Comments on Tonight's 30 Days

i think a "bold" linkage was broken. Every post after this is all bold.

Morgan Spurlock is a douche.

i recently started watching reruns of this show on hulu.com and it's probably one of the most frustrating shows i've seen in a long time. the whole premise of most episodes, take an ignorant country boy and make them defend their uninformed beliefs, is so fucking tired. it's such easy TV. this show COULD be really good, which is possibly why i actually care that it isn't.

but also, it's fun to yell at the TV, so i still watch it.

I can't write to the sponsors because I haven't seen it yet. I always hated the folks who would protest something as being bad, then say they haven't seen it yet.

The third season is actually in it's fourth week; they've already had Morgan workin' in a coal mine, a football player in a wheelchair, and a hunter living with venomous vegans.

It's hard to decide which idea is the more antiquated and out-of-step with current realities: The idea that gay couples shouldn't adopt, or the idea that reality television is operating under some sort of obligation to its audience to present fair and accurate portrayals of its subjects.

Greg @ #3 nails it:

it's fun to yell at the TV, so i still watch it.

The very qualities that make this sort of mass-entertainment product offensive are the same ones that make it popular.

KTLA in Los Angeles celebrated marriage equality on the day it became legal by having on their morning show a nutjob from something called Freedom and Faith something-or-other on the air, unopposed, and without calling him on his lies. It was such a blatant piece of progaganda, I was shocked. I also took action by contacting the station two different ways and then reporting them to the public affairs office of the LA Gay & Lesbian Center.

Lies are lies. What is wrong with some people? Why give a platform to liars whose lies are also destructive bigotry?

30 days is a great show. Everyone has their opinions so let them have it.

Interestingly, FX's Vice President of Public Relations (Scott Seomin) used to hold a high-profile position at GLAAD.

Thanks for the heads up- I was under the mistaken impression that this show might break some stereotypes and soften the hearts of some stone cold bigots... and seriously, how hard is it to edit in an opposing opinion?

I thought Reality TV died after the writers strike was over?

@6 The masses aren't entertained when civil rights are subject to an on-air hatchet job. The masses are mis-informed when this happens.

Dan, haven't you said that gays are damaged goods until proven otherwise, in part due to many of the reasons what's-his-name listed?

#12: The masses enjoy being misinformed. It is their entertainment.

He's a Michael Moore wannabe, asshat...

@15 time out. Michael Moore is a TOTAL hypocrit, everyone knows that.

@15 and @16 aren't necessarily exclusive.

I know Dennis and Tom, too. They deserve better.

off the 30 days website for this episode:
"A God-fearing 24-year-old conservative homophobe from red state America travels to San Francisco’s Castro District to live in what is notoriously known as one of the gayest areas of the country. As he joins a gay sports team, works a job that caters to gay clientele, attends gay-friendly church services and lives with a gay roommate, he gets an inside view of what it is like to live as a minority that still elicits strong feelings of hatred among many Americans."

I read that as "services and lives with a gay room mate."

Thank you and good night.

Did you see the show already, Balt-O-Matt, out there on the East Coast? It's really infuriating.

@14 So true. Candy everybody wants n'all.

I'll withhold judgement until I see it...but thought the episode where they dropped a straight, anti-gay marriage guy in the Castro was good, and positive on all fronts. Also liked the one where they drop the diehard Christian dude into a Muslim community. I've liked what I've seen of the show so far, will check out this episode.

Damn it. I had high hopes for this episode! I still plan on watching it but will keep an eye out for the bits mentioned. Thanks for the heads up, Dan!

@20--No, Dan. We don't get cable. Instead we were watching Tales of the City on DVD. Yes. We're *that* gay.

After watching this I kind of agree, and disagree,

The episode was focused on the point of view from the woman from California, and her issues with it. I doubt that Mr. Spurlock is suggesting gay and lesbian parents are bad is kind off base considering he is doing a show like this.

However could it have helped if there was someone disputing the comments made by the "Authorities" shown in the episode - possibly but then I think it could have taken away from what they were trying to show - one woman's fight with her personal beliefs (albeit closeminded beliefs in my opinion) and not a war of words between two different camps that we hear all the time.

I think 30 Days was trying to put a personal spin on the issue.

I remember a while back on Slog a writer slandered a man accused of a crime saying that it was a "hate crime" the man committed. Later it came out it wasn't a hate crime, i remember no retraction and I'm sure the writer is still employed by The Stranger.

@25 If they want to leave out the other point of view because it would take away from "one woman's fight with her personal beliefs", then why include the "Authorities" (and I use that word loosely) in the first place...?

Why not make it purely about said woman and her personal beliefs, rather than giving her misguided views a false gravitas?

@27: From what I've seen on the show, they try to set a stereotype in the beginning, so we can watch someone try and prove it wrong by immering themselves in the real people who live a different lifestyle. Granted I haven't watched this one yet. I THINK the idea was to set a strong, misguded opinion forward, then show how wrong it can be without being overly judgemental...like some here appear to be.

Setting the stage with BS from the anti-gay marriage/adoption people SHOULD serve to prove them wrong during the course of the episode.

I love the Stranger and the Slog, but am among the straight male minority here....and have openly gay family members and friends. I'm totally down with believing any and all rights I have everyone should have. It seems like you are protesting a bit much here. Other than Bravo, who else is putting gay folk on TV so the rest can see they are just like us? Is it THAT negative, or do our capable gay parents show that they are good parents in the end?

Okay, I gotta watch it before talking more, seems like a tempest in a teapot here.

http://www.hulu.com/watch/5293/30-days-straight-man-in-a-gay-world#s-p2-so-i0

Different episode, but I don't see an anti-gay bias here...if that was Sperlock's agenda why would he this show?

Just sent off an email to the guys at FX. We have enough to worry about without liars and distortionists being presented as reasonable members of the opposition.

Fortunately, in spite of whatever wacky agenda was being played out there, Tom and Dennis come off as the wonderful guys and fabulous parents that they are, while what's-her-face comes off as an unstable, immature bigot (just how many times can one stomp out of a room in a one hour episode?)

The indisputable highlight of the show, however, is the 2 second shot of my Goddaughter and her daddies near the beginning. It's easy to tell which kid she is because she's 100% made of cute. :)

I sent off emails to this bunch of Foxbots expressing my disgust with this latest low-brow, fear mongering, example of their right-wing agenda.

In the meantime, I'd advice everyone to turn off their TVs. I gave it up 4 yrs ago & couldn't be happier!

Dan, Thanks for the links - but do you have one for Spurlock himself? I used to like his stuff, but now I'd love to contact him directly.

We have the full clip at G-A-Y, for anyone who wants to watch it.

http://www.goodasyou.org/good_as_you/2008/06/video-so-how-wa.html

watched it last night..well,half watched it...that lady was bothering me to the point - I cursed at the TV and then changed the channel til she was done ranting her religious crap. Oh and how it botherwed her that the parents had to tell thier children (if they wanted to tell anyone, that they had 2 dads..it was up to them) ...you thought that lady was gonna go batshit over that..? I thought to myself..you know "WHY, they have to say that to thier kids lady?" ...because of people like her who raise thier lil' bastards with bigotry and Hate. I also, found myself HOPING that her 2 adopted kids were gonna grow up Gay....tho, she'd probably either religiously abuse them, or dis-own them...thats how she came off to me....I watched maybe 3/4 of it...

Here is the info for the company that writes, produces, and edits '30 Days':

Actual Reality Pictures
http://www.actualreality.tv/

p 310.202.1272

It is a good show, though I was a little thrown off by the author who blames her father's sexuality for her bad childhood. There's bad seeds, both gay and stright.

What is Morgan Spurlock's contact information? I'd like to email him directly and complain. He blew it on this one.

Dan,

Scott Seomin is the former head of GLAAD's LA Office. He left under quite histrionic circumstances. Be that as it may, as an out gay man - he's the lever at FX to try:

Scott Seomin
Vice President of Public Relations
(310) 369-0938
scott.seomin@fxnetwork.com

I have a gay child, religious family & being a clinical SW, I was in turmoil when my child came out.This lady is closed-minded. And the show did not do anything to help. They did not take her to PFLAG or meet with gay children. The "girl" they had her talk to was exposed to should be compared to as child abuse. The premise of the show was good, but, once again,it was taken to the level of exploitation and ignorant target market.