Queer Eye for the Straight Guy

[thistlechaser]

People who know me won't need this extra bit of information, but for those who don't here it is: I have no problem at all with gay folks. I have gay friends and co-workers. I like seeing them as characters in TV/movies/books, and I occasionally RP them. Heck, I read fanfics about them all the time.

Queer Eye for the Straight Guy is a new TV show on Bravo. Five gay men "help improve" a straight man. Redo his apartment, hair, wardrobe, all that. The promos worried me a little, but I still wanted to see the show.

Since it's on, I'm watching it. I was right to be worried.

How many cliches can you fit into these "characters"? At least half of them lisp, at least two of them prance (really, prance) around with limp wrists. Though this guy is straight, they keep touching and grabbing for his crotch.

One little exchange made my jaw drop:
They're checking out his apartment, seeing what changes to make. One of them reaches into his laundry and pulls out the guy's jock strap. He then pushes it onto his own face and inhales deeply. He then announces (in a lisp) that it was dirty.

So what are a group of gay men to do with a dirty jock strap?

They decide to boil it in a pot on the stove.

Gay guy #1 offers to pour some soy sauce into the pot.
Gay guy #2, in a knowing flirty-mocking tone: Oh, I think it already has "soy sauce" in it!
Gay guy #3, in a sly tone: Is it soy sauce or boy sauce?
And they all giggle gayly. I didn't even know there was such a thing as "gayly giggling" before this.

If I was a gay guy, I think I'd be offended by this.

Comments

amused

[elo-sf.livejournal.com]

in a bizzare way this show, stereotypical and all, is probably ok. I mean it means gays are becoming mainstream. We've watched 3 episodes and basically seen them as humor. Not sure if we watch more, but hardly offended deeply, mostly just amused.

Re: amused

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

I mean it means gays are becoming mainstream. We've watched 3 episodes and basically seen them as humor.

Yeah, and that's what was bothering me about it, I think. If they weren't gay and didn't act gay, would it be funny? Nope.

I'd feel the same about a show that made the characters funny just because they were stereotypically black or fat or Asian or anything like that.

hmmm

[elo-sf.livejournal.com]

Yeah, and that's what was bothering me about it, I think. If they weren't gay and didn't act gay, would it be funny? Nope.

I found it funny because the people they found were so scary disgusting...

...hard to say, the road to acceptance is paved with odd turns. I can't say definitively that the show is "good" or "bad" for gay people or not, much like Queer as Folk, there are certainly some gay people who act like the 5 designers on that show... [yes I know they are pandering somewhat] is that wrong to show?