For the past few days I’ve been completely holed up watching the evolution literally being televised. The past year hasn’t been exactly stellar for the homo-affectionally inclined. With the rise of the American Taliban, we’ve just been losing one battle after another, with state after state eagerly legislating gay Americans into the less-than-human category, and everyone from the Pope to Mel Gibson hell-bent on banishing us to hell. Conversations about constructing a gay Underground Railroad to Canada became eerily serious, and HIV and crystal meth stepped up their attacks on our communities. On top of all of this, Sex and the City ended leaving the entire gay community feeling like they had just lost most of their best friends, and Will & Grace entered into the Roseanne show zone (this is when a ground-breakingly funny sitcom outlives its expiration date and continues its run two, sometimes even three, seasons longer than it should).
Last week, gay America took a giant leap forward with the introduction of Logo, the first readily available all-gay cable channel. The programming includes gay-themed movies, documentaries, original series, comedy shows and music concerts. Even many of the commercials are gay-themed (the Orbitz commercials are kind of shockingly gay). I knew that Logo was coming some time ago, but I had no idea that it would have such an impact. I have seen countless gay-themed movies and plays, read a ton of gay books and listened to incalculable hours of gay music. I’ve even been to two Pet Shops Boys concerts – which are, hands down, the absolute gayest events on Earth. And yet, to have a television channel with 24 hours a day programming for gay people just so unbelievably cool! It’s so fucking exciting to think that ordinary, straight, middle-American channel surfers with little, or no, exposure to “the queers” might stumble into understanding us just a little better and hating us just a little less. Or, maybe not. Maybe it’ll just be fun for us – and A*.
Last night, we watched Torch Song Trilogy with some friends. After nearly 20 years, Torch Song still stands unsurpassed as the most excellent gay film ever. Ever. I have seen it at least 20 times and it still makes me grateful that my life time coincides with the Torch Song Trilogy era. It stars Harvey Fierstein, Matthew Broderick and Anne Bancroft, and seriously, if you care about anyone who’s gay, you owe it to your relationship with them to see this movie.
After more than a year of crippling disappointments, Logo reignites hope and reenergizes the gay soul. Welcome to our culture.
Last week, gay America took a giant leap forward with the introduction of Logo, the first readily available all-gay cable channel. The programming includes gay-themed movies, documentaries, original series, comedy shows and music concerts. Even many of the commercials are gay-themed (the Orbitz commercials are kind of shockingly gay). I knew that Logo was coming some time ago, but I had no idea that it would have such an impact. I have seen countless gay-themed movies and plays, read a ton of gay books and listened to incalculable hours of gay music. I’ve even been to two Pet Shops Boys concerts – which are, hands down, the absolute gayest events on Earth. And yet, to have a television channel with 24 hours a day programming for gay people just so unbelievably cool! It’s so fucking exciting to think that ordinary, straight, middle-American channel surfers with little, or no, exposure to “the queers” might stumble into understanding us just a little better and hating us just a little less. Or, maybe not. Maybe it’ll just be fun for us – and A*.
Last night, we watched Torch Song Trilogy with some friends. After nearly 20 years, Torch Song still stands unsurpassed as the most excellent gay film ever. Ever. I have seen it at least 20 times and it still makes me grateful that my life time coincides with the Torch Song Trilogy era. It stars Harvey Fierstein, Matthew Broderick and Anne Bancroft, and seriously, if you care about anyone who’s gay, you owe it to your relationship with them to see this movie.
After more than a year of crippling disappointments, Logo reignites hope and reenergizes the gay soul. Welcome to our culture.
5 comments:
I am going to rent Torch Song as soon as I can. My best friend is gay. I love her with everything I am. I was raised very Christian, but I completely believe that a person is born that way and is no less a person than myself. She is my kindred and I would do anything for her.
I agree with you that Will and Grace jumped the shark a season or so ago. I am glad to hear that this will be there last one. Let's hope it is better than two seasons ago. That one was the worst. Do you like the L-Word? I heard it really was not that good. Just curious, before I go and rent it.
I agree that this country is becoming a Semi-Nazi infested place where instead of the Jewish they want to erradicate the gay nation. It is just wrong. Even if being gay is a sin, it should not matter because not everyone in this country believes the same thing. Plus, being gay hurts no one. Not a single person. So who cares? Why make it an issue? It is just so sad.
Hof: Man, you just keep racking up the points! You really hit something here. So often, I hear that we should be grateful that society has come so far in its attitude towards gay people, and that we can't expect changes to come in one day. Not to sound ungrateful, but I don't understand why I should have to wait my entire lifetime, or longer, for people to stop being cruel to me and people like me. It's very frustrating.
Vegas: It makes me smile to know that your best friend has such an amazingly cool, and straight, best friend. If everyone were like you, and Hof, the world would be a different place. As for the L Word - I've not yet seen it (I don't have Showtime), but my friend, who is a gay woman, says it's not very good. She said it's really shallow and compared it to Melrose Place.
Wait just a damn minute, what is wrong with Melrose Place? C'mon that was some of the best mindless tribble on TV. I loved it.
"Oh, that Michael he's just so smug."
This is the meaningful life of a young gay man?
Lets see... You dislike your country very much. The high light of your life is a TV show?
The inherent unhappiness of your life comes screaming out of your posts. I hope it gets better for you. Even if the new cable network for gay men fails, I wish you happiness.
Mr. Ogler: This is the meaningful life of a young gay man?
Cyrus: Um, yep. And thanks for calling me young!
Mr. Ogler: Lets see... You dislike your country very much. The high light of your life is a TV show?
Cyrus: Actually, my country dislikes me and runs to the polls every election day to prove me right. It's not so much my country that I dislike so much, but the barbarians running it. And, Mr. Ogler, the highlight of my life right now is not a tv show - it's a tv network. Didn't do so well on those reading comprehension tests in school, did you?
Mr. Ogler: The inherent unhappiness of your life comes screaming out of your posts. I hope it gets better for you. Even if the new cable network for gay men fails, I wish you happiness.
Cyrus: Don't worry at all. I am actually one of the most fortunate people in this universe. I am surrounded by so much love and so many cool people, that even if the network for gay men (and gay women) fails, I think I'll be ok.
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