Further Off the Straight & Narrow: New Gay Visibility on TV

http://www.mediaed.org

This important new documentary picks up where Off the Straight & Narrow: Gays, Lesbians, Bisexuals & Television (1998) left off. Since that video's release in the late 90's, which coincided with the last episode of the popular program Ellen, there has been a marked increase in the presence of GLBT characters on television. Against the backdrop of political and social issues affecting the GLBT community, such as gay marriage and AIDS, Further Off the Straight & Narrow takes a close look at sitcoms, reality shows, and premium cable programming as it explores how representations of GLBT characters have become more complex and varied in recent years. The film acknowledges the expansion of GLBT representation on television and the resulting possibilities for inclusion and recognition opened up for today's gay youth. However, the program also raises questions about how this queer presence on television is shaped by the imperatives of the commercial media system. Further Off the Straight & Narrow argues that the evolution in GLBT representation, like many transformations in a commercially-driven media system, may be best explained less by a sudden commitment to social justice on the part of big media than by advertisers' recognition of the potential of directly targeting GLBT consumers with programming specifically designed to attract their attention.

Featuring interviews with Howard Buford (Founder & CEO, Prime Access, Inc.), Joshua Gamson (University of San Francisco and author, Freaks Talk Back), Larry Gross (Director of Annenberg School for Communication, University of Southern CA), Lisa Henderson (Professor of Communication, University of Massachusetts-Amherst), Katherine Sender (University of Pennsylvania), and Suzanna Walters (Indiana University).

Includes scenes from Sex and the City, The Sopranos, Queer Eye, The Simpsons, South Park, Will and Grace, Ellen, Six Feet Under & Queer as Folk.

Featuring music by The Scissor Sisters.

• Category

  News & Politics

[Atemporal]

Generally speaking, gays in the media are in a horrid state, stereotypes keep living and flourishing and only a handful deserve real praise.

What is further killing the portray of them in the media is the over-commercialization and the so-called pink dollar, even so homophobia is still breathing with no signs of slowing down, sadly.

[BeatBuddy]

Older people remember a time when homosexuality in the movies, radio and television simply didn't exist. They had to read between lines. It took me a while to realize how much was suppressed. One good examle is watching the movie THE LOST WEEKEND, which took the best picture Oscar in 1944. When I decided to read the novel on which it's based, I was shocked to find that it has a gay theme.

[Th3Wab3]

i agree..

[electrogeek77]

Does it even matter if it's genetic or not? If someone's private life isn't harming yours, leave it well enough alone.

[Th3Wab3]

not arguing despite my use of the world argue.. just expanding on a perspective...

[uraine7626]

Why are u arguing? We basically sees the same thing.

[Th3Wab3]

i argue that a majority of gay is genetic some happens with conditioning just like other forms of sexual preference.. also i'd argue that the term gay need to be specified in that is it the sexual act, a psychological attraction, a unattraction' in the opposite sex etc which constitutes as gay.. with more investigation and understanding i think society/humanity will come to see that sexual orientation will lose importance and civility, humanity, and respect will become definitive...

[uraine7626]

See that what wrong with ignorant people like you, you keep thinking it a choice and it's all about how people are influence, but as you can see it really isn't.

[forlornhope638]

lol, gays have an agenda. that's hilarious

[SuperBitchCircus]

It's funny

[SuperBitchCircus]

Don't forget latino, asian, or native american

[forloveoffilm]

Yes it is Chris Meloni who played a serial killer bi-sexual in the TV series OZ. He also has what might be the most perfectly formed male genitals since Stephano, the model used by Michalangelo for his statue David.