Aaron Sorkin’s ‘Sing’ing ‘Dance’-ing ‘Pray’ing Inspiration
The New York Times this weekend had an interesting profile of Broadway star Kristin Chenoweth, who, at 4’ 11’’ not only has dazzled audiences in productions such as You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown, Wicked, and, most recently, The Apple Tree, but also apparently melted the rat-a-tat-tat, quip-spewing heart of Scarsdale native Aaron Sorkin. The TV legend wrote a role for her on The West Wing and based a Studio 60 character on her, the devout Harriet Hayes. It was already widely known that Hayes was inspired by Chenoweth, but exactly how striking the similarities between the two are, may surprise you: Ms. Chenoweth released a Christian pop album and went on Pat Robertson’s ‘700 Club’ to promote it, angering her gay fan base. The Times reports that when she “assured her theater fans that she supports gay rights her Christian base was outraged; she was disinvited from performing at a Women of Faith conference in September 2005” (sound familiar?). “She drew further criticism when she appeared in a parade of tiny bikinis in the March 2006 issue of FHM” (where have we seen that before?).
Chenoweth tells The Times that she said “O.K.,” when Sorkin, whom she had since broken up with, asked if he could write a character based on her. “I was happy to give him that gift. And I watch every week because I’m supportive of Aaron; whether we’re together or not, I love him always. I think it’s a genius show.” Now let’s all pray that a few more Americans come to agree, so that it sticks around a bit longer.