Based on Tony Khner's ld play, this sweepg productn, which mix real-life and fictnal characters, is set agast the backdrop of the 1980s AIDS epimic. While nservative attorney and closeted homosexual Roy Cohn (Al Paco) slowly di of AIDS, he is tormented by the ghost of Ethel Rosenberg (Meryl Streep), whom he helped nvict of beg a Rsian spy. Meanwhile, Cohn's employee Joe Pt (Patrick Wilson), a closeted, married gay attorney, also stggl wh his sexualy.
Contents:
- ‘ANGELS AMERI PART I’ REVIEW: A GHOSTLY SYMBSIS OF QUEER {GRID-ROW-START:2;GRID-LUMN-START:2;GRID-LUMN-END:3;}@MEDIA (MAX-WIDTH:950PX){{GRID-LUMN-START:1;GRID-LUMN-END:2;}}{MARG-BOTTOM:1EM;}{DISPLAY:BLOCK;MARG:0PX TO;MAX-WIDTH:640PX;Z-X:20;POSN:RELATIVE;} > DIV{BOX-SIZG:NTENT-BOX;PADDG:0PX 20PX;MARG:0PX TO;} > DIV.SHORT-LEFT{FLOAT:LEFT;} > DIV.SHORT-RIGHT{FLOAT:RIGHT;} > DIV.SHORT-SMALL{MAX-WIDTH:200PX;} > DIV.SHORT-MEDIUM{MAX-WIDTH:400PX;} > DIV.SHORT-LARGE{MAX-WIDTH:600PX;} > DIV.SHORT-XLARGE{MAX-WIDTH:1000PX;} > DIV.SHORT-FULLSCREEN{PADDG:0PX;}{WIDTH:100%;}{MAX-WIDTH:1000PX;MARG:5PX 0PX TO;FONT-FAY:'COLABORATE LIGHT','LUCIDA SANS UNI',SANS-SERIF;LOR:#777;FONT-SIZE:15PX;}THE ST OF ANGELS AMERI, PART 1 AT CENTRAL SQUARE THEATER IMG{PADDG-RIGHT:7PX;}BY {LOR:#BA0600;}COURTY OF NILE STT {BOX-SIZG:NTENT-BOX;MAX-WIDTH:600PX;PADDG:0PX 20PX;MARG:0PX TO;FONT-FAY:'COLABORATE LIGHT','LUCIDA SANS UNI',SANS-SERIF;MARG-BOTTOM:5PX;} A{LOR:#7B1B18;}BY SOPHIE H. KIM, CRIMSON STAFF {BOX-SIZG:NTENT-BOX;MAX-WIDTH:600PX;PADDG:0PX 20PX;MARG:0PX TO;}{DISPLAY:NONE;}@MEDIA (MAX-WIDTH:950PX){{BOX-SIZG:NTENT-BOX;MAX-WIDTH:600PX;PADDG:0PX 20PX;MARG:0PX TO;DISPLAY:BLOCK;PADDG-TOP:20PX;PADDG-BOTTOM:20PX;MARG-TOP:20PX;BORR-TOP:1PX SOLID #EBEBEB;BORR-BOTTOM:1PX SOLID #EBEBEB;}}{DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;-WEBK-FLEX-DIRECTN:LUMN;-MS-FLEX-DIRECTN:LUMN;FLEX-DIRECTN:LUMN;WIDTH:TO;-WEBK-ALIGN-EMS:CENTER;-WEBK-BOX-ALIGN:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-ALIGN:CENTER;ALIGN-EMS:CENTER;POSN:-WEBK-STICKY;POSN:STICKY;TOP:70PX;-WEBK-FLEX-DIRECTN:ROW;-MS-FLEX-DIRECTN:ROW;FLEX-DIRECTN:ROW;-WEBK-BOX-PACK:CENTER;-WEBK-JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-PACK:CENTER;JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;POSN:UNSET;} {DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;PADDG:0PX;} > SPAN{WIDTH:35PX !IMPORTANT;HEIGHT:35PX !IMPORTANT;TEXT-ALIGN:CENTER;BORR-RADI:50%;} SVG{WIDTH:25PX !IMPORTANT;HEIGHT:35PX !IMPORTANT;} .ADDTHIS_BUTTON_EMAIL > SPAN, .ADDTHIS_BUTTON_PRT > SPAN, .ADDTHIS_BUTTON_LK > SPAN{BACKGROUND-LOR:#EBEBEB !IMPORTANT;} .ADDTHIS_UNTER .ADDTHIS_BUTTON_EXPAND{WIDTH:35PX;HEIGHT:35PX;MARG:0PX;PADDG:0PX;BACKGROUND:NONE;TEXT-ALIGN:CENTER;BORR:1PX SOLID #EBEBEB;BORR-RADI:50%;LOR:#EBEBEB !IMPORTANT;} .ADDTHIS_BUTTON_PACT{DISPLAY:NONE !IMPORTANT;} {MARG:0PX 5PX;}{POSN:RELATIVE;WIDTH:100%;} P{MAX-WIDTH:600PX;MARG:0PX TO;PADDG:0PX 20PX;BOX-SIZG:NTENT-BOX;FONT:17PX/25PX GEIA,SERIF;MARG-TOP:1EM;MARG-BOTTOM:1EM;} OL{MAX-WIDTH:600PX;MARG:0PX TO;PADDG:0PX 20PX;BOX-SIZG:NTENT-BOX;FONT:17PX/25PX GEIA,SERIF;PADDG-LEFT:80PX;} P A, OL A, P A:VISED, OL A:VISED{LOR:#BA0600;-WEBK-TRANSN:0.3S ALL;TRANSN:0.3S ALL;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} P A:HOVER, OL A:HOVER{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} H1, H2, H3, H4, H5, H6{MAX-WIDTH:600PX;MARG:0PX TO;PADDG:0PX 20PX;BOX-SIZG:NTENT-BOX;MARG-TOP:1EM;MARG-BOTTOM:1EM;LOR:#7B1B18;}THE FIRST THG THAT YOU NOTICE WHEN WALKG TO CENTRAL SQUARE THEATER’S PRODUCTN OF “ANGELS AMERI: A GAY FANTASIA ON NATNAL THEM, PART I: MILLENNIUM APPROACH,” DIRECTED BY ERIC TUCKER, IS THE ETHEREAL EMPTS. THE THEATER IS TRANSFORMED TO A STARK SPACE FILLED WH WHE FLUORCENT LIGHT, WHICH NEVER DIMS. INSTEAD, ACTORS WALK ONSTAGE AND SUALLY BEG TALKG, AS IF THE STAGE IS THE SIWALK AND THE DIENCE HAS JT STOPPED BY. IN CENTRAL SQUARE’S STAGG, THE MOVERS AND SHAKERS OF THE CHARACTERS’ WORLDS ARE NOT UNSEEN HEAVENLY FORC, RELIG DOCTRE, OR EVEN ANGELS: THEY ARE EACH OTHER.SET NEW YORK CY BETWEEN 1985 AND 1986, “ANGELS AMERI PART I: MILLENNIUM APPROACH” IS THE FIRST OF A TWO-PART EPIC BY TONY KHNER THAT FOLLOWS PRR WALTER, A GAY MAN WH AIDS; LOUIS IRONSON, HIS BOYIEND; ROY COHN, A GAY AND CLOSETED, UBER-NSERVATIVE, REPUBLIN LAWYER; JOE PT, A GAY AND CLOSETED, MORMON, REPUBLIN CLERK; AND HARPER, JOE’S WIFE. THE PLAY EXPLOR HOW THE CHARACTERS’ LIV TERTWE AND UNTANGLE, AND HOW, SPE IOLOGIL AND INTY DIFFERENC, THEY ARE ULTIMATELY SEPARABLE OM EACH OTHER.THE CHARACTERS’ MSY NNECTNS ARE HIGHLIGHTED BY EVOTIVE STAGG AND PROPS BY SCENIC DIGNER DEB SIVIGNY AND PROPS ARTISAN KARISSA ROBERTS. IN THE SEND SCENE OF THE PLAY, ROY COHN IS SEEMGLY NTROL, JUGGLG MULTIPLE PHON, WH THE WHOLE CY ON SPEED DIAL. HOWEVER, SKILLFUL PROP AND SET SIGN CHOIC REVEAL A EPER ELEMENT TO HIS CHARACTER. COHN SS ON A WHEELY OFFICE CHAIR, GIDDILY SPNG OUT TO ACTORS WH PHON FOR HIM TO GRAB. THE PHONE RDS, SPOOLG OUT LIKE OCTOP ARMS, SUGGT A SYMBSIS — A MSY PENNCY ON THE PEOPLE HE SPIS FOR BEG GAY, PROGRSIVE, AND LOWER CLASS. THROUGHOUT THE PLAY, THE RELATNSHIPS ARE RERCED THROUGH THE AGE OF THE PHON.THE PRODUCTN ALSO UTILIZ ATYPIL ATHETICS A WAY THAT’S IRONIC, TONGUE--CHEEK, AND CURRENT. BELIZE, A BLACK “EX-EX DRAG QUEEN,” ENTERS WEARG LEOPARD-PRT CHAPS, AND HIS OUTFS JT GET MORE FUN OM THERE. LOUIS IRONSON, A GAY JEWISH MAN WH A PENCHANT FOR GOG ON POLIL TANGENTS, IS EXACTLY THE KD OF CASTRO, WHE, LIBERAL GAY THAT’S JT ANNOYG ENOUGH TO PUT UP WH — EMPHASIZED BY HIS PREPPY CUFFED JEANS AND SNEAKERS. HARPER, A STRAIGHT, MORMON HOEWIFE AND VALIUM ADDICT WHO TO REALIZE THAT HER HBAND IS QUEER, IS DRSED JEWEL-TONED OVERALLS AND CONVERSE SNEAKERS, WHICH MAK HER LOOK MORE LIKE A YOUNG, NAIVE LLEGE STUNT THAN A HARRIED HOEWIFE. THE STUMG CHOIC BY DANIELE TYLER MATHEWS CREATE A DIVERSE ENSEMBLE ST THAT PLAY TO AND AGAST TYPE.THE PRODUCTN ALSO EXAM HOW QUEER BETY IS SEPARABLE OM TRAGEDY. IN ONE SCENE, PRR, WHO HAS BEEN RECENTLY DIAGNOSED WH AIDS, IS ALONE AT HOME, GETTG TO DRAG TO PE. HE HOP TO NEGATE SICKNS WH BETY, UNSIRABILY WH SIRABILY. HOWEVER, STEAD OF TRANSFORMG HIS FACE THROUGH MAKP OR FTOONG HIMSELF WH GLAMORO CLOTHG, PRR FASHNS A MAKHIFT DRS OM THE SAME WHE SHROUD THAT SERVED, VAR PARTS OF THE PLAY, AS A BURIAL SHROUD. IT ULD BE AN ALLN TO LADY LIBERTY, OR ULD BE JT A DRS. THE SIMPLICY OF THE MOMENT IS BOTH DIGNIFIED AND HEARTBREAKG: IN THE WORLD OF “ANGELS AMERI,” BETY IS NOT AN PE OM DISEASE AND ATH. INSTEAD, THEY ARE CUT OM THE SAME CLOTH.IN ADDN, BY JUXTAPOSG DIFFERENT SCEN OF MALE TIMACY THROUGH STAGG, THE PLAY EXPLOR THE WAYS THAT MEN ARE SOCIALLY ALLOWED TO SEEK OUT CLOSENS AND EMOTNAL HONTY. IN ONE SCENE, LOUIS, SEEKG PE, ABANDONS PRR AT THE HOSPAL AND GO CISG CENTRAL PARK. AT THE SAME TIME, ROY AND JOE HAVE A HEART-TO-HEART ABOUT FATHERHOOD OVER TUMBLERS OF WHISKEY. AS THE TWO SCEN UNFOLD AROUND EACH OTHER — LOUIS ON THE GROUND HAVG SEX WH AN ANONYMO SEX WORKER AND, LS THAN A FOOT AWAY, ROY AND JOE MATG OVER WHAT MEANS TO BE A GOOD SON — THE DIENCE IS ASKED TO THK ABOUT HOW THE RELATNSHIPS MIGHT NOT BE SO DIFFERENT AFTER ALL.THE STAGG AND PROPS ALSO HIGHLIGHT HOW THE GHOSTS OF QUEER ATH AND NSERVATIVE BIGOTRY HNT THE PLAY. IN ONE SCENE, ROY AND HIS POLIL ALLY MART ARE HAVG DNER. WHILE CHATTG ABOUT HOW THEY WILL EVABLY SECURE REPUBLIN MAJORI AND PASS BILLS LIMG THE RIGHTS OF MARGALIZED GROUPS, ROY AND MART HOLD A WHE SHEET BETWEEN THEM AS A TABLE, WHICH HOVERS ABOVE THE GROUND. THEY DROP THE SHEET, WHICH FALLS, REVEALG THE NCEALED BODY OF PRR. THE DIENCE REALIZ THAT ROY AND MART ARE LERALLY TALKG OVER THE AD BODI OF MEN THEY HAVE KILLED. IN ANOTHER SCENE, AS ROY IMPLOR JOE TO JO HIM WASHGTON, D.C. TO SUPPORT PRINT RONALD REAGAN, ROY WALKS AMONG WHE SHEETS ON THE GROUND. THE TR LLS TO MD THE BODI OF QUEER PEOPLE WHO DIED DUE TO REAGAN’S POLICI AND ACTN. THE SIGN CHOIC SUBTLY PAY TRIBUTE TO OTHERS WHO ARE NOT FEATURED OR NAMED THE PLAY BUT STILL SUFFERED AND DIED DURG THE AIDS EPIMIC.LASTLY, THE PRODUCTN MAK E OF AN ASTONISHG REVEAL THE FAL SCEN TO SIGNAL THE ARRIVAL OF THE ANGEL. NOT TO SPOIL ANYTHG, BUT THAT REVEAL ALONE MAK THE PLAY WORTH SEEG. IF AN UTTER TRANSFORMATN OF THEATRIL SPACE IS WHAT YOU’RE LOOKG FOR, “ANGELS AMERI” AT CENTRAL SQUARE THEATER IS THE PLACE TO FD .—STAFF WRER SOPHIE H. KIM N BE REACHED AT {FONT-SIZE:16.5PX;LE-HEIGHT:26PX;BOX-SIZG:NTENT-BOX;MAX-WIDTH:600PX;PADDG:0PX 20PX;MARG:0PX TO;MARG:1EM TO;} A{LOR:#7B1B18;}WANT TO KEEP UP WH BREAKG NEWS? 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- ANDREW GARFIELD FAC BACKLASH AFTER SAYG 'I AM A GAY MAN RIGHT NOW JT WHOUT THE PHYSIL ACT'
- 5 TIM SPIR-MAN ACTORS HAVE PLAYED GAY
- KEN HAS ALWAYS BEEN BARBIE’S GAY BT FRIEND—NOT HER BOYIENDBARBIE’S BELOVED BEARD?FOR YEARS, PEOPLE HAVE QUTNED WHAT ROLE KEN REALLY PLAYS BARBIE’S LIFE. BUT THE TTH IS PLA SIGHT: KEN’S NOT BOYIEND MATERIAL. AT LEAST, NOT FOR BARBIE.BARRY LEVTFREELANCE WRERUPDATED JUL. 21, 2023 4:35AM EDT PHOTO ILLTRATN BY THE DAILY BEAST/GETTYIT’S BARBIE WEEK AT THE DAILY BEAST’S OBSSED, CELEBRATG THE DOLL’S POP-CULTURE HISTORY, OUR FAVORE BARBIE MEMORI, AND A CERTA MAJOR MOVIE. READ ALL OF OUR VERAGE HERE!“SHE’S EVERYTHG. HE’S JT KEN.” THAT’S THE TAGLE FOR THE WILDLY ANTICIPATED BARBIE MOVIE, DIRECTED BY GRETA GERWIG AND STARRG MARGOT ROBBIE AND RYAN GOSLG. THE IMPLITN IS CLEAR: COME FOR BARBIE, AND STAY FOR BARBIE… BUT KEN HAPPENS TO BE THERE TOO.KEN HAS LONG BEEN SEEN AS NOTHG BUT BARBIE’S HUMAN ACCSORY, BUT WASN’T ALWAYS THIS WAY FOR THE POOR MISUNRSTOOD DOLL. WHEN KEN WAS FIRST TRODUCED 1961, HIS FIRST MERCIAL TRIED TO POSN HIM AS BARBIE’S EQUAL AND, UNMISTAKABLY, BOYIEND. “GET BOTH BARBIE AND KEN AND SEE WHERE THE ROMANCE WILL LEAD!” THE MERCIAL PROMISED.SCE THEN, LIKE BARBIE, KEN HAS UNRGONE UNTLS TRANSFORMATNS AND FASHNS. BUT AS TIME WENT ON, KEN FOUND HIMSELF AN AFTERTHOUGHT. TOYMAKERS MATTEL NEVER GAVE HIM THE SAME KD OF BACKSTORI AS BARBIE—WHILE SHE’S HAD OVER 200 REERS, KEN HAS HAD JT SOME 40-ODD PROFSNS. (AN CREDIBLE AMOUNT OF JOBS FOR A PERSON, SURE. BUT FOR A DOLL? EMBARRASSG.) BARBIE HAS STARRED LOTS OF VIO GAM AND MORE THAN THREE DOZEN FILMS; KEN HAS HAD A MAJOR ROLE A MERE HANDFUL OF THEM. BUT THERE’S ONE KEY REASON WHY KEN IS ALWAYS LAGGG SIGNIFINTLY BEHD BARBIE AND 'S A LOT EPER THAN THE DOLL’S SEEMG LACK OF POPULARY: KEN HAS BEEN MISST. HE’S NOT BARBIE’S BOYIEND. HE’S BARBIE’S GAY BT IEND.DPE MATTEL’S SISTENCE THAT BARBIE AND KEN ARE A HAPPY ROMANTIC RELATNSHIP, THERE’S PLENTY OF SPECULATN ABOUT KEN’S SEXUALY. EVEN IF HIS MAKERS CLAIM HIM TO BE STRAIGHT, THERE’S MOUNTG PROOF TO THE NTRARY. PERHAPS THE MOST DISPUTABLE EVINCE THAT KEN IS FACT BOTH A MEMBER OF THE QUEER MUNY AND BARBIE’S BTIE, NOT BOY TOY, OM A RATHER SURPRISG PLACE: 2010’S TOY STORY 3.IN TOY STORY 3, BARBIE AND KEN PLAY A SURPRISGLY LARGE ROLE. THEIR TRODUCTN TO THE FILM IS TGED WH ROMANTIC TENSN. WHEN THE PAIR MEET, THE FILM VOK A MON TROPE: A ROMANTIC NEEDLE DROP HS THE MOMENT THE LOVERS LOCK EY. IN THIS SE, ’S “DREAM WEAVER” BY GARY WRIGHT. AS FAR AS BARBIE AND KEN ARE NCERNED, THEY’RE THE ONLY ON THE ROOM. “I LOVE YOUR LEG WARMERS!” KEN TELLS BARBIE. “NICE AST,” SHE BANTERS, WH HEAVY EMPHASIS ON THE FIRST SYLLABLE. BEFORE THGS GET TOO HEATED, THEY LOCK ARMS AND WALK OFF TOGETHER. PHOTO ILLTRATN BY KELLY CAMERO / THE DAILY BEAST / GETTY LET’S BE HONT—SPE THE ROMANTIC OVERTON OF THE SCENE, THEIR BRIEF EXCHANGE TELLS EVERYTHG ABOUT HOW THEY SEE EACH OTHER. KEN DON’T MENTN ANYTHG ABOUT BARBIE’S BODY, STEAD HIGHLIGHTG HER LEG WARMERS. BUT BARBIE IS UNSUBTLY TRYG TO SCE KEN JT TWO WORDS. SHE’S AFTER KEN, BUT KEN IS AFTER SOMEONE WHOSE CLOTH HE N ADMIRE.SURE, LATER THE FILM, KEN AND BARBIE SAY “I LOVE YOU” TO EACH OTHER. AND THEY GO BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN SAYG EACH WORD OF “I LOVE YOU”—SO SOMEONE DIFFERENT N SAY “LOVE” EACH TIME, AS KEN EXPLAS. HE MENTNS OFFHAND THAT HE HAS EVERYTHG EXCEPT SOMEONE TO SHARE WH. BARBIE AND KEN EVEN NUZZLE THEIR NOS TOGETHER. Y, THERE’S FELY LOVE BETWEEN IENDS—BUT THROUGH ALL, THERE’S NOT A HT OF SEXUAL CHEMISTRY.LOOK, I KNOW WHAT YOU’RE THKG—SIR, THIS IS TOY STORY; WHAT EXACTLY ARE YOU EXPECTG? IF YOU LOOK AT OTHER ROMANC THE ANCHISE—WOODY AND BO PEEP, AND JSE AND BUZZ—THERE’S NO DOUBT THAT THERE’S REAL LOVE THERE BETWEEN THE SENTIENT TOYS. THEIR PASSN FOR ONE ANOTHER TRANSCENDS MORE THAN SIMPLY BEG TERTED EACH OTHER’S OUTFS. THE SAME NNOT BE SAID OF THE MATTEL DOLLS. THAT’S MA EVINT WHEN KEN FALLY GETS AN OPPORTUNY FOR TIMACY WH BARBIE. “THIS IS WHERE THE MAGIC HAPPENS,” HE TELLS BARBIE WHEN THEY FALLY GO TO HIS DREAMHOE TOGETHER, HAVG PARENTS ALL OVER THE WORLD CLUTCHG THEIR PEARLS. BUT FEAR NOT: KEN SIMPLY TAK BARBIE TO… HIS WALK- WARDROBE. ANY SEMBLANCE OF ROMANCE MAK WAY FOR IENDSHIP, WHEN THE PAIR JUBILANTLY PESE KEN’S OUTFS. AND STEAD OF DOG SOMETHG WILD LIKE KISSG BARBIE, KEN PUTS ON A FASHN SHOW FOR HER STEAD. THE FILM WON’T SAY , BUT A POST-CREDS PUNCHLE ABOUT KEN’S HANDWRG, PLETE WH HEARTS AND STARS SURROUNDG HIS NAME, TELLS WHAT WE NEED TO KNOW.THE HEAVILY IMPLIED NATURE OF KEN’S GAYNS TOY STORY 3 HARKENS BACK TO HOLLYWOOD’S TRADNAL GAY BT IEND-TYPE CHARACTERS. IN THE HAYS CO ERA, EXPLIC REFERENC TO HOMOSEXUALY WEREN’T ALLOWED, SO CHARACTERS LIKE VAN BUREN (FRANKL PANGBORN) 1937’S EASY LIVG, KIP (DAVID WAYNE) 1949’S ADAM’S RIB, OR ADDISON (GEE SANRS) 1950’S ALL ABOUT EVE STEAD WERE IMBUED WH EFFEMATE CHARACTERISTICS, OFFERG A GLIMPSE OUTSI OF HETERONORMATIVY WHOUT EXPLICLY BEG QUEER.NONE OF THE CHARACTERS WERE THE SAME—SOME WERE TTY, OTHERS SWEET. SOME HAD ULTERR MOTIV, AND OTHERS OFFERED UNNDNAL SUPPORT. BUT EACH OF THE GAY BT IENDS WAS TRSILLY FED BY THEIR RELATNSHIPS WH THEIR STRAIGHT IENDS. WE NEVER REALLY LEARNED MUCH ABOUT THEM AS DIVIDUALS. THEY LIVED ON THE MARGS, FLHG OUT THEIR STRAIGHT UNTERPARTS, HARDLY HAVG A PURPOSE WHOUT THEM; THAT PORTRAYAL REMAS TE TODAY. PHOTO ILLTRATN BY KELLY CAMERO / THE DAILY BEAST / PHOTOS BY GETTY / WARNER BROS. DES LATER, 2010, THE GAY BT IEND WAS ALL THE RAGE; TEEN VOGUE EVEN WENT SO FAR AS TO PROCLAIM THE GBF AS THE SUMMER’S MT-HAVE ACCSORY. BUT UNLIKE THE FIRST HALF OF THE 20TH CENTURY, TODAY’S CEMA, THE GBF IS ALLOWED TO BE OPENLY GAY. AT THE SAME TIME, THEY STILL BARELY REGISTER AS PEOPLE WH CHARACTER TRAS BEYOND THEIR RELATNSHIPS WH THEIR STRAIGHT UNTERPARTS. IN MOVI LIKE MEAN GIRLS (2004), THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA (2006), EASY A (2010), NO STRGS ATTACHED (2011), AND ISN’T IT ROMANTIC (2019), GAY IENDS EXIST ENTIRELY THE ORB OF THEIR FEMALE IENDS. IT’S SUCH A STRONG TROPE THAT EVEN PERSISTS QUEER ROMANTIC EDI: 2020’S HAPPIT SEASON FDS JOHN (DAN LEVY) OFFERG ADVICE AND SNARKY ONE-LERS TO HIS LBIAN BTIE LI OF MEANGFUL CHARACTER VELOPMENT.IN TOY STORY 3, THE SAME IS TE OF KEN. HIS EXISTENCE PENDS ON AND CIRCULAT AROUND BARBIE. IN BARBIE, KEN HAS FOUND SOMEONE WHO REALLY UNRSTANDS HIM. HE DON’T GET ALONG WH THE OTHER TOYS, WHO MOCK HIM FOR BEG A “GIRL'S TOY.” BUT BARBIE LOV FASHN, JT LIKE HE DO. “NO ONE APPRECIAT CLOTH HERE, BARBIE,” KEN LAMENTS TO BARBIE, ABOUT THE OTHER TOYS’ TREATMENT OF HIM. “NO ONE!” BUT BARBIE DO, AND FOR KEN, THAT’S LIFE-CHANGG.THERE ARE PLENTY OF REASONS WHY THE FILM WOULDN’T OUTRIGHTLY STATE THAT KEN IS HOMOSEXUAL. NOT ONLY DO DISNEY SELF HAVE A PLITED HISTORY WH QUEER CHARACTERS, BUT KEN AND BARBIE ARE ALSO THE PROPERTY OF MATTEL, WHICH HAS ALWAYS BEEN STEADFAST ASSERTG KEN’S HETEROSEXUALY. THAT’S NEVER BEEN CLEARER THAN 1993 WHEN THE TOY PANY TRIED TO REIGNE KEN’S POPULARY MATTEL’S SOLUTN? EARRG MAGIC KEN. EARRG MAGIC KEN WAS A FIERCER, FELY MORE QUEER KEN THAN EVER BEFORE. THIS VERSN OF THE DOLL HAD BLEACHED BLON HAIR, A PURPLE LEATHER VT (!), A PK-PURPLE MH TOP (!!), AND OF URSE, AND EARRG THE “GAY EAR”. BUT THAT’S NOT ALL: AROUND KEN’S NECK WAS SOMETHG THAT ANY ACTIVE PARTICIPANT OF THE QUEER SCENE THE ’90S REGNIZED STANTLY—A CK RG (!!!).THE EARRG MAGIC KEN TURNED BARBIE’S BOYIEND TO AN OUT-AND-PROUD HOMOSEXUAL RAVER. MATTEL, OF URSE, VEHEMENTLY NIED ANY CLAIMS THAT KEN WAS GAY, LET ALONE THAT HE HAD SOMETHG AS PREPOSTERO AS A CK RG AROUND HIS NECK. AS LISA MCKENDALL, FORMER MANAGER OF MARKETG AND MUNITNS, SAID AN TERVIEW ABOUT THE DOLL, “WE’RE NOT THE BS OF PUTTG CK RGS TO THE HANDS OF LTLE GIRLS.”REGARDLS OF MATTEL’S TENTNS, ’S HARD TO NY WHAT THE EYE N SEE. DPE THE NAME, CK RGS AT THE TIME WERE ED AS A FASHN ACCSORY AND A SIGN OF FIANT QUEERNS AND SEX POSIVY. AS A RULT, GAY MEN BOUGHT THE DOLL DROV, AND SPE MATTEL ULTIMATELY RELLG THE DOLL AND WIPG AWAY ANY TRACE OF EARRG MAGIC KEN, WAS NEAR-IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE KEN AS ANYTHG BUT THE GLOR HOMOSEXUAL HE WAS BORN TO BE OM THEN ON. MATTEL SPENT THE NEXT UPLE OF S TRYG TO RETA KEN’S MORE HETERONORMATIVE, MASCULE IMAGE, BUT THE VEIL WAS LIFTED, AND THERE WAS NO GOG BACK. PHOTO ILLTRATN BY KELLY CAMERO/THE DAILY BEAST/PHOTOS BY GETTY/WARNER BROS. THOUGH MATTEL DON’T SEEM TO BE WILLG TO SAY KEN IS ACTUALLY GAY, THE KEN DOLLS OF RECENT YEARS SEEM TO REALLY LEAN TO KEN’S QUEERNS. THE YASSIFITN OF KEN IS CLEARLY UNRWAY. WHILE THERE IS NO WAY TO “DRS GAY,” THERE ARE SEVERAL DOLLS THAT SEEM TO SUGGT OTHERWISE, SUCH AS:FASHNISTA KEN #193, WHO LOOKS VERY EXCED TO TELL YOU ABOUT HIS NEW OBSSN, TROYE SIVAN;TRAVEL KEN DOLL, WHO HAS A SATCHEL PERFECT FOR BATHHO AND A PURPLE OVERNIGHT BAG THAT LERALLY PROCLAIMS HE’S “EXTRA;”KEN LOOKS DOLL, SERVG “I’M GONNA GIVE YOU A MAKEOVER”-TYPE REALNS WHILE SPORTG BLACK PLEATHER PANTS;THIS KEN, WHO WEARS THE LEAST HETEROSEXUAL DOUBLE NIM IMAGABLE.WHILE I HAVE A FEELG THE NEW BARBIE MOVIE WILL PUT THE WORK TO NVCE THAT KEN IS A HETERO DU WHO LOV NOTHG LIFE MORE THAN BARBIE HERSELF, THE WRG’S ALREADY ON THE WALL: KEN IS, AND ALWAYS WILL BE, BARBIE’S GAY BT IEND.KEEP OBSSG! SIGN UP FOR THE DAILY BEAST’S OBSSED NEWSLETTER AND FOLLOW ON FACEBOOK, TWTER, INSTAGRAM AND TIKTOK.READ MORE OF OUR BARBIE VERAGE HERE. BARRY LEVT
‘ANGELS AMERI PART I’ REVIEW: A GHOSTLY SYMBSIS OF QUEER {GRID-ROW-START:2;GRID-LUMN-START:2;GRID-LUMN-END:3;}@MEDIA (MAX-WIDTH:950PX){{GRID-LUMN-START:1;GRID-LUMN-END:2;}}{MARG-BOTTOM:1EM;}{DISPLAY:BLOCK;MARG:0PX TO;MAX-WIDTH:640PX;Z-X:20;POSN:RELATIVE;} > DIV{BOX-SIZG:NTENT-BOX;PADDG:0PX 20PX;MARG:0PX TO;} > DIV.SHORT-LEFT{FLOAT:LEFT;} > DIV.SHORT-RIGHT{FLOAT:RIGHT;} > DIV.SHORT-SMALL{MAX-WIDTH:200PX;} > DIV.SHORT-MEDIUM{MAX-WIDTH:400PX;} > DIV.SHORT-LARGE{MAX-WIDTH:600PX;} > DIV.SHORT-XLARGE{MAX-WIDTH:1000PX;} > DIV.SHORT-FULLSCREEN{PADDG:0PX;}{WIDTH:100%;}{MAX-WIDTH:1000PX;MARG:5PX 0PX TO;FONT-FAY:'COLABORATE LIGHT','LUCIDA SANS UNI',SANS-SERIF;LOR:#777;FONT-SIZE:15PX;}THE ST OF ANGELS AMERI, PART 1 AT CENTRAL SQUARE THEATER IMG{PADDG-RIGHT:7PX;}BY {LOR:#BA0600;}COURTY OF NILE STT {BOX-SIZG:NTENT-BOX;MAX-WIDTH:600PX;PADDG:0PX 20PX;MARG:0PX TO;FONT-FAY:'COLABORATE LIGHT','LUCIDA SANS UNI',SANS-SERIF;MARG-BOTTOM:5PX;} A{LOR:#7B1B18;}BY SOPHIE H. KIM, CRIMSON STAFF {BOX-SIZG:NTENT-BOX;MAX-WIDTH:600PX;PADDG:0PX 20PX;MARG:0PX TO;}{DISPLAY:NONE;}@MEDIA (MAX-WIDTH:950PX){{BOX-SIZG:NTENT-BOX;MAX-WIDTH:600PX;PADDG:0PX 20PX;MARG:0PX TO;DISPLAY:BLOCK;PADDG-TOP:20PX;PADDG-BOTTOM:20PX;MARG-TOP:20PX;BORR-TOP:1PX SOLID #EBEBEB;BORR-BOTTOM:1PX SOLID #EBEBEB;}}{DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;-WEBK-FLEX-DIRECTN:LUMN;-MS-FLEX-DIRECTN:LUMN;FLEX-DIRECTN:LUMN;WIDTH:TO;-WEBK-ALIGN-EMS:CENTER;-WEBK-BOX-ALIGN:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-ALIGN:CENTER;ALIGN-EMS:CENTER;POSN:-WEBK-STICKY;POSN:STICKY;TOP:70PX;-WEBK-FLEX-DIRECTN:ROW;-MS-FLEX-DIRECTN:ROW;FLEX-DIRECTN:ROW;-WEBK-BOX-PACK:CENTER;-WEBK-JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-PACK:CENTER;JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;POSN:UNSET;} {DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;PADDG:0PX;} > SPAN{WIDTH:35PX !IMPORTANT;HEIGHT:35PX !IMPORTANT;TEXT-ALIGN:CENTER;BORR-RADI:50%;} SVG{WIDTH:25PX !IMPORTANT;HEIGHT:35PX !IMPORTANT;} .ADDTHIS_BUTTON_EMAIL > SPAN, .ADDTHIS_BUTTON_PRT > SPAN, .ADDTHIS_BUTTON_LK > SPAN{BACKGROUND-LOR:#EBEBEB !IMPORTANT;} .ADDTHIS_UNTER .ADDTHIS_BUTTON_EXPAND{WIDTH:35PX;HEIGHT:35PX;MARG:0PX;PADDG:0PX;BACKGROUND:NONE;TEXT-ALIGN:CENTER;BORR:1PX SOLID #EBEBEB;BORR-RADI:50%;LOR:#EBEBEB !IMPORTANT;} .ADDTHIS_BUTTON_PACT{DISPLAY:NONE !IMPORTANT;} {MARG:0PX 5PX;}{POSN:RELATIVE;WIDTH:100%;} P{MAX-WIDTH:600PX;MARG:0PX TO;PADDG:0PX 20PX;BOX-SIZG:NTENT-BOX;FONT:17PX/25PX GEIA,SERIF;MARG-TOP:1EM;MARG-BOTTOM:1EM;} OL{MAX-WIDTH:600PX;MARG:0PX TO;PADDG:0PX 20PX;BOX-SIZG:NTENT-BOX;FONT:17PX/25PX GEIA,SERIF;PADDG-LEFT:80PX;} P A, OL A, P A:VISED, OL A:VISED{LOR:#BA0600;-WEBK-TRANSN:0.3S ALL;TRANSN:0.3S ALL;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} P A:HOVER, OL A:HOVER{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} H1, H2, H3, H4, H5, H6{MAX-WIDTH:600PX;MARG:0PX TO;PADDG:0PX 20PX;BOX-SIZG:NTENT-BOX;MARG-TOP:1EM;MARG-BOTTOM:1EM;LOR:#7B1B18;}THE FIRST THG THAT YOU NOTICE WHEN WALKG TO CENTRAL SQUARE THEATER’S PRODUCTN OF “ANGELS AMERI: A GAY FANTASIA ON NATNAL THEM, PART I: MILLENNIUM APPROACH,” DIRECTED BY ERIC TUCKER, IS THE ETHEREAL EMPTS. THE THEATER IS TRANSFORMED TO A STARK SPACE FILLED WH WHE FLUORCENT LIGHT, WHICH NEVER DIMS. INSTEAD, ACTORS WALK ONSTAGE AND SUALLY BEG TALKG, AS IF THE STAGE IS THE SIWALK AND THE DIENCE HAS JT STOPPED BY. IN CENTRAL SQUARE’S STAGG, THE MOVERS AND SHAKERS OF THE CHARACTERS’ WORLDS ARE NOT UNSEEN HEAVENLY FORC, RELIG DOCTRE, OR EVEN ANGELS: THEY ARE EACH OTHER.SET NEW YORK CY BETWEEN 1985 AND 1986, “ANGELS AMERI PART I: MILLENNIUM APPROACH” IS THE FIRST OF A TWO-PART EPIC BY TONY KHNER THAT FOLLOWS PRR WALTER, A GAY MAN WH AIDS; LOUIS IRONSON, HIS BOYIEND; ROY COHN, A GAY AND CLOSETED, UBER-NSERVATIVE, REPUBLIN LAWYER; JOE PT, A GAY AND CLOSETED, MORMON, REPUBLIN CLERK; AND HARPER, JOE’S WIFE. THE PLAY EXPLOR HOW THE CHARACTERS’ LIV TERTWE AND UNTANGLE, AND HOW, SPE IOLOGIL AND INTY DIFFERENC, THEY ARE ULTIMATELY SEPARABLE OM EACH OTHER.THE CHARACTERS’ MSY NNECTNS ARE HIGHLIGHTED BY EVOTIVE STAGG AND PROPS BY SCENIC DIGNER DEB SIVIGNY AND PROPS ARTISAN KARISSA ROBERTS. IN THE SEND SCENE OF THE PLAY, ROY COHN IS SEEMGLY NTROL, JUGGLG MULTIPLE PHON, WH THE WHOLE CY ON SPEED DIAL. HOWEVER, SKILLFUL PROP AND SET SIGN CHOIC REVEAL A EPER ELEMENT TO HIS CHARACTER. COHN SS ON A WHEELY OFFICE CHAIR, GIDDILY SPNG OUT TO ACTORS WH PHON FOR HIM TO GRAB. THE PHONE RDS, SPOOLG OUT LIKE OCTOP ARMS, SUGGT A SYMBSIS — A MSY PENNCY ON THE PEOPLE HE SPIS FOR BEG GAY, PROGRSIVE, AND LOWER CLASS. THROUGHOUT THE PLAY, THE RELATNSHIPS ARE RERCED THROUGH THE AGE OF THE PHON.THE PRODUCTN ALSO UTILIZ ATYPIL ATHETICS A WAY THAT’S IRONIC, TONGUE--CHEEK, AND CURRENT. BELIZE, A BLACK “EX-EX DRAG QUEEN,” ENTERS WEARG LEOPARD-PRT CHAPS, AND HIS OUTFS JT GET MORE FUN OM THERE. LOUIS IRONSON, A GAY JEWISH MAN WH A PENCHANT FOR GOG ON POLIL TANGENTS, IS EXACTLY THE KD OF CASTRO, WHE, LIBERAL GAY THAT’S JT ANNOYG ENOUGH TO PUT UP WH — EMPHASIZED BY HIS PREPPY CUFFED JEANS AND SNEAKERS. HARPER, A STRAIGHT, MORMON HOEWIFE AND VALIUM ADDICT WHO TO REALIZE THAT HER HBAND IS QUEER, IS DRSED JEWEL-TONED OVERALLS AND CONVERSE SNEAKERS, WHICH MAK HER LOOK MORE LIKE A YOUNG, NAIVE LLEGE STUNT THAN A HARRIED HOEWIFE. THE STUMG CHOIC BY DANIELE TYLER MATHEWS CREATE A DIVERSE ENSEMBLE ST THAT PLAY TO AND AGAST TYPE.THE PRODUCTN ALSO EXAM HOW QUEER BETY IS SEPARABLE OM TRAGEDY. IN ONE SCENE, PRR, WHO HAS BEEN RECENTLY DIAGNOSED WH AIDS, IS ALONE AT HOME, GETTG TO DRAG TO PE. HE HOP TO NEGATE SICKNS WH BETY, UNSIRABILY WH SIRABILY. HOWEVER, STEAD OF TRANSFORMG HIS FACE THROUGH MAKP OR FTOONG HIMSELF WH GLAMORO CLOTHG, PRR FASHNS A MAKHIFT DRS OM THE SAME WHE SHROUD THAT SERVED, VAR PARTS OF THE PLAY, AS A BURIAL SHROUD. IT ULD BE AN ALLN TO LADY LIBERTY, OR ULD BE JT A DRS. THE SIMPLICY OF THE MOMENT IS BOTH DIGNIFIED AND HEARTBREAKG: IN THE WORLD OF “ANGELS AMERI,” BETY IS NOT AN PE OM DISEASE AND ATH. INSTEAD, THEY ARE CUT OM THE SAME CLOTH.IN ADDN, BY JUXTAPOSG DIFFERENT SCEN OF MALE TIMACY THROUGH STAGG, THE PLAY EXPLOR THE WAYS THAT MEN ARE SOCIALLY ALLOWED TO SEEK OUT CLOSENS AND EMOTNAL HONTY. IN ONE SCENE, LOUIS, SEEKG PE, ABANDONS PRR AT THE HOSPAL AND GO CISG CENTRAL PARK. AT THE SAME TIME, ROY AND JOE HAVE A HEART-TO-HEART ABOUT FATHERHOOD OVER TUMBLERS OF WHISKEY. AS THE TWO SCEN UNFOLD AROUND EACH OTHER — LOUIS ON THE GROUND HAVG SEX WH AN ANONYMO SEX WORKER AND, LS THAN A FOOT AWAY, ROY AND JOE MATG OVER WHAT MEANS TO BE A GOOD SON — THE DIENCE IS ASKED TO THK ABOUT HOW THE RELATNSHIPS MIGHT NOT BE SO DIFFERENT AFTER ALL.THE STAGG AND PROPS ALSO HIGHLIGHT HOW THE GHOSTS OF QUEER ATH AND NSERVATIVE BIGOTRY HNT THE PLAY. IN ONE SCENE, ROY AND HIS POLIL ALLY MART ARE HAVG DNER. WHILE CHATTG ABOUT HOW THEY WILL EVABLY SECURE REPUBLIN MAJORI AND PASS BILLS LIMG THE RIGHTS OF MARGALIZED GROUPS, ROY AND MART HOLD A WHE SHEET BETWEEN THEM AS A TABLE, WHICH HOVERS ABOVE THE GROUND. THEY DROP THE SHEET, WHICH FALLS, REVEALG THE NCEALED BODY OF PRR. THE DIENCE REALIZ THAT ROY AND MART ARE LERALLY TALKG OVER THE AD BODI OF MEN THEY HAVE KILLED. IN ANOTHER SCENE, AS ROY IMPLOR JOE TO JO HIM WASHGTON, D.C. TO SUPPORT PRINT RONALD REAGAN, ROY WALKS AMONG WHE SHEETS ON THE GROUND. THE TR LLS TO MD THE BODI OF QUEER PEOPLE WHO DIED DUE TO REAGAN’S POLICI AND ACTN. THE SIGN CHOIC SUBTLY PAY TRIBUTE TO OTHERS WHO ARE NOT FEATURED OR NAMED THE PLAY BUT STILL SUFFERED AND DIED DURG THE AIDS EPIMIC.LASTLY, THE PRODUCTN MAK E OF AN ASTONISHG REVEAL THE FAL SCEN TO SIGNAL THE ARRIVAL OF THE ANGEL. NOT TO SPOIL ANYTHG, BUT THAT REVEAL ALONE MAK THE PLAY WORTH SEEG. IF AN UTTER TRANSFORMATN OF THEATRIL SPACE IS WHAT YOU’RE LOOKG FOR, “ANGELS AMERI” AT CENTRAL SQUARE THEATER IS THE PLACE TO FD .—STAFF WRER SOPHIE H. KIM N BE REACHED AT {FONT-SIZE:16.5PX;LE-HEIGHT:26PX;BOX-SIZG:NTENT-BOX;MAX-WIDTH:600PX;PADDG:0PX 20PX;MARG:0PX TO;MARG:1EM TO;} A{LOR:#7B1B18;}WANT TO KEEP UP WH BREAKG NEWS? 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Andrew Garfield found himself hot water on Monday wh the LGBTQ muny, after sayg,"I am a gay man right now, jt whout the physil act"" emprop="scriptn * angels in america gay movie *
The first thg that you notice when walkg to Central Square Theater’s productn of “Angels Ameri: A Gay Fantasia on Natnal Them, Part I: Millennium Approach, ” directed by Eric Tucker, is the ethereal empts. In Central Square’s stagg, the movers and shakers of the characters’ worlds are not unseen heavenly forc, relig doctre, or even angels: They are each New York Cy between 1985 and 1986, “Angels Ameri Part I: Millennium Approach” is the first of a two-part epic by Tony Khner that follows Prr Walter, a gay man wh AIDS; Louis Ironson, his boyiend; Roy Cohn, a gay and closeted, uber-nservative, Republin lawyer; Joe Pt, a gay and closeted, Mormon, Republin clerk; and Harper, Joe’s wife. The phone rds, spoolg out like octop arms, suggt a symbsis — a msy penncy on the people he spis for beg gay, progrsive, and lower class.
ANDREW GARFIELD FAC BACKLASH AFTER SAYG 'I AM A GAY MAN RIGHT NOW JT WHOUT THE PHYSIL ACT'
Tony Khner. Wrer: Wt Si Story. Tony Khner's play "Angels Ameri: A Gay Fantasia on Natnal Them" earned him the Pulzer Prize, among many other awards. His other acclaimed plays clu "Slavs", "Homebody/Kabul" and "Carole, or Change". He has llaborated wh children's thor and illtrator Mrice Sendak on several books. In 2003, Khner married his boyiend, Mark Harris, edor at large of Entertament Weekly; they were the first gay..." data-id="ma * angels in america gay movie *
Louis Ironson, a gay Jewish man wh a penchant for gog on polil tangents, is exactly the kd of Castro, whe, liberal gay that’s jt annoyg enough to put up wh — emphasized by his preppy cuffed jeans and sneakers. “”Angels Ameri: A Gay Fantasia on Natnal Them” is an award-wng play by Tony Khner, wh both Part I and Part II takg the Tony Award for Bt Play and Part I wng the Pulzer Prize for Drama. Wh an plex tertwed story told via an ensemble st, the play poetilly ptur the polil and social atmosphere of AIDS and Homosexualy Ameri durg the 1980’s.
Two big qutns surround this revival of Tony Khner’s epic, two-part “gay fantasia on natnal them”, which is betifully staged by Marianne Elltt and boasts a starry st head by Nathan Lane and Andrew do the two plays jtify their formidable eight-hour length?
5 TIM SPIR-MAN ACTORS HAVE PLAYED GAY
The answer is, a b of the tighter, tter first play, Millennium Approach, Khner certaly ptur the fear and uncertaty ed by the Aids crisis: this is 1985, and many of the characters are a state of sexual most vividly drawn is the power-brokg lawyer, Roy Cohn, who rejects the label of homosexual on the grounds that they are men who have “zero clout”.
Prejudice and homophobia still exist but, watchg the first play, one is remd how much has changed sce was wrten terms of gay rights, sexual openns and HIV-ttg.
KEN HAS ALWAYS BEEN BARBIE’S GAY BT FRIEND—NOT HER BOYIENDBARBIE’S BELOVED BEARD?FOR YEARS, PEOPLE HAVE QUTNED WHAT ROLE KEN REALLY PLAYS BARBIE’S LIFE. BUT THE TTH IS PLA SIGHT: KEN’S NOT BOYIEND MATERIAL. AT LEAST, NOT FOR BARBIE.BARRY LEVTFREELANCE WRERUPDATED JUL. 21, 2023 4:35AM EDT PHOTO ILLTRATN BY THE DAILY BEAST/GETTYIT’S BARBIE WEEK AT THE DAILY BEAST’S OBSSED, CELEBRATG THE DOLL’S POP-CULTURE HISTORY, OUR FAVORE BARBIE MEMORI, AND A CERTA MAJOR MOVIE. READ ALL OF OUR VERAGE HERE!“SHE’S EVERYTHG. HE’S JT KEN.” THAT’S THE TAGLE FOR THE WILDLY ANTICIPATED BARBIE MOVIE, DIRECTED BY GRETA GERWIG AND STARRG MARGOT ROBBIE AND RYAN GOSLG. THE IMPLITN IS CLEAR: COME FOR BARBIE, AND STAY FOR BARBIE… BUT KEN HAPPENS TO BE THERE TOO.KEN HAS LONG BEEN SEEN AS NOTHG BUT BARBIE’S HUMAN ACCSORY, BUT WASN’T ALWAYS THIS WAY FOR THE POOR MISUNRSTOOD DOLL. WHEN KEN WAS FIRST TRODUCED 1961, HIS FIRST MERCIAL TRIED TO POSN HIM AS BARBIE’S EQUAL AND, UNMISTAKABLY, BOYIEND. “GET BOTH BARBIE AND KEN AND SEE WHERE THE ROMANCE WILL LEAD!” THE MERCIAL PROMISED.SCE THEN, LIKE BARBIE, KEN HAS UNRGONE UNTLS TRANSFORMATNS AND FASHNS. BUT AS TIME WENT ON, KEN FOUND HIMSELF AN AFTERTHOUGHT. TOYMAKERS MATTEL NEVER GAVE HIM THE SAME KD OF BACKSTORI AS BARBIE—WHILE SHE’S HAD OVER 200 REERS, KEN HAS HAD JT SOME 40-ODD PROFSNS. (AN CREDIBLE AMOUNT OF JOBS FOR A PERSON, SURE. BUT FOR A DOLL? EMBARRASSG.) BARBIE HAS STARRED LOTS OF VIO GAM AND MORE THAN THREE DOZEN FILMS; KEN HAS HAD A MAJOR ROLE A MERE HANDFUL OF THEM. BUT THERE’S ONE KEY REASON WHY KEN IS ALWAYS LAGGG SIGNIFINTLY BEHD BARBIE AND 'S A LOT EPER THAN THE DOLL’S SEEMG LACK OF POPULARY: KEN HAS BEEN MISST. HE’S NOT BARBIE’S BOYIEND. HE’S BARBIE’S GAY BT IEND.DPE MATTEL’S SISTENCE THAT BARBIE AND KEN ARE A HAPPY ROMANTIC RELATNSHIP, THERE’S PLENTY OF SPECULATN ABOUT KEN’S SEXUALY. EVEN IF HIS MAKERS CLAIM HIM TO BE STRAIGHT, THERE’S MOUNTG PROOF TO THE NTRARY. PERHAPS THE MOST DISPUTABLE EVINCE THAT KEN IS FACT BOTH A MEMBER OF THE QUEER MUNY AND BARBIE’S BTIE, NOT BOY TOY, OM A RATHER SURPRISG PLACE: 2010’S TOY STORY 3.IN TOY STORY 3, BARBIE AND KEN PLAY A SURPRISGLY LARGE ROLE. THEIR TRODUCTN TO THE FILM IS TGED WH ROMANTIC TENSN. WHEN THE PAIR MEET, THE FILM VOK A MON TROPE: A ROMANTIC NEEDLE DROP HS THE MOMENT THE LOVERS LOCK EY. IN THIS SE, ’S “DREAM WEAVER” BY GARY WRIGHT. AS FAR AS BARBIE AND KEN ARE NCERNED, THEY’RE THE ONLY ON THE ROOM. “I LOVE YOUR LEG WARMERS!” KEN TELLS BARBIE. “NICE AST,” SHE BANTERS, WH HEAVY EMPHASIS ON THE FIRST SYLLABLE. BEFORE THGS GET TOO HEATED, THEY LOCK ARMS AND WALK OFF TOGETHER. PHOTO ILLTRATN BY KELLY CAMERO / THE DAILY BEAST / GETTY LET’S BE HONT—SPE THE ROMANTIC OVERTON OF THE SCENE, THEIR BRIEF EXCHANGE TELLS EVERYTHG ABOUT HOW THEY SEE EACH OTHER. KEN DON’T MENTN ANYTHG ABOUT BARBIE’S BODY, STEAD HIGHLIGHTG HER LEG WARMERS. BUT BARBIE IS UNSUBTLY TRYG TO SCE KEN JT TWO WORDS. SHE’S AFTER KEN, BUT KEN IS AFTER SOMEONE WHOSE CLOTH HE N ADMIRE.SURE, LATER THE FILM, KEN AND BARBIE SAY “I LOVE YOU” TO EACH OTHER. AND THEY GO BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN SAYG EACH WORD OF “I LOVE YOU”—SO SOMEONE DIFFERENT N SAY “LOVE” EACH TIME, AS KEN EXPLAS. HE MENTNS OFFHAND THAT HE HAS EVERYTHG EXCEPT SOMEONE TO SHARE WH. BARBIE AND KEN EVEN NUZZLE THEIR NOS TOGETHER. Y, THERE’S FELY LOVE BETWEEN IENDS—BUT THROUGH ALL, THERE’S NOT A HT OF SEXUAL CHEMISTRY.LOOK, I KNOW WHAT YOU’RE THKG—SIR, THIS IS TOY STORY; WHAT EXACTLY ARE YOU EXPECTG? IF YOU LOOK AT OTHER ROMANC THE ANCHISE—WOODY AND BO PEEP, AND JSE AND BUZZ—THERE’S NO DOUBT THAT THERE’S REAL LOVE THERE BETWEEN THE SENTIENT TOYS. THEIR PASSN FOR ONE ANOTHER TRANSCENDS MORE THAN SIMPLY BEG TERTED EACH OTHER’S OUTFS. THE SAME NNOT BE SAID OF THE MATTEL DOLLS. THAT’S MA EVINT WHEN KEN FALLY GETS AN OPPORTUNY FOR TIMACY WH BARBIE. “THIS IS WHERE THE MAGIC HAPPENS,” HE TELLS BARBIE WHEN THEY FALLY GO TO HIS DREAMHOE TOGETHER, HAVG PARENTS ALL OVER THE WORLD CLUTCHG THEIR PEARLS. BUT FEAR NOT: KEN SIMPLY TAK BARBIE TO… HIS WALK- WARDROBE. ANY SEMBLANCE OF ROMANCE MAK WAY FOR IENDSHIP, WHEN THE PAIR JUBILANTLY PESE KEN’S OUTFS. AND STEAD OF DOG SOMETHG WILD LIKE KISSG BARBIE, KEN PUTS ON A FASHN SHOW FOR HER STEAD. THE FILM WON’T SAY , BUT A POST-CREDS PUNCHLE ABOUT KEN’S HANDWRG, PLETE WH HEARTS AND STARS SURROUNDG HIS NAME, TELLS WHAT WE NEED TO KNOW.THE HEAVILY IMPLIED NATURE OF KEN’S GAYNS TOY STORY 3 HARKENS BACK TO HOLLYWOOD’S TRADNAL GAY BT IEND-TYPE CHARACTERS. IN THE HAYS CO ERA, EXPLIC REFERENC TO HOMOSEXUALY WEREN’T ALLOWED, SO CHARACTERS LIKE VAN BUREN (FRANKL PANGBORN) 1937’S EASY LIVG, KIP (DAVID WAYNE) 1949’S ADAM’S RIB, OR ADDISON (GEE SANRS) 1950’S ALL ABOUT EVE STEAD WERE IMBUED WH EFFEMATE CHARACTERISTICS, OFFERG A GLIMPSE OUTSI OF HETERONORMATIVY WHOUT EXPLICLY BEG QUEER.NONE OF THE CHARACTERS WERE THE SAME—SOME WERE TTY, OTHERS SWEET. SOME HAD ULTERR MOTIV, AND OTHERS OFFERED UNNDNAL SUPPORT. BUT EACH OF THE GAY BT IENDS WAS TRSILLY FED BY THEIR RELATNSHIPS WH THEIR STRAIGHT IENDS. WE NEVER REALLY LEARNED MUCH ABOUT THEM AS DIVIDUALS. THEY LIVED ON THE MARGS, FLHG OUT THEIR STRAIGHT UNTERPARTS, HARDLY HAVG A PURPOSE WHOUT THEM; THAT PORTRAYAL REMAS TE TODAY. PHOTO ILLTRATN BY KELLY CAMERO / THE DAILY BEAST / PHOTOS BY GETTY / WARNER BROS. DES LATER, 2010, THE GAY BT IEND WAS ALL THE RAGE; TEEN VOGUE EVEN WENT SO FAR AS TO PROCLAIM THE GBF AS THE SUMMER’S MT-HAVE ACCSORY. BUT UNLIKE THE FIRST HALF OF THE 20TH CENTURY, TODAY’S CEMA, THE GBF IS ALLOWED TO BE OPENLY GAY. AT THE SAME TIME, THEY STILL BARELY REGISTER AS PEOPLE WH CHARACTER TRAS BEYOND THEIR RELATNSHIPS WH THEIR STRAIGHT UNTERPARTS. IN MOVI LIKE MEAN GIRLS (2004), THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA (2006), EASY A (2010), NO STRGS ATTACHED (2011), AND ISN’T IT ROMANTIC (2019), GAY IENDS EXIST ENTIRELY THE ORB OF THEIR FEMALE IENDS. IT’S SUCH A STRONG TROPE THAT EVEN PERSISTS QUEER ROMANTIC EDI: 2020’S HAPPIT SEASON FDS JOHN (DAN LEVY) OFFERG ADVICE AND SNARKY ONE-LERS TO HIS LBIAN BTIE LI OF MEANGFUL CHARACTER VELOPMENT.IN TOY STORY 3, THE SAME IS TE OF KEN. HIS EXISTENCE PENDS ON AND CIRCULAT AROUND BARBIE. IN BARBIE, KEN HAS FOUND SOMEONE WHO REALLY UNRSTANDS HIM. HE DON’T GET ALONG WH THE OTHER TOYS, WHO MOCK HIM FOR BEG A “GIRL'S TOY.” BUT BARBIE LOV FASHN, JT LIKE HE DO. “NO ONE APPRECIAT CLOTH HERE, BARBIE,” KEN LAMENTS TO BARBIE, ABOUT THE OTHER TOYS’ TREATMENT OF HIM. “NO ONE!” BUT BARBIE DO, AND FOR KEN, THAT’S LIFE-CHANGG.THERE ARE PLENTY OF REASONS WHY THE FILM WOULDN’T OUTRIGHTLY STATE THAT KEN IS HOMOSEXUAL. NOT ONLY DO DISNEY SELF HAVE A PLITED HISTORY WH QUEER CHARACTERS, BUT KEN AND BARBIE ARE ALSO THE PROPERTY OF MATTEL, WHICH HAS ALWAYS BEEN STEADFAST ASSERTG KEN’S HETEROSEXUALY. THAT’S NEVER BEEN CLEARER THAN 1993 WHEN THE TOY PANY TRIED TO REIGNE KEN’S POPULARY MATTEL’S SOLUTN? EARRG MAGIC KEN. EARRG MAGIC KEN WAS A FIERCER, FELY MORE QUEER KEN THAN EVER BEFORE. THIS VERSN OF THE DOLL HAD BLEACHED BLON HAIR, A PURPLE LEATHER VT (!), A PK-PURPLE MH TOP (!!), AND OF URSE, AND EARRG THE “GAY EAR”. BUT THAT’S NOT ALL: AROUND KEN’S NECK WAS SOMETHG THAT ANY ACTIVE PARTICIPANT OF THE QUEER SCENE THE ’90S REGNIZED STANTLY—A CK RG (!!!).THE EARRG MAGIC KEN TURNED BARBIE’S BOYIEND TO AN OUT-AND-PROUD HOMOSEXUAL RAVER. MATTEL, OF URSE, VEHEMENTLY NIED ANY CLAIMS THAT KEN WAS GAY, LET ALONE THAT HE HAD SOMETHG AS PREPOSTERO AS A CK RG AROUND HIS NECK. AS LISA MCKENDALL, FORMER MANAGER OF MARKETG AND MUNITNS, SAID AN TERVIEW ABOUT THE DOLL, “WE’RE NOT THE BS OF PUTTG CK RGS TO THE HANDS OF LTLE GIRLS.”REGARDLS OF MATTEL’S TENTNS, ’S HARD TO NY WHAT THE EYE N SEE. DPE THE NAME, CK RGS AT THE TIME WERE ED AS A FASHN ACCSORY AND A SIGN OF FIANT QUEERNS AND SEX POSIVY. AS A RULT, GAY MEN BOUGHT THE DOLL DROV, AND SPE MATTEL ULTIMATELY RELLG THE DOLL AND WIPG AWAY ANY TRACE OF EARRG MAGIC KEN, WAS NEAR-IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE KEN AS ANYTHG BUT THE GLOR HOMOSEXUAL HE WAS BORN TO BE OM THEN ON. MATTEL SPENT THE NEXT UPLE OF S TRYG TO RETA KEN’S MORE HETERONORMATIVE, MASCULE IMAGE, BUT THE VEIL WAS LIFTED, AND THERE WAS NO GOG BACK. PHOTO ILLTRATN BY KELLY CAMERO/THE DAILY BEAST/PHOTOS BY GETTY/WARNER BROS. THOUGH MATTEL DON’T SEEM TO BE WILLG TO SAY KEN IS ACTUALLY GAY, THE KEN DOLLS OF RECENT YEARS SEEM TO REALLY LEAN TO KEN’S QUEERNS. THE YASSIFITN OF KEN IS CLEARLY UNRWAY. WHILE THERE IS NO WAY TO “DRS GAY,” THERE ARE SEVERAL DOLLS THAT SEEM TO SUGGT OTHERWISE, SUCH AS:FASHNISTA KEN #193, WHO LOOKS VERY EXCED TO TELL YOU ABOUT HIS NEW OBSSN, TROYE SIVAN;TRAVEL KEN DOLL, WHO HAS A SATCHEL PERFECT FOR BATHHO AND A PURPLE OVERNIGHT BAG THAT LERALLY PROCLAIMS HE’S “EXTRA;”KEN LOOKS DOLL, SERVG “I’M GONNA GIVE YOU A MAKEOVER”-TYPE REALNS WHILE SPORTG BLACK PLEATHER PANTS;THIS KEN, WHO WEARS THE LEAST HETEROSEXUAL DOUBLE NIM IMAGABLE.WHILE I HAVE A FEELG THE NEW BARBIE MOVIE WILL PUT THE WORK TO NVCE THAT KEN IS A HETERO DU WHO LOV NOTHG LIFE MORE THAN BARBIE HERSELF, THE WRG’S ALREADY ON THE WALL: KEN IS, AND ALWAYS WILL BE, BARBIE’S GAY BT IEND.KEEP OBSSG! SIGN UP FOR THE DAILY BEAST’S OBSSED NEWSLETTER AND FOLLOW ON FACEBOOK, TWTER, INSTAGRAM AND TIKTOK.READ MORE OF OUR BARBIE VERAGE HERE. BARRY LEVT
Angels Ameri: A Gay Fantasia on Natnal Them is at the Natnal Theatre, London, until 19 Augt. Andrew Garfield Fac Backlash After Sayg 'I Am a Gay Man Right Now Jt Whout the Physil Act'.