TV Talk Discussion Group

Topic: My own little gripe

Last Friday when I saw Ghost Whisperer,one of the few shows I see regularly,I was slightly disturbed by the fact that it turned out that the ghost that Melinda helped cross over had had a secret affair with another...woman!Her recently deceased husband,also a ghost,had to accept that-and I didn't feel as much like crying.

Last night on Heroes it turned out that Claire's new roomate and confidante,Gretchen,had been keeping files on her-because she had a secret crush on her.Gretchen kissed Claire,much to her surprise.

I see few shows regularly,but MY GOD!DO BOTH SHOWS HAVE TO HAVE PLOTLINES INVOLVING LESBIANS WITHIN ONE WEEK?I know the times have changed from when I was younger and much more is out in the open-but this kind of @&$/ has always disturbed me-and what might have been considered innovative once is now pretty routine.How many shows have to have plots with gays...and when I was growing up gay just meant happy.(I always regret the way I lost my innocence.)

At least Ghost Whisperer's gay-story is hopefully one-time...but Heroes just might carry this gay-deal for the rest of the season.I'm glad that I have a chance to vent my almost-disgust somewhere.

http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/story?section=news/local&id=7062514

Or read this story about what is happening to gay Iraqi men because God says it's good. Here's a little bit of the story:

"Gay men’s rectums had been glued shut, and they had been force-fed laxatives and water until their insides exploded. They had been found dead on the street."

There's lots more. I guess those people also, like you, just can't quite accept them. (Your words: "It's not that I mind gays.I can accept them somewhat.Not all of them are sick and perverted.")

And your great concern, or little gripe, is about too many lesbians on TV.

NY Mag Story: http://nymag.com/news/features/59695/

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Okay,Elliot,it wasn't that bad!

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Posted by: SpellingAddict
Date posted: Tue Oct 13 23:00:00 2009
Message:

Are you saying you don't want to see it on TV shows because you think it's unreal and exaggerated, Richard, or that you know it's out there but just don't want to watch it?  I think Miss Harold's right, and that the more our society evolves the more realistic an idea we're getting about just how many people are gay.  I think that, because gays have felt reluctant about coming out over the years because of the way society has viewed them - NOT because there isn't a large percentage of gays born every day - we just haven't been exposed to them and gotten used to them being around.  But gradually many of us are accepting them just like anyone else.  Just like our black population, or Latinos, or anyone else; if you haven't spent any time around them you're just not used to treating them like anyone else.  But our inner-city populations are used to being around all kinds of people, so little offends or bothers them.

On the other hand, I think popular songs have introduced us to many concepts that weren't accepted before, and the big recent hig "I Kissed a Girl," sung by Katy (sp?) Perry, has opened up a huge market for putting this image out there, and why a lot of TV shows at the moment are into sensational lesbian stories.  Probably most conservative lesbians are as offended as anybody, ha ha!

If you want to see the most heart-breaking story of gay repression, IMO, I recommend the movie "Brokeback Mountain."  If you don't already feel sympathetic to gays that'll likely do it for you.

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You have a good point about that Katy Perry song.Maybe that did help make gay-stories more popular.

Another thing I've thought of: For some reason I've never been able to figure out, many men find great titillation (pun intended) from watching two women make love to each other. Especially younger men. And it's become very popular to each show or refer to that in many movies & TV shows. With the standards on allowable behavior & language on TV going lower & lower over the years, this seems to be a popular theme. -Spell

Homosexuality has been an open topic far longer than that song has been around! Ever heard of Ellen? She came out onscreen long before that song was out. The same was true of Will & Grace having a whole series w/the topic of living gay. ATWT's Hank storyline happened over 15 yrs before that song was ever thought of! Most of these storylines were developed long before the song came out too. It is simply a reflection of the times we are in. It isn't a new topic. Homosexuality has existed since time began. eom

I didn't want to get into this conversation because it's one of the strangest I've read here, but... like Rosebud said, this isn't new. Jesus, SOAP had a major gay character in 1977 (Billy Crystal). And that song being discussed, I really don't think it's added much to the social awareness of society. :) eom Elliott

I didn't mean that Katy Perry's song was anything revolutionary - I only meant that it is the LATEST phenomenon, very popular (though it's getting older now), which you heard as background music on a lot of shows in the last 6 months and being mimicked in shows, talk shows, etc. -Spell

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Posted by: carmen
Date posted: Tue Oct 13 22:39:29 2009
Message:

i did see the GW episode and thought the emotional level left with the dead husband and wife was weak. it should have been over 2 episodes.

i would rather see a true love story as that one turned out to be than something like big brother reality where every guy sleeps with every girl (not literally) and they have sex just to have sex. there is no relation whatsoever.

 

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You're a poster after my own heart,carmen.-Richard

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Posted by: lisa3
Date posted: Tue Oct 13 19:51:23 2009
Message:
I'm appalled and disgusted, too. Just two shows all week aired lesbian stories? Yet look at all those icky het plots that were on dozens and dozens of other programs! There should have been at least nine or ten lesbian stories, to make the numbers a bit more fair.

Richard, you ever watch Torchwood? I think you'd especially appreciate the "Greeks Bearing Gifts" episode. :P But the show in general would probably give you fits, and I can't say that I'd care one bit.

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I was going to mention Torchwood. Richard's head would explode because there is at least one gay or lesbian situation every episode. Chewbacca

I don't see Torchwood and now I'll make sure not to.-Richard

Brilliant response, lisa!!! Not that he gets it, but it's perfect. :) eom Elliott

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Posted by: Signy
Date posted: Tue Oct 13 19:40:39 2009
Message:

I'm going to go at what you said from a different angle...

Last week, or so, both "Castle" and "CSI" had the same exact plot twist....both of the crimes were solved using Hitchcock's movie "Strangers on a Train" plot.  In these cases, there were two murders, and two people who met on their communter train killed someone for each other so they wouldn't be implicated in the one involving the person they knew.  In fact, they both referenced that it was, indeed, the plot from "Strangers On a Train".  Two different shows, two different networks, unlikely to know what the other was doing, but, I, too, couldn't believe two shows so close in time with similar plot twists!

Now, back to the matter at hand...I don't think Claire's storyline will last very long, so it will be safe to go back into the water for those squeamish of gay storylines.  Which I'm not.  But not too happy with "Heroes" overall, anyway.

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I'll probably sit through Heroes because I have already sat through Heroes shows which I have been less than satisifed by.I'm loyal enough to what few shows I see.

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Posted by: Miss Harold
Date posted: Tue Oct 13 13:54:03 2009
Message:

Being gay is about as unusual as being left-handed. I think it's good that TV shows are acknowledging that.

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I may sound like an old prude,but-

Okay, wait just a minute. You were accosted and attacked by gays? WTF are you talking about? Did a group of gay guys attack you on the street because you're straight????? Because the reverse happens more than you know. You have A LOT of nerve. If you mean you were molested as a child, that's different. Child molesters aren't usually gay. And being a pedophile is not the same as being gay. So what the hell are you talking about????? eom Elliott

I don't care to go into details, but I was the victim of a violent crime by a heterosexual male many years ago. Does that make all heterosexual men dangerous? Of course not. -Miss H

I'm sorry you were a victim. But you're exactly right in your comparison. eom Elliott

P.S. I think Richard is using his excuse to justify his bigotry. eom Elliott

So I'm a bigot,am I?Leave me alone!All I did was post a gripe hoping a few people would understand,and instead I get this big analysis with all these fancy words.Quit making a mountain out of a molehill.

Hey, you started it by posting, Richard. And yes, from what you've said, you very much appear to be a bigot/homophobe. eom Elliott

Well, at least Richard is willing to admit he's an old prude. Admitting one has a problem is always the first step in any recovery program.

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Posted by: Elliott
Date posted: Tue Oct 13 10:12:09 2009
Message:

If it disturbs you, as you say it does, maybe you should look at YOU and figure out what your issues are and try to resolve them. The world, and reality, isn't going to chance to suit your issues. So get used to it, heal yourself, or turn the TV off and read a book you know isn't going to disturb you.

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In other words,''if you can't stand the heat,get out of the kitchen''?

No, that's really not what I meant. I meant, you need to realize you're homophobic. It's that simple. And you can't use the I'm old excuse. 54 is not that old. You have issues. eom Elliott

Oh, please. My mother is older than you are, and her parents are both pushing 90. I've never heard one of them make a comment half as offensively homophobic as you've managed in this single post. eom/lisa3

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