Last Week's B&B: Fashion Showdown Leads To Love?

Darren,

I've really enjoyed B&B over the last 3 weeks since Jackie M and company took center stage. The show has just become fun again after SUFFERING through all of that Rick vs. Ridge crap!

I think a HUGE amount of thanks and praise belongs to Lesley Anne Downe and Brandon Beemer. Downe especially deserves credit given her recent battle with cancer, she has come back to B&B energized and delivering sex, sass, intelligence, and charm--oh, and a ton of humor.

Those scenes of the catwalk with Downe dressed as a dominatrix should be pushed across the Internet. Why aren't the B&B publicity folks airing promos of these all the time or pushing out viral videos to different websites?

Finally, I'm of two minds with your photo caption about the offensive gay stereotype. Yes, an effeminate gay man who gushed at a fashion show can be stereotypical. But, what if the man playing the roles is effeminate? Having watched Jim J. Bullock over the years, doesn't his acting seem like his actual persona?

I understand wanting to eliminate stereotypes, but I sometimes feel that this can go too far if it is trying to deny the right of existence to effeminate gay men. By trying to banish all portrayal of these folks, aren't we re-victimizing people who are regularly bullied, mocked, and marginalized?

Should the only portrayal of gays now be butch, straight acting men or lipstick, skirt wearing women who adhere closer to heteronormative gender expectations?

Obviously, there is a difference between authenticity and minstrelsy but where does Bullock fit?

One of the most offensive examples of a minority making a profit by trafficking in a destructive racial is the actor Ken Jeong in the new movie "The Hangover" in which Jeong plays a gay, heavily accented Asian man who discusses his small penis.

http://tinyurl.com/npxodp

http://minoritymilitant.blogspot.com/2009/08/docta-ken-san-meet-your-new...

Does Bullock's performance rise to the same level of gross self-hatred or prostitution that Jeong or Flavor Flav (or many gangsta rappers) performed?

BTW, who's hotter? Leslie Anne or Madonna?

Leslie Anne!!

Joss I see your point, but I think B&B was really dumb to potray the only (?) gay character as such a cartoonish twit. He needed to dial it down a notch or twelve, cause it was just overkill... I think it was supposed to be funny, but it was just cringeworthy...

I'm not saying that all gay characters should be butch, etc (!!), but not making them two-dimensional airheads would help. Donna already fulfils that function

I will check out the vid later, when I'm at home!

Leslie-Anne beats Madonna hands down... can't wait to see Jackie mix things up with Whip... :) 

Darren,

I agree that the show needs balance and diversity for all of the reasons you've stated. Given B&B's poor track record, I don't see that happening any time soon.

I think ATWT does a good job with balancing masculinity and subtle effeminacy with Noah and Luke. Jake Silberman plays Noah with more "straight" affectations. While Van Hansis has, over the course of the last couple years, made Noah more effeminate. I think I appreciate that diversity because it sends a better message of acceptance: One doesn't have to be a "straight acting" gay man to be acceptable.

I'd contrast Luke's and Noah's portrayals to how African-Americans are portrayed. Let's say Olivia vs. Drucilla.

P.S.

Over the last couple of weeks, I noticed that someone in the comments on Daytime Confidential has been labeling gay men as "queens." I'm not sure what to make of it. I find it offensive. But, I'm not sure if it's acceptable in gay culture. Is calling someone a queen with derision the equivalent of calling someone a f-g?

Joss, I haven't seen Luke and Noah (I've never seen ATWT!), but they sound like a much more balanced depiction.

Apparently, Marcus' dad is coming to B&B soon, so there'll be a little diversity on the way, at least. As the first major black character on the canvas, I think Marcus is quite lame.

I've been away so I haven't seen the "queens" comments! Personally, don't think it's as bad a the f word, but I guess it depends on context, etc. I'll keep an eye on the blog and will chime in if necessary!

Hey, Darren, B&B was ok. I kind of intrigue with Owen and Steffy because I just don't want another repeat of the horrible incestuous pairing of Rick and Steffy, ew. I take them any day over reffy. I do agree that B&B needs a Naomi Campbell type character to come to B&B and stir things up. There are plenty of black actresses that can play her and spice the show up with diversity.

Another thing, I want Taylor and Brooke to hit Ridge in the you know what.

Oh heck I'll admit it. I watched BB last week and thought it was great fun if not a bit cheesy.

I can do without the never ending Ridge triangle that makes both women look bad but do enjoy Jackie/Owen and Bill/Katie. Agree that throwing Whip into the Jowen story is a bonus.

Sergei was too over the top but I thought Jarrett was gay too? At least that was my impression. It would make sense to have at least one gay character on BB since it is the show centered around the fashion industry.

Siomonstuart - yes, please let Taylor and Brooke hit Ridge in his unmentionables 

I can't believe I sat through all those months of Reffy... urgh, it was torture!

Snizzle, yes - it was cheesy fun last week  I think you may be right about Jarret, but I'm honestly not sure... I find him a bit creepy!

Snizzle & Darren,

Jarret: Gay or British? Tough call! The British fop is a classic Hollywood archetype. Hugh Grant built a career on it.

I can picture Jarret trawling Sunset Strip for a Divine Brown lookalike

Darren, spot on, as always.

Divine Brown! OMG! I haven't thought about her in years!

Hey, milk did her body good!

NITNEY!!!!! In the DC house! Aloha

Yep, found you! MUAH!

Well, that, and I was banned from the OB. LOL.

Muah! That place has gone crazy... can't believe they banned you... probably for saying "Ridgiculous"! How dare you disrespect a fictional jackass?! Come back with a new name like all the other sinners did 

I think it was for using "BARF". But that was before her clarification that BARF wasn't allowed anymore. I guess TIIC don't want anyone dissing their stuporcouple. LOL And they even banned me by IP (gasp!)

Who cares? The Cindy Bradys have run amok over there with all the whining and reporting. I do miss irish, SL, gotta, Mus, and the rest of the gang though. Pass along my regards?

The current BS on the show is laughable. Brooke and Tay need therapy but Ridgiculous doesn't? Gawd, if anything they need therapy to find out why they continue to debase themselves over that jackazz.

Still can't stand Katie-hag but I'm digging the softer side of Bill. And looks like we're in for some Whackie.

The OB is just darn stoopid... completely crackers. Not being able to say BARF is pathetic... the Cynthia Bradys have really run amok. Ugh. How mental. Of course, I'll pass on your regards!

Gawd, if anything they need therapy to find out why they continue to debase themselves over that jackazz.

 

LOL!  

Yay for some Whackie, but boo hiss - where's my Clammy?!
 

Josstheguy - you posed ...

"BTW, who's hotter? Leslie Anne or Madonna?"

And you answered "Leslie Anne!!"

Ditto - Leslie Anne is hot and she knows how to work a runway. "Indulge" indeed and I did!

I'll go head and give a shoutout to the Logan sisters on their catwalk work - it was very good. I will say this about B&B - they give good fashion whenever the storyline is most about the fashion. The clothes are always very tasteful looking, very Haute Couture and really looks like designer pieces; in other words the clothes are not crap (can not say the same for some of the acting - though).

I called Ridge the wooden one, fool, jackass, narcissistic jerk, self absorbed idiot that needs to be on the back burner.

 I like your style Siomonstuart!