Yesterday I wrote a review of 'All Aboard,' the Rosie O'Donnell movie about her cruise for gay and lesbian families. I liked the movie.
Tom Shales, the Washington Post critic did not. That's fine -- we're all entitled to our own opinion.
When I read Shales' review, it made me kind of bristle. I felt like he didn't get the movie, but more importantly, that he was saying the movie was somehow misleading, that there's no such thing as a boatful of 1,500 gay men and lesbians who appear to be "wholesome" (whatever that is), vacationing with their kids.
He wrote: "It's as if the primary concern of Rosie O'Donnell, who captained the project, was presenting to the mainstream TV audience a scrubbed-up, politely tidy image of gay men and women -- a portrait meticulously devoid of the drag queens, pierced nipples and campy vamping one often sees when a local TV station rushes off to cover a gay-themed event."
So, what, gay people can't be depicted on TV as "scrubbed up" and "politely tidy"? Last I checked, there were plenty of gay men and lesbians who fall into that category. Not that I don't love me some drag queens and pierced-nipple vamps, mind you.
But the worst offense was this: "O'Donnell almost robs her subjects of their sexual identity in the pursuit of making them wholesome. In short, there is no gay cruising on this gay cruise."
As I said, when I read that it made me mad, but I just brushed it off. Until last night that is, when I was at my favorite DC hangout, the Duplex Diner, affectionately known as "Cheers for queers." As I made the rounds saying hi to friends, I mentioned my movie review in answer to the "how was your day" question. No less than three separate people I talked to went right to Tom Shales during our conversation -- including my friend Alex who had with him his son Ben, who's "five and three-quarters." People are P.O.'d at Tom Shales. It wasn't just me.
We all were of the same mind which was: what the hell, Tom??? The boat was full of lesbian moms and gay dads and their kids; the whole purpose of the trip was a gay family vacation. These people were looking after their kids -- not looking for hook-ups.
Note to Tom: Not all gays are obsessed with cruising, even while on a gay cruise.
Read Tom's Review: 'Rosie's Family Cruise' Steers Away From Deep Water (Washington Post, Registration Required)
3 comments:
i am not gay but i have many gay friends. i watched the movie and found it to be very inspiring to see so many families from the gay community enjoying life on the cruise judgement free. in my opinion their families looked alot more loving and "normal" than most traditional families these days. we as americans could all take a few lessons from their love and acceptance of people and stop looking down on them for their life style choices. after all isn't diversity what makes our nation great!!!! thank you dotty from florida
I wish Rosie was my mom....gay or not. She rawks
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