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The New Hampshire NEWS Friday, February 14, 2014 3 that you are different. And I knew that other people knew. And so, kids were mean.” While Daniels’ jokes were always met with cheers from the audience, when he spoke about the more serious times in his child- hood, his voice carried across a si- lent room. His tone was matter-of- fact; there was a sense of lingering sorrow for that younger life. “I blocked out that I had learned to hold my bowels and my urine from first grade through eighth grade because I was so afraid to go into the boys’ bath- room,” he said. “And run home after school because I was taunted everyday. My father was embar- rassed about me being different, even though he didn’t know what it was.” Daniels explained that he lat- er made his movie “Precious” be- cause “I needed to look at myself.” He said he could relate to the story about the impoverished, abused character. “I love that movie,” Daniels said with a smile. “It’s one of my favorites.” Just as Daniels found his own life related to “Precious,” “The Butler” also helped Daniels under- stand his world and his father’s. “You are black,” Daniels’ fa- ther told him. “I don’t think you understand what that means. You are gay and black. You will never make it. Never make it.” “‘The Butler’ helped me un- derstand him,” Daniels said. “I understood why he was so an- gry—because he never looked a white man in the eyes. And he felt less-than. And for me, again, it was therapeutic for me because … I forgave him for some of his meanness and why he treated me the way he did. He had it rougher than me. I come from a family of servants, who come from a family of servants, who come from a fam- ily of slaves.” Daniels paused for a moment, looking into the audience. “Never make it. I showed him, didn’t I?” The audience erupted in cheers and laughter. * * * Though his father died when Daniels was young and he moved away from his childhood bullies, Daniels’ adversities continued — this time, through his own fault. Daniels said that his brother called him one night from jail. He was in prison for murder, and his wife was about to have twins. Daniels’ brother wanted him to take care of the kids because his wife was on crack. Daniels told his mother on the phone that he had no desire to raise kids. “Twins! They were crack ba- bies!” Daniels said, an addict him- self at the time. “I’m on crack! Let me get my high on.” Daniels said he believed God was speaking to him, though, and his boyfriend made him take the kids in. “It’s seriously the most beau- tiful experience of my life, rais- ing these beautiful, beautiful kids, um, that I hate now,” Daniels jok- ingly said, winning the audience’s laughter once again. “I did love them then.” Just as Daniels did all night, he taught the audience about the struggles he went through and how he overcame them. One night, he said, his boyfriend had left their home. With his boyfriend gone, Daniels saw the twins, walked over them to get a “hit” of his drugs, and then got in his car and drove away. “[I] realized that I had left my children at home,” Daniels said. “I came back, and I was sober from that moment on. They saved my life.” After Daniels overcame chal- lenges of his own, he didn’t stop challenging those around him, no matter how famous they were. “Like Mariah Carey never taking her make up off for any- thing,” Daniels said. “Let me tell you something. That was rough in ‘Precious.’ Her hands were trem- bling in the little J.C. Penney’s outfit that I was putting her in.” Daniels cast Oprah Winfrey in “The Butler.” He was terrified be- cause Winfrey had produced him for “Precious,” and he said that Winfrey “hadn’t acted in forever.” When she arrived on stage, Win- frey yelled, “I’m here!” “So what you did is you sort of do the Dance of the Seven Veils,” Daniels said, “and you trip them, sort of, and then [the actors are] yours. And then they’re yours. It’s a beautiful thing. [Winfrey] became vulnerable and fragile and then I felt very protective of her [even though she’s so powerful].” * * * A sober, famous father, Dan- iels has no desire to keep his suc- cess to himself. “I have a school that I work with in the Bronx called the ‘Ghet- to Film School’ and I enjoy giving back because I think that there are very young filmmakers out there,” Daniels said. “Nothing makes me happier than giving back. … I’m here tonight because I love sharing my life experience with you guys.” As much as Daniels came to share his own experiences, he said he helped share the stories of mil- lions of other people. Daniels’ 92-year-old cousin in Hawaii was the first African American pediatric surgeon, he said. When Daniels saw him, his cousin held Daniels’ face. “You told my story,” his cous- in said. “You told America’s story. I’m so proud of you.” Daniels said that was the only award he needed. “I don’t think that God gave me the gift. I think that it’s not mine,” he said. “I have to share my experience, you know, and hope- fully I can inspire somebody out here. If I can just touch one soul, then I’ve done my job.” Portsmouth resident Wallace Cooper saw “The Butler” before Daniels came to talk. Cooper is in his seventies and said he grew up in the Civil Rights-era. “The movie, I thought was very powerful,” Cooper said. “It struck a lot of chords for me be- cause … I could relate to the at- titude of the son [Louis Gaines].” During the Q-and-A, every audience member that spoke held the microphone to his or her lips and thanked him for his films. One audience member stood up and said, “I just wanted to say I appreciate your truthfulness and honesty; you’re just such a beauti- ful person.” “I think we’re really lucky to have Lee Daniels,” Associate Pro- fessor of English and Film Delia Konzett said before Daniels ar- rived. “While his ‘Butler,’ I think, is a very important movie, he also has done other important films, like ‘Paperboy’ and ‘Shadowbox- er’. He produced ‘Monster’s Ball.’ And I think he’s really one of the up-and-coming new filmmakers who deals not only with questions of race but questions of gender and sexuality, which are in all of his films, like ‘Precious,’ as well.” The last question of the night: Do you have one lesson or piece of advice to impart to everyone here tonight? Without hesitation, Daniels said, “Live in your truth. That we only have today…. Tomorrow’s not promised. I know that sounds so—we’ve heard it, we’ve heard it, we’ve heard it. But we really only have today. This breath. Right here. Right now. And it’s about embracing and loving yourself and living in your truth.” DANIELS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 CAMERON JOHNSON/STAFF Lee Daniels told the audience about his life and dealing with adversity, a common theme in his films such as “The Butler” and “Precious.” We really only have today. This breath. Right here. Right now. And it’s about embracing and loving yourself and living in your truth.” Lee Daniels Director of “The Butler” “ victed, attempted to gain full cus- tody of their child. In the end, Prewitt made a deal not to testify against him if he agreed to terminate his parental rights. During her speech Prewitt es- timated there are 8,000 to 11,000 out of 25,000 to 32,000 victims of rape who choose to keep their baby. By changing the legislation already in place, Prewitt believes lawmakers will be helping to pre- vent a case like this from happen- ing in the future. The law, according to Prewitt and Amy Culp, director of the Sex- ual Harassment and Rape Preven- tion Program (SHARPP) at UNH, would also have another large im- pact: it would also change the way society views victims of rape. Both women believe that the current legislation only reflects the current unconscious suspicion of women that choose to keep their baby, and the pressure put on vic- tims not to come forward and share their story. “You have to get past the victim-blaming,” said Culp, who has a feminist and social work background from the work she did before coming to the univer- sity. “Society is not great, but the victim is always hardest on them- selves. Rape should be seen as the violent crime that is it and women shouldn’t have to justify it.” “Legislators are realizing more and more that this is a de- cision that women make,” Pre- witt said, echoing Culp’s words. “We really need to watch the way we talk about women who have been raped and become pregnant. Words have power and we can eas- ily restrict the ways we can help them.” Currently, Vermont is also considering similar amendments to their legislation as well. Anyone looking for more in- formation about sexual assault, as well as the many preventative events held on campus, can contact SHARPP at (603) 862-3493 or vis- it their website at http://www.unh. edu/sharpp/. LAW CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 [Daniels is] really one of the up and com- ing new filmmakers who deals not only with questions of race but questions of gender and sexuality.” Delia Konzett Associate Professor of Film “
Transcript of Daniels2_i29Page03
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The New Hampshire NEWS Friday, February 14, 2014 3
that you are different. And I knew that other people knew. And so, kids were mean.
While Daniels jokes were always met with cheers from the audience, when he spoke about the more serious times in his child-hood, his voice carried across a si-lent room. His tone was matter-of-fact; there was a sense of lingering sorrow for that younger life.
I blocked out that I had learned to hold my bowels and my urine from first grade through eighth grade because I was so afraid to go into the boys bath-room, he said. And run home after school because I was taunted everyday. My father was embar-rassed about me being different, even though he didnt know what it was.
Daniels explained that he lat-er made his movie Precious be-cause I needed to look at myself. He said he could relate to the story about the impoverished, abused character.
I love that movie, Daniels said with a smile. Its one of my favorites.
Just as Daniels found his own life related to Precious, The Butler also helped Daniels under-stand his world and his fathers.
You are black, Daniels fa-ther told him. I dont think you understand what that means. You are gay and black. You will never make it. Never make it.
The Butler helped me un-derstand him, Daniels said. I understood why he was so an-grybecause he never looked a white man in the eyes. And he felt less-than. And for me, again, it was therapeutic for me because I forgave him for some of his meanness and why he treated me the way he did. He had it rougher than me. I come from a family of servants, who come from a family of servants, who come from a fam-ily of slaves.
Daniels paused for a moment, looking into the audience.
Never make it. I showed him, didnt I? The audience erupted in cheers and laughter.
* * *
Though his father died when Daniels was young and he moved away from his childhood bullies, Daniels adversities continued this time, through his own fault.
Daniels said that his brother called him one night from jail. He was in prison for murder, and his wife was about to have twins. Daniels brother wanted him to take care of the kids because his wife was on crack.
Daniels told his mother on the
phone that he had no desire to raise kids.
Twins! They were crack ba-bies! Daniels said, an addict him-self at the time. Im on crack! Let me get my high on.
Daniels said he believed God was speaking to him, though, and his boyfriend made him take the kids in.
Its seriously the most beau-tiful experience of my life, rais-ing these beautiful, beautiful kids, um, that I hate now, Daniels jok-ingly said, winning the audiences laughter once again. I did love them then.
Just as Daniels did all night, he taught the audience about the struggles he went through and how he overcame them. One night, he said, his boyfriend had left their home. With his boyfriend gone, Daniels saw the twins, walked
over them to get a hit of his drugs, and then got in his car and drove away.
[I] realized that I had left my children at home, Daniels said. I came back, and I was sober from that moment on. They saved my life.
After Daniels overcame chal-lenges of his own, he didnt stop
challenging those around him, no matter how famous they were.
Like Mariah Carey never taking her make up off for any-thing, Daniels said. Let me tell you something. That was rough in Precious. Her hands were trem-bling in the little J.C. Penneys outfit that I was putting her in.
Daniels cast Oprah Winfrey in The Butler. He was terrified be-cause Winfrey had produced him for Precious, and he said that Winfrey hadnt acted in forever.
When she arrived on stage, Win-frey yelled, Im here!
So what you did is you sort of do the Dance of the Seven Veils, Daniels said, and you trip them, sort of, and then [the actors are] yours. And then theyre yours. Its a beautiful thing. [Winfrey] became vulnerable and fragile and then I felt very protective of her [even though shes so powerful].
* * *
A sober, famous father, Dan-iels has no desire to keep his suc-cess to himself.
I have a school that I work with in the Bronx called the Ghet-to Film School and I enjoy giving back because I think that there are very young filmmakers out there, Daniels said. Nothing makes me happier than giving back. Im here tonight because I love sharing my life experience with you guys.
As much as Daniels came to share his own experiences, he said he helped share the stories of mil-lions of other people.
Daniels 92-year-old cousin in Hawaii was the first African American pediatric surgeon, he said. When Daniels saw him, his cousin held Daniels face.
You told my story, his cous-
in said. You told Americas story. Im so proud of you.
Daniels said that was the only award he needed.
I dont think that God gave me the gift. I think that its not mine, he said. I have to share my experience, you know, and hope-fully I can inspire somebody out here. If I can just touch one soul, then Ive done my job.
Portsmouth resident Wallace Cooper saw The Butler before Daniels came to talk. Cooper is in his seventies and said he grew up in the Civil Rights-era.
The movie, I thought was very powerful, Cooper said. It struck a lot of chords for me be-cause I could relate to the at-titude of the son [Louis Gaines].
During the Q-and-A, every audience member that spoke held the microphone to his or her lips and thanked him for his films.
One audience member stood up and said, I just wanted to say I appreciate your truthfulness and honesty; youre just such a beauti-ful person.
I think were really lucky to have Lee Daniels, Associate Pro-fessor of English and Film Delia Konzett said before Daniels ar-rived. While his Butler, I think, is a very important movie, he also has done other important films, like Paperboy and Shadowbox-er. He produced Monsters Ball. And I think hes really one of the up-and-coming new filmmakers who deals not only with questions of race but questions of gender and sexuality, which are in all of his films, like Precious, as well.
The last question of the night: Do you have one lesson or piece of advice to impart to everyone here tonight?
Without hesitation, Daniels said, Live in your truth. That we only have today. Tomorrows not promised. I know that sounds soweve heard it, weve heard it, weve heard it. But we really only have today. This breath. Right here. Right now. And its about embracing and loving yourself and living in your truth.
DANIELS continued from page 1
Cameron Johnson/staff
Lee Daniels told the audience about his life and dealing with adversity, a common theme in his films such as The Butler and Precious.
We really only have today. This breath. Right here. Right now. And its about embracing and loving yourself and living in your truth.
Lee DanielsDirector of The Butler
victed, attempted to gain full cus-tody of their child.
In the end, Prewitt made a deal not to testify against him if he agreed to terminate his parental rights.
During her speech Prewitt es-timated there are 8,000 to 11,000
out of 25,000 to 32,000 victims of rape who choose to keep their baby. By changing the legislation already in place, Prewitt believes lawmakers will be helping to pre-vent a case like this from happen-ing in the future.
The law, according to Prewitt and Amy Culp, director of the Sex-ual Harassment and Rape Preven-tion Program (SHARPP) at UNH, would also have another large im-pact: it would also change the way
society views victims of rape.Both women believe that the
current legislation only reflects the current unconscious suspicion of women that choose to keep their baby, and the pressure put on vic-tims not to come forward and share their story.
You have to get past the victim-blaming, said Culp, who has a feminist and social work background from the work she did before coming to the univer-
sity. Society is not great, but the victim is always hardest on them-selves. Rape should be seen as the violent crime that is it and women shouldnt have to justify it.
Legislators are realizing more and more that this is a de-cision that women make, Pre-witt said, echoing Culps words. We really need to watch the way we talk about women who have been raped and become pregnant. Words have power and we can eas-
ily restrict the ways we can help them.
Currently, Vermont is also considering similar amendments to their legislation as well.
Anyone looking for more in-formation about sexual assault, as well as the many preventative events held on campus, can contact SHARPP at (603) 862-3493 or vis-it their website at http://www.unh.edu/sharpp/.
LAW continued from page 1
[Daniels is] really one of the up and com-ing new filmmakers who deals not only with questions of race but questions of gender and sexuality. Delia Konzett
Associate Professor of Film
