Ask the Flying Monkey (November 04, 2008)

Q: The concept of "fanservice" and its popularity in Asian countries confuses me. I always imagined Asia being rather conservative and homophobic. Has this somehow changed? Nowadays, it seems normal to see members of popular boy bands and the like cuddling and flirting with each other in public to get responses from fans. Cross-dressing seems quite common too. Visual kei (a subgenre of Japanese rock) bands are known to have members make out on stage during concerts as well, much to the delight of their fans. - Tim

A: Fanservice, for those not as knowledgeable as the Monkey, is the term they use in Japanese anime and manga animation to describe a scene of gratuitous sexuality or titillation. But Tim, you’re absolutely right when you say it also describes a phenomenon sweeping Asian music as well.

An example of Japanese anime gay fanservice

And it must be an indication that Asian cultures have been radically transformed in recent years and are now much more tolerant of GLBT folks, right? Alas, while things in Asia are undoubtedly much better than in the past, the Monkey’s sources in Singapore, China, Japan, and Hong Kong report that things are still not anywhere near as tolerant as in Europe or most “blue” states in the U.S.

But how can this be? What about all those cross-dressing singers and kissing band members? Weirdly, all this cross-dressing and same-sex affection is consigned almost exclusively to stages and between the pages of comic books. One Monkey friend described it thusly: “Anime is fantasy. It’s not real life. It’s not anything like real life. No one thinks it is. It’s still extremely homophobic.”

Still, the Monkey believes this is an important step on the road to tolerance — a sort of unconscious cultural testing of the water on the part of the younger generation, who always lead the way in social change. Glam rock in the 70s and Boy George-like androgyny in the 80s didn’t mean that Britain and the U.S. were yet ready to fully embrace GLBT people. But they planted important seeds in demystifying gender issues and, thirty years later, here we are.

Q: I saw Equus on Broadway a few weeks ago. I enjoyed my front row seats, needless to say, but I was enthralled by the entire production. The gay undertones plus the nudity reminded me of how much I enjoyed another play with gay "not so under" tones and even more nudity, Take Me Out. At one point, I thought I read that plans were underway for the movie version. Am I mistaken? What's the status? – Jerry

Broadway productions of Equus (left) & Take Me Out

A: Ben Affleck, who had previously been attached to another gay baseball project called The Dreyfus Affair, optioned the property in 2003, intending to play one of the straight characters. But since then, the project has languished. It might still be in development somewhere, but the Monkey cautions you not to look for Take Me Out in theaters any time soon.

Incidentally, we just published a particularly terrific article on male nudity on stage that you should totally check out. And as for those "gay undertones" you detected in Equus? Good ear! The playwright, Peter Schaffer, is an out gay man.

Have a question about gay male entertainment? Ask the Monkey!