March 05, 2004
Keith Boykin on 'Noah's Arc'
Keith Boykin on Noah's Arc
In the post-Janet Jackson world, this show is not made for network television. It's billed as a combination of "Sex and the City," "Queer As Folk" and "Soul Food," and it gives you the graphic sex of the first, the homosexuality of the second, and the blackness of the third.
If you're not prepared to see guys having sex, you're not prepared for this show. One would think that those other shows helped break down those sexual barriers we have, but all bets are off when we're talking about black men. Television has never shown black gay men having sex with each other, even on cable.
I'm intrigued enough to think about getting the promo DVD. My only concern after checking out the promo site: where the big boys? Where's the fag hags? Where my butch babes, lipstick lesbians and Miss Ann (accepting older Black woman relative) when you need them?
Posted by ronn at March 5, 2004 09:56 PM
I think I may need to read more reviews of it than just Keith's. I might be jaded, but I'm not sure about that review...what was your take on it?
ej: I'm giving Keith the benefit of the doubt. Afterall, he DID see a promo DVD. I can see easy support for this as it would be a first for one of our communities. Esp. after the failure of The Closet to get an actual start.
I'm serious about trying to get a copy of the promo DVD and writing a review myself. What about you? Opinions and are you going to review it?
Quote:
My only concern after checking out the promo site: where the big boys? Where's the fag hags? Where my butch babes, lipstick lesbians and Miss Ann (accepting older Black woman relative) when you need them?
Didn't you know, Ronn? All that's on the cutting room floor. Call it the hidden chapter, I dunno. I always have a problem when the cookie cutter Black gay media rolls out. Same plots, same characters, different names and locales. But I guess that's what sells, right?
karsh: I have a strong feeling that you're 100% correct. After seeing
Punks a few times just because it was "showing us," I want more in similar movies/shows. I'm not confident that diversity will ever be shown.
Until we become adamant about telling our own stories, no, diversity won't ever be 'shown' to us. We
are talking about the entertainment industry, where the bottom line is always white. We can't wait for anyone to 'show' us anything, we have to become more proactive and fire up our own word processors to give our people the words to say. Fire up our cameras and point them to the actors, actresses and musicians we already have in our lives. Then, fire up our FTP clients and publish our creations to the web. Public access cable is another possible route. In our Clear Channel/Disney/Time Warner world, that's the best possibility of seeing your reflection - cast it yourself.
Sadly Donald, it's so true. I doubt we'll ever see it wide-scale, but that is the best route to diversity.
I'll give the show and producers the benefit of the doubt until I can see for myself. But from the website, I have the same questions as Karsh. Where are older men, working class types, guys who DON'T go to the gym every day or own a medicine cabinet full of beauty products?
And call me an east coast snob ("You're an east coast snob") but we all know those LA BGM are a breed unto themselves, quite different from the rest of us.
Hello! I'm totally with you Bernie. I thought it, but kept quiet about it. From the moment I saw the first clip, I immediately said to myself, "Figures! Damm LA crowd." I don't need a NY locale, just something a li'l more...real.
I have so much to say about this; most of it ungood. I'll wait to see the finished product.
j. -- I'm giving them the benefit of the doubt, but suspect I may just watch it when I can simply because it'll be the only thing out there that specifically targets Gay/Bi men of color.
Guess I'll have to hit the lottery or have my play Uncle leave me his fortune to be able to see what I want to see on screen.