« Go back a post || Return to G-A-Y homepage || Haul tail to next post »
03/02/2006
Robert Knight: Hide your children, 'Holly' no longer giving 'wood' to creative community
In another of his little audio chats of anti-gay propaganda, the Concerned Women For America's Robert Knight today addresses "The ‘Gaying’ of American Entertainment," detailing how he feels the queers are basically telling decency to exit stage left. Knight begins by discussing how homosexual activists are "going after" the Peanuts gang via the (now closed) satirical off-Broadway play "Dog Sees God" (pic.), which portrays "Charlie Brown" as 'mosexual and the other characters in darkly humorous ways. Of the play, Knight says the gay activists "want to take everything that's good and decent and twist if to their own purposes, and this is one more example of that." We say, "those responsible for the parody likely know that adapting relatable characters and works in a satirical fashion is a concept to which American theatergoers are extremely fond, so they used the vehicle of a relatable comic strip to humorously take-on plot points that the two-dimensional character's arcs would never have allowed them to explore. Audiences would go into the production with some knowledge of the characters, thus making less exposition necessary in the presentation of this modern tale of teen angst." Though we guess it would be easier to just blame the 'mos and their evil ways for wrecking the hallowed memories of Linus and gang.
Knight then turns attention to the forthcoming HBO serial "Big Love," attempting to link its polygamy themes with homosexual themes, simply because the creators of the show are gay. Now, correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think David Chase would like to be linked to a "mob agenda" because he created "The Sopranos;" Darren Star to the plight of a shoe-obsessed, thirty-something columnist due to his creation of "Sex and the City;" or Larry David to a pro-"acting like a total schmuck" position because of "Curb Your Enthusiasm." Creative people create. These characters, despite how unrelatable or immoral one may find them, are part of the human spectrum, thus making them worthy fodder for entertainment. Frankly, "Heterosexual White Guy Goes to Church, Dines With His Family, Then Watches A Little 'American Idol' Before Bed" doesn't seem all that exciting. In fact, such a show would likely force HBO to change their tag line to "It's not TV -- it's far more boring."
Trying to link the polygamist movement with gay activism is a common strategy for the "pro-family" types because, in terms of legislating morality, both movements commonly argue against the notion. That, however, does not put the two camps in bed together (which is nice, as the polygmaists' beds are likely crowded enough). One could use the separation of church/state argument for any cause in which something is denied primarily because of others' moral codes, religions, or spiritualities. But arguing that a man should be free to marry a man or woman is NOT the same as a man contesting that he should be able to marry a woman and a woman and a woman and a woman and a woman. Just like with abortion, some gays rabidly support a "pro-choice" stance, while others vehemently oppose the idea. Robbie, stop trying to link the polygamy thing with gays, simply because you know that in doing so, you'll persuade a few "on the fence" voters to go against the gays out of fear for a multi-wived future. It's a spineless, disingenuous tactic, that one.
Look, conveying interesting tales is what a writer and producer are employed to do. Nobody is forced to consume the creation. It is unbelievably narrow-minded and short-sighted for one to draw opinions about another's beliefs and characteristic on the basis of their creative product. A satirical Peanuts play, a TV show about polygamists, and a gay character on "Desperate Housewives" (another point discussed in Knight's chat) -- these are not representations of "The ‘Gaying’ of American Entertainment." They are instance of folks who were once marginalized and portrayed as stereotypes to finally be presented in other lights. Real people that are favorable, unfavorable, good, bad, and everything in between -- just like society itself.
The ‘Gaying’ of American Entertainment [CWA]
comments powered by Disqus
