Just in time for Madonna‘s new album to hit stores (do record stores even exist anymore?), here’s a look at five musicians over the years who have identified potential to resonate in the gay community and actively worked to strengthen those ties.
Some to more success than others…
1. Nick Jonas
We’d be remiss not to mention Nick Jonas first. He (or someone he’s paying handsomely to do publicity) realized early on that a gay fan base is a good fan base. His was a multi-pronged approach. Show up live at gay bars flashing your abs? Check. Come out with a sex-forward ad champaign reminiscent of locker room cruising? Check. Play a gay character on TV and be quoted saying, “the sexiest things in a person is their acceptance of all people”? Check. And mate. As manufactured as his appeal to gay men might be from a marketing perspective, we get the sense that Nick really is the ally he makes himself out to be. And the fact that he’s the first American straight pop star go this direction is, well, groundbreaking.
How about we take this to the next level?
Our newsletter is like a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.
Do we feel pandered to? No.
2. One Direction
The boys of One Direction take after Nick Jonas in that they embody a new generation of young people who don’t observe such strict lines when it comes to sexuality. It makes sense when you understand the band members have grown up in an environment where gay is OK. There’ve been pro-gay Tweets and the occasional peck on the lips. But then there’s the gay rumors, which the boys had every part in slyly creating. And then more even sillier gay rumors. It seems like while they may be totally cool with the gays, they started to have a bit of fun making the press jump whenever they tossed a bone. And then Louis Tomlinson got genuinely worked up when a reporter commented that wearing an Apple logo might suggest support for Tim Cook.
Do we feel pandered to? Ehh, yes.
3. Bette Midler
Bathhouse Bette, the one that started it all. The gay Continental Bathhouse opened their basement doors in 1968 at the Ansonia Hotel on New York City’s Upper West Side. Owner Steve Ostrow told Bette’s acting teacher at the time that he was starting a “nightclub in his basement.” Bette had recently put together a solid 20 minutes of material, and booked the gig, later revealing that she was unaware at the time that the audience members would be in their towels. But she didn’t seem to mind one bit. That gig would launch her to worldwide fame, and it all started with gays.
Do we feel pandered to? Hell fucking no!
4. Madonna
For Madge, the equation seems to have gone in reverse. The gays came to her, and she took their support to heart, willfully becoming a gay icon in the process. In 2008, record producer David Foster reportedly told Madonna that he didn’t like sight of two men kissing. “Two men kissing should be looked at as normal! You represent everything I’m trying to change,” she responded. She has spoken out against LGBT bullying and urged her fans to support gay marriage among other pro-gay gestures over the years.
Do we feel pandered to? No.
5. Katy Perry
So get this — Katy Perry kissed a girl, and she liked it. Our apologies if you’ll now have the song stuck in your head for the next 72 hours. “I Kissed A Girl” was released in 2008, and was a huge success for the budding pop star. The critics, however, disagreed. AllMusic concluded “the problem is not with Katy’s gender-bending, it’s that her heart isn’t in it; she’s just using it to get her places, so she sinks to crass, craven depths.” Slant Magazine agreed, saying the song “isn’t problematic because it promotes homosexuality, but because its appropriation of the gay lifestyle exists for the sole purpose of garnering attention — both from Perry’s boyfriend and her audience.”
Do we feel pandered to? Hell fucking yes.
Desert Boy
Nick Jonas. He can “court” me anytime.
Bob LaBlah
Nick Jonas could walk out on a stage, pull out a twelve inch Bam dildo, and still not have a paying fan in the audience. Who/what is a Nick Jonas? And with that cap and pulled down briefs is the intention now to pass this no talent joke off as a “hoodnik”?
Please, this old pancaked-ass white guy begs Jonas’ handlers to put his flabby ass in a gym for a few months and then come back. Even Bieber’s folks knew he had to have a muscular make over to be relevant for all of fifteen minutes amongst todays gay youth. Back to the drawing board guys.
jjose712
@Bob LaBlah: Sorry, but you seem to not live in the same world as the rest of us.
In the last months, Nick Jonas had a top 10 hit on the billboard hot 10, a number one on the pop airplay chart, and an album in the top 10 of the billboard chart.
Marketing or not (i really think he clearly knows that having a gay fan base is going to be good for his career in the long run) he did a good job on establishing himself. Going from teen star to adult singer is not easy (and even less if the less Jonas brothers album was a faliure) but he did a good start.
Your mention of Justin Bieber shows that you have no idea. Bieber was big with teen girls but he never had any appeal to gays (the fact that he sold an ultraconservative image didn’t help).
And about One Direction, Harry Styles is gay friendly (i don’t want to question his sexuality, because in fact Niall Horan apart, there are rumours about all the rest too) the rest of the guys, i’m not so sure
Taskebab
Strange criteria for whether or not the author feels pandered to. Nick Jonas is desperately exploiting the gay community for fame and attention, yet 1 Direction playing with gay rumours is pandering while Jonas almost shoving his dick in our mouths isn’t…
jjose712
@Taskebab: That’s easy to understand, Nick Jonas was front an center and very clear about wanting gay fans. And approach that a lot of female stars do but no straight male singers.
From all the male stars on the last decade the only one i could think that pursue a gay fanbase was Enrique Iglesias, and he is the living prove that a gay fanbase is great for a male singer, because it was his older female fans and his gay fanbase the ones who supportted him when he was not at the top of his game.
There are other reason why Nick Jonas wanted gay fans and it was his ultra clean religious image with the Jonas Brothers.
In One Direction case, the reactions are different because their members relationship with the gay community are very different. Harry Styles couldn’t care less about gay rumours, Louis Tomlison reacts very bad to everything gay related, Liam Payne has a rocky relationship since his support to Duck Dinasty members in the middle of the controversy.
So reactions to them playing with the gay rumours probably depend of the member playing with gay rumours and the way he plays with them
lauraspencer
Other than Bette, all the above names pander to the gays.
Bob LaBlah
@jjose712: I still say (more or less) that he (Jonas) comes off as the “Osmond” that smokes pot. But hey, at least YOU think he’s a star. Personally, I don’t think I would watch him on stage (with an empty seat stadium) with the Bam dildo even on the free porn sites. In you comments you sound more like that of a paid staffer for Jonas than a misguided, tin eared gay fan. I bet those underwear are stained too. I won’t go into where.
AlliterationAddict
@Bob LaBlah: I’m not sure where you are coming from. I’m not even into that kind of music, and I know who Nick Jonas is. And while, again, it’s not really my thing, the truth is that his songs are pretty good. Which is more than could be said for Bieber.
SportGuy
@Bob LaBlah:
While I know who the jonas kid is, im not so stupid to fall for his pathetic attempets of trying to sucker teen girls/ gay guys into listening to his useless autotuned drivel. Sadly some are, but he will disappear shortly as there is no actual talent.
Giancarlo85
I was gonna say Mick Jagger and David Bowie, but I think both are bi lol… and not straight. And I’m not sure if they courted gay people…
But one can remember this… video lol
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9G4jnaznUoQ
Watch it once, and never forget it!
machuffin
Madonna does NOT pander to gays. Jonas I don’t feel is pandering, per se, but focusing on a key factor of his audience that he would still otherwise appreciate and give a nod to. 1D is EXTREMELY pandering. They pretend to be gay, fey, fall all over each other, take pictures of themselves nearly naked and “leak them” and joke about being gay and bi- because, for some reason, it gets them press. THAT is pandering (IMO, they have no talent and most of them are average looking or worse. But that is just my opinion.) Midler is also a panderer (sorry). Just listen to her actual words in gay issues and you’ll change your tune. And the BSB were the first straight male pop stars to acknowledge their gay fandom so openly (an XY magazine cover and numerous articles showing support and acceptance). I’m not just saying that because I am a fan (I could take it leave them). Take That and, to a much less extent, NSYNC also were early accepting make pop stars (though, of course Jonas has taken it to another level by playing gay in “love scenes”, though I don’t get Direct TV so I don’t know how willing he is to act “gay”).
Bryguyf69
@SportGuy: You’re being too harsh. It’s not his fault that the industry uses autotune by default. It’s basically integrated into the digital processing that goes into all pop recordings. As for Jonas, he actually has a good voice. Before fame and the Jonas Brothers, he actually acted in several musicals including Beauty and the Beast, Annie Get Your Gun, and Les Miserables. Were talking BROADWAY, and not Summer Stock or regional productions. Given the competitiveness of Broadway, you’re not going to get chosen unless you can sing. Looks are secondary since the actors are under heavy makeup and costumes. After becoming famous, he starred as Marius in Les Miserables (Eddie Redmayne’s role in the movie version), again o Broadway. I attended one performance and he wasn’t bad at all. We’re talking live on Broadway, where autotuning is not an option. Furthermore, the songs are challenging because music is minimal. If his voice cracked or was out of tune, it would have been obvious. Is he great? No, but I bet he’s better than most of the pop singers you compared him to. I’ve seen Les Miserables on Broadway 9 times and 4 times elsewhere, and he certainly wasn’t the worst Marius. Ricky Martin, however, does rank among the worst!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=koWo07wNkO0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vMZQXhg4MWQ
Zodinsbrother
I know Nick has been around a while as part of the Jonas Brother but most of that time was as Chastity Ring wearing conservative poster boys. So his baiting of the Gay audience is pretty recent. One Direction, for all their faults, have been flirting with homosexuality for approximately five years now. So saying they “take after” Nick is a bit of a stretch.
Bryguyf69
@Zodinsbrother: @Zodinsbrother: Nick Jonas’ father was a conservative preacher, and Nick started his career singing Christian music. So I give him a lot of credit for courting gays, and speaking out for gay rights. It’s not something he needs to do for commercial success. He credits his experience in musical theater for exposing him to gays. Jonas’ journey mirrors Jessica Simpson, whose father was also a preacher. After her curvaceous body proved to be a liability in Christian music, he became her manager and exploited her sexuality for pop music. Simpson credits Ellen (or was it Rosie?) for giving her early TV exposure.
demented
You don’t feel pandered to by Madonna? You should. She’s a reptile who don’t care about nobody but herself; LGBT people are just a demographic she can rely on.
@Giancarlo85: Yeah, both are very definitely bi. So it’s not such a far stretch.
Large Marge
All of them pander and all of them are a-okay in my book.
I really don’t care if they pander to me or really believe it. Having ‘stars’ publicly associated with a gay fanbase is always good in my book.
As for Justin Bieber, he’s a kid who grew up in a horrible, entitled, venerated, adulated environment… is it not surprising he became a bit of a douche?
How would you turn out if you were that famous, had all that money and were worshipped by legions… he was a teenager… and yes, it went to his head a bit.
Whether directed by his PR firm or his management, he is making ‘amends’ by his recent appearances on Ellen and the Comedy Central Roast.
I’m willing to give him the benefit of the doubt about his change of character. I wish more were… he didn’t beat up his girlfriend like other football stars have done… he peed in a bucket… classless and clueless, but i think understandable.
We didn’t grow up the way he did and I think he is at a severe disadvantage for not doing so. I think he’s crippled by his upbringing, or lack thereof… and it shows.
Plus, he actually is pretty hot.
wade.l
Just saw Nick Jonas perform at the at the Sydney Gay and Lesbian (after parade) dance party and he was terrific…way to go Nick and thanks for your support, no matter how many of these wretched loser queens bag you.
jantheman4903
nick jonas..why i think it is pandering..is now he wants gay money and fans because he NEEDS them/lost the jonas bro base. did he say ONE thing supportive of the gay community when he was in a group?so what if he was young..so many brave advocates are. yes they are religious ect..there r still statements that could be made that at least walk the line.
jjose712
@jantheman4903: When he was in the group he was underage.
And no, he doesn’t need gays to be successful at all. If male singers need gay fans more male singers will promote themselves in gay media, and they don’t do it, and there’s a reason for that.
If you are a pop male singer you are going to be promoted to have a teen (or even preteen) girl fanbase, because they are the ones who are supporting more rabidly their idols, so they are the ones who will make you a number one.
A wise and talented singer will grow with his fans.
Generally gay fans come by themselves if they like the music or the singer (or generally both)
Having gay fans (like having adult fans in general and over 30 women in particular) is good for an artist in the long run, because they usually are more commited with the artist and won’t leave him for the next best thing, and generally support him in the lows of their career. Enrique Iglesias is a good example of that.
So no, he doesn’t need gays to be successful at all, but it’s obvious he wants them.
Teen artist are tightly controlled by their managements. And he was even clear about that, he felt the Jonas Brothers neglected their gay fan base and he didn’t want that to happen to him as solo artist.
In fact i think is very positive that a male artist really want a gay fanbase. Hopefully it will be more in the future
QJ201
another shallow story some one wrote in 25 minutes
Ooh, nick jonas is a courting da gays…let’s write a story
There are SO many more to add to this list, but that would require, you know, research and effort.
Lefil
Nick Jonas has been everywhere for the past few months, trying to reinvent himself as a wannabe“sex symbol” taking body shots as many as possible…pandering to horney girls and gays…etc., etc. But his album only sells around 100,000 copies. What kind of nonsense is that? He’s no Justin Timberlake.
Giancarlo85
I think people need to give Nick a break. Artists don’t sell much in the way of albums anymore. That isn’t even where they make any money. I am not really a fan of his, but I don’t get the criticism. If he is going to be supportive of the LGBT community, why all the hissy fits? People can open their minds you know.
Edward Schmeer
They left out Cher!
Bradley Warmouth
Edward Alexzandra Peters
Barbra Streisand?
ryantbo
Got so tired of the am I gay wink wink with UK artist Robbie Williams. It gets old