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Sometimes, the entertainment industry gets it right

By Lindsay Bianchi
lbianchi@thecitizennews.com

Minorities have always had to fight against stereotyping. Blacks, Hispanics, Asians, even Italians are susceptible to one-note portrayals on screens both big and small. Sometimes it’s the roles they are stuck with over and over again. Sometimes it’s the lines they are given. Even when it is played for laughs, we have to remind ourselves that these are just characters in a fictitious story.

There are a lot of positive and true pictures of people we tend to pigeon hole. Viewers respond very positively to these stories and hold them up as examples of who they are. For me, the portrayal of David and Keith on the HBO drama “Six Feet Under” is about as close as you can get to an honest rendering of adult gay life.

Although the gay world has its share of screamers and flamers, these two guys are the best gay couple on TV.

They express themselves unapologetically to each other and their families. Keith’s recent change of jobs to bodyguard demonstrates one of the most common problems that gay men have to deal with.

In a scene with two of his co-workers, Keith has to pretend to ogle women as they walk by so that his orientation is not suspected. It’s heartbreaking to watch a character as strong and sensitive as Keith, betray himself in such a way. But the fact is, lots of gay men still feel they have to do this. It’s a “don’t ask, don’t tell” world.

Keith and David are portrayed as two gay men who love and support each other. They have had their share of problems. Things have worked our well for them considering the mess that the rest of the show’s characters are in. They have become the most stable couple on the show.

I could just see the emails pouring into HBO when the two were having so many problems and almost broke up. We need David and Keith. They shine a good light on gays.

As for the rest of television, well, it’s not good.

“Will and Grace” is hysterical. It has the best ensemble cast on the tube. As for Will’s portrayal of a gay man living in New York, it’s science-fiction.

It seems like NBC is only comfortable in presenting the spastic mincing of Jack as a gay icon. I love Jack, don’t get me wrong. I would just like to see the show have more to do with lonely Will and his nonexistent love life. Grace has one suitor after the next. That’s OK. She’s straight.

Showtime’s “Queer as Folk” has a different problem, and I’m not just talking about Brian. Gay men in this show seem to do nothing but go to clubs and have sex. The story has gotten better over time, but the characters are cartoons. When this show should make me cry, I have to laugh. It’s all so overblown and silly.

The gay reality show, “Queer Eye For The Straight Guy” has about run its course. It was the hottest show on TV for about five minutes.

Now everyone else has jumped on the bandwagon and we have a host of imitators trying to wrestle their living rooms back from the fashion crazed hands of the Fab Five.

The best thing about “Queer Eye” besides all the great tips and ideas is the full spectrum of gay men represented on the show. From queeny Carson to body conscious Kyan, we get a multiple view of today’s gay lifestyle.

The movies have not been much kinder to gays. “The Bird Cage”, which is on TV every 20 minutes, is very funny because of the over the top performances. I love a good farce and that is what the movie is; a silly look at the gay world.

A lot of it rings true, but it is not the only truth. It just demonstrates that faggy is funny. It always has been, girlfriend.

My personal favorite portrayal of all things gay would have to be the film classic, “The Boys In The Band.”

Somewhat dated perhaps, there is more truth about who gay men are and why gay men are, than in anything since it appeared on the screen. OK, “Angels in America” is a phenomenal play and it is preparing to sweep the Emmys.

That said, I still have a soft spot in my heart for Emory and Hank and Harold and all the other men who make up “the Band.”

The dialogue is both hilarious and touching and it remains a very quotable film. It was originally a play on Broadway and deserves recognition for tackling a difficult subject with wit and wisdom. I still get goose bumps when I watch it.

Harold, the birthday boy has some of the best lines. He describes himself as a 30- year old Jewish, pock marked fairy and when he walks in and sees a strange straight man lying on the floor he says, “Who is she? Who was she? Who does she hope to be?”

Words are a gay mans weapon. It makes for good copy.