Yes I think Karamo is just out the closet about his being gay. What I mean is in Houston I think his boys know, but he just came out to his family right before he came on the show because he didn't want them to find out that way. I liked what Dan told him...he was like you knew from the jump that the camera's were going to be around, so stop tripping about that and get your groove on. It was still very hard seeing him and Dorian kiss and cuddle and what not. Karamo is one of those Homo-thugs that they talk about.

I said the same thing to my husband a few days ago. It really wouldn't surprise me if someone from MTV's crew called the police just to stir up a little controversy - especially since Karamo had been talking about his issues with white people before it happened.

Okay I watched the Karamo Dorian epsiode today and I was like WHOA!! I guess because he doesn't fit the sterotype, I am so taking! I just expect him to pop up on some tabloid "REAL WORLD HOAX: KARAMO NOT GAY" and it's all for publicity. I guess hey if he likes it I love it, but man. The guy Dorian seemed "gay". I guess I didn't expect Karamo to be so maculine. Even after I found out I thought he would start to appear feminine or I would notice little things. But I am convinced I would NEVER think he was gay flipping through the channels. It almost seems like he is pretending..Yall I'm really trying to recover.

I finally watched the episode. It didn't affect me as much as I thought it would, I guess because I braced myself for what I was about to see.

Anyway, I feel for his family. He stated how his sisters cried about his revelation and his father was upset. Him being gay was probably the last thing they'd expect. I also understand why he wouldn't want to display his intimate moments on national television. He was probably thinking of his family and their feelings. You see how all of us have reacted to the episode, just imagine the way his family is feeling about it.

Dorian's comment about him trying to be a ladies man and a jock made me a little uneasy and it made me thinkg back to college. I remember having a conversation with some friends in undergrad about some questionable guys on campus. Some of those guys had been rumored to be gay or on the DL, however you want to put it. All of them were ladies men and overly promiscuous. We always thought it was a cover up for the other lifestyle they were living. You see how far men will go to keep the secret hidden.

the Koroma-dorian epsode kinda disturbed me. It just felt wrong. I just can't grasp the reason why people decide to become homosexual. I dunno.:confused: Two fine black men kissing each other is kinda depressing. Oh and 'm not trying to offend anyone this is just my opinion.;)

Finally caught a re-run
 

I finally caught a rerun of the "dancing" episode and I think it was shocking for me to see two brothers that I never would have thought of as gay getting it on...

I can't wait to see what develops between those two. I wonder will Karamo's family come to visit?

I like Karamo!
 

You know, Karamo is really ok with me.

#1. I don't see him as a "Basil" or a man on the DL. For as long as he has been on the show (which is really all that we have to go on, unless anyone knows him personally) he has been completely honest about being gay. I haven't seen him deny it, be with a woman to cover it up, or even lie about it to a woman to make himself feel better. I guess these are the characteristics that I associate w/being in the closet or on the DL.

#2. I understand him not wanting to be classified as feminine or weak, which is how most people are comfortable categorizing gay men. I don't think that this means that he is hiding anything or is being false. I just think that it means that he is not what we expect, so maybe we need to expand our definition of "gay man." It is similar to when white people are uncomfortable with educated or well-off African Americans. Well we aren't trying to trick them or hide our "true ghetto-selves". We are just being who we are, and they need to realize that not all African-Americans are gang-banging, slang-talking, welfare abusers.

Now as a single, black woman, I do feel you on not wanting to see the pool of eligible black men shrink right before your eyes. I'm a little hurt by it as well.

Marie

Re: I like Karamo!
 

From everything I have heard Karamo say and how I watched him react to certain situations, in opinion he's a "Basil". If he was out and comfortable being gay, I don't think he would have waited to tell his family he is gay until right before the show aired. I also don't think that he wouldn't try to be so darn hard all the time. I have been around some of the most interesting and honest people in the gay community and they have said over and over that being "Bi" or a "Basil" is just denying who and what you are and using those labels is just an excuse to hold on to the very masculinity that they use to define themselves, hide amoungst others and justify their actions. There is a reason that African American woman are the highest percentage of newly diganoised HIV cases. I'm not saying that Karamo is it or homosexuals are..... we all need to watch our backs because there has always been a new player in town.... we just get to see them in action on primetime. JMO

Maybe I read the wrong books
 

I've only read 2 of the E. Lynn Harris books that have Basil as a character, so maybe I'm not clear about his personality. I thought that he lied to his girlfriend/fiancee/wife about being straight. I also thought that he cheated on his girlfriend/fiancee/wife while he explored his gay urges. I just haven't seen Karamo lie to anyone about his sexuality nor have I seen any evidence that he has been dipping behind someone's back.

He may not be comfortable with how his family will react to actually "seeing" him be openly gay, but he hasn't pretended to be with or even be attracted to women either. I guess that I feel strongly about this b/c my sister is openly gay now, but she was in the closet (at least w/our family) for many years. Although, she didn't come out as a gay woman, she also never pretended to be straight. I don't really remember her dating guys, or at least not having any serious relationships. I guess she was just a tomboy to all of us, who wasn't really interested in dating (and later a woman who was more focused on school/career than dating).

Just b/c Karamo wasn't openly gay in the past doesn't mean that he was out there lying to women or on the DL either. Just because many men are on the DL and are infecting their women w/AIDS doesn't mean that Karamo is. He is a good candidate to do it b/c he is not what we assume that a gay man should be. But how does that mean that he is definitely a cheater and a liar. I think that we are just assuming all this stuff about him, but it doesn't really seem to be based on fact or even on his own actions.

I guess that I just feel that you can be gay & in the closet or even bisexual w/o being a liar and a cheater.

Marie

Re: Maybe I read the wrong books
 

I am not saying that Karamo is out there infecting women with HIV. But it is an epidemic in our community and I am trying educate my students about awareness, and Karamo is a hot topic on college camuses nationwide. It has been my own experience at an HBCU (not FAMU, but I have girlfriends who went there) which has helped me form my own opinions. I have seen both men and women stuggle with their own sexuality all the while keeping up appearances by dating or marrying someone of the opposite sex. It has also been my experience with the women I went to school with and played collegiate sports with, they have accepted their sexuality more easily and didn't feel it necessary to conform to society's views on who and what they should be..... they didn't hide it, they embraced it. The men I know who are gay, don't find it necessary to take go to such great lenghts to hide it. I love the fact that MTV has brought this aspect of homosexuality to its most popular show. I am also happy that Karamo outted himself, I just haven't seen him free himself. I feel sorry for him because I have watched Karamo go from rage, to elation, to depression and I think in part he knows that he has lost the very sense of masculinaty and security that he used to mask his sexuality. He seems to be struggling with his choices and I'm sure it goes deeper than anyone can presume to know. Every woman in his potential dating pool (or those he may have dated) know who is, and if he has been with women in the past can you imagine how they may feel now?

Basil (baz'el), noun. 1. African American male of exceptional good looks, but quietly prefers the comfort of male companionship privately and publicly prefers the companionship of exceptionally attractive women. Often athletic, and prefers athletic type males. Not comfortable with openly gay male friends in fear that it may blow his cover. 2. Type of male species who often try to overcompensate masculinity for social acceptance to mask homosexual tendancies or behavior (i.e. the fake gun episode). See E. Lynn Harris books (Invisible Life, Just as I am, And This Too Shall Pass, If This World Were Mine, Abide With Me, Not a Day Goes By, Anyway The Wind Blows, A love of My Own or Love is Stronger Than Pride).

Is it just me or does Karamo seem to look "possessed" when he's on his gay prowl. To me, his whole appearance changed when he was in that gay club and even when he was sitting on the couch making out with his new man.

Maybe it was just me, but I got this feeling that he has some real issues from his childhood going on.

Well thi is an interesting topic. I have to say that I feel sorry for karamo as well. Being the psych person that I am, I can't help but to watch for underlying clues to his mental state and right now it doesn't seem healthy. You can see the battle with his sexuality all over. The depression and repressed memories or issues with his sexuality come out sometimes in the form of aggression. I mean don't get me worng the incident withthe police was foul, but the way he allowed that to linger within the home, like those guys were ever going to "feel him" was crazy. I even think that some of his anger with white folks and acceptance by them may be misplaced. It may not be about them at all.

Just my .08 cents

I meant to post this a few episodes back but I frogot. Tuesday's show made me think of it again since I saw it again. Did anyone did that on Landon's right hand, his index finger to be exact has no nail. It's kind of like a fat stub.

Interesting...
 

This Real World is good, but it is not as better than some of the past ones...except for San Diego. I really wasn't into that one too much. This is just my outlook on the cast so far...

Karamo: no comment...:confused: ...I take that back...DAYUM! He is still fine

Shavonda: very pretty, but is it me, or does she look like Irulan and Arissa from the the Las Vegas show? just wondering

Sarah: that girl is CRAZY!! She brings some spunk to the show!

MJ and Landon: They HAVE to be related!!! For real!!

Melanie: She is going to get cussed out one day!

Willie: He keeps it real to me...why? I dunno.

*The opinions expressed in this thread, is just that...opinions!*