Twitter
Facebook
Billy Crystal takes issue with explicit gay sex on TV
Not sure what Billy Crystal was thinking when he decided to complain about gay sex on TV but it sure has blown up in his face the past few days.
Crystal, while promoting his new series The Comedians, had said: ‘Sometimes, it’s just pushing it a little too far for my taste and I’m not going to reveal to you which ones they are. I hope people don’t abuse it and shove it in our face to the point where it feels like an everyday kind of thing.’
It’s assumed he’s talking about the explicit scenes on ABC’s How to Get Away With Murder but he does not name any specific shows.
Billy later elaborated when asked about his comments by Jim Halterman of xfinity TV Blog: ‘First of all, I don’t understand why there would be anything offensive that I said. When it gets too far either visually…now, that world exists because it does for the hetero world, it exists, and I don’t want to see that either.
‘But when I feel it’s a cause, when I feel it’s “You’re going to like my lifestyle,” no matter what it is, I’m going to have a problem and there were a couple of shows I went ‘I couldn’t watch that with somebody else.” That’s fine. If whoever writes it or produces it…totally get it. It’s all about personal taste.’
Crystal, 66, first came to fame in the 1970s for playing the gay character of Jodie Dallas on the ABC sitcom Soap. He believes this gives him some unique insight into the situation.
‘I expressed an opinion as a viewer as somebody who had a little bit of proprietary interest on two levels. One, as someone who is a heterosexual man but stood up for the gay community back in 1977. It wasn’t perfect when we started, that wasn’t my doing, we then kept writing and writing and making him a real person in the truest sense of the word and that his gayness was just a part of who he was and people loved that character and it was well earned by the time we wrapped.
‘So I was looking at it as that going hmmmm….I feel a little that in this particular instance, I don’t think it was doing the gay community a service, in my opinion because it was just too much for me. There’s no controversy. I didn’t call up the showrunner and go “what the f**k are you doing?” I didn’t write a nasty post or tweet. I stayed out of it and maybe I shouldn’t have said anything today. And then as a parent and grandparent and a father, I have responsibilities to other people to what you watch.’
Comments
(All comments are reviewed before being published, and I review submissions several times per day.)
K. Martinez says:
I find it amusing how some of the older talent show their age by putting down the younger talent like Billy Crystal with his comments about the sex scenes in “How to Get away with Murder”, Cher on negative comments about Miley Cyrus and Bette Midler commenting on Ariana Grande. The world moves on.
Lexxvs says:
And to think that many of us gays have lived a life facing a “lifestyle” (my gosh, what misconstrued concept) that wasn’t our own without becoming hysterical like this guy, I wonder what he says in private. Tolerance does not build up by being with likeminded people or just seeing what we totally agree with, so exposure is important. I could argue that (for me) his face is a disagreeable spectacle that could be avoided but I don’t ask for him to put a bag on his head nor do I argue that some people are pushing “an ugly people conspiracy” to push such esthetics on others. Some people must’ve grown with the cultural idea that gays were some mythological monstrous creatures whose natural place was either jail or a madhouse so even if they acknowledge their current existence it must be shocking for them to see them on TV instead of the hidden caves they should exists.
Max says:
In his muddy clarification Billy should have cleared it up completely and stated that he is an ally of the gay community, believes in equality for all and supports gay marriage. Or at least give his stance.
I wonder what his previous track record is on giving support to the LGBT community.
John says:
I’m yet to see a gay sex scene, including anything on How To Get Away With Murder, that’s as explicit as countless heterosexual sex scene I’ve been exposed to on prime time TV my entire life. And yes, couples ARE an ‘everyday kind of thing’ whatever their orientation. And his hair colouring is way too dark, he needs a lighter shade.. it’s beyond bizarre.
Ron Minor says:
Billy, son, lose the hair dye… You look freaky! Bye the way, if you or anyone sees anything that offends you on TV, by all means, change the channel…. Problem solved. I am bombarded on TV with ads for women’s “fresh feeling” products to make their VaJJ’s smell better… REALLY. Now that is offensive! But Billy, you take care of yourself and don’t be offended!!!! You poor dried up has-been! I think I will exercise my right to NOT watch your upcoming show……..