This year’s Emmy awards proved to be a pleasant
surprise for many television personalities, producers and viewers. The glitz, the glamour,
the unexpected winners-all of which ended in the highest ratings for the broadcast in over
a decade.
This year, however, there was more at stake than simply the recognition of excellent
television. There was a battle being fought in a war that has been waging for more than 30
years. The war of equality vs. persecution; prejudice vs. acceptance; gay vs. antigay.
The phenomenal success of NBC’s Will and Grace, recipient of three notable Emmys,
Best Comedy Series: Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series: Sean Hayes and Best
Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series: Megan Mullally, is considered a triumph by many gay
activists. Likewise, the transgender community has made strides thanks to performers such
as British comedian Eddie Izzard, a self-described “Professional Transvestite.”
Izzard won two Emmys from his HBO special as well as being referred to as the funniest man
in England by former Monty Python troop member John Cleese.
The war for accurate representation of the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered
community can be traced back to the early 1950s. Considered by most to be a taboo subject,
it was the suggested punch line of comedy acts like Milton Burl, Red Skelton and a host of
others. Men in dresses, double entendre dialogue and the “artistic-stereotype”
male character were the jokes of the day.
As the seventies rolled around, television changed drastically. No longer catering simply
to the leave it to Beaver consciousness, it suddenly began to address a variety of
societal issues. While homosexuality was still a hot topic as well as one that could not
be shown in a positive light without serious repercussions, shows like Maude, Rhoda and a
All in the Family broke new ground with guest appearances showing gays and lesbians in a
positive light.
The character of Murray the newsman on the 1970s hit The Mary Tyler Moore Show was written
to be televisions first openly gay television personality with a recurring role.
Producers, frightened that Moore’s squeaky clean image may be soiled (after all, most
viewers still thought that she divorced that nice Rob Petry Man from the Dick Van Dyke
show).
It would be only a few years before television would have to face the beginning of regular
gay characters on television. In 1977 Soap, a campy, comedy take off of the soap opera
genre, the show included Billy Crystal as not only a gay man, but as a father in a steady
relationship. Though Crystal was usually the butt of the jokes on screen, and the
recipient of death threats off screen, Soap and Crystal was an instant success.
The 1980s saw further strides such as movies of the week, continued guest appearances,
series with closeted characters such as the quickly canceled Sydney starring Tony Randall.
The early 1990s brought the same. Shows that promised same sex kisses were preempted or
edited. It wouldn’t be until the late ’90s when the show Roseanne, featuring a
central lesbian character came through with the first female to female kiss. Many felt it
was not the same considering Roseanne was playing a heterosexual character. Still, it was
not broadcast in a number of markets.
Roseanne’s contribution to the acceptance of homosexuality on television is often
overlooked. Perhaps because of the disastrous ratings during last two seasons due to weak
writing and experimental fantasy episodes. Yet Roseanne introduced four regularly featured
gay characters two prime time television: Her Boss, played by Martin Mull, his husband
played byFred Willard, her best friend played by Sandra Bernhard and most notably, her own
mother played by Estelle Parsons
Another ABC program, Drew Carey, introduced the first recurring role of a transgendered
person. While guest appearances by gay characters were now more frequent and supporting
characters began coming out, the principal gay character had yet to be discovered.
In 1997 Ellen DeGeneres took the challenge. Staging the outting of her character around
her own coming out, DeGeneres skyrocketed to the forefront of the civil rights movement.
The show, which lasted only one season after the “big event,” fell in the
ratings due to continuous preempting and time slot shifting as well as a lack of
promotional support by ABC.
A year later, NBC took the reins with the debut of Will and Grace. A sharp sitcom
featuring an openly gay male lead and a heterosexual female lead as best friends. Team
them with another openly gay man who bares the brunt of stereotypical gay bashing humor
and a secretary that is divaesque and let the awards role in.
Not only is the show a success, it was scheduled in NBC’s coveted Thursday at 9 p.m.
time slot. Following previous hit shows such as Cheers, Night Court, Frasier and Seinfeld,
the show is now an accredited success.
The real test will now be how television audiences react to the character of Will
embarking on a regular relationship this Fall. Audiences will also see DeGeneres return to
the airwaves in a new program.
The recent success of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender characters on television is
not surprising as each generation grows more accepting of gays and gay issues. I believe
this has a lot to do with the positive relationship of the first gay couple most children
are exposed to: Sesame Street’s own Bert and Ernie. |
