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Commentary: “The Hangover” did not need offensive gay slurs to be funny
I’m way behind on my summer moviegoing mostly because I spent several weeks at film festivals watching indies that had not yet been released.
So now it’s catch up with Julie & Julia, Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince in recent days and last night, The Hangover.
It was showing at Regency Fairfax so I walked there after dinner, plunked down $7.50 and got ready for some laughs.
But just minutes into the film, I had to endure two gay slurs from the character played by Bradley Cooper and the audience laughed both times.
I felt sick.
The first remark was of the “that’s so gay” variety (Okay, is that supposed to be a bad thing?) then the real egregious one came shortly after when Cooper tries to coax Ed Helms‘ character out of the house and out of the clutches of his abusive girlfriend: “Paging Dr. Faggot” he yells from the car.
How is that funny? It’s stupid and it is offensive to gay moviegoers. I thought about leaving and asking for my money back but decided to stay so I could judge the movie fully. I thought it was funny – very funny at times – and was even more incredulous over why the filmmakers thought the slurs were necessary.
As of Tuesday, this film had grossed just shy of $263 million at the domestic box office. That’s a lot of ticket sales and as it goes to DVD, I’m thinking of all the kids who will see it. The straight ones who will think it’s okay to say things are “gay” and to call someone a “faggot” as long as its a joke.
And I think of the closeted gay kids who might be watching and who, upon hearing this kind of garbage, will die a little bit inside.
There’s no excuse.
Comments
(All comments are reviewed before being published, and I review submissions several times per day.)
Insouciance says:
How about a campaign to reclaim “that’s so gay” from a dis to a compliment? As in, your buddy Barack wins the presidency of the US and your response is “Man, that’s so gay”! I mean who uses “queer” derogatively any more after its reappropriation by the GLBT community?
David in Houston says:
That’s really disappointing to hear. I haven’t seen the movie, and now I don’t intend to. I expected more from Bradley Cooper, for some reason. I know he’s just playing a part, but some things are just not acceptable in 2009. I think saying, “Paging Dr. Faggot” is one of them.
*sigh*
Neil says:
Jeez, get over yourselves. This doesnt make people hate gays or disrespect them in anyway. The guy is married so its taking the mick saying he’s something he’s not. Grow a pair, man up. And stop acting like the fairer sex, you are still a man even if you are gay. So stop pretending your not!
Rob says:
@Neil: The term ‘faggot’ is blatantly homophobic, and anyone who denies so is deluded. Imagine the outcry if the word ‘nigger’ had been used instead. ‘Faggot’ is equally abusive.