Were the guys from "Queer Eye" the first openly gay people ever to throw out a first pitch at a major league baseball game? Could be. They’re surely the most famous ones.
There’s been lots of hypothesizing about whether a gay baseball player would be accepted by his teammates, and the subject has made it into the world of the theatre. But I can’t think of a more high-profile real-life intersection of baseball and gay culture than what happened yesterday at Fenway. Kudos to the Sox for being unafraid to go there. I love the Sox spokesman’s nonchalant comment: "Our guys had a great time doing the show. We had a great time seeing those guys again today. It is what it is."
You can read the Herald’s somewhat less charitable take on the festivities, as written up by Dave "my crappy reporting saddled the Herald with a multimillion dollar libel verdict" Wedge, here.
lynne says
the-troll says
I think it was great that the Fab five threw out the first ball and did a show with red sox players.But, it seems when I watch the show all there are easy lay up jokes regarding gay sex. It is like it is a one trick pony. Carson putting Doug Marribelli’s protective cup up to his nose and taking a good sniff. C’mon. Not appropriate and when your kid asks you why do u tell him the truth? Carson gets a sexual high from sniffing it?I have attended gay pride events and I would not bring grade school age children to these events. because it is not Gay pride it is mostly about sex. The themes do not seem to be pride but rather a very public display of many different sexual tastes. There is a differnce between gay pride and public displays of sexual wants. You can’t have it both ways. I would say the same if it was straight pride and people acting the same way. I guess I am a homophobe because I don’t want sexual themes thrown in my kids face.
david says
Troll: frankly, I don’t like the show much either – it used to be good, but now they’re drunk on success and have turned it into one too-cute joke after another. And no one is calling people who choose not to bring their kids to gay pride parades homophobes. But there’s a difference between that and being terrified that a child might learn that not all people in the world are heterosexual. The latter, I think, does approach true homophobia. The idea that a child might “become gay” simply by being exposed to the fact that gay people exist is to me (a) silly, (b) not in touch with reality, and (c) hurtful. If everyone (on all sides) would just lighten up on this stuff, the world would be a much better place.
the-troll says
Agreed.
franklin says
POSITIVE QE/RS ARTICLE IN SAME HERALD ISSUEReading the HERALD article linked above, I saw the title for another HERALD article, “Bravo for `Queer Eye’ pitch of Sox makeover”, as #1 of most-read articles (as I write this mid-Monday afternoon) in the online HERALD:http://thetrack.bostonherald.com/moreTrack/view.bg?articleid=88216So the HERALD was not all bad in what it said overall about the Queer Eye/Red Sox event. In fact, most of what is reported in this one contradicts the other article.I’m still not a HERALD reader however!
david says
Good catch, Franklin. Thanks. Too bad the more sensible take on the event appears in the “Inside Track,” while the Dave Wedge story was blared on the front page.
chris-cagle says
Too bad the more sensible take on the event appears in the “Inside Track,” while the Dave Wedge story was blared on the front page.Oh, I turn straight to Inside Track when I pick up the Herald.
aimai says
Hi, I just found this site via leftinlowell and daily kos. Just thought I’d join in and comment. I find myself actually somewhat in agreement with Troll, much to my surprise. My daughter’s beloved kindergarten teacher is gay and I couldn’t love her more. We’ve been thinking of marching in a pride parade with her, and I’d love to do it but to the extent that such things can be turned into massively inappropriate sexual displays I don’t think we will. I’m sad about that, like I’m sad that P-town has been turned into such an adult themed place. For the same reason I’d never take my kids to one of those “spring break” for horny heterosexuals towns in florida I have a hard time taking them to P town these days. Its not because I’m afraid to explain what gay means. My children are six and eight and I’ve long since explained the mechanics of sex and reproduction and explained the universality and equality of love to them. I don’t even have a problem explaining transvestism and/or tacky clothes and handbags. In fact, none of these things are a problem the earlier you begin discussing them with your children. But the adult themes? hell, I object to scenes of sibling rudeness in disney films.That being said, since the advent of equal marriage and the new emphasis on gay relations as normal relations rather than transgressive relations I think we can expect to see more family centered and de-sexualized gay events.Well, just wanted to post that I like the site and the comments and I’ll be back to read more local politics.aimai
the-troll says
Good point aimai. Now that more and more gay couples are having children we probably will see more family oriented gay pride events. Everyone is a parent first. That’s why we don’t tell our kids all the crazy shit we did in our younger years.