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'The New Normal': GLAAD Partners With Equality Utah, KSL Still Refuses To Air NBC Series

GLAAD Will Make Sure Utah Residents Get To See 'The New Normal'
This image released by NBC shows Andrew Rannells as Bryan, left, and Justin Bartha as David in a scene from "The New Normal," premiering Sept. 11, 2012 at 9:30p.m. EST on NBC. A Mormon church owned NBC affiliate in Utah has rejected "The New Normal," the sitcom about a single mother's journey through life as a surrogate for a gay couple. NBC introduced the sitcom to American audiences earlier this month in a two-minute preview during coverage of the London Olympics. "For our brand, this program simply feels inappropriate on several dimensions, especially during family viewing time," says Jeff Simpson, CEO of KSL parent company Bonneville International, which is owned by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. (AP Photo/NBC, Trae Patton)
This image released by NBC shows Andrew Rannells as Bryan, left, and Justin Bartha as David in a scene from "The New Normal," premiering Sept. 11, 2012 at 9:30p.m. EST on NBC. A Mormon church owned NBC affiliate in Utah has rejected "The New Normal," the sitcom about a single mother's journey through life as a surrogate for a gay couple. NBC introduced the sitcom to American audiences earlier this month in a two-minute preview during coverage of the London Olympics. "For our brand, this program simply feels inappropriate on several dimensions, especially during family viewing time," says Jeff Simpson, CEO of KSL parent company Bonneville International, which is owned by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. (AP Photo/NBC, Trae Patton)

GLAAD may be making some progress toward tolerance in Utah, but the organization is having a hard time cracking conservative TV station KSL.

GLAAD announced its partnership with Equality Utah and Utah Pride Center this week, revealing it would screen "The New Normal" for Utah residents. NBC's new comedy, which centers on a gay couple attempting to start a family, was banned by the local TV station KSL.

Equality Utah and Utah Pride met with KSL, but were unable to change exec's stances.

KSL released the statement below:

We appreciated the opportunity to meet today. It was helpful to talk together, to better understand issues, and to be able to discuss the reasons behind our decision to not air 'The New Normal.' This was not a decision we made lightly and it was not made because of any single issue including gay characters or LGBT families. As a communications company we make decisions every day regarding our programming and we made a decision to not broadcast this program because we feel it had a number of issues including sexually explicit content, demeaning dialogue, and inciting stereotypes. We care about and value all members of our community, including LGBT people and their families, and are grateful when there can be the type of cordial and respectful dialogue we have had today.

Advocacy groups aren't the only ones angry with the Utah station. In addition to Ellen Barkin's numerous tweets about KSL's lack of tolerance, Andrew Rannells (who plays one half of the gay couple on "The New Normal"), said he thought boycotts of the show were "silly."

"[It's] disappointing because ultimately, what the show is about is how much love it takes to start a family," Rannels told PrideSource. "And not just our family."

"The New Normal" premieres on Tues., Sept. 11 at 9:30 p.m. ET on NBC.

Andrew Rannells, "The New Normal" (NBC)

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