Really poignant essay in the Washington Post about "gay humor" in mainstream television and film. The author, Hank Stuever, points out "Adam Sandler, Seth Rogen, Paul Rudd, Will Ferrell and their interchangeable cohorts seem incapable of making a comedy without at least one I'm-not-gay-you -are jokes." I will admit, while I recognize homophobic humor in film and television, I had never considered what a profoundly demeaning and anxiety-ladened moment it presents for gay members of the audience:
"Nothing quite matches the feeling of being the gay person in a movie theater full of straight people when the gay jokes come around. It can put a guy right back on the recess playground, where the bullies are smart and funny and the sissy (also smart, also funny, but only to the girls) is just trying to get through the day unscathed. Not all gay men feel this as acutely, but plenty have sat blithely in otherwise enjoyable movies and watched as audiences howl with disgust when the gay sex joke presents itself."
I thought this essay dovetails nicely with the Women and Humor post earlier this morning. It's a short but powerful essay. Check it out if you have a spare minute.
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I have to admit the "I know you're gay because..." jokes do make me uncomfortable because it's a way to make homophobic stereotyping OK. It always makes me squirm because, in my head, it becomes a mental check box of "how flamingly gay am I?" because it can, very honestly, turn into a safety issue. If I'm too gay, am I going to be gay bashed? Will the people in the theater notice how gay I am and follow me into the parking lot after the movie and beat me? It's really, really off-putting.
Though, I must admit I'm really excited to see Bruno. Sascha Baron Cohen's form of satire amuses me GREATLY and I can't wait to see what he does about homophobia in America.
I thought Bruno was a great satire. But, it'll be interesting to see people's response to the movie, it was more over the top than Borat. It's almost kind of depressing though because it really exposes how uncomfortable our country is with fluidity in male sexuality and homosexuality.
I'm going to try to convince one of my friends to go with me tomorrow to see it.
Depending on how it goes, I may post a review here.