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Dan Levyhas seen quite the strides inLGBTQinclusivity since starting his television career more than 15 years ago.
“It was kind of like, ‘Conform to the culture of the workplace or sit it out.’ But it was never like, ‘Let’s pause what we’re doing to listen to you,'” recalled Levy as he appeared on Thursday’s debut episode of thePhone a Friend with Jessi Cruickshankpodcast.
“I remember walking into work one day and someone asked me what I did on the weekend,” he said. “I said, ‘Well, I installed a dimmer switch in my apartment.’ And that person said, ‘Wow, it’s almost like you’re a real man.'”
“And I thought, ‘This isn’t right.’ But at the time, there was no sensitivity, and there was nobody to go to because it was a different time,” Levy explained.
TheSchitt’s Creekstar noted that there weren’t “a ton of out actors that were thriving and drowning in work” at the time, and many gossip bloggers “[made] it their job to out people without their consent, like it was some kind of news responsibility.”
“We didn’t have the sensitivity, I think, that we do now, at least around people’s coming out and the fact that it’s an incredibly personal experience,” he said. “I mean, I think we all knew it at the time.”
“So, when you do feel like there’s this hunt to out gay people of note in culture, it almost makes you want to hide even more because you don’t want to draw any attention to yourself,” added Levy.
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The show received major critical acclaim and won nine Primetime Emmy Awards, two SAG Awards, and two GLAAD Media Awards for outstanding comedy series. Levy, himself, alsowon four Emmy Awardsfor the show’s sixth and final season.
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“By creating and inhabiting the world ofSchitt’s Creekas a community where people are welcomed no matter who they are or whom they love,” David added. “Levy is helping take all of us closer to that reality.”
source: people.com
