FUNNY UNCLES
Is Modern Family Really Good For Gays?
Last week I watched the latest episode of Modern Family (the episode where Phil and Jay coach Manny’s basketball team) and a sudden thought struck me. Am I laughing with gay couple, Cameron and Mitchell, or laughing at them? In a nutshell, is the freshest comedy show on TV starting to play into a few age-old gay stereotypes? Maybe…
Now before I kick off I’ll say that overall I really like Modern Family. While most TV comedies barely make me smile, Family has at least 3 big laughs per episode. From a production point of view it’s very well written, skillfully juggles its multiple storylines – it amazes me how each character is so well defined and gets equal screen time, and the cast are pure pros (it’s hard to pick a favorite but if pushed I’d have to opt for Sofia Vergara’s Gloria who’s pretty much non-stop hilarious. Manny’s a close second though!)
But over the last couple of episodes I’ve found myself growing a little uncomfortable while watching Cameron and Mitchell in action. This week uptight Mitchell found himself up for an amazing job after recently quitting his position at a local law firm. Emotional Cameron accompanied him to the interview, at the bosses’ luxury beach house, and was so overcome by nerves that he proceeded to knock over household objects and generally embarrass his partner. Here we saw the shrill, emotional gay stereotype of many decades past. It wasn’t even funny. For a show that normally relies on killer one-liners, Cameron’s clumsiness was just tiresome slapstick. Hmmm.
Later in the episode Cameron and Mitchell found themselves trapped in the new bosses’ garage and ended up causing damage to one of his luxury cars by jabbing helplessly at the garage’s remote control panels. Again I found myself rolling my eyes. The gag was the beginning of something funny but didn’t go beyond its basic premise. And again it reflected another stereotype – cause you know the gays just can’t work that technology!
Now maybe I’m being a little sensitive here, but just a couple of weeks earlier we had Mitchell accompanying his father Jay on a trip to the woods. During the trip Mitchell was sprayed by a skunk, so needed a change of clothes – and wouldn’t you know it the only outfit in Jay’s car was a tight dress recently bought by his sexy wife Gloria. Cue Mitchell awkwardly slipping into the dress – and again we had the stereotype of a gay guy in drag, one of the most tired comedy ideas out there. Meanwhile Cameron was out for the night with Gloria, trying to bond with her, cause of course that’s what gay guys do best – befriend the straight girls and become their shopping partners.
Now I might be being a little over-sensitive here. This isn’t According To Jim or a Fox sitcom – as I’ve said this is a smart, smart show. And having gay parents on a primetime and popular comedy series definitely deserves kudos. But sometimes it’s hard to shake the feeling that Cameron and Mitchell are slipping into gay minstrelsy. Would Clare or Gloria act like screaming ninnies if their respective hubbies were up for a big job promotion? I doubt it.
Which brings me to another point – the way Cam and Mitchell are so desexualized by the show. Let’s be honest Claire and Gloria are both pretty hot ladies – Claire is the definition of a MILF and the scripts often make a point of Gloria’s Latino spiciness. Both have active sex lives with their husbands – even though Jay is easily in his early 60’s and Phil is kind of geeky. One recent episode even had both couples heading out for Valentine’s Day to score some hotel sex. Cameron and Mitchell meanwhile were left to look after Manny.
In true American TV style we see a whole lot of hugging and cuddling from Cam and Mitchell – but not much kissing – and in contrast to their co-stars the gay couple are easily the least sexual pairing on the show. Mitchell is kind of bookish while Cameron is overweight and cuddly – he’s a big teddy bear of a character – not a sexual lothario. They don’t feel like a couple who ever has sex. Now Modern Family doesn’t have to go the other way and feature a pair of muscle studs – but I can’t help feeling that the idea of a gay couple parenting and having sex might be too much for America to handle.
Now it’s not all negative gay stereotyping on Family. The growing relationship between Cameron and father in law Jay is sweet and it was refreshing to see Cameron getting excited by a recent football match (cause of course gays hate the sports don’t you know) and defending his partner in a petrol station showdown (even if the scene was played for comedy). Both guys are likeable, nice people – completely non-threatening to a middle America that’s not used to seeing gay parents on TV – and I’m never going to argue against having more gay characters on TV. Lord knows there aren’t enough of them out there (CBS especially is shockingly devoid of gay characters).
And like all comedies Family has to trade in stereotypes to an extent. I’m sure there are many Columbians out there who aren’t crazy on Gloria’s bombshell character. It’s also not fair that one gay couple has to carry the weight of representing an entire community. But in an era where Brothers and Sisters, True Blood and Desperate Housewives are all presenting multi-dimensional and sexual gay characters there’s something a little anachronistic about Cam and Mitchell. Modern Family is created by Christopher Lloyd and Steven Levitan – both straight producers – and I’d be interested to know how many gay writers are on board the writing team. It might be an idea to add one or two…
But what do you think? Am I being over-sensitive? What do you think of Cameron and Mitchell? Do you like Modern Family? Please weigh in… this should be interesting!
Print article | This entry was posted by Richard Drew on April 17, 2010 at 9:15 am, and is filed under COMEDY, OPINION. Follow any responses to this post through RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback from your own site. |
about 1 year ago
I tend to be over-sensitive about these things, too. I could write a book about things wrong with Will & Grace, while at the same time, I loved it (most of the time). Thanks for the insight.
Just one thing: Gloria is Colombian, not Columbian.
about 1 year ago
Sing it sister! I'm glad someone else has noticed this. For such a well written and smart comedy I find they are really falling back on stereotypes both with Mitchell/Cam and Gloria/Manny. The total desexualization of Cam and Mitchell seems as forced as the spicy Latina and Latin lover personas of Gloria and Manny. Are the writers doing this on purpose to ease middle America into the concept of a mixed race family or even (gasp) gay parents? I don't think so, any crazy conservative American would already have been disgusted by the idea of this shows very existence, and probably would never have tuned in to begin with. This show really has the chance to change peoples perception of what it means to be a minority in America and I feel they are falling a little short in doing so.
about 1 year ago
"cause you know the gays just can’t work that technology!"
That's a real stereotype?
about 1 year ago
This show is a comedy, and every character is made to look silly at some point: Clare not knowing how to work the remote control; Phil getting all geeky and tongue-tied over Gloria's beauty; Jay being made to look like the old fuddy duddy compared to his hot young wife; Gloria not knowing how to pronounce certain English words properly or losing things in translation. But when Mitchell and Cameron are made to look silly, suddenly its a minstrel who because those characters are gay?
about 1 year ago
I agree with you but to be frank, I think ABC runs the risk of losing more than they would gain by adding 'sexualizing' Cam and Mitchell's characters and relationship. Let's face it – Middle America moves slowly with regards to social acceptance and it would honestly and most certainly turn some viewers and sponsors away. ABC is, after all, in the business of gaining and securing viewership IMO. Sometimes you have to accept that it's the war not the battle that's most important..
about 1 year ago
Thanks for the comment FredG – but take another read of what I wrote
"I’m sure there are many Columbians out there who aren’t crazy on Gloria’s bombshell character."
I think Gloria is very funny – but I can understand why Hispanics might not
Ditto I find Cameron and Mitchell funny – but as a gay man I'm also a little offended at times too!
about 1 year ago
I find it interesting that you find the Gloria character "non-stop hilarious" while criticizing the homosexual stereotypes in the show. I guess the stereo-typing of Hispanics is a perfectly legitimate source of comedy since you're not Hispanic.
about 1 year ago
I love Modern Family but I have to agree, Cameron and Mitchell are being shown as sexless its very Will & Grace and its sad. If Jay and Gloria & Claire and Phil can kiss and have jokes involving sex, then so can Cameron and Mitchell!! I mean come on they hardly touch at all! Even in their interviews they sit in different chairs whereas Jay and Gloria & Claire and Phil sit together on their couches, holding hands etc!! I realize that every character is a stereotype in some way, but I just hope it doesn't get to be too crazy and flamboyant…
about 1 year ago
Couldn't agree with you more. They're both non-sexual cartoon characters. I'll leave it at that.
about 1 year ago
Richard, I think you may be bringing up a valid point AND I think you are a bit too sensitive. Stereo types, regardless of which ones, are played up on every TV show. Every character is a stereo type. Some shows definitely take it too far for sure. I watch Modern Family on occasion, and think the fact that they have the balls to make a major story line about a gay couple outways some bad choices they may make in a given episode. I think overall, they do a great job at not going for the gay flamboyant jokes ala Will & Grace- that got old for me real quick, And instead focus on real life situations. It's usually more witty and funny, and less about a persons sexuality. Really, just about the character development. You know it is possible, I'm just saying, maybe the inability to work the garage remote had nothing to do with being gay, and more to do with who he is as a person. Just saying……………………….
Keep it going Richard, love the site!
about 1 year ago
I know – I loved Lipstick Jungle – but unfortunately it just never caught on with viewers. A real shame!
about 1 year ago
Okay I never looked at it that way – I guess now I look back and see what you’re talking about. They seem to be stereotyping them and putting them in situations we think they should be in. I also think that I could see the garage scene played out by Clare and Phil in the same way and it would be just as funny. Remember the remote control scene where Clare did not know how to work it – I saw that scene more as she not being interested in learning it than “women can’t handle technology”….
In my opinion this show is playing it safe and you might be right ‘that the idea of a gay couple parenting and having sex might be too much for America to handle’. If it’s something subtle then people don’t think much of it but if it’s an in your face making out like Greys then people are turned off by it. As for Sofia she’s pretty much on the spot with her character…typical Latina mom.
In the end I just hope Modern Family continues having clever scenes and not fall into the pressures of having them become clichéd characters and even have outlandish plots that totally ruin the show. Phil continues to be my favorite character….just love his facial expressions or lack of and his smart remarks.
On another note, why did they have to do away with Cashmere Mafia and Lipstick Jungle – these shows were great??