Reality Based Shows: One with a Gay-theme

sharon36 · #1 01-17-2001, 09:40 AM

Yesterday, I was sitting in my sociology class when the topic of reality based shows came up. Now I was in the sixth grade when The Real World came on so I grew up watching that show. I happened to mention that I felt that lately, these reality based shows have been showing a negative portrayel of black men and I can't even stand to watch them anymore. My classmates(mostly white) basically thought I was overreacting and reading too much into things. I gave them examples:
David on LA caused trouble and dragged Tami across the floor and got kicked out
Cyrus on boston seemed to have a different woman every night of the week
Steven on Seattle HIT a woman in the face
Tech on Hawaii always had different women(I dont see how...)
David on New Orleans(I didn't catch much of this one cause I didn't have cable in my apartment) seemed to have different strippers all the time and was difficult to get along with.
Even Gervase(sp?) on Survivor was portrayed as lazy and a moocher(which he seemed proud of)!
Now I know some sorry black men, BUT I also know some wonderful, positive black men. I'm not claiming a conspiracy, but I find it hard to believe that of the thousands of applicants, MTV can't find a black man that doesn't fit their mold. So I was wondering, am I overreacting? Or has anyone else noticed this too?????

The Original Ape · #2 01-17-2001, 09:59 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by sharon36:
Yesterday, I was sitting in my sociology class when the topic of reality based shows came up. Now I was in the sixth grade when The Real World came on so I grew up watching that show. I happened to mention that I felt that lately, these reality based shows have been showing a negative portrayel of black men and I can't even stand to watch them anymore. My classmates(mostly white) basically thought I was overreacting and reading too much into things. I gave them examples:
David on LA caused trouble and dragged Tami across the floor and got kicked out
Cyrus on boston seemed to have a different woman every night of the week
Steven on Seattle HIT a woman in the face
Tech on Hawaii always had different women(I dont see how...)
David on New Orleans(I didn't catch much of this one cause I didn't have cable in my apartment) seemed to have different strippers all the time and was difficult to get along with.
Even Gervase(sp?) on Survivor was portrayed as lazy and a moocher(which he seemed proud of)!
Now I know some sorry black men, BUT I also know some wonderful, positive black men. I'm not claiming a conspiracy, but I find it hard to believe that of the thousands of applicants, MTV can't find a black man that doesn't fit their mold. So I was wondering, am I overreacting? Or has anyone else noticed this too?????

I am SOOO glad to see a sista recognize and speak out about how bruthas are gettin' bashed, blatantly or subliminally! This stuff occurs on the talk shows, and in almost every arena of television.

I'm surprised this topic isn't talked about as much on the sorority forums. I wonder why not.

I may not have answered your question but, being a brutha, I felt the urge to pump(acknowledge) you for being such a conscious sista.

Convinced · #3 01-17-2001, 11:06 AM

I agree with you totally. Also, think about how black women are portrayed.

1)Tammy on the second Real World (she "created" all that drama about David because the house wanted him out. She was just a pawn in their game)
2) The black girl (can't remember her name) on Real World London. She was constantly the source of their fat jokes and laughed right along with them!
3) Ramona on Survivor: They portrayed her as a lazy slacker, too.
4) Melissa(? is that her name?) on Real World New Orleans. I had to stop watching because she got on my last nerve. She was portrayed as a psycho freak.

There are some positive portrayals though, like Cassandra on Big Brother and my all time favorite character ever, Kamilah (she was an AKA OF COURSE). Those two were really strong, positive black women. But, the bad seems to outweigh the good.

[This message has been edited by Convinced (edited January 17, 2001).]

WenD08 · #4 01-17-2001, 03:46 PM

also, the Black couple on TEMPTATION ISLAND was kicked off b/c they lied about not having a child when in fact, they do. not only did they break a rule (no married couples and no parents) but the fact that they denied their kid for a free trip and 15 min. of fame is pathetic. there were a few of positives on these reality based shows: Muhammad from Real World/San Francisco and my favorites, Kefla from Road Rules/Australia and Kevin and Heather, Real World/NYC. now why there haven't been more of them and less of the Steven's/Tammy's /Melissa's, i don't know

serenity_24 · #5 01-17-2001, 04:16 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by novella000:
Okay y'all...
I am remembering the episode of Real World - New Orleans, where David was preparing his scene for their first episode of the Real 7...
"ZweebadooZweebadooZee, ZweebadooZweebadooZee... Come on be my baby tonight, Come on be my baby tonight. I see how you've treated all those other thugs you've been with. Come on be my baby tonight..." OH MY GOODNESS!!! I laughed so hard!! I am laughing now at the thought. What was he REALLY trying to do???

Girl you are toooooooo funny. I thought I was the only one.

And Sharon, what about the first real world in New York. Kevin Powell, now established writer, was portrayed as the millitent black man who couldn't be reasoned with.

Mz. Sports Luva · #6 01-17-2001, 04:37 PM

I have to agree also. I've had the pleasure of meeting Kefla (Road Rules) and he told me that what they showed on tv was not, in fact, how he was/is at all. Although he was portrayed as strong, they also showed him as a loner and a somewhat of a militiant.

Have y'all also noticed how the majority of the black men ( Cyrus--Real World Boston) come across having all of this BLACK PRIDE on their interview tape and then get on the show and they turn into Whitest Black guy you've ever seen?

The Original Ape · #7 01-17-2001, 05:31 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Mz. Sports Luva:
I have to agree also. I've had the pleasure of meeting Kefla (Road Rules) and he told me that what they showed on tv was not, in fact, how he was/is at all. Although he was portrayed as strong, they also showed him as a loner and a somewhat of a militiant.

Have y'all also noticed how the majority of the black men ( Cyrus--Real World Boston) come across having all of this BLACK PRIDE on their interview tape and then get on the show and they turn into Whitest Black guy you've ever seen?

That phenomena is irrespective of gender sweetheart; the black women do it too. That's what I was talkin' about in the thread on talkin' white. It's a classic example.

novella000 · #8 01-18-2001, 01:47 AM

Okay y'all...
Sharon, I DEFINITELY feel you. I get tired of it too... Road Rules is no better.
** Laterrian (cutie) ~ Last season, he portrayed as very DAWG-like... And all of that drama with the wh*te chick (who had a boyfriend, though she was pursuing Laterrian... but she was the victim of his advances - right?? WRONG)!!!! Good grief!

But, as I reminisce on all the "reality" shows, I am sidetracked... I am remembering the episode of Real World - New Orleans, where David was preparing his scene for their first episode of the Real 7...
"ZweebadooZweebadooZee, ZweebadooZweebadooZee... Come on be my baby tonight, Come on be my baby tonight. I see how you've treated all those other thugs you've been with. Come on be my baby tonight..." OH MY GOODNESS!!! I laughed so hard!! I am laughing now at the thought. What was he REALLY trying to do??? Brotha' really thought he was a pimp....
And remember that episode where he slept with that chick HE DIDN'T KNOW and her friend was chillin' on the computer while the roommates were all trippin'??? MTV knew that they could have left some of that stuff out... I am sure everyone else had their share of freaky nights. Goodness. David was a pretty deep and complicated black man... he demonstrated a WONDERFUL love for his mother -- something they spent one episode on -- he was extremely talented in things other than music... They spent at least 8 episodes (that I can remember right off hand) focusing on how he was such a "small person" in the eyes of his roommates. They made him out to be Nothing More than a small minded, selfish man, with a large sex drive. Gimme a break. The homosexual guy (his name escapes me) was just as (if not more) promiscuous... but the viewers are left with the thought that he was an overall wholesome guy who Almost went down the Wrong path... he was "confused" and "remorseful" and really a "sweet guy". PUUUHHHLEEZ. Due to some of the stuff they CHOSE to show -- David will forever be (to some) another BLACK MALE WHORE. And I am not feeling that AT ALL.

PrincessELG · #9 01-18-2001, 01:50 AM

And even on the new Temptation Island show, its the black couple that are having problems, because the black man cheated on his girl before.

Hmmm this topic is something to think about.

AKA2D '91 · #10 05-27-2003, 08:38 AM

Entertainment - Reuters

Bravo to Keep Gay Reality Date
Tue May 27, 2:51 AM ET Add Entertainment - Reuters to My Yahoo!

By Andrew Wallenstein

NEW YORK (Hollywood Reporter) - NBC-owned Bravo will court viewers this summer with American television's first primetime gay-themed reality dating series.

Similar in format to ABC's "The Bachelor," "Boy Meets Boy" features an eligible man looking for love in a pool of 15 potential mates. But in a twist worthy of the bogus baron on Fox's "Joe Millionaire," some of the suitors are actually heterosexual men who were paid by the program to pretend to be gay -- unbeknownst to the eligible bachelor.

"I think this will be truly groundbreaking television," said series executive producer and co-creator Douglas Ross. "One of the reasons we decided to take the basic dating format and throw in this twist is that we wanted the show to appeal to a broader audience."

The six-episode "Boy" will premiere on Bravo in July at a date and time to be determined. In each episode, the bachelor will interact with the other men on group and one-on-one dates and gradually eliminate those he isn't interested in until one winner remains.

While the actual sexual orientation of at least one contestant will be disclosed at the outset to viewers -- but not the bachelor -- the identity of some of the others will not be revealed until the bachelor himself finds out. The exact number of heterosexual suitors was not divulged by Bravo, nor was the sum the network paid.

Any sexual intimacy beyond kissing was strictly prohibited on "Boy," which was shot from May 9-17 in a pair of homes in Palm Springs.

The bachelor was identified as a 32-year-old from southern California who works in the human resources division of a law firm. "Boy" is hosted by Dani Behr ("Extra").

Ross believes "Boy" is a fun but serious sociological exploration of male stereotypes that enlightened the show's participants and will do the same for viewers.

"Several of the straight men have very intense experiences," he said, declining to divulge specific behavior. "We anticipate a lot of both gay and straight viewers will have their assumptions challenged about what it means to be gay and what it means to be straight."

Homosexual dating has been featured in segments on several syndicated dating series, but there has never been an exclusively gay dating series in primetime.

Bravo has explored gay themes in past programming including "Gay Weddings," which was also produced by Ross' Evolution Film & Tape banner. Another new series coming to the cable network's schedule in July is "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy," which follows a team of gay males as they counsel fashion-challenged straight men.

In other Bravo programming news, a batch of new specials will premiere in July and August. "The 34th Annual Songwriter's Hall of Fame" will be broadcast for the second consecutive year on Bravo, with honorees including Clive Davis, Van Morrison (news) and Little Richard. "Songwriter" airs July 9 at 9 p.m.

On July 27, the two-hour documentary "Singing in the Shadows: The Children of Rock Royalty" profiles the struggling progeny of such acclaimed musicians as Carly Simon (news) and James Taylor (news), Ozzy Osbourne, Arlo Guthrie, John Lennon (news) and Aretha Franklin (news).

On Aug. 24, "Desilu" examines how the professional and personal lives of Lucille Ball (news) and Desi Arnaz (news) intersected. Another two-hour special, "The Animated Century," chronicles 100 years of cartoon films ranging from Disney classics to Japanese anime.

Reuters/Hollywood Reporter

BirthaBlue4 · #11 05-27-2003, 04:39 PM

I thought I was done when I saw the commercial for America's Most Talented Seniors...

NOW I'M DONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Any "heterosexual" man on this show will forever from this point on be looked at as gay or bisexual. I don't know any MAN that would, even for money, act like he's gay when he's not. And they might KISS???????????? I'm done. DONE DONE DONE DONE DONE.

ClassyLady · #12 05-27-2003, 06:10 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by novella000

But, as I reminisce on all the "reality" shows, I am sidetracked... I am remembering the episode of Real World - New Orleans, where David was preparing his scene for their first episode of the Real 7...
"ZweebadooZweebadooZee, ZweebadooZweebadooZee... Come on be my baby tonight, Come on be my baby tonight. I see how you've treated all those other thugs you've been with. Come on be my baby tonight..." OH MY GOODNESS!!! I laughed so hard!! I am laughing now at the thought. What was he REALLY trying to do??? Brotha' really thought he was a pimp....

How bout, Dave Chapelle brought David from NO onto Chapelle Show to perform that same tired "come on be my baby tonight." It was funny as hell because Dave Chapelle was singing it right along with him. All these years and that song is still a mess.

CrimsonTide4 · #13 08-13-2003, 10:54 PM

here. . .

kitten03 · #14 08-15-2003, 01:21 PM

With all the negative portrayals of black men on reality shows, I can't say I'm surprised. Positive black men have other things to do(and this is my opinion) then run around on television eating horse rectum, living with 6 strangers or being locked in a house for however many weeks. I gather that they are attending to careers, family and other aspects of their lifestyle that exclude having a camera pointed in their face at all times.