When it comes to the LGBTQ community and how we are portrayed in comedies, I am of two minds. I like blue humor and see nothing wrong with risque comedy. But at the same time, there is a difference between risque comedy and comedy which sends a message that the LGBTQ orientation is something to be gawked at. I've pulled a couple of scenes from various movies and television shows which I invite to you to view and see if you share my opinion regarding whether they are funny or degrading:
FUNNY - Blazing Saddles. This 1974 classic by Mel Brooks could never be made today because it is so apologetically brutal and politically incorrect. From African-Americans to politicians to Methodists to women, no one gets away unscathed. And the scene above is delightfully funny because of how it implies how a lot of gay men were in musicals during the Golden Age of Hollywood. Not only that, but the humor coming from two movie genres - westerns and musicals - literally crashing against one another is wicked without being degrading.
DEGRADING - Martin - This scene with the title character at the DMV is not all funny. It's basically a big one-note stereotype of the swishy gay man hitting on a straight guy. Very juvenile and droll, but not in a good way.
UNDECIDED - In Living Color's 'Men on . . ." series - This is going to be a controversial selection because I am totally undecided about this. The premise of this sketch - which helped make In Living Color a raging success- was clever. Two gay men emphasizing the gay part about films, books, movies, etc. while sniping at each other with double entendres. However, as the skits went on, they became more broad and more insulting. In one sketch, one of the characters fainted face down and bent over, as if to imply that he engages in a lot of anal sex. Also, there was disturbing undercurrent of misogyny in all of the sketches. I didn't realize it until a friend of mine said she didn't like it when they referred to women as "fish."
FUNNY - Saturday Night Live's 'Schmitts Gay' commercial - Probably one of the best comedy sketches involving gay men. Saturday Night Live takes a commercial which was popular at the time - men having a pool party with a bunch of women and beer - and turns it on its head. And it's without being degrading or insulting.
1 comment:
I agree about Mens on Film... but I definitely remember "fish" being a term I heard used a bit before that time, in the late 80s. Misogynistic? Absolutely, but the skits were also accurately reflecting an aspect of contemporary gay culture.
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