Phony Gay Wedding

[eastbayguy]

Disclaimer: I've been in Wichita, Kansas tending a sick relative the last three weeks. Otherwise, I'd likely have missed this.

 

Over the last couple months, apparently, one of those phony wrestling leagues has been having a build-up to a gay wedding. The story line caught the attention of the New York Times and various print outlets as well as National Public Radio. This past Thursday, the wedding happened, but was a phony. Both participants claimed to be straight, to the cheers of the crowd, which booed lustily up to the "I'm not gay" part. (Neither produced even a quiver on my gaydar.) According to the link below, the participants also appeared on the Today show, out of character. Did anyone happen to catch the appearance on Today?

 

Here is a link from gay.com telling the story pretty well.

 

http://my.gay.com/news/article.html?2002/09/13/1

 

For various reasons I can't yet quite explain well, this whole incident annoys me. The audience of the phony wrestling leagues is mostly teenagers. Having the WWE/WWF essentially approve gay bashing sets the stage for how many gay bashings in real life? The WWE/WWF now admit they script their performances, mostly to avoid state athletic commission regulation. While adults don't take this silliness at all seriously, my guess is that lots of teenagers (including bullys and bullys-to-be) do, in the way that drama appeals to teenagers. I'm so tired of the media portrayals of gay life. Yes, things are better, but there is so much room for improvement. (I can't stand Will & Grace, BTW.) Over the last few years, some of the cable channels have really begun carrying some quality queer programming. A move I applaud. The support shown to Queer as Folk has helped persuade the media moguls of the strength of us queers. (No, I'm not much of a fan of QasF either, but, I figure we have to support weaker programs to have a shot at better queer programs. Arguably Will & Grace isn't queer programming at all.)

 

The response and role of GLAAD is upsetting. The producers of this event lied to GLAAD, which is bad. But, doesn't GLAAD have some sort of due diligence process before they issue press releases? If not, time to create one. Basically, GLAAD was reduced to the role of shill for an event which turned out to be a lie and a sham and an insult to gay people everywhere. I look forward with anticipation to see what GLAAD does in response.

 

Thanks for letting me vent. Comments welcome.

 

--EBG

[+ deej]

>Did anyone happen to catch the appearance on Today?

 

Nobody on the West coast caught it.

 

I saw the teases and the lead-ins, but because Today is tape-delayed to the West coast and the President was speaking at the UN, the President was carried live so the tape-delayed Today show wasn't seen.

[foxy]

I did watch that stupid wrestling phony marriage thing and I hated the whole thing and was ashamed of myself for watching it from start to finish. I knew it was fake but thought it might be fun. It was mean and nasty and offensive to everyone gay and straight. I shudder to think what hatefullness it reinforced in the minds of the kids that watched it.

[Chuck50]

It was all about RATINGS they didnt want anything else no GLADD endorsement or who else cared they wanted John or Jane Q as in queer public to watch. It is to bad we are being used. HUGS Chuck

[Guest Chazzz69]

Here is a bit more information from The Smoking Gun on one of these "gay" wrestlers - the one called "Billy". Its the divorce petition that was filed almost a year ago by his wife. The photo is from his disorderly conduct mug shot.

 

http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/montysopp1.html

 

 

 

Chazzz69