Queer Comments

Jeff Taylor | August 4, 2003

Fretting about product placement in Queer Eye for the Straight Guy just doesn't scan. The make-overs can't happen without a products and branding turnover. Out with blah and in with the hip. Besides, the belief in the power of products is utterly genuine. The straight guy who washed his hair with Ivory soap really did freak-out the grooming guy.

"Oh my God. He has no products!" was the stunned comment upon examining the bathroom. Are we not supposed to wonder, what, exactly he is talking about?

Anyway, I maintain that the real star of the show is the editing. Someone is leaving a ton of raw footage on the floor and keeping the funny bits.

Comments

fyodor|8.4.03 @ 1:06AM|#

Brad S,

But I wonder how much "value" the makeover has if it can't be readily maintained, either because of the cost or because it's way outside of the straight guy's normal habits. Of course, I realize the producers don't care a whit as long as folks watch, but I would think that would affect my own enjoyment of the show, for whatever that's worth....

Brady|8.4.03 @ 1:22AM|#

The homophobes who fear that gay men want to convert the straight people of America into homosexuals can calm down, they really just want us to be metrosexual males.

|8.4.03 @ 4:17AM|#

Fyodor-
Oh, I don't know. I think a lot of people who don't necessarily give a lot of thought to their personal style or whatever discover, once they're made to pay some attention to it for whatever reason, find they like dressing up a bit. (I speak as someone who over the course of about 5 years went from a confirmed tie-dyes and jeans only guy to someone who actively enjoys buying suits. And I didn't even sleep with any men...) The real cost is time, more than money, unless you're determined to buy the most uber-shi-shi brand of everything.

|8.4.03 @ 9:03AM|#

Even before Queer Eye I had taken to using "products!" (Proactive skin care products, actually - I sware by them, and they really do work better than just washing with soap, and it really doesn't take more than 10 minutes - even for a slow-poke like me - to do the whole Cleanser-Toner-Repairing lotion routine), developing an eye for fashion (ok, well, I'm still working on it, because my wardrobe still consists of button-up shirts and about 3 pairs of shorts - it is still summer in Florida, after all), my cooking ability and desire (to cook, that is) has expanded greatly as I seek out more and more aspects of improving the sensual experience (every sense has it's own coresponding pleasure - did you even consider that? I didn't, 'till it occurred to me one day out of the blue), I'm taking vitamins regularly (I at least perceive that the energy promoting ones work - and if they don't then they sure do fool me effectively), seek to include physically active behavior to my usual behavior, and - a part that isn't even a part of Queer Eye, to my dismay - including at least daily reading of books at appointed times throughout my day (helps illiminate stress as well, as I find I don't get annoyed by people not working according to my own schedule and desires if I just find something to do that I enjoy in the mean time). Sensual, physical, emotional, intellectual, and image rehabilitation and promotion all in one - and I'm not even metrosexual (I've pretty much taken it to heart that it makes me happier personally both directly and through the behavior it illicts from other, such as attraction and it's trappings), and I don't even feel the burning desire to have sex with men!


Did I mention that Queer Eye has ALSO become MY favorite show on television? It's so much fun - and it does have great editing, which I have great appreciation for.

The Fab 5, at least in the perception provided by the television show (and isn't the reason for ANYONE looking good because of editing, whether internal or external?) looks pretty darn fun to hang around, as they combine a solid fun-loving sense of humor with a rather decidedly sexual freeness (without trashyness) that would seem to permit one to speak and joke about sex without being actually serious about any of it. I could see myself making otherwise far too uncomfortable and innappropriate sort of sexual jokes with them, and without it much being interpretted for anything other than it is (me straight, you homo - har har).

...and no, I STILL feel no particular attraction to anyone's penis...other than my own, but I understand that's perfectly natural.

|8.4.03 @ 9:12AM|#

Oh, did I mention that I've only been further inspired by Queer Eye to alter, piece by piece, bit by bit, of my home to more fit my personality, beliefs, passions, and desires?

Really, for me Queer Eye is right up there with Dr Phil for great shows - and I don't give one damn wit about their popularity, and I'm usualy so very contrarian and such! 'Course, once idiots and fools embrace the show en'mass it might begin to loose it's appeal for me, but thus is life.

They've collectively actually changed my opinions about television as a medium - the more channels there are, the better it's getting as they can more and more specialize and target niches. From Discovery and Animal Planet to The Science Channel and Food Network (and Home and Gardens, and and...), it's really shaping up, in my mind, as finally it starts to cater to what I personally like instead of "everyone watches these same damn 3 channels, so we can't offend ANYONE".

That I'm going to go primp with my hair and clean my face and then ruminate a bit more on the nature of the difficulty of distinguishing skill and rightness from randomness should so, like, totally weird my out right now (did you see that? the way I altered my use of grammar and diction? isn't that all sorts of creapy?), yet it doesn't. Heh, go figure - screw common culture. Viva La Individual! Viva La Broken French Grammar!

|8.4.03 @ 12:08PM|#

I will admit - the queer guys from that show do have pretty good taste. In the couple of episodes I've seen, the queer guys do a heck of a job cleaning up a slobby straight guy, although I wonder how much all of the new furnishings, clothing, haircut, bathroom "products" (etc) cost. Although I'm sure the sponsors of the show picked up the tab, much like TLC's Trading Spaces.

|8.4.03 @ 12:14PM|#

I haven't seen the show, but I'm glad to see that the Son of Sam received a make-over. I'm sure he could use it.

Brian|8.4.03 @ 12:31PM|#

Jeff--you hit the nail on the head. The show is extremely well-edited. The half-hour version that they ran on NBC last week was even better, for the same reason.

I'm sure the real process of spending the day being made over by a bunch of guys hamming it up for the cameras would actually be excruciating...but it might be worth it to have all of it paid for (by sponsors or whomever).

Madog|8.4.03 @ 12:33PM|#

Queer Eye is my new favorite show. Just thought I'd add that.

Douglas Fletcher|8.5.03 @ 6:21AM|#

Well what I want to see is a show where a bunch of frat guys turn queers into a sloppy, beer-sucking, knuckle-dragging misogynists.

Men's Warehouse|8.5.03 @ 6:23AM|#

Julian, you're going to like our suits. I guarantee it.

joe|8.5.03 @ 10:50AM|#

I can hear Plutark ticking. ;-)

Good point about multiple channels improving TV. Being able to target a smaller audience eliminates the need to appeal to the lowest common denominator.