Since I'm taping "Tales of the City" I watched "Northern Exposure" live last night; it had a remarkably high motss content.
Ron and Eric, the gay inn keepers, were major characters and were even shown in bed together (ok, they were sleeping). To give a brief plot synopsis, the Aurora Borealis is causing the residents to have each other's dreams and one of the gay men finds himself obsessively dreaming about women's shoes and learns that he is having Maurice's dreams. They make a snide comment to Maurice about women's shoes and he realizes that they know his secret.
Later they are shown playing bridge with several other men from Cecily and after one of them wins, Maurice accuses them of cheating, claiming that their years of cohabitation have allowed them to perfect secret signals.
Later Maurice is talking with Ruth Anne and complains that the world is being taken over by deviants and why can't people like Ron and Eric go back into the closet where they belong and that there must be boundaries. Ruth Anne chastizes him and says that this isn't about table manners it's about sex and where sex is concerned it's a jungle. She ads that as long as no one gets hurt it shouldn't matter what people do together. Maurice then asks her if she discovered that an upstanding citizen had a fetish for women's lingerie, or shoes perhaps, would she change her opinion of him; she answered that of course she wouldn't. Maurice goes away looking relieved.
I found the episode quite gay positive for two reasons. First it showed the two gay men as a couple doing everyday things like walking down the street arm in arm and also being fully accepted by the other residents. Second, the final scene between Maurice and Ruth Anne hinted that Maurice's bigotry was rooted in his own fear of exposure about his own fetish.
It's too bad that they chose to show this episode on the same night as "Tales of the City," but then they got a very positive message across to people who might have been avoiding Maupin since they didn't want to see "those kind of people...you know."
In article <rizzoe.2233.758297...@fasecon.econ.nyu.edu>,
Emily Rizzo <riz...@FASECON.ECON.NYU.EDU> wrote: >I found the episode quite gay positive for two reasons. First it showed the >two gay men as a couple doing everyday things like walking down the street >arm in arm and also being fully accepted by the other residents. Second, >the final scene between Maurice and Ruth Anne hinted that Maurice's bigotry >was rooted in his own fear of exposure about his own fetish.
Not only that, but they showed the couple in bed, not once, but twice, with none of the nasty controversy which occurred when "Thirtysomething" did the same thing.
My favorite line of the show, though, had to be Hollings' "I'm my father? I'm my mother? I'm chipped beef on toast?"
Sim, who got to watch NE because WPBT is showing TOTC over six nights at 11pm, unedited. -- Sim Aberson AOML/Hurricane Research Division Miami, FL I was not born to be forced. I will breathe after my own fashion. If a plant cannot live according to its nature, it dies; and so a man. Henry David Thoreau
In article <rizzoe.2233.758297...@FASECON.ECON.NYU.EDU> riz...@FASECON.ECON.NYU.EDU (Emily Rizzo) writes:
>Ruth >Anne chastizes him and says that this isn't about table manners it's about >sex and where sex is concerned it's a jungle.
I thought this was the most interesting discussion about sexuality that I've seen on TV. It was absolutely unapologetic, it didn't talk about root causes, and it really didn't even talk about love. She basically just said "here it is, get used to it." -- Melinda Shore - Cornell Theory Center - sh...@tc.cornell.edu
> I found the episode quite gay positive for two reasons. First it showed the > two gay men as a couple doing everyday things like walking down the street > arm in arm and also being fully accepted by the other residents.
I spent three hours last night watching TV, first Northern Exposure and then Tales of the City. Afterwards, I felt so *light*, so elated. I think it was just this, the casual way that both dramas had men walking hand in hand, simply lying in bed, comfortable with each other.
chuk
--
Charles E. Craig University Computer Center Internet: c...@nwu.edu Northwestern University NeXTmail: c...@giskard.acns.nwu.edu
: Emily Rizzo writes : > I found the episode quite gay positive for two reasons. First it showed the : > two gay men as a couple doing everyday things like walking down the street : > arm in arm and also being fully accepted by the other residents.
: I spent three hours last night watching TV, first Northern Exposure and then : Tales of the City. Afterwards, I felt so *light*, so elated. I think it : was just this, the casual way that both dramas had men walking hand in hand, : simply lying in bed, comfortable with each other.
I didn't realize Monday night was such a big event for gay representation on television. I was unable to watch neither Northern Exposure or Tales of the City. I can be rather oblivious that way. If there's anyonne in the Boston area who has tapes of either show and would be willing to let me borrow it, would he/she kindly e-mail me.
Melinda Shore (sh...@dinah.tc.cornell.edu) wrote: > In article <rizzoe.2233.758297...@FASECON.ECON.NYU.EDU> riz...@FASECON.ECON.NYU.EDU (Emily Rizzo) writes: > >Ruth > >Anne chastizes him and says that this isn't about table manners it's about > >sex and where sex is concerned it's a jungle. > I thought this was the most interesting discussion about > sexuality that I've seen on TV. It was absolutely > unapologetic, it didn't talk about root causes, and it > really didn't even talk about love. She basically just > said "here it is, get used to it."
I instantly thought "Camille Paglia." But you probably knew that... --
Michael Thomas (m...@gordian.com) "I don't think Bambi Eyes will get you that flame thrower..." -- Hobbes to Calvin 606 Sanchez, San Francisco Ca. 94114
