouldn't have to. I think my record speaks for itself. I've always been supportive to the gay community and I have found they are capable of taking care of themselves. I told him, that not being gay, it hasn't been a problem I've had to live with myself.

Channing expressed a similar sentiment in an interview last March with the gay Canadian magazine, Xtra. Though her autobiography, Just Lucky I Guess, lists numerous gay icons with whom she worked, from Noel Coward and Cole Porter to Rock Hudson, Xtra writes that Channing knew little of their private lives. "That's none of my business. It's never been a problem to me. I never asked them. I don't share my private marital relations with them," Channing told the magazine, adding about her gay devotees. "I never stop being grateful for them. Truly, I feel they know who's funny and who's not. They're the most wonderful people to play to, because they truly appreciate everything."

IN also noted some apparent discrepancies in Kotwal’s report. For instance, though he writes that he published the entire transcript of the interview “after a 35 minute chat,” the published interview times out at around four minutes. Additionally, Gay People Chronicle publisher Martha J. Pontoni confirmed to IN that Kotwal did not record the interview, from which an accurate transcript could be transcribed, but instead took “copious notes.”

Pontoni also said that (as Kotwal reported in his story), Kotwal approached the interview as a Channing “fan.” But Channing told IN, “The interview started out very badly. He seemed to have an anger towards me from the very start. I couldn't figure out where it was coming from.”

Pontoni vigorously defended Kotwal, a professor at Ohio State University whose “integrity is above question.” Channing “misspoke,” Pontoni said. “It’s our position that she said what she said” and the paper stands by Kotwal.

(This story was adapted from a much longer story that includes the interview with Channing that will appear in the next issue of IN Los Angeles magazine due out Nov. 28.)