Perhaps I'm over-simplifying this or you're over-analysing it.
I just honestly don't think these more complex issues are what's being turned into entertainment here. In fact I would quite happily presume that not many people outside of this thread are thinking in this way either.
It's mildly interesting to know what you happily presume "people outside of this thread are thinking", but not especially relevant to what's being talked about. The fact that something is not widely examined does not necessarily mean that those who do examine it are "over-analysing".
But I'm sure that's one of the things that irritates you about this programme. Complex ideas of sexual identity being turned into entertainment.
But they're only complex if you over-analyse them as you're doing.
Well, no, they're complex if they're complex. If one deliberately closes one's eyes, one's visual field is much simpler, but that doesn't mean the visual world is not composed of patterns more complex than blackness.
I know this is one of your areas of expertise/interest but sometimes not everything requires such stringent analysis.
No-one has claimed that the show requires analysis. I am choosing to analyse it, however, and I'll thank you not to repeatedly push the "overanalysis" line simply because I'm exploring the programme's underpinnings more closely than you are.
*shrugs*
I expect that, back in the day, something similar was said about The Black & White Minstrel Show. It's just harmless entertainment! Why'd you have to read so much into it? Not everything requires such stringent analysis, y'know...
Especially when it's mostly conjecture about how people were chosen for the show. Is it not enough for the contestant to identify as being gay but be willing "act" straight to win £100,000?
This forum is for conjecture about television shows.
As for whether it's "enough" for contestants to identify themselves to one person as gay and another as straight to win money, that rather depends on what claims are being made about the show. If it's being trailed as a random guessing game with a cash prize, then yes, I guess that is enough. If it's being trailed as a skill/deduction-based challenge with an element of "debunking" stereotypes, then no, frankly it isn't enough.
As for the prospect of "cheating" until the selection and interview process is revealed (which I doubt it will be) we can but go on the show's own admission that only the gay guys went into this programme knowing the full story in advance.
Or rather, only the gay-identifying guys knew the story in advance. Which would put gay-identifying bisexuals, asexuals, narcissists, etc. at something of a disadvantage over the straight-identifying.
I would love to know what they told Zoe and the straight guys before filming began. Just how much they knew in advance I think is quite important.
It's relevant, yes, but what's more relevant to me is the selection process: how the Straights were established to be straight (heterosexual?) and the Gays gay (homosexual?) I see that as absolutely central. |
