Screaming Queens at 10 O'Clock

[andrewducker]

I went to see The Producers a few days ago, and came out of it feeling remarkably unsure of my feelings.

Not about the movie itself (it's a competent filming of a fun musical stage-show.  Worth seeing, with some wonderful moments.) but about its portrayal of gay people.

The director of the musical within the musical is gay.  And screamingly camp.  As is his "live-in" entourage.  All of whom delight in dressing up as members of the Village People and prancing around.  Except for the lesbian, obviously, who wears a shirt and is dumpy.

In other words, they're remarkably obvious caricatures.  Who are then used to make jokes about gay sex and campness.

Should I be offended by this?

I mean, I'm not gay.  And I know there _are_ remarkably camp people out there.  And also butch lesbians in shirts.

But if the caricatures had been similarly broad takes on, say, black people - we'd have been watching blacked-up white people doing a modern Black and White Minstrel Show, and a huge fuss would have been made.

So I feel like I should have been offended, but I'm not entirely sure.  Anyone else got a take on it?

Comments

[imaget.livejournal.com]

I felt the same way about Memoirs of a Geisha, which isn't as obvious in it's perpetuation of stereotypes, but I think it's just as bad.
I guess I've come to terms with the fact that I should just follow my conscience. My conscience says no to Memoirs, but yes to Will & Grace.
I wonder sometimes if it's the thousand such little hypocrisies and betrayals of self that make us human.