Image Credit: Ray Tamarra/Getty ImagesJust when the controversy over the forthcoming Ron Howard comedy The Dilemma seemed to have faded away, the hullabaloo over the movie’s “gay gag” has flared up again, courtesy of the actor who gives voice to the offending line, Vince Vaughn. In a statement released to the media, the Wedding Crashers and Swingers star says: “Let me add my voice of support to the people outraged by the bullying and persecution of people for their differences, whatever those differences may be. Comedy and joking about our differences breaks tension and brings us together. Drawing dividing lines over what we can and cannot joke about does exactly that; it divides us. Most importantly, where does it stop.”
Vaughn’s selectively worded statement makes conspicuous use of pop culture’s hot “B” word (“bullying” — the new codeword for “Homophobia is wrong.”) and comes down solidly against bigotry, which would seem to include hatred toward homosexuals. Good for him. I’m not sure, however, if anyone ever really thought The Dilemma’s trailer was promoting intolerance or bullying or persecution. I think the issue was more about thoughtlessness and callousness — and about shoddy marketing. By being too cosmic about this whole thing, we lose sight of some real and actually fixable issues. (But sure, let’s be cosmic about this, too. I’m all for finding any excuse to spark cultural conversation about ending homophobia and cultivating a society where homosexuals feel less threatened and marginalized in any way, large or small.)
Vaughn’s statement also strongly and rather self-righteously expresses the following: Support for freedom of speech, an aversion to censorship, and an idealistic view that comedy is a redemptive force, inherently inoffensive, and beyond social criticism. Okay, I might be assuming way too much about Vaughn’s philosophy of comedy based on his statement. But his statement is certainly provocative. His defense would seem to excuse anything and everything that could possibly be said and done in the name of “comedy.” Do you agree with that?
I don’t see what Vaughn’s statement has to do with the controversial line in question. How exactly does characterizing an automobile as gay — even in a “my parents are chaperoning the dance” way, not necessarily a “homosexual way” — break tension and bring people together? Presumably the movie will explain this. Which brings us to a point that needs to be made, and frankly, I am stunned Vaughn didn’t make it himself: We haven’t seen this movie yet!We don’t know the context for the line. Wouldn’t it be interesting to discover that this seemingly callous, insensitive line serves the point of establishing that Vaughn’s character is callous and insensitive? Wouldn’t it be interesting to learn that there’s a gay character in the movie who confronts Vaughn’s character about his choice of words? I suspect that the first speculation will be proven to be true (but then, why did it have to be gays? Does Vaughn’s character express his hideousness by being offensive to other groups, too? Why weren’t those lines used in the trailer?), while the second speculation is rather unlikely. My point is that I don’t know. I don’t want to judge the movie based on its trailer — or rather, its original trailer. (The offending ad was pulled from circulation last weekend and replaced with another.)
Still, I think Vaughn is missing another important point. No one is saying his movie is offensive — yet. The uproar was over a trailer. A trailer is not a movie. It’s a commercial. It is supposed to flatter a movie and entice the widest possible audience within its target market to go see it. I guess I’d like to know if Vaughn felt the trailer flattered The Dilemma — and if he thinks it’s a movie that gay audiences (and those sympathetic to gay concerns) would find entertaining, despite of — or because of — the “gay gag” Moreover, I would like to hear Ron Howard — who specializes in making big tent populist movies — address those issues, too. There’s still time; the movie doesn’t open until January. In fact, the extremely cynical part of me wonders if Vaughn’s provocatively passive-aggressive non-apology is an effort to keep The Dilemma top of mind, and set up the final act of this of PR drama: A joint appearance by Vaughn and Howard on a talk show and make an endearing show of atoning for their lapse of common sense and comedic judgment.
Read more:
‘The Dilemma’ is already one of the most important films of 2011
‘Gay’ controvesy: Studio releases new ‘Dilemma’ trailer
‘The Dilemma’: Universal deletes ‘gay’ scene from trailer
GLAAD urges Universal to pull controversial ‘Dilemma’ trailer from theaters
Was that last bit a slight against Conan? Uncalled for.
“By being too cosmic about this whole thing, we lose sight of some real and actually fixable issues.”
news flash: it is not any movie’s job to be a public service announcement.
I’m on team Vince. glaad doesn’t own people. They shouldn’t try to tie people down.
Thank you for changing it.
enough who cares…people are too sensitive…what happened to freedom of speech, if don’t like something you have a choice
Nobody is arguing freedom of speech, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t consequences to said speech. I defend their right to be wrong.
Gay people aren’t the only ones being bullied.
Oh, I’m sorry, I forgot about all the poor white heterosexual Christians in America who are offing themselves due to the judgment they face in being themselves. Poor, poor them.
You think these people don’t face judgement and persecution? I’ve been attacked because of my Christian beliefs and I assure you as a white heterosexual Christian I have been bullied and I have thought of suicide as well. EVERYONE can be a victim.
So their lives are less valuable because they weren’t gay?
I think he meant what he wrote…and kids of all races and genders are bullied every day. Even those awful Christians you appear to loathe. Tolerance is a two way street.
Aren’t gay people offing themselves due to judgment they face being themselves. What’s the difference?
I think the Jackal is referring to people are either foreign, clumsy, too tall, too short, obese, anemic, unintelligent, nerdy, freckled, blind, deaf, poor, etc. There are more factors to bully than just gender and race you jackass.
Oh enough, if gays or anyone else are so sensitive that it gets to the point where they have to off themselves, then it’s no big loss if they’re dead.
nate when you die the world will be better as well your trash of a mother thinks so as well.
So you hate bullying unless it’s against loathsome white christians. Gotcha.
ALERT: go kill yourself nate is a bully! Burn him at the stake.
Why is it that when homesexuality comes up people have to go to the opposite spectrum and talk about Christians? You whine about being offensive but wans’t that offensive? Nowhere in this topic was Christians brought up. I bet if Vince would have joked about religion it would be OK then? We wouldn’t have this discussion if he said,”That is so Christian of you! or “Just like a little choirboy.”….typical!
Christians think that everything is about them, and that people actually care when they identify themselves as such. It’s sad when the only thing people have to contribute to a discussion is a selfish “hey, look at me” statement.
Nerwen Aldarion, Jesus told me to tell you to quit your b!tching and grow a pair.
I find Vince Baughn’s comment to be ridiculous, (did your lawyer write it for you?) Yes all kinds of people get bullied, but the fact that it’s acceptable/encoruraged in our society to make fun of gay people is horrible. I am a white heterosexual woman (the only reason I say this is to put my comment in context), & I believe in freedom of speech, but what about responsiblity for what you say? If you choose to make comments that offend, don’t bitch & whine and claim censorship, when those of us who don’t agree with you voice our opinions. We have as much right to say what we feel as you do.
Sorry for the typo. I’m sure I’ll be ridiculed for it.
you’re all morons for participating in this nonsense.
At least we have ideas to share. Go back to your pop-culture-hating, hypocritical anti-conformist vampire coven meeting in your parents’ basement, d-bag!
people WAY overreacted to this whole thing and this entire column is another massive overreaction and over the top analysis. it was a JOKE, i bet the vast majority of audiences didn’t even flinch. people are being way too sensitive- it was a flippant comment and you know what- i hear people use that word in that way all the time. it happens
While we are at it, I’m taking porch monkey back
LOL…porch monkey 4 life
Ugh. Will it never end?
okay, listen, this issue is about 4 young homosexual kids who killed themselves because they couldnt handle how they were being treated by people like all of us. Its not fair to the deceased to be making such a commotion over one thing said in a movie, obviously everyone can be subjected to bullying, but think of how hard it must be to be automatically given labels, names, being tortured just for who you are. the world is terrible, as we all are, but we should all pay a little respect here. Stop arguing please people. that is all goodnight.
holy hell, contributing huh?
i say the word gay probably every single day, in private and public, millions of people coin the phrase, that’s gay, when talking about something that is stupid or retarded (retarded people please don’t be offended and off yourself over one single word)
a grown up movie…. that’s a good one
I go to grown up movies all the time and you know what I get?
Stupid @$$ teenagers in there talking over the movie about cell phones, gay stuff (i’m not kidding, they use the word more then me), laughing out loud about how tough they are.. Parents, how come you NOT let your 14, 15 year old teenage boy into a grown up movie no matter the rating, maybe PG13 should be rethought to NC17 just to keep the kiddies at home.
I for one am a combat vet, yeah yeah, hundreds of thousands can say that, whatever. 11 years of serving, and 1 1/2 of that was before 9/11 so I’m better then you and we know it, anyways, I’m a combat vet and I have learned to keep my mouth shut while out in public when I hear morons talking about the war or vets or military service, it’s their right to be ignorant, it’s not lawsuit type media people…. GLAAD, you should have came up with a better acronym because everytime I see the word G.L.A.D.D. I think gay………….. as in happy…. LOL
I completely agree that comedy can ease tensions and be a unifying force. The problem is that comedy has to be funny. The trailer (and Vince Vaughn in general) was not funny. If he needs examples of how provocative-funny= offensive, he should take a look at some Michael Richards comedy routines.
Vince Vaughn has never been funny so he doesn’t know what is funny. Use of the word is not funny here and any other word could be substituted and it still probably wouldn’t be funny. Maybe they should say that it is “Vince Vaughn” meaning it in a derogatory manner and see if he thinks that is funny.
And freedom of speech does not mean that anybody can say anything that they want. It is the most misunderstood right and often used by people who want to say hateful things.
His statement starts a bland anti-bullying statement. Then he tries to bully anyone who dares criticize his right to make offensive jokes. As for the remark that we should see the movie to see its context, I doubt there’s much more context to it that would make the joke any more acceptable. Besides, “The Simpsons” did the “electric cars are gay” joke way back in 2003, and did it better.
,,,starts WITH…
The only dilemma I face each day is the pain in my heart when I can’t find Doc’s finale Island Story!!!! DOC U R SO WRONG. GAH!
It is just inappropriate to use the word “gay” – what good connotation can come of this usage? It is just stupid, not funny or used to create understanding between peoples.
Look, I’m gay. And I think this whole conversation is ridiculous. Am I thrilled the word gay has come to also stand for something not cool or corny or whatever. No. But I also think we have to learn to pick our battles and the line in question is not hateful or bullying or mean. I just feel this energy could be used in real places where people are impacted by real homophobia. Policing every word spoken in the media and its many forms will only make you crazy.