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News, Reviews & Commentary on Gay and Bisexual Men in Entertainment and the Media

The Steven and Chris Show: Two gay hosts take Canadian TV by storm

 

Move over Martha: former Designer Guys Steven Sabados and Chris Hyndman will be taking up residence on Canada's national station, CBC, with a fresh new daytime talk show. Think Queer Eye meets Oprah.

Toted as a "lifestyles" show, Steven and Chris will tackle pertinent issues of the day such as entertaining, cooking, fashion, health, and their specialty, home decor. The bickering boys will also interview a slew of celebrity guests, who no doubt will have to fight to get a word in edgewise amidst the hosts' constant (and entertaining) cattiness.

This will be the fourth show that the Canadian twosome have hosted together. They are more widely known for their design program, Designer Guys, which aired for 3 seasons and has been seen in the US and over 17 countries worldwide. The premise of that show had the two guys coming into someone's space and helping them revamp the decor, complete with snarly comments usually directed at one another. A spin-off show, Design Rivals, had the two competing to win a client by offering up two different re-decorating scenarios. Whomever the client chooses to go with is the design that they must carry out. So Chic With Steven & Chris saw them moving away from their design roots and instead, overhauling innocent women and showing them how to be chic on a shoe-string budget.

Previously relegated to specialty channels like Home and Garden Television, Steven and Chris have finally made it onto a mainstream network with the CBC. This marks the first daytime talk show ever to be hosted by not one, but two, openly gay men. Kudos to CBC for putting it on the air! And with personalities as big as Steven and Chris', there is no doubt that this will be a program worth tuning into. Steven and Chris premieres January 14th, 2008 on CBC.

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  • JBE's picture

    I am glad for any gay visibility

    on TV, I just wish it was on programs that I actually wanted to watch. I have zero interest in what they are talking about so I think I will take a pass. Hopefully this program will not reinforce the stereotype so many people have that gays are fascinated by fashion and home decor, and that little gay boys dream about growing up to be Martha Stewart! I dreamt of being a pilot and although I love eating I hate cooking and am indifferent to home decor and fashion. Now if we had a talk show hosted by a couple of gay guys talking about sports, that I would watch. Cheers JBE
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    Jacob's picture

    You've captured the essence

    You've captured the essence of my objection so well, that I would have nothing to add beyond changing the details. But I do wonder if they'll ever address that issue on the show itself, or at least acknowledge the stereotype they fit, or better yet, prove to be far more complex than the stereotype these ad spots portray them as.
    JBE's picture

    I have my doubts if prior shows is any indication

    but you never know, CBC is a fairly liberal media organization since it is publicly funded (sort of like the BBC).

    Other types of shows I would like to see for the LGBT community.

    - LGBT people talking about their experiences working in non-traditional jobs such as police, firemen, military, medicine, etc..  In the gay pride parade in Toronto last year they had gay commercial airline pilots marching.  Gays are in every walk of life, unfortunately they are still in many cases invisible.

    - a show that discusses issues re. dealing with ones sexuality, coming out, relationships, substance abuse, drug abuse.  Despite the increased acceptance in society, LGBT youth are still at increased risk for suicide, depression, homelessness.  LGBT people in general are at risk for drug abuse, alcoholism, physical abuse in a relationship.   There is still far too much unnecessary and preventable misery in our community.

    - an AfterElton type show for the LGBT community in which the media and LGBT people's visibility in it can be discussed.

    Cheers

    JBE

    Chris Williams's picture

    That's a really good point.

    That's a really good point.  We already have Tim Gunn, the Queer Eye crew, other people I can't think of.  At least they are playing up the stereotype that we look fabulous!

    Gays and sports?  That's what American Gladiator is for.
    netogeno's picture

    Based on their past shows

    Based on their past shows that is a long shot. I like Steven Sabados, oh hell Chris too. They were great on the Designer Guys, but when I saw what they were doing in So Chic, which was...well...so bad; I lost a little respect for them professionally. The way they went crazy over a bag they found or a pair of shoes was just very sad. Its like they took a course on how to play the stereotype.

    I hope that without stoping to be themselfs they put a little more depth into their new show.

     

    JBE's picture

    I am glad for any gay visibility

    on TV, I just wish it was on programs that I actually wanted to watch. I have zero interest in what they are talking about so I think I will take a pass. Hopefully this program will not reinforce the stereotype so many people have that gays are fascinated by fashion and home decor, and that little gay boys dream about growing up to be Martha Stewart! I dreamt of being a pilot and although I love eating I hate cooking and am indifferent to home decor and fashion. Now if we had a talk show hosted by a couple of gay guys talking about sports, that I would watch. Cheers JBE
    staples's picture

    Well I don't know if

    they are taking anything by storm. I think Colin and Justin are doing that quite well and are much more entertaining and interesting. I agree with the other poster thank aftr Design Guys, it all went downhill quite fast. So Chic was just horrible, and imo quite embarassing.