Fox Cancels Gay-Themed Reality Show Amid Criticism

[Ben Varkentine]

www.washingtonpost.com/wp...May28.html

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(Reuters) - Fox television said Thursday it has canceled plans to air a two-hour special titled "Seriously, Dude, I'm Gay," in which two straight men compete for $50,000 by trying to pass themselves off as homosexuals.

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According to GLAAD media director Stephen Macias, who viewed a copy of the special, the contestants referred to their experience as "their worst nightmare" and complained of being "trapped in gay hell."



One contestant resorted to telling his former wrestling teammate that he liked the sport because he enjoyed "close contact with sweaty boys." He later had to fork-feed dinner to a blind date, get the man to spank him and fool him into securing a second date, Macias said.

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And you'll never guess what they're gonna run in its place...

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The one-time special, from the creators of the Fox reality series "My Big Fat Obnoxious Fiance," will be replaced on the Fox schedule by a telecast of the movie "American Pie 2."

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Ben



"Never be discouraged from being an activist because people tell you that you'll not succeed. You have already succeeded if you're out there representing truth or justice or compassion or fairness or love."

-- Doris 'Granny D' Haddock

[urnofosiris]

That sounds positively nasty. A good thing it won´t make it on air, but who ever came up with that idea in the first place? I should not be surprised though, as some people are willing to use babies and childless couples for fun and games.

Edited by: DrG at: 5/29/04 5:31 am

[Hemiola]

Actually, this brings me to the larger point of why I truly hate and despise the new "reality" shows and refuse to watch them.



All of them, to one degree or another, represent a return of what might be called the Humor of Cruelty. Right up until the beginning of the 20th century, this was the most common form of humor. Sometimes it took the form of simple slapstick, but occasionally degenerated into "practical jokes" that resulted in serious injury or even death. Then there was the ever-present humor of racial denigration ("coon" jokes), ethnic/foreign denigration ("stock" stereotypes representing what were thought to be the "humorous" qualities of various groups and nationalities), and, lest we forget, homophobia ("sissy" jokes).



Few people realize it today, but the great comedians of the past worked hard to try and eliminate this kind of humor, preferring instead to make fun of themselves (Jack Benny was the perpetual miser/cheapskate, Bob Hope was a bumbling coward, etc. etc.). A few inspired comics mined the wealth of humor to be found in wordplay and a "skewed" view of reality (think of Burns and Allen).



Sadly, all their hard work is now being destroyed. With shows like "Fear Factor" we see the Humor of Cruelty at its most obvious. It is also an important part of shows like "Joe Millionaire" and its ilk. People are once again enjoying watching other people being hurt and humiliated. I can't help but recall an interview with the current Keeper of the Tower of London, who pointed out that if beheadings were to become legal again, he wouldn't be able to print enough tickets for all those who would want to watch! I shudder what the world of "entertainment" holds for us in the future...



"If you look for the bad in men, you will surely find it."

quote attributed to Abraham Lincoln

[Gatito Grande]

. . . or you turn to the internet, as so many people did in order to watch the beheading of Nicholas Berg.



Interesting post, Hemiola. I hadn't really thought of reality shows in relation to classic comedy (I just knew that I didn't like reality shows: w/ the one exception of Queer Eye for the Straight Guy, probably because the Fab Five are just as self-deprecating as critical, and ultimately, a very friendly bunch). However, I'm not sure that Schadenfreude (finding joy in the misfortunes of others) has ever really gone out of style.



GG See Adam. Eve. Serpent. Out