Playing It Straight – Offensive?
If you’re in the UK, there’s a chance that there are some really annoying TV shows that you just can’t get away from – in fact that’s probably true wherever you are! I swear, if I have to see an advert for Desperate Scousewives one more time my TV is going to suffer a fatal incident involving a cup of hot coffee dribbled down the back and a quick flight out of an open window!
But although I find a whole lot of those reality TV shows to be pretty repugnant, the upcoming Playing It Straight has to be one of those that really makes my blood boil.
Now, I have absolutely no doubt that there will be hoards of gay guys watching the show, mainly because it contains a whole lot of camp double entendre’s and a lot of barely clothed young men who are mostly gay but don’t act it. I have no problem with those little aspects of it, it’s the game show style of it that really annoys me.
For those who don’t get it, the set up is that there’s a relatively empty-headed young woman with far too much makeup and a love of all things expensive, trying to work out which of the guys she’s shacked up with is straight. As I understand it, there are eleven guys and Cara, some of the guys are gay, and some are straight (although you have to wonder just how many of those straight guys either lied to get on the show, or are actually bi)
Cara has to work out who is straight and who isn’t, through the use of some very humorous and humiliating games. She votes guys out, and if she picks a straight guy at the end they both win 25k. If she picks a gay guy who managed to “Play it Straight” convincingly enough, he walks away with the whole 50k.
Does all that sound like fun to you?
To me, it reeks of stereotyping, and is actually pretty offensive. The message seems to be that it is better for gay men to conform to masculine stereotypes. If you think I’m overreacting, imagine it in reverse. What if it were called “Playing it Gay” and the straight guys had to convince someone (and the audience) they they are actually gay. Cue camp walks and limp wrists, hours debating Kylie and moments of hasty simulated man sex in random places. Would we accept that as being okay?
I’m gonna climb up on my soapbox here and suggest that this kind of BS is not what people protested for. We’re doing a disservice to people who had absolutely no rights and fought for some semblance of equality by turning our lifestyles into a commodity that can be sold for the sake of some cheap laughs. These guys might have noble thoughts about what they’re taking part in, but in reality they’re selling out. Instead of making sexuality a non-issue (which is how things should be) they’re voluntarily allowing themselves to be bought as entertainment for a largely straight audience to mock and laugh at.
Now, I already have some pretty strong views on the likes of the X-Factor and all the other talent shows that are really nothing more than the public humiliating people who should probably be under the care of some psychology professionals, so it’s possibly not surprising that I find this to be not my cup of tea. But it does surprise me that there is an audience for such rubbish.
Instead of gaining equality for ourselves and getting the respect we deserve in society, some of us are happy to remain the subjects of ridicule, reminding everyone just how “different” gay people are from the rest.
I’ll step down from my soapbox now, and wish you a very Happy New Year! ;)
thats just pathetic Imean I cant even rant about how unbelievable stupid that is cause you did already said everything but jesus? I mean is this what we’ve come to….
I have to say I agree with most of your points. But this show doesn’t do anymore than “Too Wung Fo” “Will and Grace” “Ru Paul’s Drag Race” didn’t already. I mean lets face it, the monster we all love called “media” is never going to change and its delusional to this these show don’t have an audience. Straight women everywhere will line up to pick out the gay because women in real life use this as a pass time in real life. If we ourselves as gay people could commit to being open about ourselves, then shows like this wouldn’t have any viability, but the truth is until we come out, we are just “playing straight”
Cara says she would be hurt if Dean is lying about being straight, perhaps she would be more upset if she knew the truth about him… and his girlfriend – the stunningly beautiful Alex May – Miss South East , from The Miss England Final … Some seem to want the money SO badly seems they will lie into the programme, and continues to tell lies really well on screen. Cara beware, whether he is straight or gay may be less of a worry than finding out that this guy seems to be a real professional……liar. And when he wins – don’t be surprised because so many already know he does -It really is amazing what people will do for money. Sorry Cara, he was even lying about his ‘bond’ with you.. he seems to be very bonded with his girlfriend too… Dean seems really very good at this game of deceit..poor Cara, what a rotten thing to do to her so publicly.
@ Lisa S
The difference (at least for me) is that “To Wong Foo” was a fictional movie, “Will and Grace” was a sitcom, “Ru Paul’s Drag Race” was at least people being PROUD of who they are.
That’s the main thing, that was all about pride, being an individual.
This show is all about lying and covering it up, like it’s something to be ashamed of. We’ve spent decades trying to rid ourselves of this insane need to fit into society and change ourselves to suit others, and then we accept a show that destroys the basic principles of that.
The entire concept of the show is lying, pretending to be straight. And for a cash prize. It sends a message that gay people should lie, that hiding who they are is something to reward.
That’s why I’m critical of it, and that’s why I won’t watch it. But then I’m so over all the reality bullshit anyway ;)
There was a similar concept a few years back except that it was a gay man looking for a man from a field of ten to fifteen. He had his female best friend to assist him and the group would go on ‘Dates’ where both the fag hag and leading man would spend one on one time with each. It was revealed when there were only six men left that originally there were about half of the men were straight. The prize money went the same as the description of this one. Fortunately, he did choose a gay man. Both instances show that people want to see gay people, but view us more as entertainment than real people.
I just read an article that had a letter that was discovered from an American slave to his previous master who had requested that the former slave and his family return to work and they would be compensated. As the former slave pointed out, before he was freed he and his family were treated the same as the animals that were bred and worked the farms along side the slaves.
Now we have straight people using gays as entertainment just as they would a circus or zoo. Fun to watch, but best kept at length with no rights.