Much like the ritualistic baring of Paula’s cleavage and themind-numbing critiques of Randy Jackson, ugly gay-baiting banterbetween Ryan Seacrest and Simon Cowell is a time-honored American Idoltradition.
This season, however, has been mercifully light on ”Ewww! You’re ahomo!” back-and-forth. That is, until last night, when during adiscussion of Danny Gokey’s boogie moves, Ryan tried to score a laughby declaring, "I love it when Simon criticizes dancing. Randy, we’veseen [Simon] dance in Vegas in those heels he wears. Not really a lot ofrhythm." Really, Ryan? In 2009, you’re still courting Emmy nominationsas Best Reality-Show host by using tired cross-dressing barbs?
We live in a country where just last month, an 11-year-oldMassachusetts boy committed suicide over schoolyard taunts that he was”gay.” Could Idol maybe, just maybe, call a moratorium onhomo-baiting playground taunts during the family hour, in the middle ofour nation’s most popular television program? And if the show won’t doit for the tormented grade-schoolers of the world, then do it because,after eight long Idol seasons, speculation over the otherwise wickedlycompetent hostbot’s sexual orientation is both depressing andthuddingly unfunny. Are you with me on this one, Idoloonies, or am I standing on Mt. Molehill, making much ado about nothing?
More on ‘American Idol’
‘American Idol’ recap: It’s Reigning Men!
‘American Idol’: Season 8’s Greatest Hits!
Allison Iraheta Q&A: ‘It’s Been Such a Great Ride’
EW Cover Story: Adam Lambert: Shaking Up ‘Idol’
‘American Idol’ recap: Crime-Scream Investigation
‘American Idol’ recap: Go Fourth and Prosper!
‘American Idol’: On the scene for Top 4 performance night…and chaos
Paula Abdul remakes, improves on Kylie’s ‘Here for the Music’
‘American Idol’: 15 Theme Nights We’d Kill to See!
EW.com’s ‘American Idol’ HQ
EW.com’s Idol Prediction Challenge: Who’s going home this week?
Comments (1-30) of 372 Add your comment
You are being waaay oversensitive. This is not gay bashing, its playful banter.
Thank you, Thank you, THANK YOU Slezak for bringing this point up! The “gay baiting” on this show has always irked me. Last nights comments were ridiculous, especially in 2009 and in a season where we (most likely) will have the first ever gay American Idol winner. Many years ago, as a 12-year old middle schooler I became so confused and filled with inner turmoil when I heard a US senator talking on the news against teaching about homosexuality in sexual education classes b/c it was anti-family values. Being a conservative, shy, and polite young kid — I didn’t understand how I suddenly was the face of anti-family values. There’s no place for this kind of hatred (although seemingly innocuous — its not) on American Idol, of all places.
Seriously Slezak….it’s a contest show, not a news documentary. Get over yourself. I’m so sick of all the media making major issues out of non-issues. Why is it gay comedians can make bad jokes about straight people but straight people, I think, can’t make gay jokes….when they clearly are not hurtful or aimed at anyone other than the person being told to?
Huh. I had originally thought this was another jab about Simon wearing lifts. But, your way makes more sense. I agree with you on the fact that they should stop. It isn’t funny.
I’m getting a bit tired of the judges (and Ryan) all together. They really don’t add anything to the program. They don’t give good advice (Simon does 98% of the time) and their constant bickering is annoying. More than annoying actually. It is downright unwatchable.
The gay baiting jokes are particularly irksome given that everyone but Scott MacIntyre can see that Ryan Seacrest is gay.
I’m with you Slezak… the rule of comedy is you can say anything you want, as long as you’re funny. The fact is, most gay bashing jokes aren’t really that funny…maybe someday Ryan and everyone else will get it…telling gay jokes these days is almost as dated as telling slavery jokes. To say nothing of the fact that there are so many gay people watching the show, producing, starring… Move On Seacrest!!
Put the gay card away and grow a pair, Slezak.
I don’t think you’re being oversensitive. At minimum, the gay banter on Idol is childish and un-funny. At worst, it contributes to a culture that devalues gay Americans and COULD contribute to gay children and adolescents feeling bad about themselves. I’m a professor of media and teach courses on children and the media, and I agree Slezak that Idol should not contribute to this problem. I LOVE how you threw the Emmy jab in there, though – a very good point and, if Seacrest reads these kinds of things, likely to hit him where it hurts
Michael, I completely agree with you. After 8 season and 300 episodes of the show, you think they would get a something new.
SAVE THE ROCKER…lol jk, but i do miss her
We just need 4 new judges and a new host…that will make ratings go up!
I’m pretty sensitive to the homophobic banter between Simon and Ryan, but I just assumed Ryan was referring to Simon’s lifts, because he’s a short guy and he wants to seem taller, rather than to cross-dressing.
Ryan was practically slobbering all over Kris last night!
100% with you, Slezak.
I’m pretty sure Ryan was referring to the lifts that Simon uses in his shoes, in addition to the size of the heels. I really don’t think he meant women’s high heels.
The second option… but I do like Mt Molehill!
The difference is Fred straight people aren’t minorities who are treated like second class citizens and garbage in America.
Fred: I don’t expect you to understand but I will try to explain it as best as I can. While gay comedians may make tasteless jokes about straight people, straight people continue to enjoy their civil rights and can count on never being physically harmed for being straight. Unfortunately, it is not so for gay people, not just in this country, but everywhere. I have a gay brother and I am extremely proud of him for who he is, what he has accomplished in life and how well he’s managed to deal with being ridiculed his entire life. Unfortunately, I will never know how he must have felt growing up ridiculed, taunted, beaten up.. and while I may have stood up for him and defended him, I will never know how he felt hearing people use hurtful words to describe him. It is a disgrace that we live in the best country in the world yet we treat gay people like second class citizens when they are no different than the rest of us.
Amen Michael. In addition to being offensive they aren’t funny.
Amen Michael. In addition to being offensive they aren’t funny.
AGREED! the homo- taunting must end. this is a very political time for the gay community and they are not helping either side, its merely helping spread NATIONWIDE ignorance.
ryan and simon need to act like the over 30 year olds that they are and GROW UP!!
Amen Michael. In addition to being offensive they aren’t funny.
While I’m all for ending gay-bashing, this doesn’t really fit that category. ‘Wearing women’s shoes’ does not make one gay or even a cross-dresser. Jumping to that conclusion and invoking ‘gay-bashing’ at the slightest provocation damages the cause more than it helps.
Aye, I agree with you Michael, and also with you Mark. They don’t really think about issues like that because they are not the ones that are affected by those types of events. They just get paid to talk and act silly.
I said the same thing in the comments section a couple of days ago when someone complained they didn’t want a homo for an idol. There wasn’t just one 11 year old, Michael. According to last weeks people, there were two, in different states, on different days. Both hung themselves after being bullied by other kids calling them gay. Sad that the “grownups” on idol and on these boards, still have that mentality.
I totally agree. And the subtext when Ryan talked to Adam about performing Queen and Cher was annoying.
Slezak, you, by no means, are pulling the “gay card.” On national TV, I don’t understand why gay jokes are even allowed. Idol is not a comedy that pokes fun at all parties, which makes these gay jokes even more irksome .
Wow, this complaint was totally off the mark. Simon is famous for wearing Cuban Heel shoes (add about 2-3 inches to his height) and Randy, Ryan and Simon were in Vegas for the weekend about two weeks ago, the photos are on the internet. It never occurred to me this was gay baiting, this is just an ignorant blogger. Maybe Ryan should have kept his joke to himself since he assumes most people know about Simon’s lifts and the Vegas photos were all over the place.
I agree! But it is more than just this issue – American Idol is moving further and further away from being “family friendly.” I took great offense over the on-air treatment of “bikini girl” during auditions. There was absolutely no reason to sexualize the show in that manner. Whem American Idol started, it was praised as being a show an entire family could watch. I’m not so sure anymore.
yeah, but it’s not just the gay issue. that’s a big part of it (and i’m sick of it.) but it’s all the rest of it, too. the grab a$$ing, the booing, the coloring on faces, etc, don’t lend anything to the show. it’s not even entertaining. it’s also the reason why we had to hear duets last week and just two songs a piece this week. so, ryan… judges…if you are reading: SHUT THE F*$K UP and do the show…without your personal egotistical agendas hogging the time slot! the show is about adam, kris, and danny (uggh) at this point. NOT YOU!
Simon is very short – as short as Ryan himself, and wears lifts. That’s what Ryan was talking about. They had some history of gay baiting between each other – but this is definitely not the case. I can’t believe somebody actually thought about crossdressing after this comment. Absolutely ridiculous.