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Hi Honey, I'm Homo!: Sitcoms, Specials, and the Queering of American Culture
There's a secret storyline hidden across some of the most popular sitcoms of the 20th century.
For decades, amidst the bright lights, studio-audience laughs, and absurdly large apartment sets, the real-life story of American LGBTQ+ liberation unfolded in plain sight in front of millions of viewers, most of whom were laughing too hard to mind.
From flamboyant relatives on Bewitched to network-censor fights over Barney Miller, from military secrets on M*A*S*H to a little-known man behind The Muppet Show to a primetime power-kiss on Roseanne, TV, Hi Honey, I'm Homo! is not only the story of how subversive queer comedy transformed the American sitcom, from its inception through today, but how our favorite sitcoms transformed, and continue to transform, America.
Accessible, entertaining, and informative, the book is filled with exclusive commentary and interviews from celebrities, behind-the-scenes creators, and more.
For decades, amidst the bright lights, studio-audience laughs, and absurdly large apartment sets, the real-life story of American LGBTQ+ liberation unfolded in plain sight in front of millions of viewers, most of whom were laughing too hard to mind.
From flamboyant relatives on Bewitched to network-censor fights over Barney Miller, from military secrets on M*A*S*H to a little-known man behind The Muppet Show to a primetime power-kiss on Roseanne, TV, Hi Honey, I'm Homo! is not only the story of how subversive queer comedy transformed the American sitcom, from its inception through today, but how our favorite sitcoms transformed, and continue to transform, America.
Accessible, entertaining, and informative, the book is filled with exclusive commentary and interviews from celebrities, behind-the-scenes creators, and more.
272 pages, Paperback
First published May 30, 2023
About the author
Matt Baume
3 books84 followersMatt Baume is a writer, podcaster, and video-maker based in Seattle whose work focuses on pop culture, queer history, and all things strange and nerdy.
He is the creator of the the YouTube pop culture series Culture Cruise; the queer entertainment podcast The Sewers of Paris; and is co-creator of Queens of Adventure, a live show and podcast featuring drag queens playing Dungeons & Dragons.
He was nominated for a GLAAD award for journalism, and his work has been recognized by the New York Times as “thoughtful and thorough … informative and funny,” and after he appeared as a pop culture critic in the Showgirls documentary You Don’t Nomi, Forbes called his observations on the film “potentially intriguing,” which is probably a compliment.
You can find Matt's writing in outlets that include Rolling Stone, Vice Magazine, Slate, The Advocate, The Stranger, and NPR.
He is the creator of the the YouTube pop culture series Culture Cruise; the queer entertainment podcast The Sewers of Paris; and is co-creator of Queens of Adventure, a live show and podcast featuring drag queens playing Dungeons & Dragons.
He was nominated for a GLAAD award for journalism, and his work has been recognized by the New York Times as “thoughtful and thorough … informative and funny,” and after he appeared as a pop culture critic in the Showgirls documentary You Don’t Nomi, Forbes called his observations on the film “potentially intriguing,” which is probably a compliment.
You can find Matt's writing in outlets that include Rolling Stone, Vice Magazine, Slate, The Advocate, The Stranger, and NPR.
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June 16, 2023
Matt Baume is a writer, podcaster, and video-maker whose work focuses on pop culture and queer history. In this book, Baume traces the increasing presence of LGBTQ+ characters in American sitcoms.
Author Matt Baume
There was a time when queer characters on television were almost always depicted in a negative light. Baume writes, in the 1970s, "Television programs of the time frequently resorted to disparaging tropes: pansy perverts, insane transvestites, criminal dykes." Baume goes on to say, "Whether Americans tuned in to watch sitcoms, dramas, or the nightly news, TV reflected the prevailing belief that queer people were, at best, mincing freaks and, at worst, a public menace."
To change this, community organizers - emboldened by the 1970s queer liberation movement - began to pressure the major networks to stop airing misleading stereotypes. The push began to work, but it was slow going. Baume observes, "Queer visibility faced formidable opposition from powerful conservative forces that were equally determined to stake a claim on the airwaves", and there was an "ongoing tug-of-war for control of the dial."
Queer Liberation Movement
Sitcoms were among the first programs to regularly show gay characters in a more favorable manner, which - over time - helped shift American attitudes to LBGTQ+ people. Baume shows how this happened, and I'll give a a few examples, to provide a feel for the book.
📺 Bewitched (1964 -1972)
The premise of 'Bewitched' is as follows: a witch named Samantha marries a mortal named Darrin, and Samantha agrees not to use her witchcraft so they can blend in as a suburban couple. Of course something happens each episode that causes Samantha to exercise her powers.....and it's all very funny.
Baume notes that "Samantha's marriage to Darrin could be read as a metaphor for mixed-faith marriages, for people with disabilities, for sexual minorities, or for any number of groups that experience tension between being outcasts and joining the mainstream." At the time, queer people HAD to blend in, because homosexuals had been ostracized - imprisoned, beaten, cast out, killed - since America's colonization.
Baume suggests that the witches in 'Bewitched' are metaphors for LBGTQ+ individuals, and cites the following conversation as an example:
"Samantha: I guess they just don't realize we're like anybody else.....almost."
"Mary: I don't know why we don't simply tell everyone we're witches. And then they'll see what wonderful, nice people we really are."
In later years, the show's star Elizabeth Montgomery (who played Samantha) acknowledged that 'Bewitched' was "about people not being allowed to be what they really are....about repression in general and all the frustration and trouble it can cause." The series slowly chipped away at prejudice, and later episodes "showed liberation gaining a firm upper hand."
Baume includes much more in the chapter, writing about: historical and ongoing persecution of gay people in America; early protests and demonstrations for queer equality; homosexual people in the 'Bewitched' cast (and elsewhere in Hollywood); 'Bewitched' as a harbinger of shifting American culture; and more
📺 All in the Family (1971 - 1979)
'All in the Family', about a blue collar family, took topics from newspaper headlines and tackled the country's cultural upheaval head-on. The core characters in the show are: father Archie, mother Edith, daughter Gloria, and Gloria's husband Mike.
Baume observes that 'All in the Family' was the earliest American television program to feature queer characters with any measure of respect, and in a 1971 episode, "put forth the radical idea that queer people might not be a monolithic bunch of perverts."
The 1971 episode "begins with Archie meeting a friend of Gloria and Mike's, a fussy young man named Roger whose mannerisms are affectedly precise and whose ascot is assertively purple." Out of earshot of Roger, Archie calls the young man a "strange little birdie" and "queer."
Mike challenges Archie in the following conversation:
"Mike: You know something Archie, just because a guy is sensitive and he's an intellectual and he wears glasses, you make him out a queer."
"Archie: I never said a guy who wears glasses is a queer. A guy who wears glasses is a four-eyes. A guy who is a fag is a queer."
Afterwards, Mike learns that Archie's friend Steve - a muscular, deep-voice, football player - is homosexual. Mike inadvertently reveals this to Archie, who doesn't believe it. When Archie next sees Steve, the following talk ensues:
"Archie: I don't know where [Mike] gets these brainstorms, but he thinks that you're a.....jeez, I can't even say it to you Steve."
"Steve: He's right, Arch."
"Archie: Hah?"
Archie then goes through a series of emotions: confusion, horror, amused dismissal of what he thinks is a practical joke, dismay that it might be true, and finally resolving that it's impossible. Regardless of Archie's reaction, Baume writes, "That this struggling show was willing to tackle homosexuality so early in its run - the fifth episode - is nothing short of amazing."
In another story arc on 'All in the Family', Archie performs mouth-to-mouth resuscitation on a 'big, tall, beautiful-looking, classy dame' who's actually a drag queen named Beverly LaSalle.
Later, when Beverly rewards Archie with a fifty-dollar bill, this conversation occurs:
"Archie:....I'll just say 'Thank you, Miss. Unless youse girls like to be called Ms?"
"Beverly: Why don't you call me......mister." (And he yanks off his wig.)
Archie is stupefied!.....but later in the series Archie and Beverly become something like friends.
In this chapter Baume also writes about: the challenges facing show creators who wanted to include homosexual characters; 'zaps' - bold, disruptive confrontations organized by the newly formed Gay Activists Alliance in New York; the drag scene in America, including movies and television; a 1977 ballot issue in California that would have barred homosexuals from working as teachers, counselors, and school administrators; the murder of San Francisco city commissioner Harvey Milk (who was gay)....and the riots that followed; and more.
In the rest of the book, Baume writes about gay representation in the following sitcoms:
Alice (1976 - 1985)
Barney Miller (1975 - 1982)
Soap (1977 -1981)
Cheers (1982 - 1993)
The Golden Girls (1985 -1992)
Dinosaurs (1991 - 1994)
Friends (1994 - 2004)
Ellen (1994 - 1998)
Will & Grace (1998 - 2006)
Modern Family (2009 - 2020)
In each section, Baume also includes anecdotes about gay issues of the time, such as the 'Family Viewing Hour', which was an attempt to clean up television and protect impressionable youth. The backlash against 'questionable content' on television resulted in a 1975 initiative called 'The Family Viewing Hour', where TV stations pledged that all broadcasts from 8 to 9 PM would be free of controversial content: no sex, no violence, no homosexuality. As it turned out, this was a disaster that drove viewers away by the millions....and it only lasted for one year.
Unfortunately, the lesson learned seems to have faded from memory. In the book's conclusion, Baume writes, "Looking back over the last twenty years of television, it might seem as though the tug-of-war might've finally ended, that conservative activists were sufficiently exhausted by their failures....and that television was finally, safely, gay for good."
Sadly not.
Baume goes on to observe, "As I write these words at the end of 2022, there are signs of a long-delayed backlash coming that could dwarf those of the previous century. In schools across the country, we're seeing queer-inclusive books banned. Teachers and librarians fired. Curricula scrubbed of affirming role models. A moral panic that began by scapegoating trans students is now expanding to brand all queer people as a threat to kids......the current moral backlash to inclusive material in schools could easily expand into campaigns to wipe queer characters from media intended for all audiences." So, if you favor inclusive media, Baume suggests tactics to counteract this right-wing movement.
This is an important book for current times. Highly recommended.
Thanks to Netgalley, Matt Baume, and BenBella Books for a copy of the manuscript.
You can follow my reviews at https://reviewsbybarbsaffer.blogspot.com
June 1, 2023
I must have been living under the proverbial rock, because I didn’t know Matt Baume before I heard about this book. Baume has a YouTube channel with lots of videos about “pop culture media from a queer perspective.” This book takes a deep dive into TV sitcoms and queer representation over the years. The earliest show he delves into is Bewitched, one of my favorite shows when I was young. Believe me, I didn’t notice any of the stuff he talks about; it all went over my head at that age. And the most recent show he discusses is Modern Family, another favorite in our house. Other shows discussed include Barney Miller, All in the Family, and Will & Grace, among others.
Baume gives us wonderful anecdotes and analysis. He also cites studies that show the positive impact on attitudes across the US from being exposed to queer characters through TV shows. This is an important retrospective and it highlights how much is still to be done. Baume narrates the audiobook and does a great job.
Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the opportunity to listen to an advance copy of this audiobook. All opinions are my own.
Baume gives us wonderful anecdotes and analysis. He also cites studies that show the positive impact on attitudes across the US from being exposed to queer characters through TV shows. This is an important retrospective and it highlights how much is still to be done. Baume narrates the audiobook and does a great job.
Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the opportunity to listen to an advance copy of this audiobook. All opinions are my own.
![Profile Image for laurel [the suspected bibliophile].](https://cdn.statically.io/img/i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/users/1645808644i/7494844._UX200_CR0,6,200,200_.jpg)
July 2, 2023
Continuing on my streak of queer media history!
This time, featuring queer representation in tv shows.
I finished this book right after watching Nimona, and dammit I am so happy. My heart would be full, except for the existence of bigots currently working to rid queerness within all forms of media and also denying queer folks access to medical care, public spaces and everything else—specifically targeting trans folks and queer people of color.
This time, featuring queer representation in tv shows.
I finished this book right after watching Nimona, and dammit I am so happy. My heart would be full, except for the existence of bigots currently working to rid queerness within all forms of media and also denying queer folks access to medical care, public spaces and everything else—specifically targeting trans folks and queer people of color.
May 21, 2023
I’ve been a fan of Matt Baume’s YouTube videos for years. The way he provides information about the history of LGBTQ+ representation in media is so engaging. In the best way, this book felt like a supersized version of his videos. There’s analysis of different US sitcoms, context given for what was happening at the time in politics, LGBTQ+ rights, and other TV shows, and a humorous touch to the delivery of the information.
The book goes in depth with a handful of shows, but also makes mention of episodes of other sitcoms and how they fit into the changing landscape of queer representation on TV. The earliest show covered is Bewitched, talking about the queer actors involved with the show, but also the way that the stories about witches can be read as talking about queer people. The most recent show covered is Modern Family, with a lot of the discussion being about the behind the scenes and the struggles to be able to portray the gay couple and how the real-life fight for marriage equality played into the story of the show.
I absolutely flew through this book, I listened to the whole thing in less than 24 hours. Hopefully Matt Baume will get to write more books about LGBTQ+ media. It’s so fascinating to look at the history of how portrayals of queer and trans characters have evolved over the years. Also to see how these representations have real world impacts. Definitely check this book out if it sounds interesting to you.
Thank you to the publisher for providing an advance copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
The book goes in depth with a handful of shows, but also makes mention of episodes of other sitcoms and how they fit into the changing landscape of queer representation on TV. The earliest show covered is Bewitched, talking about the queer actors involved with the show, but also the way that the stories about witches can be read as talking about queer people. The most recent show covered is Modern Family, with a lot of the discussion being about the behind the scenes and the struggles to be able to portray the gay couple and how the real-life fight for marriage equality played into the story of the show.
I absolutely flew through this book, I listened to the whole thing in less than 24 hours. Hopefully Matt Baume will get to write more books about LGBTQ+ media. It’s so fascinating to look at the history of how portrayals of queer and trans characters have evolved over the years. Also to see how these representations have real world impacts. Definitely check this book out if it sounds interesting to you.
Thank you to the publisher for providing an advance copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
August 28, 2023
Matt Baume's YouTube channel is one of my favorites. I love classic TV , movies and exploring gay pop culture history. Most of thr stories in this book have already been covered on his channel but the book did go more into detail.
Hi Honey, I'm Homo explores the history of LGBTQ + liberation and how tv helped shape and change America's views on the community. From characters on Bewitched only being able to drop hints at Samantha's uncles bachelorhood( most of this went over the straights heads) to Will & Grace airing a same sex kiss, to Modern Family treating Cam & Mitchell like any other married couple raising a child. As gay visibility grew on screen, views on the gay community softened in real life....which is why it's so important that we don't let the homophobes succeed in banning books and Drag shows.
Many of the attacks being used today against the Transgender community were being used against the gay community( mostly gay men) back in the 1960's.
- Gay's are mentally ill
- Gay's are groomers who want to abuse your children
- Gay's want to destroy the American family
- Gay's want to infiltrate the schools to convert your kids
Sound familiar?
Bigots, Homophobes and Racists never change, they change who they are attacking. But rest assured that if they succeed with their attacks on the Transgender community...Gay and Lesbians you are next. King of the Uncle Tom's Clarence Thomas has already said that the Gay marriage ruling needs a second look. Interracial marriage also isn't safe. And Black folks we see what Florida and Arkansas are doing with basically banning teaching civil rights in schools.
Being Black, Brown, Asian, LGBTQ+ shouldn't be political...but it is. So it's extra important that these stories be told and not in super serious ways. Just laughing along with Jack from Will & Grace goes along way in making the world safer for the LGBTQ+ community.
I did really like this book and I can't recommend his YouTube channel enough. I will say that this book was very white. We get little drips of stories of people of color but this book mostly focuses on the white gay community. His channel is more diverse though( his video of George Takei is phenomenal). I still think this book is an important read but it's whiteness did stop it from being a 5 star read.
If you like tv history then I give this boom and the YouTube channel a try.
Hi Honey, I'm Homo explores the history of LGBTQ + liberation and how tv helped shape and change America's views on the community. From characters on Bewitched only being able to drop hints at Samantha's uncles bachelorhood( most of this went over the straights heads) to Will & Grace airing a same sex kiss, to Modern Family treating Cam & Mitchell like any other married couple raising a child. As gay visibility grew on screen, views on the gay community softened in real life....which is why it's so important that we don't let the homophobes succeed in banning books and Drag shows.
Many of the attacks being used today against the Transgender community were being used against the gay community( mostly gay men) back in the 1960's.
- Gay's are mentally ill
- Gay's are groomers who want to abuse your children
- Gay's want to destroy the American family
- Gay's want to infiltrate the schools to convert your kids
Sound familiar?
Bigots, Homophobes and Racists never change, they change who they are attacking. But rest assured that if they succeed with their attacks on the Transgender community...Gay and Lesbians you are next. King of the Uncle Tom's Clarence Thomas has already said that the Gay marriage ruling needs a second look. Interracial marriage also isn't safe. And Black folks we see what Florida and Arkansas are doing with basically banning teaching civil rights in schools.
Being Black, Brown, Asian, LGBTQ+ shouldn't be political...but it is. So it's extra important that these stories be told and not in super serious ways. Just laughing along with Jack from Will & Grace goes along way in making the world safer for the LGBTQ+ community.
I did really like this book and I can't recommend his YouTube channel enough. I will say that this book was very white. We get little drips of stories of people of color but this book mostly focuses on the white gay community. His channel is more diverse though( his video of George Takei is phenomenal). I still think this book is an important read but it's whiteness did stop it from being a 5 star read.
If you like tv history then I give this boom and the YouTube channel a try.
January 25, 2024
This book weaves the queer actions within Sitcoms with what was happening in USA politics and society. The early covert subtext gave way to "that" which prompted humor, which became covert coming out and kissing, and finally an almost Leave-it-to-Beaver gay couple. Cam and Mitch (in Modern Family) got married at a macho golf club (in real life, a hillside overlooking a Trump property). As this series concluded in 2020, Cam and Mitch and their two children move to Missouri to be closer to family. For real, Missouri was running 32% for marriage equality when Modern Family first aired (vs 59% against), but Cam and Mitch saw a total flip of 58% for marriage equality (vs 35% against) in 2020.
Each of these shows below had a character or two that had at least one 'out' character. Other characters on these shows expressed the cross section of Americans attitude toward homosexual relationships. But the key was that the lead characters in these shows gravitated toward full acceptance.
1964 - 1972 Bewitched
1971 - 1979 All in the Family
1976 - 1985 Alice
1975 - 1982 Barney Miller
1977 - 1981 Soap
1982 - 1993 Cheers
1985 - 1992 The Golden Girls
1991 - 1994 Dinosaurs
1994 - 2004 Friends
1994 - 1998 Ellen
1998 - 2006 Will & Grace
2009 - 2020 Modern Family
The author did a great job going back and forth between the shows and events happening in America, both in society and in politics. There is an appendix of notes to support the many quotes from Sitcom lines and political speeches.
I found myself looking up episode/scenes on YouTube on many of these.
The actors struggled. The writers struggled. The producers struggled. The networks struggled. Queer America struggled. It took a lot of dedicated people many years to come out properly and completely.
Dick Sargent, of 'Bewitched' didn't come out until 1991. Named Grand Marshal 1992 Pride Parade of LA. Paul Lynde played the gay uncle. Rock Hudson and Jim Nabors rumors started. Raymond Burr had fictitious dead wives. Heck, a Jan 12, 1971 Archie Bunker and Edith were told to drop the line: "Eleven-ten on a Sunday morning." when they came home from church and saw their daughter Gloria embracing Michael.
The storyline of Jody [acted by Billy Crystal in ‘Soap’] resulted in us, getting letters from parents, that said, “I get it now, about my child, thank you for opening my eyes,” recalled Williams. “That made it all worthwhile. I was so proud that we were responsible for that.”
Golden Girls sit-com. Debut Sept 1985. "In West Hollywood, they would stop everything on Saturday a 9:00 pm and on the video bar screens they would show The Golden Girls. 1988 episode "Scared Straight" had Blanche's bro Clayton 'come out'. Just 3 weeks prior on Oct 11, 1988 was the first National Coming Out Day. Blanche speech in Feb Valentine episode includes "Love Is Love". All 4 women are serious LGBTQ allies.
Mid 1990's and "Friends" show can't show 2 women kissing at their same-sex union event. 90's: 1993 March on Washington; Then Prez Clinton signs military "don't ask/don't tell" crushing hopes; But 1995 signs anti-discrimination by Fed contractors. But 1996 sees bill barring recognition of same sex marriage. 1996 Hawaii lesbians then recognized 'family' benefits! April 30, '97 Ellen came out on TV! "I'm gay." FINALLY.
Will & Grace' ran 8 seasons: 1998-2006. Then VP Biden endorsed marriage equality on Meet the Press, May 6, 2012, stating: "I think 'Will & Grace' probably did more to educate the American public than almost anything anybody has done so far. People fear that which is different. Now they're beginning to understand."
Solid 5* from me.
Each of these shows below had a character or two that had at least one 'out' character. Other characters on these shows expressed the cross section of Americans attitude toward homosexual relationships. But the key was that the lead characters in these shows gravitated toward full acceptance.
1964 - 1972 Bewitched
1971 - 1979 All in the Family
1976 - 1985 Alice
1975 - 1982 Barney Miller
1977 - 1981 Soap
1982 - 1993 Cheers
1985 - 1992 The Golden Girls
1991 - 1994 Dinosaurs
1994 - 2004 Friends
1994 - 1998 Ellen
1998 - 2006 Will & Grace
2009 - 2020 Modern Family
The author did a great job going back and forth between the shows and events happening in America, both in society and in politics. There is an appendix of notes to support the many quotes from Sitcom lines and political speeches.
I found myself looking up episode/scenes on YouTube on many of these.
The actors struggled. The writers struggled. The producers struggled. The networks struggled. Queer America struggled. It took a lot of dedicated people many years to come out properly and completely.
Dick Sargent, of 'Bewitched' didn't come out until 1991. Named Grand Marshal 1992 Pride Parade of LA. Paul Lynde played the gay uncle. Rock Hudson and Jim Nabors rumors started. Raymond Burr had fictitious dead wives. Heck, a Jan 12, 1971 Archie Bunker and Edith were told to drop the line: "Eleven-ten on a Sunday morning." when they came home from church and saw their daughter Gloria embracing Michael.
The storyline of Jody [acted by Billy Crystal in ‘Soap’] resulted in us, getting letters from parents, that said, “I get it now, about my child, thank you for opening my eyes,” recalled Williams. “That made it all worthwhile. I was so proud that we were responsible for that.”
Golden Girls sit-com. Debut Sept 1985. "In West Hollywood, they would stop everything on Saturday a 9:00 pm and on the video bar screens they would show The Golden Girls. 1988 episode "Scared Straight" had Blanche's bro Clayton 'come out'. Just 3 weeks prior on Oct 11, 1988 was the first National Coming Out Day. Blanche speech in Feb Valentine episode includes "Love Is Love". All 4 women are serious LGBTQ allies.
Mid 1990's and "Friends" show can't show 2 women kissing at their same-sex union event. 90's: 1993 March on Washington; Then Prez Clinton signs military "don't ask/don't tell" crushing hopes; But 1995 signs anti-discrimination by Fed contractors. But 1996 sees bill barring recognition of same sex marriage. 1996 Hawaii lesbians then recognized 'family' benefits! April 30, '97 Ellen came out on TV! "I'm gay." FINALLY.
Will & Grace' ran 8 seasons: 1998-2006. Then VP Biden endorsed marriage equality on Meet the Press, May 6, 2012, stating: "I think 'Will & Grace' probably did more to educate the American public than almost anything anybody has done so far. People fear that which is different. Now they're beginning to understand."
Solid 5* from me.
May 21, 2023
I requested this one based entirely on the blurb and I am glad that I got the audio, as it was wonderful. I was a bit hesitant when I saw that the narrator and the writer were the same person, as it's sometimes better if the writer does not narrate their own stories, but this was done well. I found out after I started that apparently Matthew Baume is a youtuber, but I did not know this going in.
This book focuses on the way shows inserted gay coded people into them and how some of them had to fight to keep them in.
I am a GenXer, the one group that always is forgotten, so it's rare to find things out there that actually happened to us and get any sort of recognition. I actually watched almost all of the shows mentioned on here (remember, back then you had one tv and 3 channels) and most of these gay references went over my head. Except for Bewitched, that show was not subtle.
I highly recommend this one and hope to read more by this writer.
This book focuses on the way shows inserted gay coded people into them and how some of them had to fight to keep them in.
I am a GenXer, the one group that always is forgotten, so it's rare to find things out there that actually happened to us and get any sort of recognition. I actually watched almost all of the shows mentioned on here (remember, back then you had one tv and 3 channels) and most of these gay references went over my head. Except for Bewitched, that show was not subtle.
I highly recommend this one and hope to read more by this writer.
August 7, 2023
4 stars. I’m a fan of Matt Baume’s youtube channel so I was super excited to check out his book. It’s well written, engaging, and educational but nothing new if you watch his channel. A lot of things spoken about in here he has talked about in videos but this was still worth a listen. He narrates it himself and he’s so knowledgable and passionate about Queer media so I thoroughly enjoyed this. My favorite chapters were the ones about ‘All in the Family’, ‘The Golden Girls’ and ‘Modern Family’ but all of them had really interesting tidbits and history to them so I would definitely recommend this book if you’re into Queer pop culture and its history.
April 20, 2024
This was such a great read and helped me understand in some cases why some queer representation (flimsy at best in lots of cases) was truly groundbreaking and necessary even though it's just the distant past. The correlation between struggles going on at the time of these shows and the shows themselves was such a great link, a few of which I hadn't heard of. Would recommend to anybody with a love of classic TV. Also after reading this book it gives me so much pleasure to know that Donald Wildmon is dead and has provided us with another gender neutral bathroom. Long may he rot in hell.
November 6, 2023
phenomenal as a sitcom lover and so important as someone who values the weight representation in the media plays in public perception of the LGBTQIA+ community
March 6, 2024
An engaging look at LGBTQ+ representation on American sitcoms from the 1960s to the 2010s. It made for a good road trip audiobook since I have seen almost all the shows (sorry Golden Girls and Will & Grace), the oldest ones on original broadcast or in syndication and the newest on streaming.
It's sad to see how slow the progress was and how much effort had to go into each little bit of it, battling controversy and network censors every step of the way, but it's great to follow the upward trend and realize how far it has come.
I'd love to see a follow-up survey of television dramas.
FOR REFERENCE:
Contents: Introduction -- Bewitched -- All in the Family -- Alice -- Barney Miller -- Soap -- Cheers -- The Golden Girls -- Dinosaurs -- Friends -- Ellen -- Will & Grace -- Modern Family -- Conclusion -- Acknowledgments -- Notes -- Index
It's sad to see how slow the progress was and how much effort had to go into each little bit of it, battling controversy and network censors every step of the way, but it's great to follow the upward trend and realize how far it has come.
I'd love to see a follow-up survey of television dramas.
FOR REFERENCE:
Contents: Introduction -- Bewitched -- All in the Family -- Alice -- Barney Miller -- Soap -- Cheers -- The Golden Girls -- Dinosaurs -- Friends -- Ellen -- Will & Grace -- Modern Family -- Conclusion -- Acknowledgments -- Notes -- Index
June 8, 2023
Book 13 of 2023 - ✅! As someone who works in TV and also enjoys learning about the history of the medium + pop culture, this was such a great read. What an insightful way to kick-off some Pride Month reads for the month of June. I had not heard of Scott Baume and his engaging videos or this book prior to seeing it on a friend’s Goodreads feed, and I’m so glad I did! In addition to the more obvious shows with queer characters that influence(d) culture such as “Modern Family,” “The Golden Girls,” and one of my personal favorites, “Will & Grace,” there are chapters about “Bewitched” and “Dinosaurs,” among others.
5/5 ⭐️ - I’m looking forward to watching some of Scott’s videos to augment what I read!
5/5 ⭐️ - I’m looking forward to watching some of Scott’s videos to augment what I read!
July 12, 2023
Excellent, and skillfully narrated by the author. While it was published right before the series of supreme court decisions that threaten a lot of the rights and policies Baume mentions, the conclusion is prescient. Written in 2022, it correctly eyes the looming book bans, sports team member inclusion debates, and other "backlash" movements on the horizon.
May 7, 2024
I really enjoyed my read through this. I think I ended up with two thoughts on the collection as a whole:
One, almost every piece of representation discussed in the book could be summed up with "It was progress—if you know the context."
Two, the pattern of "forward-backward, progress-pushback, representation-villification" can be just as exhausting when you look at only one facet of it—such as this book does, by focusing on sitcoms—as when you live it as a whole.
I also realized just how much of this I missed—ironically enough, because I'd been cut off and was flying solo and sure as hell couldn't afford things like a television or cable as a queer uni kid trying to survive—and I think that colours my frustration with much of the "progress" of the 90s. I remember the ongoing frustration of invisibility, of fighting for scraps, of navigating systems that ignored us (I couldn't secure financial aid because my parents made too much money—it didn't matter that they wouldn't) and on and on. So hearing things like "we have to be careful, we don't want to antagonize viewers or sponsors" just made me angry.
But anger is fuel. And like Baume says in the conclusion, the fight goes on. So fuel is good.
One, almost every piece of representation discussed in the book could be summed up with "It was progress—if you know the context."
Two, the pattern of "forward-backward, progress-pushback, representation-villification" can be just as exhausting when you look at only one facet of it—such as this book does, by focusing on sitcoms—as when you live it as a whole.
I also realized just how much of this I missed—ironically enough, because I'd been cut off and was flying solo and sure as hell couldn't afford things like a television or cable as a queer uni kid trying to survive—and I think that colours my frustration with much of the "progress" of the 90s. I remember the ongoing frustration of invisibility, of fighting for scraps, of navigating systems that ignored us (I couldn't secure financial aid because my parents made too much money—it didn't matter that they wouldn't) and on and on. So hearing things like "we have to be careful, we don't want to antagonize viewers or sponsors" just made me angry.
But anger is fuel. And like Baume says in the conclusion, the fight goes on. So fuel is good.
August 14, 2023
A fascinating journey through the history of queer representation in sitcoms! The author provides: a brief summary of each show's characters and storyline; amusing quotes that capture the show's essence; behind-the-scenes details of featured queer characters; and, the external social and policitical context of the era in which the episodes were aired. This book served as an excellent accompaniment on a road trip with my partner, and the selected shows made a near-perfect bridge of our individual television viewing histories.
May 29, 2024
a queer nonfiction pop culture book with a little bit of queer history mixed in? my kind of book.
content/trigger warnings; queerphobic slurs. discussions of homophobia, lesbophobia, queerphobia, biphobia, transphobia, hate crimes, police brutality, physical violence, murder, death, racism, sexual assault/rape, suicidal ideation, misogyny, coming out, queerphobic rejection, hiv/aids crisis, legal discrimination, compulsory sexuality,
“television isn’t just a piece of furniture to watch; it’s a conversation, a tool, a weapon, a war, a party, an instrument, and an opportunity. it’s a project to participate in rather than passively watching in the dark.”
i really like how historical/social context is woven throughout the analysis/commentary on queer media, painting a more complete picture of how queerness was regarded at the time and the impact such representation can have. it’s cool to hear about writers, creators, and actors really going hard to have queer characters and listening to the feedback to try to avoid offensive stereotypes/depictions. overall, this is a very interesting read.
the chapter on soap is a good one. the discussion of jodie’s character and identity is super interesting. jodie goes from being a gay man, to wanting to get a sex change to be able to be with his boyfriend, to saying he’s always felt like a woman, to then not getting the sex change after being dumped and carrying on as a gay man. it reflects not only the writers’ ignorance about gender and sexuality being two different things, but a time when the “understanding” of being gay was that it’s a gender inversion; gay men are attracted to men because they’re really women, basically. it sparks a conversation; did jodie “always feel like a woman” because he genuinely felt that way or because the social regard of gay men was that they aren’t “real” men? the author also very briefly touches on how bisexuality was never even brought up when jodie hooks up with a woman, is told he isn’t gay because of it, and insists it doesn’t change the fact that he’s gay.
i find it interesting how in some cases, the lack of queer intimacy on some of these shows wasn’t due to higher ups preventing it, but writers/creators themselves being hesitant to show it out of fear of alienating straight people and homophobes. this is particularly true of modern family, when it comes to mitchell and cam kissing and even their wedding. they purposely created a reasoning for the lack of kissing (mitchell having issues with showing affection) that allowed them to gradually build up to showing them being affectionate, instead of just diving right into it, to ease nonqueer people into seeing it. and they spent an entire season of wedding hijinks to show how just like the straights they are and to get the straights comfortable with the idea of two men getting married, before finally marrying them.
i can almost understand from the perspective of someone creating a show, you don’t want to lose viewers, you want your show to succeed, so queer intimacy putting off a very large number of people who might otherwise watch your show is a concern. but at the same time, you don’t get to accept praise and pat yourself on the back for depicting a queer relationship, when the entire time you’re pandering to a straight and even queerphobic audience, letting their hangups and queerphobia determine what you’ll show and how/when, rather than just giving the needed and deserved representation to queer people.
that said. the queer representation chosen for this book is a bit disappointing.
of the 19 characters that are discussed with any depth: only 6 are lead queer characters (jodie, soap; ellen, ellen; will and jack, will & grace; mitchell and cam, modern family), 12 are queer guest characters, appearing in 8 or less episodes each (beverly and veronica, all in the family; jack, alice; marty and darryl and fyoder and zatelli, barney miller; tom and mark, cheers; coco and jean and clayton, the golden girls), and 1 is a lead straight character (chandler, friends).
14 are gay men; 3 are lesbians; 1 is a drag queen. all of them are white and cis. also worth noting: beverly’s (all in the family) story ends with being killed in a hate crime, and veronica (all in the family) and jean (the golden girls) show up after the death of their partners. two of the shows discussed don’t even have queer representation, even in side/guest characters, the “queerness” is merely metaphors, if one chooses to read it that way (bewitched and dinosaurs).
as you can see, there isn’t a variety of queer identities and literally everyone is white. and if there isn’t a diverse selection of sitcom queer characters to choose from, fine. (i don’t know, because sitcoms haven’t really been my go-to choice of tv genre.) but at least acknowledge that. the author makes zero commentary on how all of these characters are cis white gays/lesbians. zero. all this talk about the power and importance of queer representation and there’s not a single sentence dedicated to the fact that queer people are not a monolith and that shows like ellen and will & grace and modern family do not appeal to or represent all queer people? in not just personality/life experiences, but also in sexuality, gender, race, body type, ability, etc.? such a fucking oversight. these shows and characters are groundbreaking, but for who? and how long do other types of queer people have to wait to not only get their groundbreaking representation, but to have it acknowledged and celebrated as such by everyone else?
and the specific chapters and the shows they’re dedicated to are not without fault. in general, i would’ve really appreciated a more nuanced, objective look at the queer representation and treatment of queerness on these shows. all of these shows have queerphobia on them, obviously, but some more than others, and some of it comes from the queer characters. to not even mention the homophobia, mspecphobia, intersex-phobia, and transphobia that is all over some of these shows, while praising the queer representation on them, is a bit iffy for me.
the chapters on bewitched, cheers, and dinosaurs feel a little unnecessary. sure, you could interpret queer metaphors on bewitched, but there isn’t actually queer representation. same with dinosaurs. if it weren’t for the heartwarming stories about how important the queer community was the actresses on the golden girls and vice versa, i would’ve say the same thing about that chapter. and on cheers, the author explains that the queer characters exist off screen and to be a problem for nonqueers to solve. it gives filler vibes.
the chapter on all in the family is a miss for me. i’m kind of baffled by the author describing beverly’s character as a “shockingly nuanced and touching” depiction, “even by the standards of modern television,” “playing out over three years.” because one) beverly is in 3 episodes (out of 205), saying her story plays out over three years makes it seem more than what it was. two) archie is awful to beverly and then beverly is killed off in a hate crime that serves to drive another character’s emotional growth. three) in what world does THAT holds up as “nuanced and touching” by modern standards? even if the author hadn’t said it holds up to modern standards, it would still be weird to ever praise this depiction of queerness. stop giving brownie points for people daring to represent queer folks when said representation is saturated in queerphobia and death. and talking about archie’s “growth” from denying his friend is gay to accepting beverly as a cherished member of the family is a bit disingenuous. at the time he’s “accepting” beverly, he’s being lesbophobic to his dead cousin’s partner. just all around a very weird take on what is blatantly not a great depiction of queer people.
the friends chapter is the worst. of all the angles to explore regarding queerness on the show, the author chose to exclusively discuss chandler. CHANDLER. about how he would’ve been gay had the actor been gay, but he wasn’t, so the writers said “write him gay, play him straight” and just added a bunch of jokes about people thinking chandler is gay. a single mention of carol/susan and chandler’s dad. are you kidding? three actually queer characters and you pick a straight man who the writers decided to queerbait instead of reworking? (yes, queerbait. they “wrote him gay” and then pulled the “no guys, there’s nothing gay about chandler!!!” shit when they got questions about chandler seeming gay.) chandler’s dad alone could’ve filled an entire chapter; the ambiguousness of the character’s identity (gay man? crossdresser? drag queen? trans woman? no one knows), the treatment from chandler, the reception from queer people, the impact of the character, things the writers/cast have said at the time and after, etc. and there’s carol and susan. hell, even the one with winona ryder. but no, chandler. sure.
other notes:
it frustrates me that the author would often skate around calling a character’s actions/word homophobia, preferring instead to use words like “discomfort,” “scorn,” “fear,” “gut reaction,” “presumptions,” “shock,” and “ill-informed denial,” among others. it’s just a weird choice when we all know that the characters were homophobic. along with that is the author often saying, “to be fair, that’s realistic to the time” after detailing terrible homophobia on a show. but homophobia is homophobia and it has never been okay. the time period does not make homophobia less bad/hurtful/serious. pointing out the time these shows came out as if to downplay the homophobia or imply that it can’t really be criticized is literally just homophobia in and of itself.
in the chapter about alice, the author is discussing an episode where alice decides her son can’t go on a fishing trip with a gay man and says “to his credit, jack doesn’t push her too hard to change her mind, and doesn’t accuse her of being a bigot” and i’d like to know why that’s “to his credit”? why is that worthy of praise? she was wrong and homophobic, why are we praising queer characters for giving homophobes grace? why are we elevating the nice queer who doesn’t cause a scene or call out queerphobia? in 2023?
“murder, she wrote features a drag queen who turns out to be straight” you know drag queen isn’t a sexuality right? and that while it’s more common for drag queens to not be straight, straight drag queens do exist, right?
“friends spawned countless imitators” living single has entered the chat
it’s super frustrating how people can’t seem to point out the actual problem in there not being any same gender kisses like there are different gender kisses on a show (will & grace and modern family) without crossing the line by equating gayness to sex, that if there isn’t kissing or sex, then the characters aren’t really gay or are “neutered.”
content/trigger warnings; queerphobic slurs. discussions of homophobia, lesbophobia, queerphobia, biphobia, transphobia, hate crimes, police brutality, physical violence, murder, death, racism, sexual assault/rape, suicidal ideation, misogyny, coming out, queerphobic rejection, hiv/aids crisis, legal discrimination, compulsory sexuality,
“television isn’t just a piece of furniture to watch; it’s a conversation, a tool, a weapon, a war, a party, an instrument, and an opportunity. it’s a project to participate in rather than passively watching in the dark.”
i really like how historical/social context is woven throughout the analysis/commentary on queer media, painting a more complete picture of how queerness was regarded at the time and the impact such representation can have. it’s cool to hear about writers, creators, and actors really going hard to have queer characters and listening to the feedback to try to avoid offensive stereotypes/depictions. overall, this is a very interesting read.
the chapter on soap is a good one. the discussion of jodie’s character and identity is super interesting. jodie goes from being a gay man, to wanting to get a sex change to be able to be with his boyfriend, to saying he’s always felt like a woman, to then not getting the sex change after being dumped and carrying on as a gay man. it reflects not only the writers’ ignorance about gender and sexuality being two different things, but a time when the “understanding” of being gay was that it’s a gender inversion; gay men are attracted to men because they’re really women, basically. it sparks a conversation; did jodie “always feel like a woman” because he genuinely felt that way or because the social regard of gay men was that they aren’t “real” men? the author also very briefly touches on how bisexuality was never even brought up when jodie hooks up with a woman, is told he isn’t gay because of it, and insists it doesn’t change the fact that he’s gay.
i find it interesting how in some cases, the lack of queer intimacy on some of these shows wasn’t due to higher ups preventing it, but writers/creators themselves being hesitant to show it out of fear of alienating straight people and homophobes. this is particularly true of modern family, when it comes to mitchell and cam kissing and even their wedding. they purposely created a reasoning for the lack of kissing (mitchell having issues with showing affection) that allowed them to gradually build up to showing them being affectionate, instead of just diving right into it, to ease nonqueer people into seeing it. and they spent an entire season of wedding hijinks to show how just like the straights they are and to get the straights comfortable with the idea of two men getting married, before finally marrying them.
i can almost understand from the perspective of someone creating a show, you don’t want to lose viewers, you want your show to succeed, so queer intimacy putting off a very large number of people who might otherwise watch your show is a concern. but at the same time, you don’t get to accept praise and pat yourself on the back for depicting a queer relationship, when the entire time you’re pandering to a straight and even queerphobic audience, letting their hangups and queerphobia determine what you’ll show and how/when, rather than just giving the needed and deserved representation to queer people.
that said. the queer representation chosen for this book is a bit disappointing.
of the 19 characters that are discussed with any depth: only 6 are lead queer characters (jodie, soap; ellen, ellen; will and jack, will & grace; mitchell and cam, modern family), 12 are queer guest characters, appearing in 8 or less episodes each (beverly and veronica, all in the family; jack, alice; marty and darryl and fyoder and zatelli, barney miller; tom and mark, cheers; coco and jean and clayton, the golden girls), and 1 is a lead straight character (chandler, friends).
14 are gay men; 3 are lesbians; 1 is a drag queen. all of them are white and cis. also worth noting: beverly’s (all in the family) story ends with being killed in a hate crime, and veronica (all in the family) and jean (the golden girls) show up after the death of their partners. two of the shows discussed don’t even have queer representation, even in side/guest characters, the “queerness” is merely metaphors, if one chooses to read it that way (bewitched and dinosaurs).
as you can see, there isn’t a variety of queer identities and literally everyone is white. and if there isn’t a diverse selection of sitcom queer characters to choose from, fine. (i don’t know, because sitcoms haven’t really been my go-to choice of tv genre.) but at least acknowledge that. the author makes zero commentary on how all of these characters are cis white gays/lesbians. zero. all this talk about the power and importance of queer representation and there’s not a single sentence dedicated to the fact that queer people are not a monolith and that shows like ellen and will & grace and modern family do not appeal to or represent all queer people? in not just personality/life experiences, but also in sexuality, gender, race, body type, ability, etc.? such a fucking oversight. these shows and characters are groundbreaking, but for who? and how long do other types of queer people have to wait to not only get their groundbreaking representation, but to have it acknowledged and celebrated as such by everyone else?
and the specific chapters and the shows they’re dedicated to are not without fault. in general, i would’ve really appreciated a more nuanced, objective look at the queer representation and treatment of queerness on these shows. all of these shows have queerphobia on them, obviously, but some more than others, and some of it comes from the queer characters. to not even mention the homophobia, mspecphobia, intersex-phobia, and transphobia that is all over some of these shows, while praising the queer representation on them, is a bit iffy for me.
the chapters on bewitched, cheers, and dinosaurs feel a little unnecessary. sure, you could interpret queer metaphors on bewitched, but there isn’t actually queer representation. same with dinosaurs. if it weren’t for the heartwarming stories about how important the queer community was the actresses on the golden girls and vice versa, i would’ve say the same thing about that chapter. and on cheers, the author explains that the queer characters exist off screen and to be a problem for nonqueers to solve. it gives filler vibes.
the chapter on all in the family is a miss for me. i’m kind of baffled by the author describing beverly’s character as a “shockingly nuanced and touching” depiction, “even by the standards of modern television,” “playing out over three years.” because one) beverly is in 3 episodes (out of 205), saying her story plays out over three years makes it seem more than what it was. two) archie is awful to beverly and then beverly is killed off in a hate crime that serves to drive another character’s emotional growth. three) in what world does THAT holds up as “nuanced and touching” by modern standards? even if the author hadn’t said it holds up to modern standards, it would still be weird to ever praise this depiction of queerness. stop giving brownie points for people daring to represent queer folks when said representation is saturated in queerphobia and death. and talking about archie’s “growth” from denying his friend is gay to accepting beverly as a cherished member of the family is a bit disingenuous. at the time he’s “accepting” beverly, he’s being lesbophobic to his dead cousin’s partner. just all around a very weird take on what is blatantly not a great depiction of queer people.
the friends chapter is the worst. of all the angles to explore regarding queerness on the show, the author chose to exclusively discuss chandler. CHANDLER. about how he would’ve been gay had the actor been gay, but he wasn’t, so the writers said “write him gay, play him straight” and just added a bunch of jokes about people thinking chandler is gay. a single mention of carol/susan and chandler’s dad. are you kidding? three actually queer characters and you pick a straight man who the writers decided to queerbait instead of reworking? (yes, queerbait. they “wrote him gay” and then pulled the “no guys, there’s nothing gay about chandler!!!” shit when they got questions about chandler seeming gay.) chandler’s dad alone could’ve filled an entire chapter; the ambiguousness of the character’s identity (gay man? crossdresser? drag queen? trans woman? no one knows), the treatment from chandler, the reception from queer people, the impact of the character, things the writers/cast have said at the time and after, etc. and there’s carol and susan. hell, even the one with winona ryder. but no, chandler. sure.
other notes:
it frustrates me that the author would often skate around calling a character’s actions/word homophobia, preferring instead to use words like “discomfort,” “scorn,” “fear,” “gut reaction,” “presumptions,” “shock,” and “ill-informed denial,” among others. it’s just a weird choice when we all know that the characters were homophobic. along with that is the author often saying, “to be fair, that’s realistic to the time” after detailing terrible homophobia on a show. but homophobia is homophobia and it has never been okay. the time period does not make homophobia less bad/hurtful/serious. pointing out the time these shows came out as if to downplay the homophobia or imply that it can’t really be criticized is literally just homophobia in and of itself.
in the chapter about alice, the author is discussing an episode where alice decides her son can’t go on a fishing trip with a gay man and says “to his credit, jack doesn’t push her too hard to change her mind, and doesn’t accuse her of being a bigot” and i’d like to know why that’s “to his credit”? why is that worthy of praise? she was wrong and homophobic, why are we praising queer characters for giving homophobes grace? why are we elevating the nice queer who doesn’t cause a scene or call out queerphobia? in 2023?
“murder, she wrote features a drag queen who turns out to be straight” you know drag queen isn’t a sexuality right? and that while it’s more common for drag queens to not be straight, straight drag queens do exist, right?
“friends spawned countless imitators” living single has entered the chat
it’s super frustrating how people can’t seem to point out the actual problem in there not being any same gender kisses like there are different gender kisses on a show (will & grace and modern family) without crossing the line by equating gayness to sex, that if there isn’t kissing or sex, then the characters aren’t really gay or are “neutered.”
February 24, 2024
This was absolutely amazing. Learning about the history of the sitcom genre, multiple sitcoms, queer histoy and also the political landscape in general at these moments were great. The way it's written really makes you care for these characters and also the makers of these shows!! I absolutely loved this.
June 10, 2023
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. I was initially drawn to this book due to the title. It definitely caught my attention! I felt this would be a great read this month since it is Pride Month. I’m so glad that I did. It was interesting to learn about LGBTQ+ media. I had no idea that there was a family viewing hour. This book was very entertaining and enlightening. I also enjoyed that the author was also the narrator. I also learned about his YouTube channel that I’ll also be checking out.
May 24, 2023
I did not know about Matt Baum before this book but I’ll definitely be looking him up now. I have always been interested in entertainment history and I have recently become interested in queer history so this book was a no-brained for me. I learned a lot from this book not just about the shows I haven’t seen, but the ones I’ve watched every episode of.
It is a fast & easy read, I devoured this book in a little over a day, & I definitely recommend it for anyone!
Thank you to NetGalley & the publisher for an advanced copy of this book!
It is a fast & easy read, I devoured this book in a little over a day, & I definitely recommend it for anyone!
Thank you to NetGalley & the publisher for an advanced copy of this book!
July 7, 2023
This is a 2023 non-fic about how TV sitcoms are interlinked with gradual acceptance of LGBTQ+ culture in the US. The author has a very interesting Youtube channel, where he supplies a mass of short pieces from TV series that directly or indirectly relate to the theme. I’m a straight cis-male and while I fully support a greater equality for all marginalized groups, I cannot say that I’m knowledgeable on the subject.
The book contains overview of a dozen of TV sitcoms from Bewitched to Modern Family, LGBTQ+ themes there and what has been happening outside the studios, from court decisions to 1975 self-imposed ‘family hour’ on major networks. Here, I have to note that I haven’t watched the majority of depicted series – among 12 only Friends were the one I watched most seasons (Ukrainian dubbing). And it is interesting that what I recall from Friends about Chandler was his affair with Monica, but not that at the start writers decided to make him “queer acting straight guy”, so that others thought he is a gay… what falsehoods are memories.
The book is very well written and it shows that for sitcoms, especially context matters. And that people who grew up on US TV sitcoms and TV series in general most likely have quite different reactions to modern TV series experiments. Say, cross public chats in Slavic world (Ukrainian, Polish, Russian) there was real indignation about the latest Witcher series (based on the popular there book series by Andrzej Sapkowski, which led to a PC game, which turned popularity global), including that one of the characters turns out a bi-sexual. I guess it is partially due to different TV series when watchers grew up.
The book contains overview of a dozen of TV sitcoms from Bewitched to Modern Family, LGBTQ+ themes there and what has been happening outside the studios, from court decisions to 1975 self-imposed ‘family hour’ on major networks. Here, I have to note that I haven’t watched the majority of depicted series – among 12 only Friends were the one I watched most seasons (Ukrainian dubbing). And it is interesting that what I recall from Friends about Chandler was his affair with Monica, but not that at the start writers decided to make him “queer acting straight guy”, so that others thought he is a gay… what falsehoods are memories.
The book is very well written and it shows that for sitcoms, especially context matters. And that people who grew up on US TV sitcoms and TV series in general most likely have quite different reactions to modern TV series experiments. Say, cross public chats in Slavic world (Ukrainian, Polish, Russian) there was real indignation about the latest Witcher series (based on the popular there book series by Andrzej Sapkowski, which led to a PC game, which turned popularity global), including that one of the characters turns out a bi-sexual. I guess it is partially due to different TV series when watchers grew up.
January 28, 2024
I grew up watching most the TV shows discussed in this book. I was even a huge fan of some of them, and I distinctly remember watching many of the episodes presented when they aired. But I wasn’t watching all of these shows, and this book provide more than a little bit of insight into how the US culture was changing over the 40+ years this book examines.
Bewitched was a childhood favorite of mine, I would watch this endless in reruns after school, during the summer breaks, or when I was home sick. I loved the characters and the antics of Samantha’s relatives, but I can’t say I caught all of the coded messages contained there in.
All in the Family was must see TV for me for many of the early seasons. But I did drift away from it as the series progressed, to the point that I barely remember anything from the latter seasons.
Alice was another show I recall enjoying quite a bit, in part as I was always waiting for episodes that gave her son some screen time. Being a teenage boy, I was always interested in what teenage boys got up to in contemporary shows and I remember watching the episode with the camping trip and desperately hoping they’d revisit these themes and situations.
Barney Miller was a series I enjoyed, but didn’t watch regularly. It was about cops and that never really appealed to me very much. But I really liked Ron Glass from the series.
Soap was a show I watched with almost religious fervor, as I did Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman. And I quickly became a fan of Billy Crystal, only to be very disappointed when I found out he wasn’t actually gay.
Cheers was not a show I watched at all. It simply did not appeal to me in the slightest. I’d seen an episode here or there, but it never seemed like something I would enjoy.
The Golden Girls was a series that I started off really enjoying with the pilot, but once it became clear that the house boy, Coco, wasn’t coming back, I lost interest. After reading the chapter on the show, I realize I’m going to have to go back and watch every single season.
Dinosaurs was a bizarre twist on the Honeymooners that didn’t quite work for me, but a dear friend of mine loved the series and I did watch it with her. I remember seeing the vegetarian episode and finding the allusions hilarious.
Friends got me caught up in all the pre-airing hype and I was eagerly looking forward to the gay character, Chandler, to come out. But things quickly disintegrated as it became clear that the character, originally written as gay, was not going to be coming out. Ever. And I felt like I’d been lied to by the creators of the series. Along with some other things, this drove a permanent wedge between me and this series that will never be closed. I am not a fan.
Ellen was a series I tried to watch several times, and I just kept finding unappealing. I tried against as season four was starting and there was all the rumor and talk of Ellen coming out. As episode after episode teased it and then never delivered I got frustrated and finally dropped it. So I actually missed the episode she actually finally did come out. I tried watching season five a couple of times, but it never felt quite right.
Will & Grace was another must-see-TV show for me right from the pilot to the very end. And while the titular characters always seemed a bit “off putting” and strained to me, Karen and Jack were no end of priceless shenanigans and hilarity. Karen and Jack were the real stars of that series, at least for me.
Modern Family is another show that I’ve never watched, but am going to need to rectify very soon. After this chapter, I am eagerly looking forward to working my way through the seasons.
This is a fascinating book and the prose has a conversational approach that really makes it engaging and entertaining, while still being academic without being inaccessible.
Bewitched was a childhood favorite of mine, I would watch this endless in reruns after school, during the summer breaks, or when I was home sick. I loved the characters and the antics of Samantha’s relatives, but I can’t say I caught all of the coded messages contained there in.
All in the Family was must see TV for me for many of the early seasons. But I did drift away from it as the series progressed, to the point that I barely remember anything from the latter seasons.
Alice was another show I recall enjoying quite a bit, in part as I was always waiting for episodes that gave her son some screen time. Being a teenage boy, I was always interested in what teenage boys got up to in contemporary shows and I remember watching the episode with the camping trip and desperately hoping they’d revisit these themes and situations.
Barney Miller was a series I enjoyed, but didn’t watch regularly. It was about cops and that never really appealed to me very much. But I really liked Ron Glass from the series.
Soap was a show I watched with almost religious fervor, as I did Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman. And I quickly became a fan of Billy Crystal, only to be very disappointed when I found out he wasn’t actually gay.
Cheers was not a show I watched at all. It simply did not appeal to me in the slightest. I’d seen an episode here or there, but it never seemed like something I would enjoy.
The Golden Girls was a series that I started off really enjoying with the pilot, but once it became clear that the house boy, Coco, wasn’t coming back, I lost interest. After reading the chapter on the show, I realize I’m going to have to go back and watch every single season.
Dinosaurs was a bizarre twist on the Honeymooners that didn’t quite work for me, but a dear friend of mine loved the series and I did watch it with her. I remember seeing the vegetarian episode and finding the allusions hilarious.
Friends got me caught up in all the pre-airing hype and I was eagerly looking forward to the gay character, Chandler, to come out. But things quickly disintegrated as it became clear that the character, originally written as gay, was not going to be coming out. Ever. And I felt like I’d been lied to by the creators of the series. Along with some other things, this drove a permanent wedge between me and this series that will never be closed. I am not a fan.
Ellen was a series I tried to watch several times, and I just kept finding unappealing. I tried against as season four was starting and there was all the rumor and talk of Ellen coming out. As episode after episode teased it and then never delivered I got frustrated and finally dropped it. So I actually missed the episode she actually finally did come out. I tried watching season five a couple of times, but it never felt quite right.
Will & Grace was another must-see-TV show for me right from the pilot to the very end. And while the titular characters always seemed a bit “off putting” and strained to me, Karen and Jack were no end of priceless shenanigans and hilarity. Karen and Jack were the real stars of that series, at least for me.
Modern Family is another show that I’ve never watched, but am going to need to rectify very soon. After this chapter, I am eagerly looking forward to working my way through the seasons.
This is a fascinating book and the prose has a conversational approach that really makes it engaging and entertaining, while still being academic without being inaccessible.
May 23, 2024
Having grown up in the ‘70s on a steady diet of sit-coms (and being a fan of the author’s YouTube channel) I found the book entertaining and informative. Each chapter is devoted to a different comedy that, for better or worse, impacted Americans views on homosexuality, from the coded language of Bewitched to the blockbuster success of Modern Family. It’s both frustrating (once again our recurring villains are moralist hypocrites) and inspiring (those who kept pushing boundaries and stood by gay friends and co-workers).
March 7, 2024
And now I'd like to re-watch Bewitched and grab a slice of cheesecake to re-watch Golden Girls.
May 26, 2023
short, sweet, & informative
May 25, 2023
I burned through Hi Honey, I'm Homo! so fast! Matt Baume carefully curates and connects queer sitcom characters to develop an insightful trajectory. Baume's writing is accessible, thoughtful, and funny as he charts a history from Bewitched to Modern Family.
Baume's writing particularly shines when he addresses how the changing presentation of queer characters across America's sitcom landscape had a tangible impact on America's political landscape (and vice versa). TV audiences' response to queer characters had a tangible impact on legislation, and writers struggled to negotiate between their vision, the network's requirements, and possible public outcry. Baume deftly navigates the close reading of the characters themselves and their historical contexts to create an analysis that is rich with information and heart.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the audio ARC.
Baume's writing particularly shines when he addresses how the changing presentation of queer characters across America's sitcom landscape had a tangible impact on America's political landscape (and vice versa). TV audiences' response to queer characters had a tangible impact on legislation, and writers struggled to negotiate between their vision, the network's requirements, and possible public outcry. Baume deftly navigates the close reading of the characters themselves and their historical contexts to create an analysis that is rich with information and heart.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the audio ARC.
May 24, 2023
Extremely well-written and accessible nonfiction! The author anchors the development of queer representation in sitcoms to historical events in a very comprehensible fashion, showing you how one influenced the other and vice versa.
I have to admit that I'm not interested in US television at all (I chose the book to broaden my knowledge of queer history as my primary field of study is Britain) and it still kept me engaged the whole time and sometimes even made me quite emotional. There is enough background provided of the shows that I could keep up even though I haven't seen any of them except for some episodes of Friends.
I definitely recommend this book to those interested in queer and/or media history.
I received the book on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I have to admit that I'm not interested in US television at all (I chose the book to broaden my knowledge of queer history as my primary field of study is Britain) and it still kept me engaged the whole time and sometimes even made me quite emotional. There is enough background provided of the shows that I could keep up even though I haven't seen any of them except for some episodes of Friends.
I definitely recommend this book to those interested in queer and/or media history.
I received the book on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
June 29, 2023
A fascinating look at how attitudes towards queer people changed from the 1960s to the present as reflected through sitcom TV. It really affirmed my belief in the power of stories to foster empathy. It also made me want to watch The Golden Girls (I've seen a few episodes but the way this book talked about it really interested me).
May 30, 2023
In the book hi honey I’m Homo by Mad Bonet it talks about the sitcom EN the introduction of gays and lesbians in modern America. This book was so entertaining I thought the double entendres and the direct statements that once you know… Then you know it’s about gays and lesbians was so funny and kind of sad at the same time from bewitched to Barney Miller friends and and of course Ellen it was truly funny and eye-opening but the thing that was most shocking was the conclusion about Cole porter in his song “I love daddy” and how the song could be played on radio stations but only if sung by a female that really let you know where these “straight“ men’s minds were. They even had a problem with the word do in his song’s. I am so glad that books and TV and movies are now an open forum for anyone because reading books and TV shows from other walks of life has always been interesting to me and now that the stories of people I don’t personally knows more accessible thanks to the sitcom‘s in the gay and lesbian actors that fought for the right to be seen for who they are or not with the expectations of those who think they have a white knuckle grip on morality
What them to be seen. It is a more colorful world when everyone can be their self because if we were all the same this would be one boring world. I love this book and thought the author did a great job covering the years of oppression and the ways they found to get around it or just run right over it. I thought the narrator did a great job and I found a book so entertaining. I received this book from NetGalley and dreamscape media but I am leaving this review voluntarily please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.
What them to be seen. It is a more colorful world when everyone can be their self because if we were all the same this would be one boring world. I love this book and thought the author did a great job covering the years of oppression and the ways they found to get around it or just run right over it. I thought the narrator did a great job and I found a book so entertaining. I received this book from NetGalley and dreamscape media but I am leaving this review voluntarily please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.
July 12, 2024
full disclosure, i read maybe 30% of this book in random chapters assigned to the book club meetings i was in town for. overall though, i liked what i read. i really enjoyed how seamlessly history was interwoven with pop culture, i learned a lot, and i thought it was well-written. i even cried once! i do wish there had been more diversity- it was mostly focused on the exact demographic of the author and while i understand that the majority of sitcom portrayals of queer people are in fact white gay men, this problem in representation could have been discussed more and i think there were opportunities to explore more diverse characters while still fulfilling the premise of the book- like maybe the canonical lesbians on friends?? it’s a classic white gay man thing, but it had me a little disappointed.
June 12, 2024
This is a book that makes me wish I was still teaching college courses on TV and media, because I would absolutely assign some of these chapters as required reading. It's extremely accessible and compulsively readable, but it's also full of exactly the right mix of history, context, and media analysis that makes it a genuine learning experience even for those like myself who have watched Matt Baume's YouTube videos, listened to Gayest Episode Ever, and studied TV and queer studies in grad school. It was truly a joy to read and made me appreciate how important media activism -- both from those behind-the-scenes and those watching at home -- can be to shaping representation and, ultimately, our legal and cultural reality.
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