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News & ArtsMonday, September 28, 2009
Sex Um... That's Hot?
Posted by Dan Savage on Mon, Sep 28, 2009 at 9:40 AM
Tyson Beckford—male supermodel, host of Bravo's Make Me a Supermodel—was asked by a caller on Andy Cohen's Watch What Happens Live what man he would sleep with if he had to sleep with a man. His answer...
"Well I don't actually go that way ... but I noticed a lot of people think I do. You know what, if I'm [gonna] do it, I'd go for Obama. If I got with him, I could run the country. If I was that way—Obama. Yeah, I'd be the one in control. That's if I was that way. Who you gonna go for Will Smith, somebody pretty like that? Not to say Obama's not pretty. I'd go straight for Obama because you got power there. Yeah. You could run red lights. You could just wild out."
He graciously offered to let Michelle videotape the encounter—and Obama would have to bottom, Tyson added, just so the president didn't get any ideas or anything.
6
That is a shitty leading question that one would expect someone like Perez Hilton to ask, in hopes of garnering ratings.
What is with the baiting questions being passed off as legitimate, fair and requiring an answer.
If I were him I would have said, "Thanks for the question that has no relevence in my life. Let's try for something a little more meaningful."
End. of. Story.
moving on...
What is with the baiting questions being passed off as legitimate, fair and requiring an answer.
If I were him I would have said, "Thanks for the question that has no relevence in my life. Let's try for something a little more meaningful."
End. of. Story.
moving on...
7
You've gotta give props to him for coming up with such an over-the-top (no pun intended) answer to such a silly question. Well played, Tyson.
8
Hell, that's such an off-the-wall question I don't know how I would have answered it. I probably would have said something about sheep and left everybody wondering whether I was being serious or not.
10
@6 what Baconcat said. You don't go on that show expecting to be asked meaningful questions. I bet it's the deepest thing he was asked that night.
12
@9 Hey Dumbfuck.
I knew that. Don't let my previous answer lead you to believe otherwise.
My answer still stands. I would have called the caller a dumbass on TV.
Typical homo wishing a straight male model was guy for his own purient sexual fantasies.
And you wonder why the gay community has to fight the biases when they insist on continually portraying that very stereotype..
you can go crawl back in your little hole now Baconcat.
I knew that. Don't let my previous answer lead you to believe otherwise.
My answer still stands. I would have called the caller a dumbass on TV.
Typical homo wishing a straight male model was guy for his own purient sexual fantasies.
And you wonder why the gay community has to fight the biases when they insist on continually portraying that very stereotype..
you can go crawl back in your little hole now Baconcat.
13
12, Beckford is a male model and hosts a show on Bravo, on Bravo. Gay men and their sexual fantasies are the reason he has the job to begin with. Pissing off his core viewer base with a homophobic reaction would not be in Beckford's best career interests.
14
@1: Ha! that's exactly where my thoughts are going.
See, power is supposed to be an aphrodisiac only for women, not for men, right? Men prefer beauty, don't they? And, according to some people, this is natural, a result of evolution (no proof, but still, it seems right). But wait! Tyson, a man, is not interested in another man who is "pretty" but in somebody who is powerful. So he's kind of taking the female role there, isn't he?
Unless all these "naturally evolved" preferences are actually cultural constructions...
See, power is supposed to be an aphrodisiac only for women, not for men, right? Men prefer beauty, don't they? And, according to some people, this is natural, a result of evolution (no proof, but still, it seems right). But wait! Tyson, a man, is not interested in another man who is "pretty" but in somebody who is powerful. So he's kind of taking the female role there, isn't he?
Unless all these "naturally evolved" preferences are actually cultural constructions...
15
@12: You didn't know that, Reality Wreck.
If you did, you wouldn't have said this:
There's nothing fair about a call-in show on Bravo, they have a gay male viewership in the upper 60% range. The host is gay. Tyson has made frequent references to the "if I were gay" trope. Tyson has a show on Bravo. Asking Tyson Beckford a question about who he'd do if he were gay, on Bravo, is a very legitimate question, especially when ratings are concerned.
Gay people have to "continually fight the biases" because of people like you-- the dullards, the dimwits and the criminally stupid.
If you did, you wouldn't have said this:
What is with the baiting questions being passed off as legitimate, fair and requiring an answer.
There's nothing fair about a call-in show on Bravo, they have a gay male viewership in the upper 60% range. The host is gay. Tyson has made frequent references to the "if I were gay" trope. Tyson has a show on Bravo. Asking Tyson Beckford a question about who he'd do if he were gay, on Bravo, is a very legitimate question, especially when ratings are concerned.
Gay people have to "continually fight the biases" because of people like you-- the dullards, the dimwits and the criminally stupid.
17
@12: "Typical homo wishing a straight male model was guy for his own purient sexual fantasies."
What straight man hasn't fantasized about straight women having lesbian sex? Is this something they should be ashamed of, or are you going to admit you have a double standard when it comes to gay men?
What straight man hasn't fantasized about straight women having lesbian sex? Is this something they should be ashamed of, or are you going to admit you have a double standard when it comes to gay men?
18
17, To add to your point: Take a look at Spike TV's website.
http://www.spike.com/channel/celebrities
http://www.spike.com/channel/celebrities
19
But Rob, see, when guys ask straight women to do that, it's hot! When guys ask straight men to do it, or even just to think about it, it's icky, "prurient", and "portraying a stereotype".
Typical gay man, always thinking you're allowed to have a libido and a pulse like everyone else.
Typical gay man, always thinking you're allowed to have a libido and a pulse like everyone else.
21
@17 you and the others are missing the point (go figure)
The difference between the two groups, is that gays are allowed to call in to shows and ask Tyson that question, and everyone chuckles, and forces Tyson to pander to them...
compared to ... to flip it around for you... How many times have you heard about straight men being allowed to call in to a show with a hot female model, and ask them what they think about having a lesbian encounter? Ever? Sorry I can't think of any. I can't name one female model, female pro athlete, or female celebrity, whereby some "fan" called in... and of all the things to ask says... "Duhhhhh *pant* *pant* if ya were to ..you know... *pant* *pant* *wink* have sexual relations with some other person.... *gulp* who would that be???"
Yeah right.
Ohh and Rob @13... last I checked Tyson was a male model, heterosexual, and has a wide fanbase. I don't think gay men make up a overwhelming majority of said fanbase. No matter what teh gay might otherwise believe.
It's pretty sad if he has to be politically correct, not say what he really believes, and in order to "not offend part of his fans", has to indulge the purient fantasies of a subset of that group.
It's a sad world we live in, that others believe that to be an expected norm nowadays...
The difference between the two groups, is that gays are allowed to call in to shows and ask Tyson that question, and everyone chuckles, and forces Tyson to pander to them...
compared to ... to flip it around for you... How many times have you heard about straight men being allowed to call in to a show with a hot female model, and ask them what they think about having a lesbian encounter? Ever? Sorry I can't think of any. I can't name one female model, female pro athlete, or female celebrity, whereby some "fan" called in... and of all the things to ask says... "Duhhhhh *pant* *pant* if ya were to ..you know... *pant* *pant* *wink* have sexual relations with some other person.... *gulp* who would that be???"
Yeah right.
Ohh and Rob @13... last I checked Tyson was a male model, heterosexual, and has a wide fanbase. I don't think gay men make up a overwhelming majority of said fanbase. No matter what teh gay might otherwise believe.
It's pretty sad if he has to be politically correct, not say what he really believes, and in order to "not offend part of his fans", has to indulge the purient fantasies of a subset of that group.
It's a sad world we live in, that others believe that to be an expected norm nowadays...
23
@21:
Howard Stern, Opie and Anthony, and Mancow, for starters.
How many times have you heard about straight men being allowed to call in to a show with a hot female model, and ask them what they think about having a lesbian encounter? Ever? Sorry I can't think of any. I can't name one female model, female pro athlete, or female celebrity, whereby some "fan" called in... and of all the things to ask says... "Duhhhhh *pant* *pant* if ya were to ..you know... *pant* *pant* *wink* have sexual relations with some other person.... *gulp* who would that be???"
Howard Stern, Opie and Anthony, and Mancow, for starters.
25
@21, You're kidding, right? You're really saying that female supermodels never have to "indulge prurient fantasies" as part of their jobs? Indulging prurient fantasies (and it's prurient, for fuck's sake) is a fact of life for supermodels. The question asked of Beckford was just playful fun, and he clearly took it that way, based on his answer. He's not upset, because he's not homophobic -- a stupid thing to be if you work in the fashion industry -- but you're clearly upset by it, because you clearly are.
@22: I guess it would be considered "purient" by some people around here. I think it's hot.
For the record, if I had to play this game I'd pick a young kd lang or maybe Samantha Ronson -- a butch girl who knows what she's doing.
@22: I guess it would be considered "purient" by some people around here. I think it's hot.
For the record, if I had to play this game I'd pick a young kd lang or maybe Samantha Ronson -- a butch girl who knows what she's doing.
30
Ewww, there is nothing sexy about Obama. Nothing at all. There is just no such thing as a sexy president.
32
21, Have you never listened to the Howard Stern Show, watched "The Man Show", or Spike TV? Men do it all the time.
Beckford works on a network that specifically targets a gay male audience, in the same way that Spike TV targets a straight male audience. He was a guest on a show that was designed to get gay men to watch. Beckford knows it, and apparently he is secure enough in his sexuality to take it as a compliment that gay men find him attractive. Not to mention, as a male model, working in the fashion industry, he is surrounded by gay men every day of his life.
Straight men want and fantasize about sex with women they could never have, and like to imagine straight women engaged in lesbian acts. And they talk about all the time.
Gay men want and fantasize about sex with men they could never have and like to image straight men engaged in homosexual acts. And they talk about it all the time.
So please.
Beckford works on a network that specifically targets a gay male audience, in the same way that Spike TV targets a straight male audience. He was a guest on a show that was designed to get gay men to watch. Beckford knows it, and apparently he is secure enough in his sexuality to take it as a compliment that gay men find him attractive. Not to mention, as a male model, working in the fashion industry, he is surrounded by gay men every day of his life.
Straight men want and fantasize about sex with women they could never have, and like to imagine straight women engaged in lesbian acts. And they talk about all the time.
Gay men want and fantasize about sex with men they could never have and like to image straight men engaged in homosexual acts. And they talk about it all the time.
So please.
33
@30 Really? I'd say that ever since JFK beat Nixon in a televised debate back in 1960, we've been cursed with the legacy of the Sexy President. We almost always insist that the leaders of the Free World be attractive and charismatic. TV's partly to blame and current American culture's responsible for the rest of the problem.
Let's face it, if presidential candidates don't capitivate enough voters, they don't get elected. As for Obama's appeal, I'll take him over W. any day. (W. being one of the glaring exceptions to this rule.)
Let's face it, if presidential candidates don't capitivate enough voters, they don't get elected. As for Obama's appeal, I'll take him over W. any day. (W. being one of the glaring exceptions to this rule.)
34
@12 Uh, hello idiot. If you actually go and watch the clip, you'll see that it was a FEMALE CALLER that asked the question. Not a gay man. So there goes everything you've said in this thread.
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