Queer as Folk

[Guest Tampa Yankee]

Guys,

 

>> Instead of applauding the

>>major step Showtime has taken

>>in depicting a realistic slice

>>of gay life, the gay

>>community seems hell bent on

>>pointing out just how poorly

>>the show is developed and

>>what artistic flaws are present.

>> It's a little sad

>>how unforgiving the gay viewers

>>seem to be.

>

 

Whoa, wait a minute, please...

 

I and several others welcomed its arrival (if not all that warmly) in an earlier thread -- it is a milestone in American television -- a very positive one, much too long in coming.

 

I plead guilty that I did not watch the show with a gay viewer mindset... I used the same mindset I use when I watch OZ, the Sopranos, West Wing, Law and Order, The Practice...

 

>Yes, and this is a very

>disturbing thing in our community

>which purportedly celebrates diversity. The

>fact is that we, as

>a whole, do not celebrate

>diversity at all.

 

I plead guilty to this when it comes to bad: television, movies, theatre, food. humor, service... It is a theory of mine proven out through (my) experience that you always get more of what you are willing to settle for.

 

>We lambast our public figures and

>revile those we wish were

>our public figures. Ricky Martin

>is derided for staying in

>the closet. He's called a)

>a hypocrite, b) a coward

>and c) a liar.

>

>If he comes out he'll be

>blasted for being a) a

>hypocrite for staying in the

>closet so long, b) a

>coward for staying in the

>closet for so long, and

>c) a liar for staying

>in the closet for so

>long.

>

Sadly there is a lot of truth to this sentiment. The difference between this issue and TV shows though is that a person's life is his private business and no one else's, especially those who would sacrifice the person's privacy for someone else's cause. Television shows are commercial ventures offered to the public ultimately make money... I don't equate the two points and think this comment is way off the mark in this thread about a television show.

 

>Rather than welcoming this Showtime series

>(which is really quite daring)

 

I agree it is quite daring and I and several others welcomed its arrival... see above

 

>we pick it apart and

>yell about what's wrong. We

>don't celebrate what's *right* about

>it: we're here and we're

>queer and we're in your

>living room every week so

>deal with it.

 

If that is all you find *right* about it, then I think you confirm its merits as a 'television show'. (It may have more merit as a political statement.)

 

Bottom line: support the show through viewership and mail/email but let Showtime know that this particular realization fell a little short on the writing level -- we would love to see better and will hang with them for awhile waiting for the improvement.

 

It really wasn't my intent to 'trash' the show (well maybe the writers -- yes definitely)... but if we can't discuss the pros and cons of a gay show in a gay forum where will we discuss it??

 

My view, anyway :-)

[+ deej]

>Bottom line: support the show through

>viewership and mail/email but let

>Showtime know that this particular

>realization fell a little short

>on the writing level --

 

Right! Let *Showtime* know. I'm willing to bet they're not reading this message board. ;-)

 

>It really wasn't my intent to

>'trash' the show (well maybe

>the writers -- yes definitely)...

>but if we can't discuss

>the pros and cons of

>a gay show in a

>gay forum where will we

>discuss it??

 

My point is that we generally *don't* discuss pros and cons -- just cons.

 

>My view, anyway :-)

 

And a welcome view it is! :-)

 

(Now if we could just get you to stop appointing the top 10.... LOL! I *hope* you know I'm kidding. I'm staying out of *that* fray!)

[NASAguy]

>Is there anyplace like Babylon (big,

>well lighted, awesome props, clean),

>outside of New York and

>San Francisco, in the whole

>country?

 

I friend of mine in Toronto who worked as an "extra" dancing in several of the Babylon segments told me those scenes were filmed at an actual club in Toronto known as the "Government". It's suppose to be down by the waterfront in the downtown area. Anybody from Toronto know about it or been to it? It has never come up in any of the Toronto discussions.

[Guest Tampa Yankee]

LAST EDITED ON Jan-18-01 AT 04:10PM (EST)[p]deej,

 

I'd gladly trade you my Queen Maker wand for your fun ticket this week!!!! And you are definitely right... we need to discuss more 'pros'. ;-)