If only they would come to Seattle...

[gwyn]

My new favorite show is Queer Eye for the Straight Guy. What? I need something to fill in for Keen Eddie, since its demise is imminent. Yes, I know -- reality shows are the spawn of Satan. And no, it doesn't mean I'm going to watch the queer dating show on Bravo or any other reality shows, which are stupid and horrible and humiliating and filled with moronic individuals not unlike the moronic individuals I spend my days with, so why go home and watch more of them for "entertainment"? I like characters, and that's what I'm interested in in television -- characters I can follow and watch develop.

But Queer Eye was my favorite kind of show, basically -- fashion and lifestyle, and I'm all about the fashion and lifestyle. This is a woman who used to have subscriptions to Elle, Vogue, Glamour, Sunset, and Metopolitan Home, honey. It's all about the fashion and lifestyle. Someone once told me, when I was talking about how excited I was at finally being able to buy a pair of Matsuda frames (eyeglasses) because I thought they made the coolest glasses around, that "gay men must just love you." And the thing is, these guys are total characters -- I imagine as we get to know them in the next few weeks, they'll be as charactery as anyone else on TV. You can tell they've created their own personas for this show, developed a style and attitude for their specific speciality. I love them, they're funny and horrible and even while I'm cringing in humiliation and embarassment at the things they're saying to the guys they're making over, I'm laughing, too, because they manage to keep a nice balance between the mockery and the kindness.

And they're making these guys look damn good, too! There's a lot more leeway for this kind of makeover on a man than a woman -- a woman would cry and be all upset at anyone criticizing her wardrobe or living conditions; guys by and large take things like mockage pretty much in stride, so this foundation works. Compared to Fashion Emergency, which I adored, on E!, they don't lavish the subject with carefully worded peppy criticisms -- they cut to the chase but then find the good things, too. And most of the fags doing the fixing up are hot, hot, hot, too, which kind of helps. I really love seeing people kind of livened up by a new look, a new place to live, a new sense of self. I don't like those house transformation shows, they're too boringly focused on one thing, but by bringing in all the elements of these guys' lives, and having a queer expert for each part of those lives, they've made a funny and fresh approach to the makeover show.

I'm not always down with Carson's fashion choices, but he mostly has a great eye and I like almost everything he's done so far. I loved the first episode, with how the artist ended up actually getting the card of an art critic at his show -- what a success for the guy and for the queer makeover experts! It was wonderful to see their success, and his. I didn't see all of the second ep, but I like how these subjects/victims seem so comfy with these men just ripping, shredding, and rebuilding. This is one of those things where you can see barriers being broken a little, where straight men are shown being comfortable with gay men, and I really like this. Not groundbreaking or earth-shattering, but progress nonetheless.

Comments

[movies-michelle.livejournal.com]

Wasn't that show great? Unfortunately, I only set the TiVo for the one at 10pm, not realizing there was another episode after it until I was watching the first this morning. Grr. But now it's one a season pass, so I'm sure they'll rerun.

The guys were totally adorable (I'd like the cooking guy to fix up my kitchen any time). They were also funny and sweet. This really did have the potential to be totally unbearable, but it was just enjoyable.

[gwyn-r.livejournal.com]

While Carson is clearly the funniest and most outrageous of the group, I loved the grooming guy, who's name I can't remember. He was killing me going through the bathroom of the second hour's subject -- if you don't get it, I still have it on the TiVo. I missed the first few minutes because it was taping Dead Zone, because I didn't know there would be two new eps, either. I also really loved... well, all of them, but the two different culture guys were wonderful, so positive and funny at the same time.

[gwyn-r.livejournal.com]

Meh. I hate it when I make stupid mistakes that other people make and I shouldn't. WHOSE. Whose name I don't remember. ::stabs herself with her own red pen::

[movies-michelle.livejournal.com]

It looks to be rerunning about a zillion times in the next couple of weeks, as well as showing new episodes, so I should be okay, but thanks for the offer. And now I look forward to Straight Guy #2 and his bathroom! *g*

[klia.livejournal.com]

Bravo is rerunning both eps until next week. I missed the first ep last night, but caught it this afternoon.

I'm enjoying it, too. I thought it would make me cringe and dive under a chair, like the American 'What Not To Wear', but these guys weren't assholes. So, yay!

[blue-larkspur.livejournal.com]

I loved this show. They did such a great job of distinguishing each of the Fab Five's personalities very quickly. The two makeover dudes were so touching in their sincere desire to learn. The experts did such a good job of making these guys improved versions of themselves, not something odd or uncomfortable. I like Trading Spaces, but I hate when the designers do something weird just for their own amusement. There was more sensitivity here. And the snark! I loved the end when you watch them getting ready for their big events. I try to stay away from reality shows but this one has me completely hooked.

[gwyn-r.livejournal.com]

I was actually kind of touched by the ending of the second episode, how dedicated Adam seemed about being a better guy, the new guy. And he didn't even flinch or look uncomfortable about Carson crawling all over him. But what really affected me was the ending of the first one -- Butch seemed to just really take to the new person he was, and it was like he'd found this person who he never knew existed before. And that the art critic liked him! I was just really happy about that. It wasn't engineered, it felt real.

Re:

[blue-larkspur.livejournal.com]

Yes! It was touching. Both Butch and Adam seemed so sincere in their desire to improve. I hope Bravo does a "where are they now" segment down the road so we can see how much they continue. It felt very genuine.

Part of me wishes I could be a makeover candidate, but then I realize that I'd start crying when they criticized my clothes and hair, and then they'd feel bad and I wouldn't be improved. Maybe it's good that they're just working with guys. I'm so hooked on this show!

Queer Eye my new fav

[darkwoods.livejournal.com]

Yeah I loved the blending of the snark and the caring and who among us can resist the pull of the makeover? I live with three straight guys, (husband and two college age sons) and they are digging it too. Stuff I've been saying forever they're finally hearing. I agree with your comment about barriers being broken a little, plus the grooming guy is way hot

Re: Queer Eye my new fav

[gwyn-r.livejournal.com]

Oh god, the grooming guy is hot beyond all words. He's just divine, and he's so sweet, basically, even when he's snarking. YumMY.

Eddie

[tir.livejournal.com]

We haven't seen the last of KE yet. The show's being moved to Thursdays and shown beyond July now. A good change in FOX's plan, in my opinion. I'm re-finding the link now and will post it in my journal shortly.

Re: Eddie

[gwyn-r.livejournal.com]

You know, I wondered about this! I saw it listed for a Thursday on my TiVo, but then it disappeared again, and I couldn't find it. I moved it farther up on my season pass list, so that it might show up again. I wasn't clear on what was happening, so thank you so much for telling us. Here's hoping that they at least show the rest of the eps!