S AT U R D AY, N O V E M B E R 1 8 , 2 0 0 6"Ugly Betty" Is Beginning To Annoy MeNot the show itself, which is quite charming when it ignores the moreludicrous plotlines that the show has introduced.</p><p> What's annoying meis the show's depiction of Betty's 12 year old nephew Justin (played byMark Indelicato).</p><p> Justin is flamboyantly gay, but the producers keepinsisting that we shouldn't read any sexual orientation into thecharacter just because he's different.</p><p> They've also suggested -- andothers have agreed -- that we're being prejudiced and embracingstereotypes if we assume that every little boy that doesn't fit into aparticular mold must be gay.</p><p> Well, okay, I thought, maybe the kid isjust different.</p><p> There are straight kids who love theater and don't lovesports.</p><p> Maybe I am being stupidly narrow-minded.</p><p> The only problem?Justin is CLEARLY and FLAMBOYANTLY and SUPREMELY GAY.</p><p> No,gay people do not all fit into stereotypes, but people who do fit everydarn stereotype under the sun are in fact almost invariably gay.</p><p> Justinputs on "Thanksgiving: The Musical" for his family, he loves fashionand wants to sit next to Betty to discuss Stella McCartney's new fallline, when his mom says someone special is coming for Thanksgivinghe thinks it's Martha Stewart because he entered a contest to windinner with her, he prances about the apartment and when his dadgives him a jock strap he of course has no clue what it is but holds it upto his face like a mask and squeals with delight, "Look ma, I'm thePhantom of the Opera," while he floats about the room.Hey, I really like Justin and the fact that even his estranged dad kindof, sort of accepts that he's "different." But I'm sorry, the kid isCLEARLY intended to be gay.</p><p> He could be different or like fashion orbe an odd duck in a million different ways but every single line this kidutters is coded behavior that inescapably indicates the boy is gay.</p><p> Sowhy have they created this adorable, positive gay role model of a kid(Justin is comfortable with himself, clearly) and then waste timedenying what they've done?One possibility is the young actor himself.</p><p> He's only 12 and in thearticle linked to above he explicitly says we aren't supposed to assumehis character is gay just because he acts super-gay every single momenthe's onscreen.</p><p> Now, when casting a gay kid, movie and TV people havea delicate tightrope to walk, even today.</p><p> By and large, you cast kids whoNext Blog»sal1mineo@hotmail.comSEARCH BLOG FLAG BLOGFOLLOW BLOGP O P S U R F I N G .</p><p> C O MS U R F I N G T H E WAV E S O F P O P U L A R C U LT U R EB Y M I C H A E L G I LT Z & F R I E N D SPOPSURFING.COM: "Ugly Betty" Is Beginning To Annoy Mehttp://popsurfing.blogspot.com/2006/11/ugly-betty-is-beginning... 1 of 37/28/09 2:22 PMFAV O R I T E L I N K SAmericablogFive O'Clock Lightning baseball blogDeep Pop -- Lori Lakin's BlogThe Back Page -- Jason Page on ESPNRadioCine-Blog -- George Robinson's BlogDocuments On Art & Cinema - DarylChin's BlogBrucie G's Wondrous Blog OfAdventure and Mystery -- BruceGreenspan's BlogB L O G A R C H I V E▼ 2009 (17)▼ July (3)1939 -- The Greatest Year ForMoviesSwimming Bans Those Hi-TechSuits!Best Movies Of The Year -- TheMaster List► June (3)► May (1)► March (2)► February (1)► January (7)► 2008 (86)► 2007 (781)► 2006 (2412)► 2005 (5)C O N T R I B U TO R SBiboyAaronMichael in New York POPSURFING.COM: "Ugly Betty" Is Beginning To Annoy Mehttp://popsurfing.blogspot.com/2006/11/ugly-betty-is-beginning... 2 of 37/28/09 2:22 PMPOPSURFING.COM: "Ugly Betty" Is Beginning To Annoy Mehttp://popsurfing.blogspot.com/2006/11/ugly-betty-is-beginning... 3 of 37/28/09 2:22 PM
