Sergio Alvarado's blog

In January, Univisión Radio hired Luis Jiménez to host a self-titled show, leading him to leave his long-time residence with a Spanish Broadcasting Systems (SBS) affiliate. Jiménez was known for using homophobic and transphobic humor in his shows, which is why GLAAD contacted Univisión with their concern.

Fast-forward to May 1st, when Jiménez and his co-hosts performed a song entitled “Las Patas”. This translates to “The Dykes” -- isn’t that charming? They also introduced a flamboyant character named Chef Pepín whom Jiménez called “Pato” (faggot) on the air and humiliated continuously.

The show is now on a thirty day suspension and Jiménez is set to have a meeting with his producers, Univisión and members of GLAAD on May 17th to discuss the “sense of humor” of his program. GLAAD sure is doing some major radio clean-up. On April 5th, we discussed how the CBS-owned radio station WFNY-FM called A Brief Smile’s bisexual bassist a fag and kicked him off the air while telling him that his sexuality made him a bitch. Again, how charming. In this case, the radio station did not wish to take any responsibility over their hosts’ comments. Univisión seems to be taking the right steps, but leaves many to wonder why they hired him in the first place if the gay-hating was a constant “feature” on his show on SBS.

Although it may be hard to believe, the Wall Street Journal actually broached the "gay following" subject with veteran actress Betty White. In the May 4th issue, Brooke Barnes interviewed White about the current state of comedy on television, why networks are struggling to keep sitcoms on the air and why she gets so much praise from the gays.

White provides some interesting and compelling answers through the Q&A. She explains that trying to cater to the lowest common denominator, having too many new channels trying to provide new content and having viewers desensitized to the novelty of television have all assisted in the lack of hit sitcoms in recent years.

Here’s the excerpt about the gay following of her hit show The Golden Girls:

WSJ: A network executive recently remarked that The Golden Girls has become a cult phenomenon among gay men. Why do you think that is?

Ms. White: There has always been a huge cult following for the show in the gay community. When the show was originally airing, the gay bars on Saturday night would all shut off their music at nine o'clock, put on the show, and then start up the music and start dancing again afterwards. We always got such a kick out of that.

Barnes also introduces the interview by stating that when White was asked about her gay following, she said “well, the gays know funny”. That we do, Betty -- that we do! We also love Betty because she keeps a clean house and looks fabulous doing it -- check out this commercial for Fantastik circa 1967 to see how:

In 1970, the film version of the off-Broadway queer play The Boys in the Band was released in a few theaters in a few major cities. The response was mixed from both the audience and critics. Time magazine considered it to be a “humane, moving picture”, but Variety thought it had a “perverse interest” (whatever that means). Written for the stage before Stonewall and produced for film while the riots happened, this film was one of the first to include a nearly entirely gay ensemble. Considered by many to be a landmark in gay representation in cinema, it has left many confused as to why it has yet to be released on DVD.

Even finding the VHS version of the film has proven to be difficult since it is no longer in print. Produced by a small production company no longer in existence, it seems as if the distribution rights now belong to Paramount Pictures who have yet to make any announcement about the DVD release.

Sure the film can seem a bit dated, but how much has happened since the late sixties and seventies? The film was attacked for portraying stereotypical gay characters such as the lisping nancy, the beautiful-but-stupid hustler and the self-hating Catholic. These archetypes are still around, but we have blossomed since then to also create more diverse and positive fictional role-models for the gays of today.

It hasn’t been that long since we posted an MTV-Canada anti-pot smoking advertisement which depicted brothers kissing after smoking up, but another Canadian commercial is stirring up some more gay controversy. Fido, a subsidiary of Rogers Wireless, released a series of ads this year that star people and their similar looking dogs. This recent ad, featuring a wiener dog and his owner has a gay twist. The announcer reads “Life changes. With Fido, change your monthly package without charge whenever you want”. During this, the owner is seen first kissing a blond girl, the scene then morphs to show him with another girl and a baby. This then changes to the owner romantically hugging another man on a couch. The only constant is the wiener dog by his side.

This has rubbed a number of people the wrong way. It’s often risky for a large company to include gay content in their mainstream advertisements as there straights and gay folks who might take offense. IMHO, I think the ad isn't offensive by any means and just depicts a young man coming to terms with his sexuality as often happens. Some have said that the ad tries to say that sexual orientation is a choice since he switches so quickly. I think for that argument to be taken seriously, we have to forget the fact that the commercial is fifteen seconds long.

We've tried to contact the advertising firm behind the campaign and hope to hear back from them soon in regards to how this commercial came to be. I’m also interested in what our AfterElton readers have to say about it!

Last Thursday, business administration student Sebastián Pollastro was kicked off the Argentinean version of Big Brother. Thought to be the “token gay” on the “diverse” reality program, Pollastro nonetheless found himself in the arms of another man.

Leandro Maldonado, a children’s party entertainer (I know, sounds pretty gay to me, too), started flirting with Sebastián in the early episodes and even kissed his neck in one of the challenges. This led to Sebastián and Leandro sleeping together and cuddling at night. Despite showing a fair amount of boy-on-boy affection, the ratings for the show in Argentina have never been higher!

So, Leandro and Seba (as he’s known on the show) sound cute and all, but the problem is that Leandro is apparently straight. Sebastián has been open about being gay since early on in the show, and even spoke about how he tried to commit suicide after his family rejected him. And knowing all of this, Leandro led him on by returning his affections every night despite claiming to not be gay.

Kinda heartless, non?

Some of the footage of them in bed is overtly homoerotic, especially seeing how close their faces are when they sleep together. After Leandro got kicked off a few weeks back, he confessed that he befriended Sebastián just as a strategy to get ahead of the game (insert collective "boo" here). There has been pressure from the other contestants as well as from the audience for him to formally apologize on-air to Seba. The poor kid has been crying about him most of the season. I'm sure there are plenty of volunteers out there willing to cheer him up.

Check out a clip of Leandro possibly defining everyone as bisexual. Although everything sounds much sexier in Spanish, here is a translation of the dialogue. Tons of clips are available on the show’s official site.

Dane Cook has risen to fame by making sound effects and talking about stupid ex-girlfriends on college campuses all across America. Although many think that it's difficult to find Cook funny unless you are in fact a 22 year old Frat boy who drinks beer for breakfast, he does have some moments of interest. IMHO, he is way more famous than his talent merits, and even his smudge of talent is questioned by accusations of plagiarism of Louis CK’s recording Live in Houston (2001).

This is the kind of news that when I tell my friends, eyes roll. Legally Blonde, made popular by the stunning Reese Witherspoon opened on Broadway this past Sunday at the Palace Theater to mixed reviews. Some thought it was too cute and sugary, others appreciated the fact that it just tried to be what it was and nothing more.

Ben Brantley from The New York Times thought the the stage production "further simplifies characters who were already caricatures". Regardless, at first glance it does seem pretty silly, but I don't think most musicals require a serious approach, they're singing and dancing for God's sake.

Okay, so the "Bend and Snap" is now a musical number on Broadway. Worst things have happened, like Seussical the Musical. And musicals based on movies haven't always done so well. Hairspray, The Producers and The Lion King all recently exemplified how film can be translated to stage with ease. But remember Big the Musical orThe Wedding Singer the Musical?? Neither do I.

Legally Blonde's got more game than other film-to-stage musical adaptations because it already has a strong fanbase of the major markets: teenage girls and gay men. If it weren't for our two groups, musicals like Rent and Wicked wouldn't have the success that they do. To make things even gayer, Legally Blonde was in previews in San Francisco before making the big Broadway move.

I'm off to practice my own "Bend and Snap" and learn all the lyrics to yet another musical, being gay sure is hard work. Check out this fun preview clip, not for those allergic to Pink.

Please excuse the pun, but the three month trial over $65 million for the licensing of Will & Grace has left many puzzled. The sitcom creators, Max Mutchnick and David Kohan sued NBC Studios for failing to properly negotiate licensing fees with the NBC network as well as representing less revenue than actually accrued.

The Hollywood Reporter reports that members of the jury confirmed that they had granted Mutchnick and Kohan $48.5 million before hearing of the settlement (that pays for a mighty fine brunch!). The settlement was announced on Friday moments before the judge was to decide on a mistrial. NBC had discovered that the jury foreman Dean Hartwell had a website that spoke negatively of large corporations including NBC. He was kicked off the jury because you know, most people don’t have a distaste for large corporations and they thought this was unfair.

Hartwell's online article in question was simply stating how the media concentrates on general interest pieces and misses out on more important issues. The precise quote which states NBC is at follows:

"How can the corporate media [...]miss all of these stories and annoy us with phony ones? Consider the sources: (The Walt Disney Company owns ABC, Viacom owns CBS, General Electric owns NBC and News Corporation owns Fox). The executives who make the decisions on what to air receive huge tax cuts..."