Don’t Flirt With Gayness

by Charles Karel Bouley II

I hate TV shows that flirt with gayness for ratings, for plotline or for the good old-fashioned reason of just making fun of it for laughs, and then never finish the date. That’s why I’ve been on the opposite side of most “award winning” or “groundbreaking” television series for—or about—gays, like Will & Grace or Queer As Folk. Those shows used gayness as a tool, but never understood it, or allowed it to be a happy, healthy thing. Will barely ever got to kiss a boy or be happy, while Grace was always landing men. Will’s friends, while funny, were caricatures of people like them in the community. And don’t get me started on QAF, a show where only the lesbians could have long-term relationships involving children, where the gay men still hung out at decadent bars having backroom sex—pretty people having pretty problems: soap opera at its finest. But soaps aren’t real life, and there weren’t 30 other shows out there showing any side of gayness except theirs, so, the community lost again.

Now there’s American Idol. I admit, I’m a fan of sorts. I keep up. And it appears that they have now, in the top 10, managed to get rid of the two gays (one open, one not), one of the two black people, the Filipina ... yes, it’s looking very white on the Idol stage, minus the music conductor, background singers and one of the judges. Support staff, but not the lead, right? But I’ll leave all of them to fight their own battles. Let’s deal with the fact that Idol is, in fact, homophobic.

Several years ago I wrote about Idol’s homophobia, as they always managed to take advantage of the gayest and most mentally disturbed of those trying out. I let that pass for awhile, since they make fun of everyone during that time. But now, it’s obvious they like exploiting gays but not supporting them over at Idol (and no, employing the ambiguous Ryan Seacrest does not count … straight, by the way).

David Hernandez was a gay stripper, had a lover and never came out about it. I was actually glad he got voted off. Too arrogant, and he needed to confront the issue in the press and say, “So what? Yes, for money, lots of it, I did this. And? It’s not illegal. And it must not be too immoral if so many people are doing it. So, what’s the problem?” Strip clubs, straight and gay, fill every large city and many appear on the outskirts of the smaller ones. No it’s not the occupation that bothered me, it was the accounts from everywhere that he had a boyfriend at the time. Whether Idol told him to stay in the closet or not, America hates dishonesty more than gayness at times. Hernandez should have confronted the controversy, then either introduced his boyfriend, girlfriend or whatever he had at the time and not deny the part of him that is gay or bi.

But he did keep it all in, and most think America wouldn’t vote for a gay stripper. I believe that to be a fallacy. America would vote for one if he were honest about it. America won’t vote for someone that hides from a scandal or from their own self.

And for Danny Noriega, I knew from the get-go he was too much for America because he is unapologetically gay. Not many know the courage it took or takes to be him. But he spelled diva from the beginning. He put his stamp on everything: hair, clothing, song selections ... and while he had the voice to back it up, America couldn’t take his brashness. You see, you can be gay and sassy in a nice way on TV, but not hostile. Isn’t that the problem facing Obama and his preacher? You can be black in America, and you can acknowledge all the past injustices, but don’t get mad about it and don’t act all angry and sassy all the time, either. Well, Rev. Wright does, and so he offends. Danny Noriega did, and so he offended, too. It’s not that he stood on stage and talked about how he liked it up the bum, but he made it clear that he was on Idol on his terms, and the judges, and America, don’t like someone that in control. His empowerment was his downfall. But one day, it will be his salvation. It was very nice of Rosie to offer him that gig on her boat, and a wise career move for him to take it. She’s, more powerful friend than Simon Cowell.

So, what is it going to take for American Idol to actually open up to an openly gay or lesbian contestant? I’m not sure. On Europe’s X Factor, Rhydian Roberts out-sequined Elton John and even did “In the Navy” with a batch of gay looking sailors, and he took second. Now, he says he’s a straight virgin, no lie, but even so, an androgynous straight virgin in sequins singing “In the Navy” in the gayest garb possible would not fly on American Idol and certainly not for a second place contestant. Nor would a platinum blond, allegedly hetero virgin in Liberace drag.

The sad part is it’s not Idol that’s homophobic; it’s America, and that is reflected in the voting. The gay men that vote always vote for the divas, not the other gays, although I’m sure some—who should be ashamed of themselves—are voting for David Archuleta for all the wrong reasons. The gay contestants are left out there without a real voting block behind them. So when the novelty factor wears off for America, they get booted. Just like most of the other minorities on the show, with the exception of a Ruben or a Fantasia or a Jordan.

So the answer lies in the community. When the gay community becomes a voting block around a contestant, they’ll stay. But of course we can’t even become a voting block in the real world on real issues, so I doubt we’ll come together for someone on Idol.

In the meantime, Simon can make rude banter about the ones that do make it through, Simon and Ryan can throw homophobic quips at each other in the name of humor, Paula can remain medicated and Randy can remain ... Randy Dawg.

But Idol is a microcosm for America in a strange, bizarre, horrifying way. A place where gayness is OK if it isn’t talked about, or is totally over the top RuPaul or wisecracking Just Jack, the sad promiscuous homo who can’t find love or the young tragic teen that is fag-bashed. Then there’s the AIDS victims. But as for a talented, young gay man or lesbian with a relatively normal past, just singing their guts out while being true to their self and thereby their gayness; well, America nor American Idol have place for a confident gay, a proud gay, someone who’s gayness isn’t an issue but just a part. No, they’re not the black-face (which is allowable now thanks to SNL) Mammy-type step-and-fetch-it homos, so they can’t stay.

And for them, America has decided. Their Idol journey has ended, as it always does. It’s just one more thing the Brits do better. Openly gay Will Young won Britain’s Pop Idol six years ago. I would say maybe Logo should launch a version, but then that defeats the purpose. We don’t want to win only in our community, we want to succeed in mainstream life. And yet for an industry allegedly made up of gays—the entertainment industry—why is it still so hard for established stars to be open and newcomers, like Idol contestants who are gay, to make it through?

Well, because America may have talent, but it doesn’t have a whole lot of tolerance yet. But when they find a way to turn that in to a reality show, maybe we will.