Political correctness and stereotypes

[TorontoTrekker]

So no, I wouldn't call the movie homophobic in the least - especially given that it was written by Paul Rudnick (who also wrote the screenplay for In And Out). It's actually a very sweet movie.

That's an interesting point and relates to my question. What if it were written by a straight man? Would you suddenly get the feeling "Hm, he's making fun OF gays, right?"?

Not necessarily. It would depend upon the context of the scene within the movie as a whole. What purpose does the scene or the character serve? Does it make sense for the character to be a flaming gay man, given the rest of the elements of the story?

I admit that I'd probably look at it a lot more critically than I did in this particular movie.

 

[Amaris]

^ On that same point, I'm far more interested in the thoughts and feelings of the characters in the movie, and in Jeffrey, all of the actions and reactions felt organic and genuine.

 

[DimesDan]

I think they're lazy TV viewers who either don't know or don't care that they're watching unintelligent TV and are content to turn on anything that will help them zone out for 30 minutes.

I've never watched Two and a Half Men so just commenting in general terms concerning your "unintelligent TV" comment.

What a load of balderdash. Not everything we watch needs to be thought provoking and addresses fundamental issues concerning life the universe and everything. Sometimes, for me anyway, it is nice to sit down, watch a programme and not have to think to much about what is happening on the screen and seeing you tar people with he brush of unintelligence in a thread concerning (Political correctness and) stereotypes is rather amusing. Just because you won't lower yourself to watch something you find unintelligent doesn't mean others arn't willing to watch it for that very reason.

 

[Roger Wilco]

He did say the people who watch it are lazy, not necessarily stupid.

 

[sidious618]

I reject the notion that "entertainment" TV, or books for that matter, have to be unintelligent. For me, when I watch or read something I like to know that the writers don't assume I'm an idiot.

 

[Kestra]

I reject the notion that "entertainment" TV, or books for that matter, have to be unintelligent. For me, when I watch or read something I like to know that the writers don't assume I'm an idiot.

I don't think they have to be, but there's something pleasant about watching something that doesn't demand your full intelligence. People prefer various intellectual levels in their entertainment and there's nothing wrong with that.

 

[Nerys Ghemor]

That...and am I the only one who reads, watches TV, and surfs the internet all at once? (Not always all 3 at once, but sometimes...) My full attention is not necessarily going to be on the TV.

Can't say I watch a lot of sitcoms, though. I tend to either put on the news, a football game, or a movie.

 

[RJDiogenes]

Well, there's unintelligent and then there's stupid. I can enjoy The Three Stooges as much as an Asimov novel, but there's also a lot of entertainment out there that's insulting; I've never seen Two And A Half Men, but any humor that is racist or chauvinistic or homophobic definitely falls into that category.