A Queery
1Aug2003 Filed under: Pop VulturaPrelude: I realize that not owning TV makes me an unlikely television critic, but as a consumate pop culture sociologist, I have a few thoughts to share about Queer Eye for the Straight Guy.
First, read this article from Alternet: Hail the Prada-Worshipping Queer (thanks to Derek for the link)
I suppose that minstrelsy is the sincerest form of insult. If television can be reliably held to reflect the evolution of a minority’s status in culture, then gay people appear to be at the “What’s Happenin’?” stage.
Alternet’s article heavily references Heather Havrilsky’s Salon article published 10 days earlier, in which she asked, “Is the snarky gay man the wisecracking little black boy of the 2000s?” Also, the Altneret article confuses Ted, the show’s food & wine queer, with Thom, the interior decorator. I just love it when a writer first cranks out a derivative critique, and then doesn’t do their research.
That said, some of the Alternet article’s criticisms of the show are valid and well-articulated. I do wish Queer Eye had a resident bear (ala Andrew Sullivan’s recent article), who would purr that he loved the straight victim’s sexy hairy back and where did he get those weathered Carhartt coveralls?! Now that would be some humor. This is also why I can’t deal with Sex In The City: I love urban women talking about sex. But I wish that they were REAL women, not these Manhattanites who I can’t relate to on any level.
And as long as we’re comparing Sex in the City with Queer Eye, the Alternet article brings up a criticism I have of both shows: Who can afford this shit? As the article says, “Even more to the point, what these guys consider tasteful is East Coast, urban, and shamelessly expensive.” Where are the funky low-budget queers? Why isn’t Sex in the City about scrappy East Village rocker chicks dishing about felching and blow jobs, instead of these Pradanistas? I just don’t relate.
Regardless, I admit to liking really liking Queer Eye. I also admit to completely agreeing with Vivid Blurry’s assessment of each of the Fab 5’s Spice Girl equivalent.
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3 Responses to “A Queery”
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Hey there. I'm Ariel Meadow Stallings, a native Seattleite who's written my way up and down the Left Coast. Electrolicious is where I post daily randomata, but I also write for a living. My first book, Offbeat Bride, was published last year.
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Ariel
August 1st, 2003 at 2:44 pm
Speaking of my birthday-twin Derek, I love this story of his.
Tania
August 1st, 2003 at 2:54 pm
I agree with you about the flaws in the Alternet article. I love it when writers presume to inform us of “The Truth” and get the facts wrong. Also, the Salon article that he ripped off was far more balanced. As a Black woman, I understand that there are stereotypes at work that might ruffle some feathers. At the end of the day, however, this is just a TV show about fashion and design. How much more irrelevant can something be? Really, who thinks about “Diffrent Strokes” nowadays? How many folks arrive at thier opinions about Black folks because of that show? I’d venture to guess that the answer is no one. As a “minority” I know that sometimes we read far too much into things. The Alternet bro needs to lighten up.
matt
August 4th, 2003 at 4:54 am
IF all television is marketing, then where’s the sense in marketing to the lowest economic platform?
of course the sex and the city girls are all prada loving manahattanites. frankly, there’s no money in your east village rocker chicks, even though it’d be a lot more fun to watch.
and queer eye is even more product placement than sex and the city, so the only way your big hairy bear is going to be on the show is if he’s playing the sad straight boy desperately in need of a good waxing.