Bret Easton Ellis sparked a mini-firestorm yesterday when he tweeted yesterday that gay actor Matt Bomer was inappropriate to play the lead in the film adaptation of the novel 50 Shades of Grey, and the reaction reached its apex last night.
Ellis, the novelist behind Less Than Zero and American Psycho, believed he was in the running to write the adaptation for the hugely-popular book about heterosexual domination. Ellis took offense to rumors that White Collar and Magic Mike actor Matt Bomer was cast as the film's male protagonist, Christian Grey. "I don't care how good an actor you are but being married to another man complicates things for playing CG," he tweeted yesterday in reference to Bomer and his partner, publicist Simon Halls. "Okay I'll say it. Matt Bomer isn't right for Christian Grey because he is openly gay. He's great for other roles but this is too big a game."
Response to Ellis's tweets was negative and swift. Apparently, Ellis felt brave enough to visit the Pavilions grocery store in West Hollywood, which is surrounded by LGBT bars, restaurants, and residents.
Ellis tweeted last night, "I was just spit on at the West Hollywood Pavillions supermarket while passing the Free HIV-testing van in the parking lot."