David Levy, composing for JewishBoston.com, recently challenged us at JWA to touch upon the gender/sexuality dynamic associated with 2nd City’s brand new movie show, “Sassy Gay buddy. ” He penned:
There is a lengthy tradition in Judaism of imagining various variations of the most popular tales, from rabbinic midrash to contemporary novels. Comedy troupe The 2nd City has thrown their hat in to the band this week with A youtube that is new video their “Sassy Gay buddy” series.
If you’ren’t knowledgeable about the show, it began many months ago as being a goof in the tragic fate of therefore a lot of Shakespeare’s heroines. Perhaps, the videos proposed, Ophelia, Juliet, Desdemona and also the sleep might have had happier endings should they just possessed a BFF to guide them far from difficulty. (we will keep it to JWA for the deconstruction that is inevitable of these videos state about sex and sex. )
If that is a challenge, I accept. Into the videos, Ophelia, Juliet, Desdemona and Eve are each going to take action stupid when their “sassy homosexual buddy” steps in, speaks some feeling into them, and saves the afternoon. When you look at the movie below, the sassy homosexual buddy prevents Eve from eating the apple.
My, my. Where to start. “Sassy Gay buddy” extremely obviously plays on stereotypes — the label that homosexual guys occur to become ladies’ “sassy homosexual buddies” plus the label that ladies are, because it is over and over repeatedly stated within the videos, “stupid bitches. “
The very first issue right here may be the presumption that just just what all the females do is stupid. Like, being murdered by the spouse, killing yourself, or consuming the apple. Why don’t we keep in mind why these females have actually in certain way been abused, used, tormented, or tricked, and calling their actions “stupid” seems a little like blaming the target.
The 2nd issue is the the presumption that gay guys are professionals at being women.
They are better at it because, well, they are perhaps not females. They could see these scenarios more plainly since they don’t possess “brains made from rib. ” they are able to see these scenarios demonstrably since they’ren’t right guys and as a consequence sidetracked by intimate attraction to females. They exist to teach women (and men on Queer Eye for the Straight Guy) how to be “better” straight people since they occupy neither space. This might be clearly demeaning to right women and men, but in addition to men that are gay. In this label, homosexual guys occur simply to assist right people, consequently they are therefore paid off to a role that is supporting frequently desexualized in order to not be threatening (think Stanford on Intercourse additionally the City).
Finally, we hate the expression “stupid bitch. ” The sassy friend that is gay this to Juliet and Ophelia, after which turns it in himself when you look at the clips about Eve and Desdemona. The expression “stupid bitch” is vile as it invalidates females as real people who have genuine desires, issues, psychological state problems, or viewpoints. He is stating that ladies don’t possess legitimate cause of acting how they do, they simply operate crazy as they are “stupid bitches. ” By calling Juliet and Ophelia “stupid bitches, ” their alleged sassy friend that is gay the depression and heartbreak (not forgetting the misogynistic and paternalistic forces oppressing the young women) behind every one of their suicides because well, silly. As a result, he could be not merely women that are insulting but whoever has ever struggled with despair and ideas of committing suicide.
All that being said, I really enjoyed these videos a whole lot. Extremely unpleasant yes, but pretty funny too. This is the benefit of comedy — it plays on terrible stereotypes, xxxstreams cams is generally pretty offensive, and now we think it’s great. Just have a look at Joan Rivers, Sarah Silverman, and a variety of other comedians that have made us laugh with very humor that is innapropriate.
The best portion, I think, may be the one about Juliet. Enjoy!