Bits & Pieces

Remembering Carol Channing – a true queer ally

January 15, 2019

Today the world mourns the loss of one of the biggest icons of Broadway. Her signature messy white bob and unique voice made her a memorable presence on stage and her legacy and impact on the queer community is one that needs to be remembered. Carol Channing was the gift that kept on giving, and a strong voice for gay issues!

Born to a newspaper editor turned Christian Science practitioner in Seattle in the early 20’s, Channing was drawn to the stage from an early age. She had her first on-stage role at the age of 19, but it was another eight years before she started making a name for herself. Before there was Marilyn, Channing first carved out the iconic role of Lorelei Lee in the Jule Styne and Anita Loos musical Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. It was this role that saw her on the cover of Life Magazine as that year’s new Broadway star, with her signature song ‘Diamonds are a Girl’s Best Friend garnering her national praise. Here she is performing the song on The Red Skelton Show in 1957:

Then came perhaps her biggest contribution to Broadway in 1964, creating the role of Dolly Levi in the smash hit musical Hello, Dolly! for which she won the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical. When the show finally closed in December of 1970 making it the longest-running musical in Broadway history, with the likes of Ethel Merman and Ginger Rodgers taking the role on after Channing’s departure. The show had an immense gay following, with the role still drawing many stars in the gay icon canon from Barbra Streisand to Bette Midler.

What you may not know about Channing is that she also set the ball rolling on what is arguably the biggest moment in US entertainment, the Superbowl Halftime Show. She was the first ever solo halftime performer, performing “When the Saints Go Marching In” with a full marching band, though her involvement in the performance was far from highly publicised with little mention made in the coverage of the event. She later returned to perform once more in 1972 alongside Ella Fitzgerald and Al Hirt in the Superbowl VI. The halftime show has since become a spectacle watched by millions worldwide with many other gay icons taking the highly coveted performance slot. Madonna, Lady Gaga and Beyoncé have since performed but let it be known that Carol Channing was the first.

Perhaps her most compassionate effort towards being an LGBT+ ally was her work in speaking out for queer people. She was also an outspoken AIDS activist and used her visibility to draw attention to an issue few celebrities were willing to discuss. When she accepted a lifetime achievement award at the Tony’s in 1995 she wore a red ribbon and matching lipstick in solidarity with those who had been affected by the HIV/AIDS crisis of the mid-80’s to the mid-90’s. Not one to slow down in her later years, in 2010 at the age of 89 she performed the opening number at the Gypsy of the Year competition, a benefit for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS at the New Amsterdam Theatre.

Her efforts have not gone unnoticed, and her legacy will always live on within the queer community, from bad impersonations on RuPaul’s Drag Race to her absurdly camp movie appearances. She will be missed.

“Laughter is much more important than applause. Applause is almost a duty. Laughter is a reward.”

-Carol Channing