# So who plays the gay Jimmy Olsen in new Superman movie? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 28, 2002, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-who-plays-the-gay-jimmy-olsen-in-new-superman-movie/130019 "2002-09-28T14:51:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2002, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-who-plays-the-gay-jimmy-olsen-in-new-superman-movie/130019/1 "2002-09-28T14:51:03Z")
Without getting into the [debate over the proposed new Superman 5 script](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=136623), but moving ahead with casting we need to find the best actor to play the (now) gay Jimmy Olsen. The classic Jimmy was always sort of fresh young, non-sexual sidekick always getting into trouble and being rescued by Superman who carried him to safety away from the lava/mobsters/Vogons/bitches with dictionaries, cradled in his powerful arms. It’s the new millennium and Jimmy’s out of the closet as a proud gay man. I’m thinking he needs to be gay (natch), youngish, eager and enjoy being occasionally carried around by large, handsome powerfully muscled super powered humanoid alien in a skintight costume. I’m thinking [Hal Sparks](http://www.halsparks.com/now.html) from Talk Soup. …and who is Jimmy’s boyfriend going to be? ---
**Author:** ![Mockingbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c68b51/32.png) [@Mockingbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mockingbird)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2002, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-who-plays-the-gay-jimmy-olsen-in-new-superman-movie/130019/2 "2002-09-28T23:00:11Z")
Um… when and where did Jimmy come out? ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2002, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-who-plays-the-gay-jimmy-olsen-in-new-superman-movie/130019/3 "2002-09-28T23:23:47Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Hastur \* > \*\*Um… when and where did Jimmy come out? \*\* [AICN EXCLUSIVE! Moriarty’s Review Of JJ ABRAMS SUPERMAN Script!!](http://www.aintitcool.com/display.cgi?id=13350) ---
**Author:** ![TheeGrumpy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/779978/32.png) [@TheeGrumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheeGrumpy)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2002, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-who-plays-the-gay-jimmy-olsen-in-new-superman-movie/130019/4 "2002-09-29T00:25:35Z")
In addition to the numerous other faults with this (alleged) version of the script (Krypton invades Earth???), the working title is seriously flawed. By next year, it will have been 16 years since Superman 4, which was a minor release compared even to Superman 3 from 1983. Your 16-24 target demographic has never seen a Superman movie in theaters (of if they did, they cried all through it). They don’t know Christopher Reeve from George Reeves. In other words, there is no more series; they’re starting over again – just as they did 24 years ago. ---
**Author:** ![grendel72](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/91b2a8/32.png) [@grendel72](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grendel72)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2002, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-who-plays-the-gay-jimmy-olsen-in-new-superman-movie/130019/5 "2002-09-29T00:33:43Z")
It’s called a **working title** , I can guarantee the movie will not be called Superman 5 when it’s released. I have no problem with having a different take on Superman, I don’t see what has the geeks all worked up. I read superman comics when I was younger and I think a new take on the character could be interesting. BTW, although Hal Sparks is incredibly cute and I agree he would be an excellent choice as Jimmy Olsen (maybe he’s a few years too old…), but he’s apparently _not_ gay. I know I was dissapointed. ---
**Author:** ![TheeGrumpy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/779978/32.png) [@TheeGrumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheeGrumpy)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2002, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-who-plays-the-gay-jimmy-olsen-in-new-superman-movie/130019/6 "2002-09-29T00:37:07Z")
Recalling those previous Superman movies makes me wonder: how would fans have reacted back then, had there been an Internet upon which to whine? Think especially of Superman II, in which the Kryptonians all receive magical powers: telekinesis, teleportation, and Supes throws a big plastic “S”. Would fan backlash have forced them to change the ending, in which Superman mysteriously has his powers restored (even though we were told he Never Ever Could)? ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2002, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-who-plays-the-gay-jimmy-olsen-in-new-superman-movie/130019/7 "2002-09-29T02:57:00Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by grendel72 \* > \*\*It’s called a **working title** , I can guarantee the movie will not be called Superman 5 when it’s released. > > I have no problem with having a different take on Superman, I don’t see what has the geeks all worked up. I read superman comics when I was younger and I think a new take on the character could be interesting. > > BTW, although Hal Sparks is incredibly cute and I agree he would be an excellent choice as Jimmy Olsen (maybe he’s a few years too old…), but he’s apparently _not_ gay. I know I was dissapointed. \*\* Hal Sparks not gay!:eek: I’m a straight man but I thought my gaydar was pretty good (except for Tony Randall turning out to be straight) Hmm… better get it adjusted and stop reading MIchael Musto. ---
**Author:** ![japatlgt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df705f/32.png) [@japatlgt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/japatlgt)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2002, 7:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-who-plays-the-gay-jimmy-olsen-in-new-superman-movie/130019/8 "2002-09-29T07:05:07Z")
Andy Dick as a gay Jimmy Olsen. What a hoot! His dominate boyfriend would be Jiminy Glick (minor role). Why not a gay superhero? ---
**Author:** ![Menocchio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de053/32.png) [@Menocchio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Menocchio)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2002, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-who-plays-the-gay-jimmy-olsen-in-new-superman-movie/130019/9 "2002-09-29T17:15:42Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by japatlgt \* > \*\*Why not a gay superhero? \*\* There have been a few minor ones. Northstar, a member of Marvel’s Alpha Flight was gay, but I think i heard they shoved him back in teh closet. The Pied Piper, a reformed Flash villain, is gay. Maggie Sawyer, while technically not a “super”-hero, is the head of Metropolis special unit that breaks out the big guns to stop rampaging metahumans whenever Superman’s out of town. Her girlfriend even appeared in the cartoon! (although she wasn’t identified as such) And Hero, a latter-day user of the H-dial from the late, lamented (by me, anyway) **Superboy and the Ravers** was a homosexual. Several of the heroes that he turned into, however, were not, leading to some drama.