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Last Man Standing

October 12, 2011 by · Comments Off on Last Man Standing 

Last Man StandingLast Man Standing, For me, the series premiere of ABC’s new Tim Allen-directed comedy Last Man Standing seemed just annoying, what with its low forehead and humor too testosterone as fuel. Sexist jokes about what it means to be a man? Just not worth it, I thought.

I was going to go out a few minutes, but I kept watching the show socks is the star, Mike – played by Allen – made a “joke” somewhere near the end of the first half hour. And that’s when I lost it.

Let’s put the “joke” that “. Hippie-hippie rainbow” During a conversation about the care of his grandson, Mike Baxter (Allen) laments that her daughter’s choice of schools is thin, clear is a stupid comment, but worse. Mike’s daughter Kristin (Alexandra Krosney) tells his father that the teacher in this school “teaches sensitivity and tolerance.” Then comes a bomb apparently homophobic Allen: “I just do not think your child should go to school,” Mike says his character, full of contempt. “You know how it ends:. Boyd dancing on a float”

I will reiterate the offensive: “You know how it ends: Boyd dancing on a float,” he said with disgust all, as if a guy dancing in a parade of floats is something unacceptable, wrong. My response: Huh? What does a guy dancing in a parade of floats, but no one else happy?

It’s hard not see this as a coup openly homophobic in gay pride parades, a rite of passage for the LGBT community during the summer months, as we celebrate being out and proud and concentration of the same civil rights as all other . (It’s true: we are still second class citizens in many ways, but this is not the time nor the place for that discussion.)

And also, yes, referring to the details of the “joke”: This is also a time when people – children and all those in between – tend to dance in the fleet of big ol ‘gay parades , full of feather boas, sequins and all other types of decoration ridiculous. Fortunately or unfortunately for us, is an image most likely familiar with. And what I can say in defense of what? What happens. I’m not here to debate the merits of such activities. I am here to defend these activities are denigrated by a major comic. Sorry, Tim Allen, but the gay community – and our pride parades – are not your punching bag. What would be as bad if little Boyd grew up, put on a Speedo, and danced on a float in a gay pride parade?

The most dangerous aspect of this “joke”, however, is how it might affect younger viewers who are currently questioning their sexuality. Listening on a supposed “family” sitcom that dancing on the floats is, for some reason, the bad, and could begin to believe that being gay is frowned upon in our society. That line of thinking can only push more young people in the closet. To say that there is something wrong with dancing on a float suggests also that there is something wrong with reason – because he or she is gay – a person would be doing. And that’s just offensive and irresponsible.

I kept thinking that there was a small chance that I’m exaggerating greatly here, but check some of my gay friends before writing this to check if I was having an automatic response to something trivial. They said: No. A wise person once told me never to apologize for my feelings, and in this case, I am offended. And a little crazy. And frankly, totally sad that a “joke” – as harmless as you may have found it – it did on the script for a high profile show a major broadcast network to reach incredibly huge. Indeed, a number of other problems with this program, ABC – and Tim Allen is well aware that – but this is the one that is overtly harmful and damaging to the gay community.

When I came to ABC for comment on the joke, said that Allen went to television this summer’s tour Critics Association press in August. “Are you going to let the joke there?” A reporter asked Allen in front of a newsroom. . “Looks like a gay joke you might not have to be in the pilot,” Allen said with a rather long answer, but finally said: “I think it’s a funny joke, and I do not intend was to offend anyone. So I think the network probably leave it there. ”

About the content of the joke in particular, Allen continued: “It was supposed that the prospect of a kind on the way as his point of view of the softness is going to dance on a float … Surely you can hide behind, ‘ What are you talking about? A lot of people dancing on the floats. Have you not seen the Macy’s Parade? “Now obviously, if you go to Santa Monica Boulevard, is a different kind of floating.” (Just for a little perspective, Santa Monica Boulevard is the street that runs through the heart of Los Angeles gay community, West Hollywood, and is the same street that houses the city parade gay pride parade every year.) “It was not meant to be offensive “added Allen.” He was supposed to be a reflection of the limited perspective of this kind. ”

Even considering that Allen’s explanation, I know I can be alone in how I feel. Who else was offended?

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