DISPUTES SWIRL ON ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
By Hal Boedeker
Orlando Sentinel — Newsday
tyle/sfl-genocideapr17,0,7523268.story?coll=sfla-f eatures-headlines
April 17, 2006
Some PBS stations won’t air The Armenian Genocide when it premieres
tonight. In South Florida, both WPBT-Ch. 2 and WXEL-Ch. 42 are
scheduled to show it at 10 p.m.
The documentary explores what former President Teddy Roosevelt called
the greatest crime of World War I.
The program describes how the Ottoman Turks, under nationalist
leaders, massacred and deported Armenians. Estimates put the death
toll as high as 1.5 million. Yet the modern Turkish state denies that
genocide happened, and that country’s schools teach that reports of
the atrocity are groundless.
Not surprisingly, The Armenian Genocide has generated controversy.
Los Angeles station KCET refused to show the program and instead will
offer a French documentary on the subject.
The Armenian Genocide will be available in more than 92 percent of
the country, PBS says.
PBS added a half-hour discussion, Armenian Genocide: Exploring the
Issues, with several speakers who dispute the genocide.
Armenian-Americans have protested that program. It will be seen in
65 percent of the country, PBS says.
WPBT has not scheduled the discussion. But WXEL will offer it at 5
a.m. Tuesday.
The documentary recounts the Armenians’ plight through photographs,
witnesses’ accounts and experts’ explanations. Julianna Margulies
narrates the documentary. Reading historical narration are Ed Harris,
Natalie Portman, Laura Linney and Orlando Bloom.
Secret panel
A new incarnation of the vintage tube hit I’ve Got a Secret (weeknights
at 11:30 p.m., GSN) features a cool panel that includes stand-ups
Suzanne Westenhoefer and Jermaine Taylor, and baseball’s openly gay
Billy Bean. Comic Bil Dwyer hosts their attempts to guess what, who,
why and how about mysterious guests.
GLAAD awards
Eric McCormack joins such “out” celebs as Melissa Etheridge for the
17th annual GLAAD Media Awards (9 p.m. Wednesday, VH1), taped recently
in Hollywood. Winners for their gay/lesbian/bisexual/ transgender
portrayals include Will & Grace, The L Word and My Name Is Earl. (Earl
made amends in the pilot with a gay guy he once persecuted.) Expect
appearances from desperate housewives, plus Charlize Theron, Jessica
Alba and at least three Arquettes.
Copyright © 2006, South Florida Sun-Sentinel
[sfl-genocideapr17%2C0%2C6181576%2Cp rint.story%3Fcoll%3Dsfla-features-headli
nes&t z=420&s=12201&c_TID=37sgt441247550&c_T ID=37sgt441247550&c_rcid=null]
–Boundary_(ID _gjxhzSpQnOzP0bUwj6CfcQ)–
