Badpuppy Gay Today |
Monday, 02 March 1998 |
With the groundbreaking ABC show Ellen's increasing risk of cancellation , there has been a lot of coverage of the February 25 It's A Gay, Gay, Gay, Gay World episode, in which Spence (Jeremy Piven) dreams he is straight in a world where all but a small minority of people are gay. The media is beginning to speculate on what has gone wrong with a show that attracted 42 million viewers for the history-making coming out episode last April 30, but is struggling to maintain an audience now. With this kind of speculation comes the inevitable attacks based on DeGeneres' sexual orientation. Other articles are more balanced, looking more at the overall content of the program, evaluating gay themes in a larger context. REMEMBER TO WATCH THE SHOW AND TELL ABC TO SAVE ELLEN! In the meantime, here are some of the good and bad Ellen commentaries of the last few weeks: … The February 26 Newsday features a cartoon by "Marlette" in which Ellen stands making an "L" with her hand on her forehead. In the background, a long hook extends from the side of the frame to pull her offstage. In thought bubbles, Ellen is thinking the "L" means "Lesbian!," while the offstage caner thinks it means "Loser!" … A balanced Knight Ridder column by San Jose Mercury News editor Ron Miller, which ran in the February 13 Philadelphia Daily News, speculates on the viewership dip: "Is the gay atmosphere to blame? The first half of this season's Ellen produced some of the year's best comedy, but it may have been a mistake to make almost every comedy situation spring from Ellen's open gayness. DeGeneres is a funny and inventive woman, whose sexual orientation is only an important aspect of her life, not the sole purpose of it. Maybe the Ellen writers would have retained more viewers if they had let her gayness take over only when they really had some fresh and funny point to make." … Tom Jicha, Sun-Sentinel (Ft. Lauderdale) reviewer, says in his article, "Tonight's episode...is a tour de force for Jeremy Piven as Spence and as creative a use of Ellen's orientation as the coming-out show. As with all satire, there are some instructive messages in [the episode]. But the worst thing any viewer could do would be to take [it] too seriously. This would only ruin a lot of fun." … The February 25 Akron (Ohio) Beacon Journal television review says, "The problem with the show is that it's not funny....[I hoped] that Ellen would improve after a breakthrough episode last season. This season, despite a few good moments, the series has let Ellen's sexuality drive the show too much. It has become DeGeneres' crusade. And unless you're Monty Python, it's hard to find much humor in a crusade." … USA Today reviewer Ed Martin writes in his February 25 column, "DeGeneres is still one of the most warmly appealing women in prime time [but] Ellen's writers have lost focus simply by focusing too intently on one aspect of their lead character's life. This isn't difficult to understand. There has never been a series that has dealt with this material, and it must be as exciting to make history as to watch it happen. So occasionally giddy overkill is to be expected and excused. DeGeneres says she fears Ellen will not be renewed because she and her character are gay. But that wasn't an issue at the end of last season. Of course, the show was funny at the end of last season." … Jamie Tarses, Entertainment President … Pat Brandt, Editor, Part Two … John Price, Entertainment/Arts Editor … Ron Miller, Television Editor … Brian Toolan, Managing Editor … Tom Jicha, Television Critic … Rich Heldenfels, Television Editor … Dennis Moore, Television Editor Contact GLAAD: by e-mail at glaad@glaad.org or by phone at 213.658.6775 (Los Angeles), 212.807.1700 (New York), 415.861.2244 (San Francisco), 202.986.1360 (Washington, DC), 404.607.1204 (Atlanta) and 816.756.5991 (Kansas City) ERRATA: |
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