Last week we told you about Friday night’s episode of What Would You Do? filmed in part at Norma’s Cafe in Farmers Branch. The third segment of the ethical-dilemma, hidden-camera show focused on gay parenting and involved a waitress — an actress — saying hateful things to two same-sex couples, also actors and actresses, who are dining with their kids at Norma’s.
“You’re gay and you have kids?” the waitress says to the first couple, two women. “It’s bad enough that you’re lesbians, but that they don’t have a father, I think that’s kind of bad. … I mean isn’t it bad for the kids?”
Remarkably, or perhaps not, two male customers who overhear the waitress’ statements take bold stands against her.
“You are by far the worst waitress I’ve ever seen in this restaurant,” the first man says. “You’re a horrible person and a horrible waitress. You need to leave. You need to physically leave this restaurant right now.”
The second man confronts the waitress by asking her if she believes in Jesus and then telling her, “Don’t judge.” When the waitress continues to insult the couple, the man named Donovan goes outside and writes a note to the lesbian couple and delivers it to them at their table. “I know it doesn’t mean much but I love you all,” the note says. “You have a beautiful family and I pray that one person’s judgmental intolerance does not in any way put a damper on your hearts or minds.”
The note prompts one of the actresses playing the lesbian couple, who happens to be gay in real life, to break down crying and give the man a hug. “It’s real for me,” the actress tells the show’s host, John Quinones, later. “This is my everyday life, so when they’re saying those things, they are really talking about me. I’m desperately touched by this and happily so.”
The response from customers at Norma’s is slightly different when a gay male couple is involved — at least initially. No one confronts the waitress when she asks the gay couple to leave, and one patron even gives her the thumbs up. This coward’s face is blurred out because he tells Quinones he doesn’t want to be on TV. When Quinones asks the man why he high-fived the waitress, the man says, “That was for the food.”
But WWYD reports that overall, people did intervene, even when the same-sex couple was male.
“You are disgusting,” one bystander tells the waitress. “You’re the bitch disturbing everybody. You’re the hate-monger.”
WWYD reports that when the show did the same setup last year in New York, a more liberal state, fewer than a dozen out of 100 bystanders spoke up.
“In Texas, out of 53 bystanders, 24 voiced their support [for the gay parents], about half,” according to the show. “So at the end of the day, Texans have shown us another side … confirming that everything is big in Texas, especially people’s hearts.”
Thats an amazing episode. I glad there was a YouTube video of it. One of the few times, I can say I’m proud to be from Texas.
Thanks, I needed that.
Jack Evans
The movie I rented was was messing up on Friday evening and this just happened to be on so I got to watch. I was nervous at first, given the setup. But it was amazing. The comparison with New York was interesting, and renewed my faith in fellow Texas.
I had to go back to the Equality Poll done by Equality Texas to check, but incredibly 68.8% of Texan voters support gays/lesbians having the same legal rights with respect to children, and 63.1% support civil unions! Maybe “we” are more progressive than we give ourselves credit for.
That segment made me cry ! Even when I knew it was an act it was still so horrible to hear that !
I’m so proud of my fellow Texans for doing the right thing and standing up for this family.. BTW , I love Norma’s food ( :
We have found that our campaign Let Love Out, in honor of my brother-in-law, Chris, who died of AIDS, is totally embraced in Texas. We can barely keep up with the demand for the campaign jewelry that people are wearing in support of everyone’s right to love. My children (and grandchildren) live in Fort Worth, and when they take Let Love Out to local shows and events, people are supportive of the campaign, and love the jewelry. Of course they appreciate that their purchase makes a difference, and that Priolo & Co. gives back to causes working to end discrimination in all forms. Your film shows the compassionate Texans that we know and love!
This story and video is a tremendous boost to those of us who try not only to confront prejudice on a daily basis but also to those who search for the true spirit of America. Politicians who use issues such as homosexuality, income, national origin, religion, and the like, as wedge issues for whatever purpose are the ones who keep prejudices alive. If it were up to the American people – rather than politicians who rely on us for their campaign funds – to produce truly human laws, we’d have a much more civil and human society.
That guy named Donovan is truly a wonderful person. If only there were more people like him around. Especially here in the UK. This clip brought tears to my eyes. I hope he realises how much he has touched so many people with his act of kindness. God bless him always.
How difficult life is when others thinkit is their responsibility to force their beliefs on others. There are so many, many prejudices that it is impossible to be aware of them all. Some may be more hurtful than others, but all serve to make one feel that as an individual you are not worthy of life.
Farmers Branch is in Dallas County, a tiny square blue island in AN OCEAN OF RED. I’m not proud of Texas, but I AM proud to be from & live in Dallas County.
Tears. Thank you for giving me hope.