My fundie mom likes "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy"

[Paragon]

As some of you know, she's staying with us while she gets post-op radiation treatments for breast cancer. I drive her to the appointments myself. She's far away from home (Michigan) and has a lot of time on her hands...so she's managed to pick up on my sister's obsession with The Fab Five.

I wonder about this...is this just my Mom wanting to participate with the kids, or could she actually be turning a corner in her societal outlook? She also loves all those house-remaking shows, which are sort of in the same vein.

I think this has been discussed here before - the whole perpetuating of gay stereotypes, etc...maybe it's just me hoping that with all of this going on with my sick mom, that her heart might be healing (not hardening) along with the rest of her.

[patdem]

1. I am sure she thinks it is just a TV show and they are all actors

do not question...just enjoy!

[supernova]

2. Oh, just enjoy it

that she likes them. In time, they may change her mind about a few things. And that's all to the good.

Here's to your mom's health. :toast:

[Paragon]

3. I'm sure she'd thank you

And what's the DUJDFC?

[supernova]

6. Tee Hee

Thanks for asking. Its the

DU Johhny Depp Fan Club! :loveya:

I'm the President, SiouxJ is the Founder. :D

[geniph]

8. Oh my god, sign me up!

I've been a huge fan of the Most Gorgeous Cheekbones in History since Edward Scissorhands.

*pant, drool*

[BloodyWilliam]

10. Sign me up too!

Because after Tuesday's election, it's never been truer that we're in fucking Bat Country. ;)

[supernova]

11. Great! Repeat after me:

:D

Raise your right hand and promise to uphold the following quote from William Saroyan:


In the time of your life, live--so that in that good time there shall be no ugliness or death for yourself or for any life your life touches. Seek goodness everywhere, and when it is found, bring it out of its hiding-place and let it be free and unashamed. Place in matter and in flesh the least of the values, for these are the things that hold death and must pass away. Discover in all things that which shines and is beyond corruption. Encourage virtue in whatever heart it may have been driven into secrecy and sorrow by the shame and terror of the world. Ignore the obvious, for it is unworthy of the clear eye and the kindly heart. Be the inferior of no man, nor of any man be the superior. Remember that every man is a variation of yourself. No manís guilt is not yours, nor is any manís innocence a thing apart. Despise evil and ungodliness, but not men of ungodliness or evil. These, understand. Have no shame in being kindly and gentle, but if the time comes in the time of your life to kill, kill and have no regret. In the time of your life, live--so that in that wondrous time you shall not add to the misery and sorrow of the world, but shall smile to the infinite delight and mystery of it.

[geniph]

4. I'm hoping, that besides a bit of perpetuating,

that QE4TSG (the only TV show I watch, by the way) also educates people a bit - that there's nothing "manly" or attractive about living in filth and squalor, that a straight guy can hang out for several days with gay men without being attacked or "converted," and that Thom is a f***ing genius.

I just wish they'd come do a makeover for ME! Especially Thom. What he does is nothing short of miraculous.

[GOPisEvil]

5. Even the homophobic transit cop came around eventually....

...he was afraid of "the gay" but those guys won him over.

I would LOVE to turn Thom loose in my place to redecorate. He's got pretty good taste most of the time. Plus, I don't care what anyone says, Thom's one-liners are the best.

[geniph]

7. One of the early ones,

the guy had this stupid bubble tube thing in his living room. Thom looked at it, and perfectly deadpan, asked the guy, "What IS this, art?" the guy answered, "Oh, do you like that?" and Thom, never changing his expression in the slightest, said, "No. It's horrible." I fell off the chair laughing. It was his delivery - just priceless.

What makes me call him a genius is how DIFFERENT every place he does looks - he doesn't impose his own tastes and style on the guys, he finds something aesthetically pleasing and practical that fits THEIR tastes, which is really impressive.

[BloodyWilliam]

9. Amen!

Young slightly overweight geek like myself would love to have five queens of fashion dish out the taste and the cash to get my apartment (when I finally get one) all funk shui'ed up and tailor me a suit.

And I want to get my tips done someday too. Or at least do SOMETHING about my Screech (from Saved By The Bell) hair.

Not too worried about being converted gay either.

...already halfway there at least. :hippie:

[Aristus]

12. I've been wondering for a while if gays have become the new

'black minstrels'. Sources of entertainment and fall guys for racist white audiences. Lots of people accept gays in areas of entertainment, but they still hold on to their prejudices and opposed gay rights, gay marriage and so on. Laugh at them, let them entertain you, even follow the whys and wherefores of gay culture, BUT,

don't invite them to dinner, don't sit next to one on the bus, and don't let your son or daughter marry one. Does it seem like this to anyone else? The idea of Paragon's fundy mother enjoying "Queer Eye" inspired me to write this down.

[joeybee12]

13. I wonder about that too

Seems like it may be ok to have gays around as long as it's for comic relief, but there really aren't any shows that deal with gay people as people that blend in all too well. Seems like that if they're stereotypes, straights aren't threatened.

Being gay, don't know anyone personally who is gay and that in tune with fashion and decor. Queer Eye should be renamed. "Queer NEW YORK Eye for the Straight Guy."

[supernova]

14. Well, there's probably some of that Aristus

the "gay as safe entertainment" meme, I'll buy that.

But that's how it starts isn't it? That's how outside groups gain entry into the mainstream. I'm thinking of how much grief the talented actors for the TV show "Amos N Andy" took just for being on it. But at the time, that was a big improvement over the hit radio show, which was done by two WHITE guys. Even if it was stereotypical, minstrel-y and all the rest, at least you had a black person playing a black character and not a white person in blackface.

Somebody had to be first, don't you think?

Disclaimer: I'm not saying this is right, proper, or any other good term. I'm saying, for good or for ill, historically this as been the pattern. Just didn't want anybody getting worked up that I actually think this is a good idea.

[cprise]

15. I have such a mom

When she brings the show up, I am reminded that racists liked Amos n Andy.

Actually, I think she likes both shows.