The Daily Show‘s Al Madrigal took a trip down South to the two states openly gay statistician Nate Silver said would be the last to legalize same-sex marriage: Mississippi and Alabama. Madrigal utilized a stunt gay couple to perform “acts of simulated gayness” in order to see “which one of these backwoods, inbred, homophobic states will swim longest against the tide of history.” And the results were…interesting.
Gay PDA elicited a surprising response in Alabama, especially with one dudebro who was enamored with how “punk rock” the gay couple was. They shared a kiss at a state fair photo booth in Mississippi and the salty old carnie remarked how “mighty nice” their framed pic will look hanging up on their wall. Then — to really drive the gayness home — the fake ‘mos got engaged at waffle houses in both states, to rounds of polite applause.
While the lawmakers Madrigal interviewed seemed actually proud of their respective state’s intolerance, the people they represent appear far more tolerant — or at the very least, they have the common courtesy to fake it. But as proven by The Colbert Report’s amazing profile on the gay mayor of Vicco, Kentucky, sometimes stereotypes are just that: stereotypes.
But, even if Mississippi and Alabama are not as homophobic as one might expect, it’s probably going to be a long while before marriage equality comes to either. After all, just look how long it took Mississippi to officially ban slavery. Better 148 years late than never, I guess.
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Red_Dragon_888
I do believe that the Daily Show is really trying to make Gay news just to get on Queerty. When I saw that situation, I took it as if I was about to see a train wreck. My eyes were half avoiding, my feet were ready to move, stress levels were up and running, but to my delight, the test Gay couple were not harmed at all. That was an amazing surprise to me but I wonder what would happened if it all went wrong. Would it be on the news that the Daily Show put a Gay couple in danger, and had to fight there way out of the South? Luckily it did not turn out that way, or in other negative ways that I am imagining now.
the other Greg
Cute! It almost makes me curious about Alabama & Mississippi. Well, almost.
Darson
I have lived all my 48 years in northern alabama. Once i was out of high school, i was never name-called or anything. At least not to my face. My partner of 14 yrs was born here too a few miles down the road. We shop every week at the local wal-mart and no one bats an eye. I think alabama gets gets a bad wrap. Now if we walked around in assless chaps and leather harnesses and frenching everytime we turned around, things might be different. I think its all about what you put out into the world.
Jim Hlavac
Oh, I’m sure it’s NY that’s the most antigay, way beyond MS and AL — NYC is where gay men are shot on public streets for sport and transgendered people get beat up all the time.
What Queerty doesn’t realize is that “homophobia” isn’t by the state — it’s by the person. It’s not by the collective — it’s by the individual. It’s not stronger or weaker in one place or another — but in the hearts and mind of morons wherever they are.
I have lived in Nachez Mississippi — I have done extensive business in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama – I always found them actually gay friendlier than NYC where I was born and raised.
The Catholic Cardinal of San Francisco — a “gay friendly city” if there ever was one — is one of the most rabid antigay men in the nation. Same for the Cardinal of Chicago — rabidly anti-gay — except when it comes to his gay nephew, who is “a fine man.”
And if the NYC based Daily Show really wanted to know about homophobia than Jon Stewart should try to kiss a guy outside his studio and listen to all the rabid antigay comments he might desire. And shush about parts of the nation he knows nothing about.
Red_Dragon_888
@Darson: That would make a nice State Flag with the under title “Welcome to Alabama!!”
Jason b.
Darson – your story is nice to hear. It makes me suspect that the reason we believe the Deep South is so belligerent to gay people is that the ones we hear are a very loud and caustic minority. Having been born and raised in the South I don’t believe the general population really gives a damn. Here is an interesting article that resonated with me about the way homosexuality is looked at in the South.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/garrison-gibbons/the-understood-dont-ask-dont-tell-policy-in-the-south_b_4135471.html
Niall
I’d love to see the results for “flamboyant” gays.
BJ McFrisky
From the evidence presented, it appears that neither Alabama nor Mississippi are homophobic . . . but Queerty is apparently very biased against Alabama and Mississippi.
Ogre Magi
@Jim Hlavac: “The Catholic Cardinal of San Francisco — a “gay friendly city” if there ever was one — is one of the most rabid antigay men in the nation. Same for the Cardinal of Chicago — rabidly anti-gay”
That is because they are christians you dumb-dumb
Ogre Magi
@Jason b.: BULLCRAP!
I have lived my whole life in the South it is a truly rotten place. Southerners both black and white are some of the worst representatives of humanity I have ever come across. They are the very epitome of bible thumping ignorance and oafish belligerence.
gary47290
@Jim Hlavac: Hmm, The RC Cardinal of Chicago has a nephew. Historically, “nephew” was just a church euphemism for illegitimate son.
balehead
This was heavily edited….most people just didn’t react…
Bozen
I’ve never experienced prejudice or phobia due to my orientation and I’ve lived in the Deep South my whole life.
I’m sorry you think we’re some of the worst representatives of humanity,@Ogre Magi. You must not have traveled much.
[email protected]
As a former teenager who moved to Alabama (Tuscaloosa 1970,from Florida…beach kid to cotton field kid)this was interesting…both states are kinda behind the times, but times are changing…still feel when I cross I-20 (going from Atlanta) I’m going back 20 years….
There is change happening in B’ham with openly gay people running for political seats-that’s a major advance….
As to the waffle houses, they are “Waffle Houses”, a great chain offering 24 hour breakfast, lunch, dinner…No Chick- Fil-A for me!!!!
denx5
Southern folk are some of the most polite Ive encountered in my travels of the 48.
If you want homophobic reactions from locals go to rural Michigan.
I belonged to a gay outdoors group up near Frankfort. When the folks renting the canoes to us realized what we were they promptly canceled our reservations… costing them several thousands of dollars cuz we were going to pay in cash as we used the equipment.
The group eventually disolved because of continued threats and acts of violence.
True story from about 7 years ago.
denx5
@Jim Hlavac: Best response Ive read.
startenout
Oh my Lord…. Jon Stewart deals with current, major news stories with humor and a clearly backhanded sense of humor. Gay marriage has been a major headline for, oh, the past decade or so. If you have lost the skill of sarcasm and snark, clearly they are poking fun at and holes in this statisticians pronouncement that Mississippi and Alabama will be the last states to have gay marriage if they ever do. Perhaps they should do an exposé to figure out when so many members of our gay community became humorless, witless curmudgeons, because I miss people being able to joke about themselves.
Lastly, if you hate Queerty so much, why not take it off your favorites list and stop reading it?? It deals with serous subjects alongside pop culture news and some plain old silky fluff and eye candy that some of us openly enjoy. If you only want serious news written clinically (and error free…yes, Queerty could use some editors), stick to The Advocate and keep your self-righteous, judgmental vitriol to yourself. We all judge each other more than any straight person I’ve met!
DennisBTR
Being from the South(Louisiana and Georgia) I can assure that they just had the common courtesy to fake it as was suggested in the article.
The South will only legalize same-sex marriage when forced to do so by the courts. There are many people in the South that still think slavery is ok and even more that think they should be allowed to discriminate based on skin color.
BJ McFrisky
@denx5: You mean you didn’t know that good gays don’t live in the south or in the country and only populate NYC and SF and West Hollywood? For shaaaaaame.
AnnaMcManus
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darwinhd
I’d like a clarification from the author. In this piece you refer to “lawmakers Madrigal interviewed.” Maybe I missed another segment tied to this one, but if you’re referring to the two men included in the clip to which you’ve linked on this page, I believe you’ve misrepresented them. Firstly, they are not lawmakers. One is a journalist. Slim Smith is the managing editor of The Dispatch in Mississippi. (You can read his account of the clip here: http://www.cdispatch.com/opinions/article.asp?aid=28368&TRID=1&TID=) The other gentleman was a civil rights attorney in Alabama. Neither of them seemed proud of the intolerance in their states. In fact, in his writings, Slim Smith is very open about his support for marriage equality. In the clip itself, he says that it’s unfortunate that Mississippi will likely be the last state to recognize same-sex marriage.
Again, perhaps I missed another segment to which you’re referencing, and if that is the case, please ignore me. If it’s not, though, I’d ask that you amend your post. It’s easy to take these Daily Show statements out of context. See e.g., John Stewart’s lengthy (and wonderfully sincere) apology to former Mississippi Secretary of State Dick Molpus on Feb. 25 of this year.
Thanks!
Faggot
@Jim Hlavac:
So sad, but true about NY. Which makes one wonder why all of the gays from “… these backwoods, inbred, homophobic states…” keep on moving to the Big Apple?