Here's the deal. I am so not one of those guys who whines about the media portraying every gay guy as a flaming queen. I don't get offended by really feminine or prissy guys, they don't turn me off. A lot of gay conservatives and gay guys in sports don't like people like that, or they keep them at arm's length. I'm not that person.
But, I will say, I'm bothered by the news that has popped up in the last 36 hours or so about The View looking for a gay guy to replace Rosie O'Donnell. Good idea, lots of gays are tuning in, it'd be interesting having that dynamic to play off the women. THIS is my problem: The guys they're looking at are Ross the Intern, Mario Cantone and Perez Hilton. Aaaaarrrghhhh!!! In other words, the only gay guys they want to have on are more catty and bitchy and feminine than Rosie was. Unfortunately, that's what the media (mainstream or gay) want to put out there as the face of gay men, so that's what we're stuck with.
Maybe I'm just starting to get an exposure complex. I've been doing more and more media appearances (Derek & Romaine, DKLA), and it has actually made me want to do more. It's a ton of fun. So yeah, I'd LOVE to be that gay guy on The View; but, I think I'd generally remind them more of Rosie or their husbands than the fun little gay friends from Sex and the City.
I have no problem w/ the queeniest guy on the planet being the most famous gay on television. What bothers me about this whole thing is that (as I understand it) the whole premise of THE VIEW is ladies of different generations/backgrounds talking about their views on on...stuff. Having an effeminate gay man on this panel perpetuates the archaic idea that gay men are essentially women. While it doesn't surprise me that an idiot fest led by the more-senile-by-the-day Barbara Walters would be so homophobic, I am shocked that they would be that sexist.
Posted by: Tim Wilson | June 25, 2007 at 10:23 AM
agree. i remember this drag queen telling this story . . . during pride in sf she was all dragged out, drunk, high on e and being filmed. later, he/she found out that the video was used by a church group as an anti-gay video. now, that's the image the congregation is left with re: gays.
Posted by: DJ Bunny | June 24, 2007 at 01:07 PM