As I said, gayness is the show’s hook. It’s the gimmick. Could a show involving five people descending on a clueless guy work without the gayness? Of course. There are dozens of makeover shows, including for example Date Patrol in which (at least) five people of undetermined sexuality descend on someone clueless to make them over into dating material. Everything the Fab Five does is done every week one a hundred other shows by men and women, straight and (one would assume) gay. Could the producers have gotten a meeting pitching the show without the gay aspect? I think so, but the gay vs straight aspect was the gimmick that differentiated it from every other pitch the network heard that week.
Not all the “Straight Guys” have been clueless slobs. One guy had been a fashion model in the 70s (now married w/ kids). Another guy was a VJ on some cable channel, and basically pretty fashionable.
I understand exactly what Otto is saying here. Think about it. What is the queer guy supposed to take into his life off this show? Nothing.
However, I still think Queer Eye plays off gay stereotypes. But they do it with a great sense of humor, such that you’re laughing at the sterotype, not at the gay guys. I don’t think *Straight Plan * held to that M.O.-- that’s the fundametal difference. Also note how the Fab 5 are constantly poking fun at the straight guy and making psuedo-advances. The stragiht guy has to be cool with this, and it just goes to show that this straight guy can hang out with 5 gays all day long, and not have his own sense of masculinity threatened. That may sound trite, but there is still a large segment of the population that doesn’t understand that.
There might be some criticism that is valid for Queer Eye. But net/net I think it’s a big plus for gays and their being accepted more in mainstream society.
The Fab 4 show is a parody, and doesn’t really have any socially redeeming value. That’s not to say it’s bad, just that I can see where it falls more into the “Bachelor” genre of embarrassement reality TV.
I suggest Queer Eye for Joe Millionaire. Same as the original show, except it’s a straight man trying to convince twenty gay guys that he’s a pouf. At the end he has to tell the last gayfella that he’s hetero, and if said last gay fella doesn’t go ballistic they get to split a million bucks.
As a gay man, I didn’t really like the show too much. I realize that it is a parody but I was also bothered by an underlying message of “we are going to try to make you more normal”. I guess I just need to get to the gun range and then I’ll be more manly.
Queer Eye, however, is a show that generally leaves me with a really positive vibe. The fab 5 has this wonderful way of giving these guys more self-esteem becuase they look and feel better about themselves afterwards. Remember the greek Bojovi wanna-be? He was practically in tears at the end of the show because he was so appreciative of how they had changed his life. For some on the show, the experience will change their life in very positive way.
To continue on with the Reality TV insanity; where the lowest common denomonator rules - I recommend:
[ol]
[li]My Fat, Hairy, Sadistic Bear Fiancee[/li][li]Camp Jm J. Bullock[/li][li]While You Were Out of the Closet[/li][li]Gamma Rho Lambda Sorority[/li][li]Ambush Drag Queen Make-Over[/li][li]Blind M4M Chatroom Date[/li][li]Atlantis Gay Cruise Shipmates[/li][li]Gavin Newsom’s Wedding Stories[/li][li]Gladiator Megawars[/li]Percy Millionaire[/ol]
[li]Gavin Newsom’s Wedding Stories[/li][/QUOTE]
I’d watch that show in a heartbeat. I sincerely hope there are some documentary filmmakers all over what’s going on in SF.