This show gives Gay people a bad name - The Real O'Neals (2016) Discussion

I was just thinking the very same thing.

reply

[–] tjorjab 8 years ago

I'm a straight female and don't really know a lot of gay people but the way the were at the party tonight, isn't that the same kind of thing that goes on at the parades and gay pride day???

reply

[–] Adam-J-23 8 years ago

No offense, but you prove my point. You make assumptions based on what you see shown in a clip -- an incomplete picture. The question you ask is no different than assuming that Irish people are always loud and drunk, based on what we see at the St. Patrick's Day parade (I live in NYC, so believe me, its drunken chaos). But I know that not all Irish people are like that.

Your question basically means you believe any and all stereotypes. Do you think every gay man is at the Gay Pride Parade...like everyone one of us participates? No.

Like I said, not trying to be rude to you, but you did prove my point. So the answer to your question is yes, the episode last night pandered to every false, mis-leading stereotype out there. Kind of like that "All Black people are ____________" or "All Italians are loud and in the Mafia..........."

reply

[–] lunaeinitium 8 years ago

Ugh I hear ya. I'm gay as well, and while there are people do act in this particular way, in general it's an overused and inaccurate stereotype. I seriously cringed while watching this show...

reply

[–] Adam-J-23 8 years ago

Totally. The problem is that in America, the media picks and chooses what to show people and more often than not, they show the one thing, regardless of how uncommon or minor it is, and make it appear that is how it is across the board. Pisses me off.

reply

[–] Island_Tropics 8 years ago

Totally agree with you and your OP! 100% !!
The same goes for me! I've worked really hard to show the loved ones in my life that not all gays are as flamboyant as they were portrayed in this ep. Ugh I was cringing as I watched. I didn't and couldn't even finish the episode.
I think I'm about to give up on this show.

reply

[–] Boy_Anya 8 years ago

I agree, to a point. Kenny is immature and annoying but he is a teenager.

That said, I hated a lot of things about last night's episode. One) I agree with you that being gay is not about dressing in drag. I've never dressed in drag in my life (even on Halloween) and most gays I know haven't either. This is not to say that no gay men do it. Sure, there are some - but why were 90% of the guys at this party in drag?

2) The whole "shade" thing. Shade comes from insecurity. It's a defense mechanism that comes from being an oppressed sexuality. It can be fun, and sure, I've thrown shade in my life - but if you ever hope to be a functioning adult,you grow out of it. Again, Kenny is a teenager and he's immature so I hope he'll grow out of that - but to paint all the gays as bitchy, shade throwing queens is completely insulting.

New Buffy Blog:http://oncemorewithextremeprejudice.blogspot.com/

reply

[–] Adam-J-23 8 years ago

Thanks, that's what prompted me to make this thread. I have nothing against those gay men that do like drag or camp, it's fine, but in America, people see just a sneak peek into something...just a snippet, and they conclude that is how it is. It also resonated with me because on of my closet friends came out and his Dad, assuming all gay men were like the ones in the episode, made his life hell for a at least a year. Only when he started to meet all of us (his friends), did his Dad come around. I guess he had this false image of gay men. Now, he's very supportive (not sure what that says about him though. ;)

reply

[–] Boy_Anya 8 years ago

Uhhh...not exactly what I was trying to say...I mean, Dad should be supportive no matter what kind of gay his kid is - whether he's an ultra-effeminate drag queen or not. Dads shouldn't just be supportive if their kids are a more masculine gay.

New Buffy Blog:http://oncemorewithextremeprejudice.blogspot.com/

reply

[–] Adam-J-23 8 years ago

No, I completely agree with you. But for him, his Father had a false or maybe a better word is incomplete view of gay men. I think once he had the full picture that gay people are all different, he came around. That's why I said I don't know what that says about him. But I guess if a false or incomplete ideal is put forth, those people who only see that one side or characteristic, don't know the full truth. Hope that made sense 

reply

[–] TMC-4 8 years ago

http://www.newsbusters.org/blogs/culture/lindsay-kornick/2016/10/26/real-oneals-halloween-gay-super-bowl

By Lindsay Kornick | October 26, 2016 | 12:10 AM EDT

In “The Real Halloween” episode of ABC's The Real O'Neals, Kenny (Noah Galvin) tries to celebrate his first “gay” Halloween by, of course, going to a raunchy gay party in Boystown. His mother Eileen (Martha Plimpton) denies him permission for obvious reasons but allows him to host a party at their house with any gay people he can find, thinking he won’t find any. From there, he invites gay students from another school to help gay up his party.

Saying it’s every awful gay stereotype rolled into one is…pretty much the only way I can describe this episode. Parties with guys dressed up as gaudy half-naked female pop stars parading about and throwing shade at each other is apparently the norm. From that, I’m terrified to think about what happens at Boystown on Halloween. And yet, we’re still expected to accept this.

Kenny dresses up as Beyoncé just to get a rise out of his mother after she allows him to be “completely himself” without letting him live in his “gay world.” The only way Eileen truly fits in is by “throwing shade” at the party goers for their tackiness.

http://forums.previously.tv/topic/39711-all-episodes-talk-stuffs-about-to-get-real/?page=5

reply

[–] tb-sch 8 years ago

The show seems to be made from Kenny's perspective. The point of view is not supposed to be neutral. Nothing can be fabulous enough for him, which is totally normal and realistic for teenagers coming out and immediatly trying to find their new limits.
The real inconsistency are the other family members' stories. Here the show does not take their point of view but stays in Kenny's, even though he is not present in their scenes.
On the other hand the show fails to cash in on the real outrageous options this POV would bring along (think of Scrubs). There is a lot of unsused potential.

As a footnote, it is funny how gay people tend to be rather intolerant when it comes to gay being different than themselfs. They seem to think they are the only "true" gay, everybody else is doing that gay thing wrong. So fetish gays give them a bad name, gays in drag do, campy gays do, gays with bodyhair but also gays without body hair, black guys who dare to be gay, of course asians for being so meek and so on... The difference between a gay dating side and the Republican National Convention is that the republicans at least try to accept each other.

reply

[–] timwest-66412 8 years ago

Huh? That's kind o f a stretch, don't you think? And so you know, false stereotypes can actually be dangerous for a minority. Seriously, the last part of your comment tells me you just don't get it.

reply

[–] tb-sch 8 years ago

Oh, don't worry, I completely get it. You consider the stereotype false because you dislike the camp attitude. Are those people false as well and is that the reason why you pretend they don't exist? Smells like an inferiority complex.

reply

[–] timwest-66412 8 years ago

Heh! Look at you making all kinds of negative assumptions. Nope, sorry to break it to you, I have no problem with "those people" as you call them. Sounds to me like you do though. But you really don't get it and that's fine. But I have no intention of engaging with someone who makes negative assumptions and is spoiling for a fight. Have a great day!

reply

[–] tb-sch 8 years ago

Nope, sorry to break it to you, I have no problem with "those people" as you call them.

Hmm, and yet you agree that being like them would in some way make gay people look bad. At least that is what I would conclude from you agreeing to the opening post with the title "This show gives Gay people a bad name". So you have no problem with campy gays but still think they make bad examples and prefer to have them hidden...

reply

[–] timwest-66412 8 years ago

I suspect you're going to conclude whatever you want to, regardless of what I or anyone else thinks. Sorry, just not interested in satisfying your need to fight, because I suspect you have a bias. But hey, sport, you have a splendid evening, okay?

reply

[–] Adam-J-23 8 years ago

As a footnote, it is funny how gay people tend to be rather intolerant when it comes to gay being different than themselfs. They seem to think they are the only "true" gay, everybody else is doing that gay thing wrong. So fetish gays give them a bad name, gays in drag do, campy gays do, gays with bodyhair but also gays without body hair, black guys who dare to be gay, of course asians for being so meek and so on... The difference between a gay dating side and the Republican National Convention is that the republicans at least try to accept each other.

I have to agree tb-sch, you do appear to have some bias. I'm not trying to offend you, but you couldn't be more wrong. If gay people have an issue, I think what we're all saying is its with the media and their playing up false and mis-leading stereo types. Most gay people aren't campy and don't have any desire to dress in drag and I think those of us who are gay would be far more aware of that than people who aren't. But I have to agree that you seem to have fallen for the false images and stereo types. Again, not trying to be rude.

reply

[–] tb-sch 8 years ago

Most gay people aren't campy and don't have any desire to dress in drag and I think those of us who are gay would be far more aware of that than people who aren't.

But some are, and those tend to stick together. And they laugh their asses off about how their subculture embarasses you in your attempts to appear "normal" or whatever you do to avoid having "a bad name".

If gay people have an issue, I think what we're all saying is its with the media

You don't realize that pretending to speak for all gays like you are clearly doing it here is in no way different from what you imagine the show would be attempting. And while the show can be excused because it is about one gay boy, based on parts on the creator's biography (he apparently is one of the kind of gays you think are just invented by the evil media to ridicule gays) and therefore clearly just an individual case, you are way less careful and talk about a "we" you don't have the slightest authority to adopt.

It is obvious that not all gays are like Mitchell and Cam and their friends in Modern Family, or like the whole gang of vanity gays in Queer As Folk, neither are all in the hook up culture as Ian Gallagher from Shameless. Each is kind of a stereotype, but it seems that all of those are acceptable enough for you to let them live. Just the campy teenager for some reason gives all gays a bad name.

Not trying to be rude, but you are clearly attempting to diminish a part of your subculture you personally dislike. Seriously, read your initial post again, including the title, and then ask yourself, whether you can really stand behind it without appearing like a hypocrite.

reply

[–] Adam-J-23 8 years ago

Okay. Well thanks for joining the discussion. I think I have a good idea as to what your mind-set is, so I'll withdraw from any further engagement with you.

reply

[–] Island_Tropics 8 years ago

Good call, Adam.
Here are my thoughts.
Not all gays like the flaming flamboyance that some gays display.
Just like some whites don't like how some whites display themselves as white trash.
Just like some blacks don't like how some blacks display themselves as gangsta thugs.
So I'm with you, don't waste your energy engaging with someone like that poster. Not worth it. ;-)

reply

[–] esmad3-216-475224 7 years ago

Those are inherently negative stereotypes. Is being flamboyant inherently bad?

reply

[–] tb-sch 7 years ago

For the gay Uncle Tom who started this topic it seems to be. He strives for the acceptance of his heterosexual overlords, and is glad that they allow him to be gay as long as he tones it down.

reply

[–] pankoeken 7 years ago

I would think gay Uncle Tom's would be called Uncle Tina.

reply

[–] LightningBalt 7 years ago

Guncle Tom

reply

[–] esmad3-216-475224 7 years ago

ha, you got served and bowed out like a sissy.

reply

[–] ironicshowchoir 8 years ago

I agree with the OP. I'm a straight female, but I've had many gay friends and have lived in the world long enough to know that not all gay people are like this. I really enjoyed the first season of The Real O'Neals, but I'm not enjoying the tonal shift of this second season. Kenny's definitely taken a turn for the obnoxious, which, okay, he's a teenager so that's not entirely out of left field, but it's not a welcome change. My bigger issue, though, is that suddenly he's a walking gay encyclopedia. This was the same kid who didn't know anything last season. The whole, "I'm gay, but what do I do now?" vibe was part of what made the show so enjoyable. I think about his fantasies before prom, his first date, imagining gay conversion camp, these scenes were all hilarious because they were peppered with naivety and a little absurdity. This season, the trips into his imagination have seemed way too over the top and mature. The character doesn't feel as authentic as he did last season. I hope the writers are able to course correct, because the show's currently headed in a direction I don't want to follow.

Also, he looked terrible as Beyonce, even worse than obviously gay Stewart as Britney. His mom was right; he should have been a Newsie.

reply

[–] tjorjab 7 years ago

I just read you response to me, no I don't believe all the stereotypes, and you are judging me by saying that I do, I only go by what I have seen, I meant no offence to anyone, and you are against stereotyping but let me ask you honestly, I am blonde, if you saw me on the street would you not automatically assume I'm some blonde bimbo??

reply