Lou Maletta
Encyclopedia
Louis Phillip "Lou" Maletta Jr. (December 14, 1936 – November 2, 2011) was an American
media executive and LGBT rights activist. Maletta founded the Gay Cable Network
in 1982.
. After his discharge, he worked as a freelance photographer and travel agent. Maletta married and had a daughter with his wife before divorcing and coming out as gay. He was with his partner Luke Valenti from 1974 until Maletta's death.
Maletta's start in media came with the show Men & Film on Manhattan Cable Television, a show that evolved from showing edited gay pornography to covering events important in the community. He was inspired to start Gay Cable Network after seeing the effects AIDS
had on a friend. The network went on to produce original programming, including coverage of Democratic National Conventions and Republican National Conventions between 1984 and 2000.
Andy Humm
, then a GCN correspondent, recounted years afterward that Maletta's wearing of a "spandex, a black leather jacket, the Gay Network T-shirt and a cowboy hat" at a backwoods Mississippi Hardee's
while en route to the Republican National Convention caught the attention of other patrons, so much so that the place went "deadly silent. I didn’t think we’d get out alive, but perhaps the locals were just too shocked to react."
Gay Cable Network closed in 2001 upon Maletta's retirement. All 6,100 video tapes of GCN's archive were sold to the New York University's Fales Library for preservation in 2009.
Maletta was also the off-camera voice in a Calvin Klein
campaign pulled in 1995 for racy content which some suggested had overtones of underage pornography. Maletta died of liver cancer
in Kingston, New York
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
media executive and LGBT rights activist. Maletta founded the Gay Cable Network
Gay Cable Network
Gay Cable Network was one of the first cable television networks which openly appealed to a gay and lesbian audience. It was established in 1982 in New York City by Lou Maletta, was broadcasted on Manhattan Cable Television channel 35 and wound down operations in 2000-2001...
in 1982.
Life and career
Maletta was born in Brooklyn, New York and served in the United States ArmyUnited States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
. After his discharge, he worked as a freelance photographer and travel agent. Maletta married and had a daughter with his wife before divorcing and coming out as gay. He was with his partner Luke Valenti from 1974 until Maletta's death.
Maletta's start in media came with the show Men & Film on Manhattan Cable Television, a show that evolved from showing edited gay pornography to covering events important in the community. He was inspired to start Gay Cable Network after seeing the effects AIDS
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
had on a friend. The network went on to produce original programming, including coverage of Democratic National Conventions and Republican National Conventions between 1984 and 2000.
Andy Humm
Andy Humm
Andy Humm is a journalist, activist and currently co-host of TV news program Gay USA.-Career:As a gay news reporter, Humm has covered virtually every major gay and AIDS news story since the 1980s...
, then a GCN correspondent, recounted years afterward that Maletta's wearing of a "spandex, a black leather jacket, the Gay Network T-shirt and a cowboy hat" at a backwoods Mississippi Hardee's
Hardee's
Hardee's is a restaurant chain, located mostly in the Southeast and Midwestern regions of the United States. It has evolved through several corporate ownerships since its establishment in 1960. It is currently owned and operated by CKE Restaurants. Along with its sibling restaurant chain, Carl's...
while en route to the Republican National Convention caught the attention of other patrons, so much so that the place went "deadly silent. I didn’t think we’d get out alive, but perhaps the locals were just too shocked to react."
Gay Cable Network closed in 2001 upon Maletta's retirement. All 6,100 video tapes of GCN's archive were sold to the New York University's Fales Library for preservation in 2009.
Maletta was also the off-camera voice in a Calvin Klein
Calvin Klein
Calvin Richard Klein is an American fashion designer who launched the company that would later become Calvin Klein Inc. in 1968. In addition to clothing, Klein has also given his name to a range of perfumes, watches, and jewelry....
campaign pulled in 1995 for racy content which some suggested had overtones of underage pornography. Maletta died of liver cancer
Liver cancer
Liver tumors or hepatic tumors are tumors or growths on or in the liver . Several distinct types of tumors can develop in the liver because the liver is made up of various cell types. These growths can be benign or malignant...
in Kingston, New York
Kingston, New York
Kingston is a city in and the county seat of Ulster County, New York, USA. It is north of New York City and south of Albany. It became New York's first capital in 1777, and was burned by the British Oct. 16, 1777, after the Battles of Saratoga...
.