 by Grace ChuColumns
Video
Currently Recapping
Popular People
|
Lesbian storylines are among the top TV controversiesLast week, Nerve.com ran a piece on "10 Sexual Controversies That Changed TV," which chronicles television execs' incurable fear of receiving scolding letters from the religious right. Among the controversies that got network higher-ups' tighty whiteys in a twist are an interfaith romance ("Bridget Loves Bernie") and a divorced female protagonist ("D-I-V-O-R-C-E"). Scared yet? Hold on for dear life, ladies, because we're going to talk about the unique ability of homos to get network suits running scared. Three of the ten incidents covered in the Nerve article involved lesbian characters or perceived lesbian vibes. 1) The Cagney and Lacey switcharoo
In 1982, the first season of Cagney and Lacey starred actresses Meg Foster and Tyne Daly as two female police detectives patrolling the streets of New York City. But then, Meg Foster mysteriously disappeared and Sharon Gless began wearing Chris Cagney's badge. An unnamed CBS executive explained that the Foster/Daly pairing was "too tough, too hard and not feminine ... We perceived them as dykes." So Meg Foster was out and Sharon Gless was in, because someone at CBS came up with the brilliant idea that a flaxen-haired actress would ooze heterosexual vibes more effectively than a brunette. Yep, Sharon Gless's haircut just screams "straight," doesn't it? Fail. 2) L.A. Law: Two lawyers walk into a parking lot
In 1991, two women were finally allowed to kiss on network television. After winning a case together, attorneys C.J. Lamb (Amanda Donohoe) and Abby Perkins (Michele Green) walked into a parking lot, hugged, and then kissed — on the mouth. The next day, both awkwardly declared their attraction to men and decided to be BFFs instead. Although the storyline had already run its course, the fundamentalist American Family Association decided to give its two cents anyway and threatened to write letters to NBC's advertisers. In response, NBC backpedaled from its previous support of the C.J./Abby storyline, although the general public — and their advertisers — really didn't give a rat's ass that two females briefly bumped lips on the small screen. 3) Grey's Anatomy: The parking lot of no return
Last year, Dr. Erica Hahn (Brooke Smith) and Dr. Callie Torres (Sara Ramirez) had a short-lived relationship in which Erica finally found her glasses and came bounding out of the closet seeing the world in technicolor while Callie was still trying to see straight. Then inexplicably, Dr. Hahn quit her job, broke up with Callie, and disappeared into a parking lot. E! Online reported that network execs at ABC "had issues" with the lesbian storyline, which was one of the reasons Dr. Hahn was hastily written out of the show. Grey's has since redeemed itself by pairing Callie with another blonde, Dr. Arizona Robbins, and that relationship is still going like the Energizer Bunny.
So what have we learned? On television, blondes sporting mullets are less gay than brunettes with curly locks, unless they are wearing lab coats — then they are super gay. Second, parking lots are a bad omen for television lesbian relationships. May Callie and Arizona never set foot in one, or they are doomed. Submitted by on October 5, 2009 - 11:00am. |
Recent blog posts
New forum topicsActive TopicsNew Comments
|
Welcome to AfterEllen.com!
- Login
- Join Now!
News, Reviews & Commentary on Lesbian and Bisexual women in Entertainment and the Media
lol i will from now on stay
Arizona and Callie
parking lots
I was actually thinking I would be GOING in to parking lots! Granted I don't want to "lose" someone in the parking lot of no return...but...it seems to me that good things CAN happen in a dimly lit, kinda scary place! haha
I have never been a "greys" watcher. Granted Sara Ramirez is a cutie, I just didnt appreciate the two seconds of screen time that the token gays were getting. However, I am hearing the Callie/Arizona storyline is quite good. True?
Is it too much to ask to see lesbians on TV? ugh.
Somewhat true...
Like Danie said, the two have officially called each other "girlfriend" and they are very cute together but they've gone Otalia on us. It's early in the season so hopefully there will be more development in that area.
My advice to you is...if you don't like a good medical drama just wait for the Callie/Arizona fan vids to go up on youtube.
good?
good? I don't know, yes, they declared themselves "girlfriends" in the last episodes, but girlfriends kiss and touch right? And they don't kiss and don't touch...so, girlfriends??
Maybe I have another definition of being girlfriends than Shonda and the writers...
everyone deserves a second chance.
I officially hate parking
I officially hate parking lots
_________
vivono nella speranza
dykes, eh?
I explained to my Mum today
I explained to my Mum today that Cagney and Lacey where probably lesbians. Her response: " I had no idea." I love you, Mum lol.
"Change your ways while you're young"
NRPP and a lesbian sex scene
Niños Ricos Pobres Padres had a bot bath tub scene between Laura and Anais. It was kinda blurred out, but I still think it is a breakthrough for Spanish telenovelas!
So there obviously is a bit progress, but I guess it's hard to balance it between overtly sexual and normal. I mean, lesbian sex scenes can get pretty steamy, and the minds of the men are kinda one track, if you know what I mean.. The gays don't have that problem, because gay sex for girls is "eww", but lesbian sex scenes are always a fantasy for straight men, so.. This also applays to kissing.
the parking lot of no
the parking lot of no return... Could be a title of some horror movie...
I don't have faith in Shonda and the writers anymore that they won't screw this up like they did with Callie/Erica. From what I've seen so far, they don't treat Callie and Arizona like any other couple. They are the only couple that doesn't touch or kiss or act like a couple at all...
Is it really that shocking to see two women kiss/touch on television?
Are parking lots hopeless homophobes?
On the one hand we could think that parking lots are warming up to us these days:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pEYZVJoSMDc
But you are right, in the end they are still totally untrustworthy (death on wedding day will follow 9 weeks later).
LOL! I knew someone
...would post the Pepa/Silvia garage/parking lot scene! Hey, that's the hottest parking lot in all history! Joder!!
Yes, sadly, the relationship did end in an unecessary, horrible death (frakking LHDP writers) but at least we have the parking lot to remember and at least the relationship didn't end there!
The thing is, Dr. A, that's
The thing is, Dr. A, that's the parking lot I would always want to return to!
Can't eat, can't sleep, I refuse to dream of you only to find myself awake and you are not there.
Callie/Arizona
Just be close at hand.
Maybe I'm wrong, but what keeps the execs and Shonda at bay is no one wants to upset MR. STEVEN SPIELBERG (Step-dad) they may need him at some point in time. Ms Capshaw would have to quit because she will not be fired.
Spielberg?
Grrr...
I am still completely pissed off about the Parking Lot of No Return. I loved Hahn!
And while I have nothing against Meg Foster, and the reasons behind the switch are iffy at best, I will still be forever grateful to them for giving me Sharon Gless as Cagney. Thanks for the inspiration, I know what DVDs I'm watching tonight!
Personally
Weight Issue on Grey's Anatomy
I've long been under the impression that the objection to the relationship between Erica Hahn and Callie Torres was that it depicted two women with bodies that more closely reflect reality. Apparently, normal bodies are unsexy. And god forbid a lesbian relationship be visually unappealing to a mainstream audience.
Afterall, it's hard to miss that Jessica Capshaw looks exactly like a thinner version of Brooke Smith.
lucebian
thats totally a clip from imagine me and you, you have as your pic. that is the best film ever. Lilly's are my f*****g fav flower :)
Callizona
Callie and Arizona's story line is pretty much doing ok on the lezzibillity end, but its not ver prominet at all, and I sometimes get the impression that Arizona is the only one carrying the relationship while Callie goes about what she normally does while at the hospital. I wish they would atleast kiss more often when they say goodbye and stuff. Its a dream I know.
Callizona...i love that I just made that up lol