Kevin Hart may have recently admitted that he’s too insecure to portray a gay character, but he certainly isn’t shy about making jokes at their expense. The busy comic actor, who seems to have a new film out every few months, costars with Will Ferrell in the upcoming comedy Get Hard and reports from the SXSW premiere of the movie Monday indicate that some of the film’s gay-themed humor may be outdated. In the R-rated bro-com, Ferrell plays a millionaire convicted of embezzlement and sentenced to a decade in prison who asks Hart’s character to help toughen him up before his gig in the slammer. And in the parlance of this film, “toughen him up” translates to “teach him how to blow a dude.”
Variety notes that the gay jokes, as well as a lot of race-based humor, had the audience in Austin, Texas, laughing and cringing simultaneously and describes the film as the “most high-profile comedy ever made about the subject of prison rape.” The Variety writer also reveals the following plot detail:
As part of his prison-prep routine, Ferrell decides to try to perform oral sex on a guy, and he takes an older gentleman into a bathroom stall. “I’m going to suck your d–,” Ferrell says, but he’s so disgusted by the thought, the scene will feel homophobic to some viewers. Another running joke has Ferrell shove objects up his anus.
HitFlix’s review suggests the film is essentially a two-hour joke that “gay rape is hilarious.” The writer adds:
There is nothing this movie can imagine that is worse than gay sex, it seems to be saying. How in the year 2015, as we see over 30 states finally recognizing same-sex marriage, can we possibly justify this thing? How can anyone sit in the theater and just laugh and laugh and laugh as the movie repeatedly screams, “Oh my god, gay people are so gross!”
The comedy will open in theaters March 27. Check out the fairly innocuous trailer below.
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DarkZephyr
I am sure some people will come along and say that those who are offended are just over-sensitive or worse, or that we should be able to laugh at ourselves, etc, but I am with HitFlix on this. This is genuinely homophobic and if we keep allowing ourselves to be the brunt of jokes and trying to shame our LGBT brothers and sisters who speak out against this, people will continue to think that we are jokes that don’t need any serious consideration as human beings, sub-creatures who don’t deserve to be treated equally.
DJ_Gayburn
Gay jokes like the ones described in your article may be tasteless and far from funny these days but they get people talking and sell tickets.
In other words, you just promoted their movie for them, free of charge.
The more attention it gets the more that type of humor will stay relevant. Tastelessness is best left ignored.
jwtraveler
Prison rape is not gay sex. It is not “gay rape”. It is a violent crime committed by one man against another man. It causes both physical and psychological harm and is no laughing matter.
I have never understood the appeal of Will Ferrell. I find him juvenile, tedious and full of himself. I once heard that he was voted the celebrity least accessible to fans in terms of giving autographs; Johnny Depp was the most accessible.
@DJ_Gayburn: Your point is well-taken, but I doubt that this article will move many Queerty readers to go see this movie.
Bauhaus
@DarkZephyr:
Bigots always say, “don’t be so thin skinned” after offending in the most outrageous ways. What is humorous about prison rape? Why are gays portrayed as people to laugh at and be disgusted by, simultaneously?
jason smeds
Being a gay man doesn’t automatically mean that you participate in anal sex. I know tons of men who have been in relationships with men that do not involve anal sex at all.
In actual fact, there is no such thing as anal sex. Sex is only possible in a penis-vagina format. All other arrangements are masturbatory mechanisms, not sex.
RIGay
Other than “Elf” I cannot, for the life of me, recall any Will Ferrell movie that I had any… ANY interest in seeing. He’s like Seth Rogan; a one note, talentless actor who nailed that whole “Adult behaving as a juvenile” schtick that people just fawn over.
I could care less about the content of his latest tome of garbage; it will be here and gone in a week then into the DVD bin at Walmart along with the rest of his opus of mare’d.
Louis
It doesn’t surprise me from either .
Neither have ever seemed gay friendly…much less funny to begin with.
Ive never and never will understand the fascination with Hart especially.
He essentially plays the same character in every film hes in : grating incredibly annoying obnoxious etc…
Ive never found him funny and Ferrell is no better dry annoying obnoxious no wonder these 2 are in a movie together they are so similar to one another in those regards.
This kind of humor is ultimately harmful to the gay community because it just makes the homophobes already intolerant mentalities even more intolerant and hateful towards us as human beings then they already are.
QJ201
insta-bomb
Desert Boy
People tend to think Hollywood (the industry) is evolved and gay friendly. But, in reality, Hollywood is a business and if the ‘suits’ think a script will appeal to the “low information”, Joe Six pack audience, they will let the homophobic jokes pepper a script. The only thing Hollywood understand is a boycott. When audiences, who are usually smarter than the suits, stay away in droves and the movie loses precious money, then they might think twice about green lighting garbage like ‘Get Hard”.
petensfo
Hollywood aims for teens and this will probably have a 1 week draw at the Box and then go to DVD, on-demand, & international audiences and make all their money back.
I never objected to Ferrell, but I find this pretty disappointing.
We need a tag-line that once & for all stops the idea that prison rape is amusing. The gays are just as guilty there.
Giancarlo85
@jason smeds: There is no such thing as anal sex? What are you? Stupid? Please enlighten us with more of your pseudointellectual thoughts.
Hart is funny, but mostly a one trick pony. He is one dimensional. As far as the scene, Hollywood will do what they want to make money, but I personally don’t think this will make any none. I won’t give this much more attention.. It looks like a stupid movie anyways.
Mikah
I didn’t even bother to watch the trailer for this nonsense.Kevin Hart is one of the most overrated and unfunny comedians I’ve ever seen.Morons hyped him up just like they did that jackass Katt Williams.
And if straight comedians didn’t have Gay jokes then what the fuck would they have? Good content? Jokes that require creativity and thought? LOL
Also @JasonSmeds I disagree with the second half of your comment.Sex is sex,whether it’s anal,oral,or vaginal.A vagina is often used as a masturbatory mechanism just as much as an ass or mouth.Your statement confuses me.
NoCagada
@jason smeds: “TONS” of men…must be like binders full of women. I seriously doubt that you KNOW any MEN
“In actual fact, there is no such thing as anal sex. Sex is only possible in a penis-vagina format. All other arrangements are masturbatory mechanisms, not sex.”
And, you are so qualified to make such an ignorant statement, how, exactly?
You must be taking some serious drugs, son.
NoCagada
@Giancarlo85: “@jason smeds: There is no such thing as anal sex? What are you? Stupid? Please enlighten us with more of your pseudointellectual thoughts.”
NO…please…DON’T!
jwtraveler
@jason smeds: Thanks. I always find your comments entertaining.
footwork61
1) There is sexual orientation; there is sexual activity; and there is gender identity. There is not an absolute correlation between what sexual activity people enjoy and their sexual orientation. About 40% of men 18-40 report participating in some form of anal sex because it feels good. 40% of men are not gay.
2) Rape is not sexual activity.
GayNotShallow
The worst kept secret in Hollywood is Mr. Ferrell’s sexuality.
See his 90’s skit with Russel Brand for a very camp Will Ferrell.
lykeitiz
I didn’t get from the preview the vibe this article describes. Maybe the movie plays differently.
polarisfashion
I always wondered about guys that tell gay jokes that involve specific sexual acts. If they are such experts then they must have gay tendencies themselves.
Mack
Personally I don’t care for either of them. I think their movies are childish-an 8 year old level. I wouldn’t spend any money to see them. Kevin Hart isn’t an actor he’s comedian actor wannabe. He’ll never be the level of Eddie Murphy.
Clark35
@RIGay: Exactly, he’s not funny. There’s also what GayNotShallow wrote as that’s something I’ve heard before too.
Saint Law
@jwtraveler: You are very easily pleased.
Saint Law
@jason smeds: It feels like masturbation because that’s what you’re doing. Masturbating. To porn showing men having anal sex.
That’s not the same thing as actually having sex with men – anal or otherwise. Tho I can see how the distinction might be lost on you.
Kieran
Millions of impressionable young people will go see this movie and be taught to fear, loathe and ridicule homosexuality. If not in themselves, in others. Thanks for nothing, irresponsible Hollywood a$$hole “elites”.
Dawson
Thin skinned or refusing to be someone’s joke? Would minorities find it funny if we came out in black face for example? Could we say they are too thin skinned to not know that some people would still find it funny for whites to put on black face.
Some are diminishing Kevin Hart as a one note talent yet he is very popular. For many many people he is extremely popular especially to young men. People go to his movies in the thousands and this is the message he is saying about our community. I am not a joke for your lack of story telling. As a community he needs to understand that we are not his punch line. We saw this with the Waylin Bros and Mel Brooks.
There is a difference between being able to take a joke. There is little to laugh about when we become marginalized.
To straight men especially ones still dealing with what a so called man is this just cheapen our community. We are fighting for our rights to just get married yet it is normally women who are more accepting of gay rights then men. So now we have a movie that AGAIN finds us a joke! In 2015!
Clearly we need to let the studio’s and the people behind these type of films that this is no longer acceptable in 2015. It will be interesting to see how some of our gay political organization deal with this.
Kevin Hart and Farrell may be a tool to find this funny but maybe we should ask them if it would be funny if one of their love ones was raped let alone the whole gay aspect of still finding this funny.
How about a columnist asking either one of them is rape funny or just gay rape? Just that simple question. I sure hope someone ask them this question.
DarthKitsune
I wasn’t going to see this film because Will Ferrell’s chest hair makes me itch. Now I’m also not going to see it because I refuse to pay for the privilege of watching the manner in which I have sex, and indeed my sexuality, made into a huge joke.
Black Pegasus
Sounds like a movie white heterosexuals will enjoy.
Alan down in Florida
@jason smeds: Geez you’ve got a very limited definition of sex. You remind me of a high school girl who thinks as long as she hasn’t been vaginally penetrated by a penis she is still a virgin in spite of having performed every other sex act in the Joy Of Sex or the Kama Sutra.
DuMaurier
I’m sick of prison rape jokes (especially when they’re half-serious, as when online posters make snickering don’t-drop-the-soap “jokes” about what a criminal defendant like, say, Aaron Hernandez better get ready for), but it’s not homophobic to portray a guy–straight OR gay–as being terrified of the prospect. It’s not “gay sex”, it’s assault.
Kangol
So tired of this stupid, moronic, gay-panic/homophobic crap, as well as the prison-rape-is-so-funny scenario, but I’m also tired of Kevin Hart being the “black buddy”/minstrel to a white main actor in 2015!
Wasn’t he also in another movie where he helps some white dude be cool to get/keep a wife? Is he Hollywood’s newest version of the Magic Negro?
Seriously, Hollywood needs to stop this sh*t! There are millions of other stories out there, involving people of ALL races, genders, sexualities, etc., so find some and make films that are idiotic like this.
mdhess
@jason smeds:
That’s about the stupidest remark regarding sex and sexuality I’ve ever heard. But if that’s what you have to tell yourself to make boinking some dude okay in your own mind then…whatever
Charli Girl
That’s too bad I really was starting to like Kevin Hart!! Oh well C’e La Vir!!!
Charli Girl
C’e La Vie
Captain Obvious
Lets collectively whine and cry about everything.
Giancarlo85
@mdhess: Don’t expect much from the clown that infests this site. He’ll make these stupid comments and never bother backing them up.
LadyL
@Black Pegasus: Yes. And their insecure black male counterparts. (First hint: Kevin Hart)
robho3
I think I’m the only person in America that doesn’t think this man is funny.
jwtraveler
@Black Pegasus: I’ll bet black heterosexuals will enjoy it too.
jwtraveler
@Charli Girl: C’est la vie.
Saint Law
@Captain Obvious: No you just keep on whining on your own. It’s the one thing you excel at.
SFHarry
@DJ_Gayburn: I appreciate the thought behind what you are saying but have a different take on it. I think discussing it is a good thing. You are right it will get the movie more viewers but that I think is a lesser drawback than allowing the homophobic film to get by without comment. My hope is that discussion will deter people from making such films in the future.
Nedra
I am so SICK of people exploiting homosexuality and making us into some kind of freaks. I will never watch this film or any other project put out by Will Ferrell AND Kevin Hart.
hotshot70
@robho, I agree. I don’t think Will or Kevin are funny. Will is a loud mouth borderline re-re (not saying the word for fear of offending some retard! lol). Kevin just screams everything, like a mini-Chris Rock.
Captain Obvious
@Saint Law: Why are queens like you always pretending to know people in the comments section personally. Clearly you feel it was about you despite your name not being in my post. Keep crying about a movie, baby.