Oddly enough, Queer Eye for the Straight Guy doesn't stink

Cafe Society
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I wanted to hate Bravo’s new decorating show. I desperately wanted to detest it and run from the room. I was only watching it, after all, for the same reason people are fascinated by car wrecks. The blood, the screams, the endless schadenfreude… but then I realized it did somehow work.

The premise for those of you out of the loop is five gay men are given one day with a straight guy, and in that day they must improve his style in cooking, grooming, decoration, culture, and clothing. Each of these categories is covered by one of the “Fab 5”. The point is not to totally destroy what basic style was already there, but rather to show better ways such style could be executed. At the end of the day, each straight man has listed an event they wish to hold/be at (opening of their art show, surprise party for wife), and they’re let loose to finish preparing and hosting it to see how much as been learned. Unlike What Not to Wear, its completely hands-off at that point.

What mostly had me wincing during the commercials was a fear that these guys were simply going to be catty bitches intent on witty insults more than actual advice. What had some other people wincing was the fact that they all seemed to be flaming. Honestly, I can say my fear, and probably the latter fear as well, can be laid to rest. While occassionally making dry comments, each of these guys does seem to want to improve the life of their victim. Each dispenses advice in their own style, but always with intent to improve instead of tear down. And the only one flaming in the “classic” sense is Carson the fashion guru, but its all so worth it.

If they had taken themselves too seriously, refrained from being slightly over the top, the show would never have worked. It would have been pompous and annoying, with only the original twist to redeem even slightly. As things stand, I think its a unique, lively, helpful, and often amusing show that everyone should at least check out if they have access.

Now to see what happens with Boy meets Boy… the war between eye candy and sheer disgusting freak show mentality…

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I loved their victim, Butch—sense of humor, smart, comfortable with gay guys. As for the Fab 5, I really can’t tell them apart yet, except for the blond fashion guy, who . . . Hmmm. I don’t dislike nelly guys; but he’s not Charming Nelly, he’s Obnoxious Nelly.

The rest of the 5 have not really registered yet, but they seem nice enough, and good at their jobs. Butch shor’ cleaned up nice.

3

Part of the fun is trying to read the aprons on the episode…

“Horny in Hell’s Kitchen”
“Will cook for sex”

“Shitaki happens”
“Sushi in the sky with diamonds”

4

I think I’d like to check it out! I was boycotting it on the basis of the negative reaction of some of our gay friends here, but Priam’s analysis makes it sound fun. I’m all for spiffing up straight guys. Lord knows most of them need it. :wink:

5

I’ve already commented in the other thread so I’ll only briefly recap two points: First, anything that gets even one straight man to cut off a long skanky ponytail is aces in my book; and second, Kyan the Grooming Guy is my new husband so the rest of you bitches back off!

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I liked it too. They did do a good job. I didn’t mind Carson at all, he is the fashion guru after all, I rather expect that from a fashion guru. He was able to pull it off with out being condescending or insulting like the What Not To Wear crews (US and British) do. I think I liked the chef the most.

7

Well, this straight guy liked it – in fact, I wonder if they’ll venture into the mid-west. I could use a serious makeover and an event and they seemed like guys I wouldn’t mind knowing – though Carson might tax me a tad.

Otto – you go get him – my wife and I agree, he’s the hunk of the show – reminds me a bit of Michael T. Weiss and Eric McCormack.

The chicks so went crazy for the new Butch it was amazing the transformation. Next time I watch it, I’m taking notes.

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Come on - the first victim’s name wasn’t really Butch???

9

Eh, I watched the first 20 minutes of it and found it to me yet another fagsploitation show. (Is that a new word? If it is I want credit!)

So I watched cartoons instead.

10

My wife and I tuned in on a lark and stayed for both episodes.

I like the format: 1 day, seemingly limitless budget, a target goal, and letting the “victim” fly solo for the final act.

Halfway through the first episode, my wife turned to me and said, “You know, I’d really like to go shopping with you for a day.” For me, not for her. I’m not sure I’m exactly thankful (I hate clothes shopping), but it was kind of inspiring.

(If they ever come to Seattle, we’re nominating my brother as a victim.)

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We discovered at the end that his name was Brian, but everyone called him Butch. Apparently the change so completely threw his friends that one of them commented “Now we’re gonna have to start calling him Brian- Butch was the rugged farmer guy.”

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CRAP! I only have basic cable and I don’t think I have Bravo!

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So is all the angry gay angst cancelled now that we’ve seen the show?

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It is for me, really. Frankly, one tends to get hyper-sensitive about these things after being beat upside the head so many times by different TV shows. In this case, that hypersensitivity was probably misplaced…

15

sigh

Was the patronizing tone necessary?

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I enjoyed the show. Like most of the rest, I can only remember Carson. It appeared to be different guys (except for Carson) in the second show. The black guy wasn’t in the first.

The only objection I have is the idea that all gay guys are fasion concious and stylish.

I’m a queer and look like a slob most of the time.

Bob

17

I think they were all the same except for the style consultant – Jai in the first show, black guy whose name I didn’t catch in the second. (Interestingly, the opening credits remained the same.) Ted (the food guy) is my favorite, but it’s certainly hard to miss Carson.

According to this article at the New York Times online (registration required), the guys get four days with their straight victim, not just one. I was wondering how they got all that stuff done in just one day, but I figured they had a lot of off-camera help (like with redecorating).

18

I did enjoy it (I saw the Butch episode), but was nobody else screaming at the TV for Carson’s fashion “advice”? Not that all of it was bad - the jeans did look fantastic on Butch/Brian. But what was with giving him pants that were so far on the other side of “distressed” that they looked exactly like the set-painter overalls the guy was wearing in the first place? And since when did guys stop wearing socks? Eww! Some of the “fashion” was really quite awful, I thought.

The apartment makeover, however, was fabulous. Although the “decor” guy obviously had quite a bit of behind the scenes help. I loved the hair segment as well, because it really showed what a huge difference a good haircut can make in a guy’s appearance.

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I caught both episodes yesterday and really liked it as well. I didn’t see what Butch/Brian looked like before the makeover (came in for the last half-hour) but from those self-portraits, I’m guessing it was a major improvement.

The second episode was also interesting. They gave the impression that it happened over only one day but of course it didn’t, as I found out later. My favorite part so far is when they let the guy go out on his own for some event and comment on all the people there…although I didn’t like the wife in the second episode. Their comments on the art gallery opening were hilarious.

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This straight girl absolutely loved it. I rather liked Carson the Fashion Maven, but what’s with the extra-large belts and oversized buckles he was picking out? Those aren’t “slimming,” you know! And that jacket he liked on Butch (brown, with the white border stitching) was hideola and very 2002 – yecch!

I like that they didn’t make the straight guys self-conscious about aspects about themselves that couldn’t be fixed or addressed in short order – things like their weight.

I wonder if the show’s producers tell their straight subjects to NOT clean & straighten up their homes in advance… to just be as they naturally are for the camera crew? It sure seemed like it!