Is Ugly Betty A ‘Gay’ Show?

The blogger who calls himself Kevin Kevin Arnold (wouldn’t the real Kevin Arnold be on Wordpress?) has a great commentary on the August 21 Entertainment Weekly review of the Ugly Betty Compete First Season DVD.  He delves into some interesting questions

 First the EW quote:

“This audacious twist solidifies Betty’s status as the gayest show on TV, in both senses of the word: Not only is it steeped in a queer aesthetic, but there’s palpable joy behind the sweet silliness of it all.”

Now, check out what Arnold says:

That’s right, one of my favorite shows has been called the “gayest show on tv.” As long as Project Runway, America’s Next Top Model, What Not to Wear, and Grey’s Anatomy are on tv, Ugly Betty will never be close to being the gayest show on tv.

…

At first, I thought to myself “this show is just too gay for me.” Betty’s nephew is gay, Wilhemina’s assistant is gay, and it seemed like gay was everywhere, but after watching a couple of episodes, either I got used to it or they toned it down a bit. I think I have seen every episode now (thanks to summer re-runs) and I can honestly say that it’s one of the best shows on tv.

…

I know that most dudes probably aren’t dying to tune into a show about an assistant to the editor of a fashion magazine, but it really is one of the best shows on tv.

Of course, I could ask this question of my friends, and the answer would be, “ya think?”.  Let’s examine why my friends might think that:

• Marc is gay.
• Marc had a coming out episode.
• Alexis is a transsexual.
• The producers do everything they can to give the impression that Justin is gay. 
• There was a character in season one who was a closet heterosexual (he gave the impression he was gay to advance in the fashion design trade)
• There is that certain sense of style at the Mode offices, in both the decor and the fashions people wear, that plays to every gay stereotype ever conceived.
• The upcoming season will feature a musical episode.

 So, it’s a gay show right?  Well, if I were gay, I’d probably claim the show as my own.  But here’s the thing:  if I were part of the Hispanic community, I would claim the show as my own as well.  The show gives middle America a rare peek into Hispanic home life.  Also, being a “plain John”, I identify with the show and claim it for that reason.

I can tell you this: I’ve been watching television for a long, long time.  I’ve watched the best of the best as they aired: Mary Tyler Moore, M*A*S*H*, Happy Days (before shark-jumping), The Cosby Show.  I’ve lived long enough to recognize good comedy writing and direction, and Ugly Betty is one of the best written, ever.  The acting is top-notch for a comedy (especially America Ferrera and Vanessa Williams). 

I do not consider Ugly Betty a ‘gay’ show, because niche shows cannot hold a larger audience, and the show is a runaway hit.  If UB were a niche show, it wouldn’t appeal to me, most likely.  I do, however, consider it “gay-friendly”.  The way I look at it, how can you do a show about a high-fashion magazine and not have any “gayness”?

Most of my male friends are NASCAR watching, NFL season ticket holding, Sunday-go-to-church, Country music-listening, southern men. Most of them have not given Ugly Betty a try, because they assume it’s a “gay” show.  That’s too bad, not only are they missing the best show on TV today, they missed several episodes of scantily-dressed Vanessa Williams and Becki Newton, and Salma Hayek in a push-up bra.  So, as you see, UB may be “gay-friendly”, but it’s quite “hetero-male” friendly as well.

I don’t care if you are a gay model from NYC, or a Tennessee self-descibed redneck, Ugly Betty is great TV.

So, now I pose the question to you: