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Entertainment The Battalion Page 4 • Tuesday, February 3,2( ALL EYES ON QUEER EYE Bravo’s unlikely hit ushers in ‘gay heat wave,’ sparks reactions among sectors By Rusty Shackelford THE BATTALION Not long ago, homosexual lead characters and gay-themed pro gramming were unheard of in popular culture. However, since the 1998 debut of NBC’s “Will & Grace,” homosexual representations have settled into the mainstream. Televisions programs focusing on the characteristics and whims of the often misunderstood sexual orientation were once again brought to national attention this summer when “Queer Eye for the Straight Guy” debuted on Bravo with a network record of 2.8 million viewers. Since then, NBC, which owns Bravo, has aired many episodes after the series’ successful trial run. It even boasts a soundtrack that includes new material from Duran Duran and remixes by Sting and Elton John. The before-and-after hit features a troupe of gay men who guide a clueless straight man to aesthetic success. During the transforma tion - what the gay panel describes as “manscaping” - the schlub is brought up to standard in grooming, attire, interior decor, food and wine and relationships. After his appearance and behavior are trimmed and updated, the culture team steps back to the giddy approval of girlfriends and spouses. While “Queer Eye for the Straight Guy” has garnered a huge following, it has also provoked a variety of reactions. Senior economics major Dacyl Armendariz is a longtime fan of “Queer Eye.” She and her roommate catch the show every week. “I love it,” Armendariz said. “I think it’s funny and fun to watch. Ten years ago you would have never seen a show with gay people on it. They are our reality in the world, why not on TV?” Brighter production company co-founder Remy Blumenfeld in “The Financial Times (London)” said there are two types of homo sexual programming. “There are literally hundreds of gay-oriented programs now doing the rounds,” Blumenfeld said. “There are two very distinct areas: programs for gay men - who are now confident enough to laugh at themselves - and programs for increasingly sophisticated mainstream audiences who realize that gay people live amongst us and are comfortable with that.’” Amy Tintera, a junior journalism major and vice president of the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgendered Aggies, has seen “Queer Eye” a few times. “I think that any gay representation is a good thing,” Tintera said. “1 enjoy watching gay-themed shows even if the characters are stereotyp ical. I just hope that in the future, characters will be closer to reality.” Although gay-themed programming remains a favorite among some circles, many critics maintain that what “Vanity Fair” dubbed the “gay heat wave” has done little more than reinforce narrow stereotypes. “‘Will & Grace’ and ‘Queer Eye for the Straight Guy' are essen tially homosexual minstrel shows, in which gay men excel at being ‘the best friend’ and ‘the style-maker’ but are stripped of sexuality,” a Los Angeles Times article recently reported. “The handsome and successful Will of ‘Will & Grace’ rarely has a date, let alone sex, and is presented as incapable of having a relationship with anyone other than his straight girlfriends. The ‘buddies’ of ‘Queer Eye’ mince in front of their straight objects of affection, carefully stroking their arms and offering up non threatening style tips that are presented as the core of gay culture.” Aside from making a new category of TV shows, programs such as “Queer Eye” have coined of a new term: metrosexual. A word that had been in relative seclu sion for a decade, metrosexual has become a standard label in the past year. Its new found pop status can be traced back to “Queer Eye,” according to a Boston Globe article covering the American Dialect Society’s top 10 words of the year 2003. Senior accounting major Erin Malone defines metrosexual as a style-savvy straight guy in touch with his feminine side. “1 know a few guys who are definitely metrosexual, but they won't ... come out,” she said. “They should watch ‘Queer Eye for the Straight Guy.’” Photo counmv 01 Bravo i (from left to right) Kyan Douglas, Ted Allen, Carson Kressley, Jai Rodriguez and Thom Filicia, ihec Allison Cunningham, a senior kinesiolo- Bravo's breakout hit "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy" have spearheaded the new wave of themed shows. gy major, watches the show semi-regularly “The personalities of the homosexual guys are so entertaining, like with ‘Will & Grace.'The shows take their tal ents - not necessarily gay talents - and boosts straight guys' confi dence,” she said. “Queer Eye’s” formula of coupling a trendy makeover show with the “gay charm” and wit of the Will & Grace school of thought has fostered wide appeal. NBC has sold the show’s format to more than 30 countries. According to Entertainment Weekly magazine, the show's Kyan Douglas, Carson Kressley, Thom Filicia, Jai Rodriguez and Ted Allen, also referred to by media moguls as the “Fab Five ” are set for book deals and committed to a host of promotional activities. Barbara Walters named them among her “10 Most Fascinating People of 2003.” Indeed, they're becoming regular fixtures in media culture. In a recent article in Entertainment Weekly, Kyan Douglass rec ollected a surprising exchange with Nicole Kidman: “My friend said, ‘Kyan’s on the show ‘Queer Eye for the Straight Guy.’ And she goes, ‘Oh my God, you're huge!' I was like, ‘Did Nicole Kidman just say I was huge?”’ In their search for the next ratings winner, broadcast and cable networks are counting on the “gay heat wave” to deliver. Acc to Entertainment Weekly. Fox will air “Playing It Straighi'| “Bachelorette” spin-off that throws in the hidden challenge off covering one’s sexual orientation, in the upcoming spring MTV.com reports that the network is considering a cable nctv calls “Outlet,” which would feature all gay-themed programn The first show featuring lesbian lead characters. “The L Word,"i debut Jan. 18 on Showtime. For all those closet metrosexuals, several upcoming “Queerf parodies present an inverse of the show's teacher-student ment. In Bravo’s “Straight Eye for the Queer Guy.” five straighti tutor a gay man in power tools and sporting event etiquette. Onf 23. Comedy Central will air a three-episode series. “Straighti for the Gay Man," which w ill likewise apply “typical" hete male attributes to “typical” homosexual men. Ultimately, Malone said gay-themed programs help budget gap between straight society and the homosexual population." “Will & Grace helped lighten the attitude towards homosejn so people aren’t so afraid of them." Malone said. CNN SCREENING AND ALUMNI PANEL: Monday, February 2 • 7 pm • 302 Rudder A free screening of the CNN documentary that follows four first-year Teach For America teachers in some of our nation’s toughest schools. Stay after the screening to talk to Teach For America corps members about their experiences. .tr ; ' ' ■ , ■ ' V cV , . iil! SKii : INFO SESSION: Tuesday, February 3 • 7 pm • 110 Koldus Teach For America: its history, its future, and and accounts of the corps member experience. MULTICULTURAL NETWORKING RECEPTION: Thursday, February 5 • 6 pm • MSC 026 TIEACHFORAMERICA www.teachforamerica.org Do you sometimes find yourself asking »> Lvh ■ r CLASS COUNCILS TEXAS A4M UNIVERSITY Build a resume. Plan a wedding. Invest forthe future. Live in the real world. 4. Real World Conference and Etiquette Dinner Feb. 13 & 14 ❖ Rudder Tower Buy a ticket today at the MSC Box Office. For information, click to: http://classcouncils.tamu.edu/realworlti REAL WORLD SESSIONS ❖ ❖ ❖ ❖ ❖ ❖ ❖ ♦s» How to Plan the Perfect Wedding Nutrition: Stay Healthy For Life Debt Management Secrets and Advice Planning the Perfect Vacation Why and How to Invest Right After College Using the Famous Aggie Network Buying Your First Home or Car Insand Outs of Insurance Finding a Job in America for International Students and American Students Finding Jobs Abroad Howto Find the Perfect Study Abroad Trip How to Get Someone Else To Pay For It A Prep Class on Prep Classes with the Princeto 11 Review Getting the Perfect Internship Working forthe FBI and Diplomatic Security Agency Building the Perfect Resume Finding the Perfect Job and Utilizing the Career Center Peace Corps and Teach for America