Ask the Flying Monkey: Why is Eric from "Gossip GIrl" Still an On-Screen Virgin?

Today: Why is Gossip Girl’s Eric still an on-screen virgin? Plus, we check in with one of the stars of that great “Miles From Our Home” gay teen video!

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Q: Why is Eric on Gossip Girl still an on-screen-virgin (no sex, no kiss, no tenderness) when Teddy on 90210 is able to have nice French kiss and other nice stuff with Ian? It is because of the actor? The producer? Because they never "need it" in the storyline? Ugly Betty did it, Glee, Desperate Housewives. So why not Eric on Gossip Girl? (Chuck/Josh doesn't count as it was cut with a reverse angle on Blair.) -- David

A: I’d argue that it’s a combination of factors, staring with the age of the character, who was 15 when the series started, and he really looked (and looks) it – unlike Teddy who is played by an actor more than a decade older than his actual age.

Next there’s the fact that Eric was never a major character to begin with. His role is mostly to appear in other people’s storylines. To change that would require someone making a conscious choice.

Which brings us to the third factor, which is definitely the most important: creator Josh Schwartz, who is a perfectly nice guy, has almost always treated the gay characters on his shows in a peripheral, throw-away fashion. The exception was Mischa Barton’s Marissa Cooper on The O.C. who briefly flirted with bisexuality – but that was a just a brief ratings stunt story arc and was never mentioned again.

Does it make a difference that Schwartz is straight? There are definite exceptions (like Southland, United States of Tara, and Trauma), but as a general rule, you have a much, much better chance of having more substantial gay content if the person in charge of a show is gay: the shows you mention, Ugly, Betty, Desperate Housewives, and Glee, and Greek, True Blood, Six Feet Under, Brothers & Sisters, and Torchwood, which you didn’t mention, all have or had gay men at the helm and hence much more substantive gay content.

Update: I’ve written about the video for the 1998 Cowboy Junkies song “Miles From Our Home” a couple of times now, which I find remarkable, and remarkably prescient, for its matter-of-fact take on a sweetly romantic storyline between two teen boys. It’s not a “gay” song – the storyline was added by the director of the video (with the full approval of the Junkies!). Recently, I heard from one of the stars of the video, Jason Chow, who played the Asian character.

“We got such amazing feedback from that video,” he tells me. “Funny tidbit: the gay character is actually straight, and I played the straight character, but I am gay.”

I asked him about the filming of the video. “Even though it was such a long time ago, I remember that shoot fondly,” he says. “We shot it all in one weekend. Josh Levy, our director was amazing. And [Cowboy Junkies’ lead singer] Margo [Timmins] and the group put up with pretty cold weather, being in the middle of a field over night. I also really wanted to ride the motorcycle, but due to insurance purposes, I couldn't. It was easier to shoot us riding it while attached to a flat bed and pulled along the road.”

Watch the video here.

What’s Jason been up to in the thirteen years since? “I worked as a model for over twelve years, travelled the world doing musicals – Miss Saigon, Into the Woods, Carousel – and doing shows on cruise ships. While traveling, I met my now husband who is from France and was also a performer.” The couple now lives in Toronto Canada.

Have a question about gay male entertainment? Contact me here (and be sure and include your city and state and/or country!)