Gays in Primetime -- A Special Investigative Report: Part I

Dawn Ostroff, CW Entertainment President

CW: Gay acceptance – without the gay characters?

Dawn Ostroff, Entertainment president at the freshly minted CW, heads the network with the youngest demographic, and she understands the power of television characters. “A movie is all about the idea,” explained Ostroff, “but television is always about the characters, because they become your friends.”

Ostroff is another good example of the gay credentials these executives bring to their new positions as broadcast network heads. Previously president of Lifetime where programs and movies with queer characters and relationships were commonplace, Ostroff declared, “I’ve focused on shows and characters that have been gay my whole career and I’ve never thought anything of it.”

Ostroff said what makes the CW unique is that “We really gear our programming to a younger demographic. And I think particularly among a younger audience there is just such an acceptance [of gays and lesbians].” And she said she’s seen that acceptance up close in how young people react to J. Alexander and Jay Manuel from CW reality show America’s Next Top Model, casually referring to them as Mr. and Mrs. J, “as if that’s the most normal thing,” said Ostroff.

And Ostroff believes that attitude of acceptance is at the heart of the network, beginning with the CW launch campaign: “Free to Be.”

Jay Manuel (left) and J. Alexander

Ostroff is asked why, with all this acceptance, there are no regular recurring GLBT characters on CW scripted shows. In what from a gay perspective might be seen as a stunningly sanguine response, Ostroff seemed to imply that the CW and its audience had made it to a post-gay world, expressing skepticism that this lack of gay visibility was even a problem: “It’s almost like in some ways it’s such a non-issue for [our audience] that it’s not even an issue whether or not you see it.” [There has been a recent uptick for GLBT visibility at CW, with a pair of gay demons debuting for several episodes on Reaper and a soon-to-be revealed gay character on Gossip Girl.]

Reality successes and questions

During her interview, Ostroff often referred to America’s Next Top Model, which has had a number of lesbian and bisexual contestants; and it’s true that reality shows have been a bright spot for gay visibility on the networks. CBS’ Tassler deservedly points to the enormous success that CBS has had with queer visibility on its reality shows. Season 4 Amazing Race winners were gay couple Chip Arndt and Reichen Lehmkuhl, and CBS identified them as a married couple in all press info, despite blowback from right-wing religious groups. Since then the show has included numerous gay and lesbian participants, some of them quite popular with viewers.

Chip Arndt & Reichen Lehmkuhl (left) and Richard Hatch

But the most iconic gay visibility on CBS reality came via Richard Hatch’s 2000 win of the very first Survivor. Tassler is asked if there were concerns within CBS at the time when it appeared that their new and gigantic ratings winner might have as its first victor a self-professed “fat naked fag.” Tassler reports with genuineness that she remembers no concerns being raised, the only response from within CBS being that “people were just excited by the uniqueness of that character.”

Contacted via email, Survivor executive producer Mark Burnett is asked if he had any concerns when it appeared Hatch would win the competition and its million-dollar prize. Burnett noted the GLAAD award he received for that season of Survivor, and replied, “On the contrary, I was thrilled that an openly gay man won the first Survivor.”

Asked about the unique inclusiveness on reality shows like his, Burnett added, “I feel incredible pride and accomplishment that I have played a part in providing visibility to the gay and lesbian community and intend to continue doing so. … I think to not include gay and lesbian people on my shows would be an awful omission, and would therefore fail to represent our society.” And Burnett’s not just talk. In fact, the show’s most recent winner, from Survivor: China, was openly gay Todd Herzog.

One significant area of network reality competitions that has been less gay inclusive are contests where viewer votes are part of the decision-making process. Neither Fox’s American Idol nor ABC’s American version of Dancing with the Stars has had an out GLBT contestant during the run of the show.