Jack Rooke on his new Channel 4 edy Big Boys: we never see straight/gay male iendships on screen | Eveng Standard

Contents:

• JACK ROOKE ON HIS NEW CHANNEL 4 EDY BIG BOYS: WE NEVER SEE STRAIGHT/GAY MALE IENDSHIPS ON SCREEN
• TV TONIGHT: A PUNCHY SERI OF EDY SHORTS KICKS OFF WH THIS IS GAY
• HOW ARE LGBT PEOPLE REACTG TO CHANNEL 4'S GAY DRAMA "CUCUMBER"?

JACK ROOKE ON HIS NEW CHANNEL 4 EDY BIG BOYS: WE NEVER SEE STRAIGHT/GAY MALE IENDSHIPS ON SCREEN

Both films will go out around the anniversary of the first UK Gay Pri Rally which was held London on 1st July 1972. To be shown later the year, Outed: Gee Michael and the Fight for Freedom (w/t) will be a two-part re-examg the pop in’s 1998 outg as a gay man and how he refed to be ashamed. Louisa Compton, Head of News, Current Affairs, Specialist Factual and Sport who is overseeg the Pri season says: “Channel 4 has been rponsible for more outstandg LGBTQ+ ntent over s 40 years than any other public service broadster -often missng ntent others wouldn’t touch, om award-wng dramas It’s A S, Queer As Folk, and Brooksi to novative factual stori cludg Football's Comg Out, Genrquake, and Hollyoaks: Gay Dads Forever.

Films to make Outed: Gee Michael and the Fight for Freedom (w/t) – a two-part documentary re-examg the watershed moment that the pop in’s 1998 outg as a gay man and how he refed to be ashamed, speakg hontly about his sexualy, riskg his reer and his reputatn. Reflectg on a time when the outg of gay men the media was monplace, the seri will tell the story of a culture war – between those who wanted to turn the clock back on gay rights and the micians, actors, sports stars and policians who took on the haters – and won. The UK has been pecially strong this regard, mirrorg s mendable rerd of excellent gay cema.

TV TONIGHT: A PUNCHY SERI OF EDY SHORTS KICKS OFF WH THIS IS GAY

Followg this creria, programm as diverse as Brishead Revised (1981), Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997-2003), Six Feet Unr (2001-05), The Wire (2002-08), Glee (2009-) and Morn Fay (2009-) don’t make the cut, spe their strong sendary queer characters (the ternatnal succs of Morn Fay particular, broadst untri where homosexualy is still illegal, uld help liberalise attus, followg the marriage of Cameron and Mchell, two of the most popular characters). Will & Grace (1998-2006) was a huge h, but s portrayal of gay men was clichéd and too few of the jok land (although try tellg that to the often hysteril stud dience).

HOW ARE LGBT PEOPLE REACTG TO CHANNEL 4'S GAY DRAMA "CUCUMBER"?

Homoeroticism throbs subtly throughout, but only the remarkable two-hour epilogue do e to the fore, through a fantastic and nightmarish journey through the md of Biberkopf. Dpe bomb threats to the stud and protts om relig groups, the episo was broadst 1997, wh Ellen fally utterg the words “I’m gay”, accintally speakg the words to the microphone at an airport check- sk.

Some crics bemoaned the foc on gay issu, and ratgs fell, leadg to the show’s ncellatn. Queer as Folk (1999-2000)This one me out of nowhere, a shamels and often outrageo seri that gave a kickg to the perceptn of gay men as sexls bt iends to female protagonists and stead put them centre stage, showg them to be as flawed, selfish and sex-hungry as everyone else – more so, fact.

Its first episo, featurg 29-year-old Stuart rimmg a horny 15-year old, was unapologetilly provotive, and upset both the tabloids and many gay viewers, who were alarmed by s subversive characters. It hasn’t dated a jot (although Manchter’s Canal Street is now the stompg ground of hen parti alongsi the gay clubbers), and lnched the reers of s three stars, Aidan Gillen, Craig Kelly and Charlie Hunnam.