So this is what we missed, if we watched Sunday night's Oscar telecast, when Josh Brolin and Javier Bardem appeared on stage together to hand out two awards, and the camera cut to Penelope Cruz in the audience, lingering on her for an unusual length of time.
I have to tell you, seeing two straight, masculine men like Josh and Javier kiss is kind of hot, but it's cool, too. Good for them. Why they kissed makes no difference to me. The fact they did increases their attractiveness in my book. I appreciate the positive image they portrayed of two men engaged in an intimate gesture.
Boo to ABC for preventing this from being shown. What a great opportunity they turned their back on to show two men being affectionate with each other. We see men killing men all the time on TV, including all the blood and gore. I guess that's more acceptable than a simple kiss.
I did not know about this! I wondered why the audience became so animated when they were on. Straight actors all want to play gay these days, to show how straight they are. Ironically, the gay ones are still expected to just act straight. The Oscar show seems to be too worried about ratings, but then again it is broadcast worldwide. The Superbowl wardrobe malfunction incident a few years ago also helped make TV networks very cautious I think. I agree we need to have more kinder gentler male role models!
ReplyDeleteYour point is well made, Doug.
ReplyDeleteHow successful do you think "Brokeback Mountain" would have been if the two main characters had been played by openly gay men? Not very, I suspect. But cast two straight men--two hot and handsome straight men, I might add--and you have a blockbuster on your hands. (Was "Brokeback" a blockbuster? I'm not sure.)
At any rate, sure, we have a double standard. But here's how I look at it. If it takes straight men to present us sympathetically to a largely straight audience, then so be it. If what Gyllenhaal and Ledger shared on the screen makes what I share with Chris more acceptable, more relatable, so much the better.
One day, maybe we can cast gay actors in similar roles, and there won't be an uproar. One day.
Thanks for your comment.
Oh, ridiculous network TV! We are so simple-mindedly puritanical here in North America. Straight men kiss each other like this in Europe all the time, and they wear big scarves--scarves, Rick!--and no thinks anything about it. And that's just how it should be. Whether it's two straight men, a man and a woman, or two gay guys kissing, it should all be just the same. Why we have to make it into something "different" is beyond me. More kissing!!!
ReplyDeleteThis comment was three years+ ago, but I just wanted you to know that the line "and they wear big scarves--scarves, Rick!" made me laugh and laugh and laugh at a time when I really needed it.
DeleteI'm glad a comment on my blog gave you a good laugh when you most needed it.
DeleteIf I recall correctly, Sarah was referring to a previous post I wrote about all the men I saw wearing scarves in Paris when Chris and I were there, and a conversation I had with myself about wearing one where I live (a place arguably less open-minded to men wearing scarves than Paris is). If you want to read that post, the link is here: http://thisgayrelationship.blogspot.ca/2010/10/living-consciously.html
Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment.
According to the producer, who's gay, they had preplanned to cut to Penelope at that time. The kiss was spontanious, he didn't realise it had happened, and was sorry he missed the "opportunity". I'm not sure I buy this story - they had time to beep Melissa Leo's gaff which leads me to believe they had a 5 second delay on the live broadcast. You can't tell me not one of the live cameras was pointed at the stage.
ReplyDelete@Sarah: Thanks for the scarves comment. You made me laugh out loud. I could certainly relate to that.
ReplyDeleteWhen are we going to stop judging people for who they love? I'm told many straight people actually support gay people. You are a perfect example of that. So who is this minority of folks that continue to judge us, that continues to drive our future with their narrow minds and Christian bigotry? Shame on them.
I'll tell you this. I'd far rather see two men kissing, of whatever sexual orientation, than killing each other, which we see far too often, as far as I'm concerned. More kissing is right. Bring it on.
@Jeanette: Wow! I don't often hear from you. Thanks for your comment.
I had read everything you wrote in an update to the original story, and I'm not sure I buy it either. I'd read the person who made the decision to show Cruz instead of her husband kissing his male friend is also gay, but perhaps he had to cave in to the executives at ABC for fear of a potential backlash.
Oh, well, someone still snapped the picture, which I share here as a positive example of what two men kissing looks like. Looks pretty good to me.
My thanks to both of you for your comments.