There was that gay sex scene in Wet Hot American Summer and the homoerotics in Nip/Tuck, and now actor Bradley Cooper goes gay again in the upcoming flick Valentine’s Day, where he’ll play a dude in love with a closet-case football player. High school memories! So now that he’s a bona fide gay-for-pay star, he’s free to take roles in other movies where he plays straight guys throwing around gay slurs, right?
Now starring in The Hangover — which, shut up, we actually want to see when it comes out June 5 — Cooper’s outgoing voicemail message is “Don’t text me; it’s gay” while his character throws around the phrase “paging Dr. Faggot.”
Kosher? Cooper tells writer Brandon Voss: “It has a lot to do with the way you’re brought up. Luckily, I was brought up right. My grandfather in particular was against us ever using any sort of slur, so that’s been ingrained in my head since I was a kid. But I see no problem in playing characters that say ‘faggot’ and stuff like that. I’m just representing a character, and you have to understand him for all of his faults and assets. I don’t think there’s anything off-limits in terms of storytelling. We actually shot that ‘paging Dr. Faggot’ scene at 8:30 in the morning on a beautiful street populated with a lot of gay couples, so I’m screaming ‘faggot’ and thinking, Oh, my God, what am I doing?”
So it’s cool for straight characters to painted as giant homophobes? Like Paul Rudd in Wet Hot American Summer? “It depends on what movie we’re talking about, but what it’s usually depicting is the lack of comfort so many males have even talking about homosexuality. But I think the stereotype has been changed to reveal that the guy who calls everybody ‘faggot’ is probably gay or certainly has issues he’s not dealing with. If there’s something about someone that bothers you, usually it’s something that you don’t like about yourself.”
And the requisite “How do you feel about rumors that you’re gay” response goes like this: “I think it’s awesome. Victor Garber is one of my best friends, and I’ll never forget when we went to some event together and people thought we were dating. It was all over the Internet. It was the first time I read a rumor like that about me, and I just thought it was fantastic. But if you believe those rumors, every single male in Hollywood is gay.”
Well, seems like as good a time as any to revisit Cooper’s sexing in Wet Hot American Summer, yes?
MTiffany
It sounds like you’re confusing the character for the actor and the script for real life. They are not the same things.
John Santos
First off, I’m tired of hets pontificating on homosexuality as if they know what the fuck they’re talking about. Secondly, I’ll take him at his word, when it’s common for white actors to throw around nigger, spic, chinck, hebe with the wild abandon that they throw around anti-gay slurs. Lastly, I’m fed up with hets telling us that if someone is anti-gay, it’s because they’re gay themselves.
Like I wrote in another thread, Al Qaeda should have flown the planes into the Hollywood sign; America would have been a better palce for it.
cufflinks
@John Santos: “I’ll take him at his word, when it’s common for white actors to throw around nigger, spic, chinck, hebe with the wild abandon that they throw around anti-gay slurs.”
Aaaaaand that would begin with O’Connor’s portrayal of Archie Bunker in “All in the Family.”
adolf
OT but, Zach Galifianakis is F’n hot.
WestWing
“I’m just representing a character, and you have to understand him for all of his faults and assets. I don’t think there’s anything off-limits in terms of storytelling.”
Okay. Sure. How about:
“Don’t text me; it’s kike.”
“Paging Dr. Nigger.”
“Don’t text me; it’s jungle bunny.”
“Paging Dr. Jew.”
Because we hear comments like that all the time in the flicks.
mylilpip
A person without a sense of humor is like a wagon without springs. It’s jolted by every pebble on the road. – Henry Ward Beecher
and
A sense of humor is a major defense against minor troubles. – Mignon McLaughlin
and lastly,
Humor is the instinct for taking pain playfully. – Max Eastman
AlwaysGay
@John Santos: WOW! You stole the thoughts right out of my mind. I completely agree with you.
jake
i just don’t know why they don’t say other stuff, like “that’s so black,” or “that’s so woman” or “that’s so asian.” maybe it would become too transparent suddenly or “Paging Dr. Nigger” or “Paging Dr. Gook” it’s just a collective acceptance of oppression…it’s screams hypocrite.
@WestWing: i typed my comments and read your after! we’re thinking the same same thing…interesting
TANK
zack gilifianakis is gifted.
“fugees and funions…”
TANK
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vSnBhvaXURA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qlPZq8llJJ4
As for the rest, blah. I’m sick of gay for pay actors, too, and their generic, boring responses to the same questions as if it’s even remotely interesting.
Timothy
Characters in movies don’t say, “that’s so jungle bunny” because no one in life says that. It’s not because racism is off limits in movies, but because when it is presented it is done so in a way that is believable (or so they try).
But we would not expect that no characters in movies show the form of subtle racism that is reflected in society. Characters might comment about “asian drivers” or might point out a black guy in an expensive car and say, “huh, I wonder if he’s a rapper or just a pimp”. Because these forms of racism exist in abundance.
Just like “that’s so gay” is abundant. And an actor making such a slur in a movie is a reflection on the character being played, not on the actor.
DeAnimator
@WestWing:
Exactly.
John Santos
@mylilpip:
Humor brings insight and tolerance. Irony brings a deeper and less friendly understanding.
–Agnes Repplier
John Santos
@Timothy:
Timothy, why should LGBTQ’s have to go to the movies, only to be hammered with anti-gay slurs? Racial minorities and religious minorities know that when they go to the movies, they will not be hearing racial/religious slurs–unless it’s their own race doing the slurring.
Queers, however, have to listen to hets use anti-gay slurs that were written by hets, directed by hets and financed by hets. If this happened to any other minority, it would be called bigotry. It happens to us, and it’s called acting.
Characters in movies don’t say, “that’s so jungle bunny” because no one in life says that.
Yes, and when can we expect that to happen to us? As long as Hollywood has decided that queers are a viable target, we will always hear anti-gay slurs. Other minorities did a fine job in slapping Hollywood down and putting it in our place. Queers apparently control Hollywood, and we’re the ones who get slapped down.
John Santos
@cufflinks:
Aaaaaand that would begin with O’Connor’s portrayal of Archie Bunker in “All in the Family.”
Imagine trying to get that made today. It would be devoid of wit, style and any semblance of reality. AITF, like Mel Brooks in the 70’s, made fun of everyone, thus making everyone part of the joke. Not like today, where only certain people are held up for ridicule.
John Santos
@WestWing:
Exactly! “Crash” was the least racist, racist movie I’ve ever seen. Yet apparently it was a “learning” movie that was suppose to teach us about ourselves.
John Santos
@AlwaysGay:
Blush 🙂
John Santos
@jake:
it’s just a collective acceptance of oppression…it’s screams hypocrite.
I think it was Kevin Smith, or some such douchebag director, who when asked why he doesn’t use racial slurs, stated that it was “too obvious”, whatever that means. But anti-gay slurs are what?–the epitome of brilliance?
John Santos
@TANK:
I’m sick of gay for pay actors, too, and their generic, boring responses to the same questions as if it’s even remotely interesting.
Yeah, tell me about it. I thought the advancement of queer equality was suppose to help queers, not help hets get great roles playing queer characters, while queers actors remain in the closet.
George
If anyone wants to read the article in its entirety, here’s the link. It’s in the latest Advocate. http://www.advocate.com/issue_story_ektid80902.asp
Chris
I wonder if Bradley Cooper would have been comfortable ‘paging Dr. Nigger?’ Or Dr. Kike? Or Dr. Chink, Gook or WHATEVER?????
Justifying the use of the word faggot is just no longer justifiable no matter how hard you try, straight folks.
sal(the original)
well i’ll do em a favor and spend my ‘Faggot’ money on this masterful film
sal(the original)
@sal(the original): LOL,I mean NOT(!!!!!!!!)spend….lol
vernonvanderbilt
Untwist your panties, gals. It’s a movie, for fuck’s sake. Getting bent out of shape over every tiny slight (real or perceived) just makes us look like whiny little bitches. Pick your battles, kids, or you just become insufferable.
“Life is too serious to be taken seriously.” – Oscar Wilde
jason
I find that straight guys who use the word “fag” a lot are usually the easiest to bed after they’ve had a few drinks.
AlwaysGay
@John Santos: Have you stolen my brain? I didn’t think any gay person thought like me. I agree with everything you wrote in this thread. You obviously are very perceptive.
blake
@John Santos:
John,
Racial minorities do go to movies and find themselves hammered with racist dialog all the time. Have you ever seen a Quentin Tarrantino film? Every other word is “nig–r” this or that.
And, the racial stereotypes abound in BIG blockbusters. Did you see Michael Bay’s “Transformers”? Anthony Anderson delivered a performance that only Step’n’Fetchit could surpass.
Oh, did I forget the Simpson’s and their unapologetic anti-Indian slurs where they have white actor Hank Azaria playing Abu the Indian convenience store owner?
Let’s also not forget the endless special episodes of crime shows that take place in mysterious, dangerous Chinatown, where our guest star Asian actor helps bring down the evil Chinese mobster who is either into drugs or sexual slavery!! Undoubtedly, the episode will feature graceful wind chimes and reed instruments.
There are also the standard episodes where nearly all white casts have a black guest star, who, of course, must play either a sports figure or rap musical artist/club promoter, or religious figure? How many episodes have you seen where as soon as there is someone black, the show starts playing soulful gospel music?
jason
Homophobia isn’t just opposition to homosexual persons. It’s also opposition to the concept of homosexuality. Any idea, thought or notion of homosexuality is reviled and feared by homophobes.
John Santos
@AlwaysGay:
You obviously are very perceptive.
Thanks Always Gay. We’d be surprised how many gay people feel like this. Unfortunately, these feelings are usually dismissed as anger by our detractors, as if anger is a bad emotion.
John Santos
@blake:
Racial minorities do go to movies and find themselves hammered with racist dialog all the time. Have you ever seen a Quentin Tarrantino film? Every other word is “nig–r” this or that.
Yes and a lot of those slurs are thrown around by African-American actors. how often are anti-gay slurs used by queer actors?
And, the racial stereotypes abound in BIG blockbusters. Did you see Michael Bay’s “Transformers”? Anthony Anderson delivered a performance that only Step’n’Fetchit could surpass.
Anthony Anderson is black. Harvey Fierstein once said he didn’t mind playing a sissy, because he was one in real life. Now, if Mr. Anderson was playing blackface, you’d have a pertinent point. He’s a black actor taking back the crude way blacks were portrayed for decades in Hollywood. If I were a black actor I would OWN Sleep ‘n’ Eat performances with pride and in honor of Willie Best, and to show how far black actors have come.
Oh, did I forget the Simpson’s and their unapologetic anti-Indian slurs where they have white actor Hank Azaria playing Abu the Indian convenience store owner?
Yes, but the Simpsons make fun of everyone. They are today’s All In The Family. I have never seen anything on the Simpsons that offends me, because everyone is made fun of, thus everyone is part of the joke, rather than the butt of the joke.
Let’s also not forget the endless special episodes of crime shows that take place in mysterious, dangerous Chinatown, where our guest star Asian actor helps bring down the evil Chinese mobster who is either into drugs or sexual slavery!! Undoubtedly, the episode will feature graceful wind chimes and reed instruments.
Yes, and again, those actors are Asian. No more Paul Muni–an excellent actor and one of my faves–playing Wang Lung with ridiculous eye make-up and pronouncing his R’s as L’s.
There are also the standard episodes where nearly all white casts have a black guest star,
A black guest star. Not a white one playing black.
who, of course, must play either a sports figure or rap musical artist/club promoter, or religious figure? How many episodes have you seen where as soon as there is someone black, the show starts playing soulful gospel music?
Honestly? Not a lot. But then again, Canada has several all black cast shows that are very real. However, for every “special” episode with a black guest star rapper/athlete/preacher/dealer, there is a Steve Harvey show which is still brilliant even today.
My point is, I wouldn’t have a problem with gay slurs if gay actors had more opportunities to play these types of characters. But apparently, it’s not acting for gays to play gay. Yet it’s acting for blacks to play black and so on. That’s horse shit.