DCI Gene Hunt

Has anyone else noticed the growth in 'gay charactors' on our screens lately?

And before anyone (you know who you are) starts to threaten legal action, I'm having a serious dicussion!

Emmerdale has a couple, Eastenders has a new one, Shameless has a 'few', Hollyoaks has them, Corrie has them....

But the story's of late seem to revolve around them and show how hard done by they all are.... but is this REALLY representative of todays society? or just based on the fact that the writers are gay so (rightly or wrongly) premote the lifestyle as much as they can.... or the fact that we are so PC that they HAVE to include gay stories in case they're labelled as 'anti-gay'.

My beef is that there are more immigrants than gays, but apart from the Polish girl in Corrie (and she's a munter) they aren't represented all over the place....

And finally that 'bumming scene' in Shameless last night, well that was shocking and disturbing.... in fact Shameless has almost stopped being the belly laugh it used to be....

Rant over...

Scoobychick

iTrader: (1)

Thanks for spoiling last night's Shameless for me, I haven't seen it yet

I think it's everything to do with winning the ratings war and nothing to do with real life. My gay friend just gets on quietly with his life and the subject of his, or indeed my own sexuality rarely comes up other than on the odd occasion when we both fancy the same bloke

I guess for the programme makers the more sensational and/or shocking the programme content the more people will talk about it hence the more viewers it will pull in. This thread being a perfect example

DCI Gene Hunt

Not really, as after last nights Shameless I won't be watching it again.... and if the tottie to gay ratio changes on the soaps they'll get deleted from my Sky Plus as well..

DCI - I ain't watching no Brokeback Mountain type stuff....

Leslie

Since homosexuality is now perfectly acceptable in this country, it is hardly surprising that the writers include in soaps etc just so they are seen to be presenting life as it is. I don't think it is necessary to write scripts complaining about their lot though.

I did not see the scene DCI mentioned in Shameless but if it was how he said then I agree with what he said about it. In the same way that I would complain about a full sex scene between heterosexuals on the box.

Les

SetoN

I dont think it has anything to do with ratings. Why would people tune into just because they have a new gay actor?

Watching Emmerdale, keeping my Nana company the other week, there was a gay kiss scene and my nana made a comment like "I dont like all this gay nonsence". She didnt mean it in a bad way, but its just all a bit too 'modern' for the average soap viewer.

As for shameless, well its no where close to the ******* scene in queer as folk. That was enough for me to switch off the TV. (saw it on one of these TVs top 100 countdown crap)

STi wanna Subaru

iTrader: (1)

It's far more accepted now and doesn't bother me. I'm quite happy to be in gay friendly bars or clubs on town although I have to admit the sight of two men kissing still makes me go 'Ewwwwwwwwww!'

Now two women!

RMA26

There was a bit in last nights Shameless which made my stomach turn

There's so much more about the show worth watching tho

RMA26

Have you been taking notes DCI?

PeteBrant

THe thing is, that they make gay people in soaps, massively, massively camp. Now i'm not saying that type of person doesn't exist, but there are many gay people out there that don't act like a complete tool.

Also does it actually need to be made an issue of at all? I mena unless it is inegral to the story line that person x is gay, should it even be highlighted whether a person is straight of gay?

As for the "Bumming" scene, it was purile crap.

"bumming" in the gay world is no more prevalent than in the herterosexual one - Some people do it, Some don't.

DCI Gene Hunt

Yes, I note your ability to type funny retorts is somewhat challanged by your mental capacity

angrynorth

There are around 4 million openly gay people in the UK, not far off 10% of the total UK population. Add to that the number "in the closet" I would be confident that there would be enough to justify the representation of gay characters in popular culture.

I would also imagine that soaps such as Emmerdale, Coronation Street, Eastenders, Hollyoaks etc have a disproportionally high gay viewing numbers. My gay friends certainly watch more soaps than I do. Thankfully I'm only subjected to Hollyoaks by the g/f so I don't have to deal with the rest.

As for Shameless, Manchester does have a high gay population so including them in that show is also justified.

I don't see how people can be offended or intimidated by gay people and their culture. Does it really bother you that much?

I also couldn't really care less what is on the TV. I have this button on my remote control that lets me change channel when something is on that I don't like which is quite handy.

davegtt

Saw Shameless too last night, was very suprised at the content but theyve always been pushing the boundaries. Not for me Im afraid.

The Snug Rhino

why do they have match a real life ratio? hollywood movies suggest all cops are mavericks and all hookers are hot - its not a documentary! The writers write what entertains and they guess that a camp gay person is more entertaining than one who is "normal" ..... and they would be right, hence they are paid to write and you write on here for nothing.

DCI Gene Hunt

I have NO issue with the gays, as long as it's not forced down my throat *sniggers*....

Seriously I hate gays advertising gayness as a lifestyle.... the same way I hate two hetros kissing each others face off in public ..... a time AND a place people!!

Scoobychick

iTrader: (1)

Why else are TV programmes made then? I can't think of any other reason. Aren't people are drawn to this kind of stuff out of of curiosity, the same way in that people want to read about celebrity scandals or murders etc?

I personally don't like watching sex scenes between anyone whether they be gay or straight. Well, not in the normal day to day programmes anyway, if I choose to watch that kind of thing for my own 'personal pleasure' as it were then that's an entirely different matter I always thought that I was unusual and a bit of a prude in not liking sex on TV and that 'normal' people liked this kind of stuff hence why there was more and more of it on TV, maybe I'm wrong?

Anyway, I have a friend who works in TV, he says that it's nothing to do with reality and everything to do with ratings, nothing that you see on TV is how is actually seems, it's all fake. TV is a business like everything else, it's all about making programmes that sell. I guess this stuff sells?

Since when did soaps actually represent real life anyway? I live in a village not unlike Emmerdale and we don't all go down the cafe for breakfast where everyone knows everyone else

DCI Gene Hunt

Back in your box.....

Nobody mention offended or intimidated... so stop putting assumptions in where they don't exist.

I clearly state that I cannot see why they're focusing so much attention on the gays.

Wow, that's great! but again missing the point entirely.

Scoobychick

iTrader: (1)

That was the point I was trying to make in my first post but far less effectively or eloquently I've had far too much coffee this morning

PeteBrant

Nah, you're not alone - The internet is miles better for it

DCI Gene Hunt

What a load of tosh.....

angrynorth

I really don't understand this "gays advertising gayness" thing, are you afraid the advertising might affect you enough to turn you?

The people I know who are gay are quite proud that they are at a point in their lives where they can openly admit it - after years of growing up and having to hide it I don't blame them at all for not wanting to do so anymore.

In my opinion it is not about them advertising gayness, it's more a release of their true personality, IE "this is who I am, I don't want to hide it".

To refer to it as advertising you make it sound like they are doing it to recruit new gays, which is certainly not the case and that is not quite how it works. I believe homosexuality is nature not nurture so there is no risk of someone turning gay just because they saw 2 men/women kissing just as their is no risk that a gay man might turn straight after watching a heterosexual encounter.

DCI Gene Hunt

....... nice try, you're king of assumptions today.... almost as if you're trying to get me to bite, which I won't.

SetoN

And im sure the reason why we have so many asian news readers/reporters is for ratings as well?

cnj

I have to agree with this mostly. I don't believe that the gay characters on TV promote gayness, but some are overly camp (that one on Corrie gets on my ****), whereas the ones on Shameless are far from camp. I guess the writers on the soaps are more conforming with known stereotypes.

I agree with the point that most gay people now feel it's more acceptable for them to be open about their sexuality. Societies views/attitudes are changing, which is why the soaps/other programs have changed to reflect this.

I expect to get flamed for this, so I won't be surprised if I am.

The Snug Rhino

Actually - its 100% acurate. Care to point out the part you are going to be wrong about?

Scoobychick

iTrader: (1)

Eh? Sorry, I don't understand the point you're making.

Scoobychick

iTrader: (1)

DCI, have you ever considered that you watch too much television?

angrynorth

You clearly are offended otherwise you wouldn't feel the need to come on here and moan about it. You even said in your first post that the Shameless scene was "shocking and disturbing".

I am not missing your point I understand that you feel that gays are overly represented on TV these days, but if you read my previous post again instead of instantly prejudging it you will see that the numbers probably are proportionate to the general population. It's not like all of the characters are gay, usually just one or two out of a cast of twenty.

I reiterate, TV is democratic, you don't have to watch it if you don't like what you see, you obviously don't like what you see so turn it off.

DCI Gene Hunt

I can't answer that question as it (like your other post) is incorrect

Prasius

iTrader: (1)

Now that makes me laugh - "gay culture". And there was me thinking that English gay people (as an example) have exactly the same cultural background as an English hetrosexual person; and that we're all the same other than the fact we're attracted to the different/same sex.

Now I find out that, in actual fact, they're as culturally different to me as a small South American tribe.

I do get a bit annoyed that Soaps make gays out to be massively camp drama queens, which I would imagine annoys quite a few gay people too - they're not all like Graham Norton after all, but they insist on grasping onto that stereotype.

MattW

Just before the open closet many homosexuals go through a period of denial where they express a digust for seeing such things. Studies have suggested this anger is really directed at themselves and is a final journey towards being openly gay.

Food for thought.