Friday, June 12, 2009
Homo / Film Confidential to My Fellow Homosexuals
Posted by Dan Savage on Fri, Jun 12, 2009 at 6:54 AM
Let's try to have a sense of humor. Let's remember that we're in on this joke. Let's not be to Brüno what Kazakhstan was to Borat. Let's not be tiresome, whiney, humorless scolds. Dang it. Too late.
“Some people in our community may like this movie, but many are not going to be O.K. with it,” said Rashad Robinson, senior director of media programs for the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation. “Sacha Baron Cohen’s well-meaning attempt at satire is problematic in many places and outright offensive in others.”
If by "some people in our community," Rashad, you mean "a large majority of the people in our community," then I agree that "some people" are going to be O.K. with Brüno.
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1
"Let's not be tiresome, whiney, humorless scolds."
?
wtf?!
beware slog staff- some body snatching alien pod has possesed Dan...
?
wtf?!
beware slog staff- some body snatching alien pod has possesed Dan...
2
This looks like a 4-bong-hit movie for sure. I am looking forward for Bruno exposing homophobia the same (sneaky) way Borat exposed nationalism/racism. My sister-in-law refuses to watch either, saying the movies are "mean". Sometimes, mean can be funny.
Many funny things are also offensive. My gay posse, more than my straight pals, know how to laugh at themselves.
Many funny things are also offensive. My gay posse, more than my straight pals, know how to laugh at themselves.
3
That 2nd sentence shoulda read: looking forward TO Bruno". (Really wish Slog comments had an edit feature.)
4
Does this also mean we should have a sense of humor when the President treats our issues like a punch line to various jokes?
5
Cato, it would have been funnier if you had said he treats your issues like the butt of a joke. "Let's try to have a sense of humor" and all that, you know.
6
I'm just waiting for Bruno's next movie, the one in which he paints himself in blackface, and pretends he's a different race. That one is going to be really funny.
8
I didn't even think Borat was funny. I get why others do, but those people are retarded and are likely to laugh at something like a person who can't stop farting no matter how hard they try.
The over-the-top generally gross humor does nothing for me. If I complain, it won't be because I'm offended. It'll be because it's dumb.
The over-the-top generally gross humor does nothing for me. If I complain, it won't be because I'm offended. It'll be because it's dumb.
9
I agree, nothing I've seen about the movie so far could be misconstrued as being offensive to homosexuals. Some people just need to lighten up a little and learn to laugh at themselves, besides, it's not only homosexuals he's portraying, he's also imitating austrians. And for what's it's worth just like some homosexuals they also seem to be lacking some sense of humor.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/sacha…
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/sacha…
10
If people protest too loudly, they should understand that it will increase the number of people who will see it.
11
Seconding what Dan said. Pick your battles or you lose credibility - and clearly there are some important battles to fight (see post immediately following this one). So have a beer, have a sense of humor, and save your energy for where it matters.
13
9, coming from the you, a person who cannot take a single factual comment about your demographic without screaming "RACIST!", that's rich.
14
The Borat character did have some jabs at Central Asians (and having lived there for a few years, I just have to say that there were a lot of really funny jokes that some of the American audience didn't pick up on), but most of the jokes were on American stereotypes. It's like the reverse straight-man technique; in the videos that followed up on the movie, he lampooned the hell out of groups like the NRA.
I suspect that the Bruno character is targeted at homophobes, and that he's going to end up really showcasing how ridiculous their arguements are. My bet is that once the Bruno character has played itself out, the homophobes are going to be the ones who look more foolish.
I suspect that the Bruno character is targeted at homophobes, and that he's going to end up really showcasing how ridiculous their arguements are. My bet is that once the Bruno character has played itself out, the homophobes are going to be the ones who look more foolish.
15
If the movie is anything like the show, it will be awesome. Much of Bruno's comedy involves various types of homophobes being confronted, presumably for the first time, with unabashed and flamboyant homosexuality. The results are often brilliant.
My favorite episode is when he interviews a group of midwestern college wrestlers on spring break. He gets them to teach him wrestling moves and do some idiotic things, and when he comes out to them in the end, they completely flip out.
My favorite episode is when he interviews a group of midwestern college wrestlers on spring break. He gets them to teach him wrestling moves and do some idiotic things, and when he comes out to them in the end, they completely flip out.
16
Wow. I'm shocked -- SHOCKED! -- that Mr. Poe didn't find a movie that was making fun of misogynists and racists funny.
17
I've seen enough clips of both Borat and Bruno to know that I wouldn't enjoy either. It's not that I would be offended but more that I just don't enjoy watching people be made fools of, no matter how much they have it coming.
18
@16: The only thing Mr. Poe finds funny is telling other commenters to die. Not much of a humorist, that one.
19
And that many of us in the not-liking-the-movie minority don't like it because we don't share Sacha Baron Cohen's sense of humor (embarrassment humor makes me feel embarrassed), not because we think we 'mos and bis should be immune to satire and mockery.
21
I'm with monkey @17.
Personally, I find short clips of Borat and Bruno funny, but I start to cringe in sympathy if I have to watch more than about 10 minutes of it. Not because it is offensive, but because I start feeling sorry for the douchebags that he (rightfully) mocks. It's a reaction empathy, even if they don't deserve it. I'm weird that way.
Nevertheless, I'm not at all offended by the Bruno character. It is a fantastic concept. More power to him.
Personally, I find short clips of Borat and Bruno funny, but I start to cringe in sympathy if I have to watch more than about 10 minutes of it. Not because it is offensive, but because I start feeling sorry for the douchebags that he (rightfully) mocks. It's a reaction empathy, even if they don't deserve it. I'm weird that way.
Nevertheless, I'm not at all offended by the Bruno character. It is a fantastic concept. More power to him.
22
Hello, Sloggers!
I've got a little time off now.
I was thinking of doing some trolling.
Any tips for what makes for a troll who can set blood boiling?
Thank you in advance, Mr. Poe!
As a sideline, I'm also thinking of posting comments that nobody cares about, but, because they're posted, people are forced to read.
Any tips?
Thank you in advance, Will in Seattle!
I've got a little time off now.
I was thinking of doing some trolling.
Any tips for what makes for a troll who can set blood boiling?
Thank you in advance, Mr. Poe!
As a sideline, I'm also thinking of posting comments that nobody cares about, but, because they're posted, people are forced to read.
Any tips?
Thank you in advance, Will in Seattle!
24
bullshit to take advantage of people's good nature, even if unevolved, for your own movie/money/ amusement. Let's all laugh at the retarded boy!
25
Borat was a moderately amusing 15 minute sketch stretched out into a shitty hour and a half long movie and Bruno promises to be no different.
And Sacha Baron Cohen is waaaaaay hotter with body hair.
And Sacha Baron Cohen is waaaaaay hotter with body hair.
26
@20 Almost, but not quite. But I do think you see my point. Sacha is a one-trick pony. He's not funny anymore. We've already seen it. The roots of his style are 150 years old, but they called it blackface back then.
27
" @8 that's rich coming from you!"
Seriously, Poe is without a doubt the most crotchety, unfunny poster on the Slog.
Seriously, Poe is without a doubt the most crotchety, unfunny poster on the Slog.
28
Being disrespectful to those who have no respect for others is a time-honored comedy tradition. I have respect for his concept. I also admire his courage... his willingness to put himself in these situations.
The point of his stick is that he becomes a stereotype in front of people who believe the stereotype. The reasoning is: the more offensive his behavior, the more he re-inforces stereotypes to the ignorant... the funnier it is to watch his ignorant victims react.
Unfortunately, the vast majority of my exposure to him is in clips and I'm already bored with the joke without having seen it. Worse, the out-of-context clips offend the very groups he is trying to break the sterotype of.
If the one joke in your movie is dead before the first ticket is sold, that a Filmmaker Fail and an even bigger Comedian Fail.
The point of his stick is that he becomes a stereotype in front of people who believe the stereotype. The reasoning is: the more offensive his behavior, the more he re-inforces stereotypes to the ignorant... the funnier it is to watch his ignorant victims react.
Unfortunately, the vast majority of my exposure to him is in clips and I'm already bored with the joke without having seen it. Worse, the out-of-context clips offend the very groups he is trying to break the sterotype of.
If the one joke in your movie is dead before the first ticket is sold, that a Filmmaker Fail and an even bigger Comedian Fail.
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