I'm impressed by pretty much everything I see from Offerman, and his role in TLOU was fantastic. It had real impact, and didn't feel at all like the lazy tokenistic drivel that's become Disney's standard fare.
I'll tell you why:
Because it, kind of like Brokeback Mountain all those years earlier, appreciates that homosexuality and the gay community are not one in the same. While the gay community is extremely important and should never be downplayed, media always tends depict gay people as connected to it or at the very least evoking many of the same aspects and tropes.
This isn't an unfair thing to depict, far from it, but it has the unfortunate result of making many gay characters feels rather same-y, occasionally even one note.
Offerman's character depicts a very accurate thing that doesn't get as much attention in media: the straight acting man discovering his sexuality late in life. With the exception of his piano playing and his penchant for wine and setting the table for elaborate dinners, his character has none of the telltale "gay" aspects you typically find in media, nor does he develop them. In fact his character aspects (survivalist, paranoid, shut in, loner, even a hint conservative) are generally not associated with gay characters, out of fear of depicting them in a poor light.
That's not at all to suggest other depictions of gay men are wrong or bad, Bartlett's character is very well done too. The characters of Bill just feels more notable and fresher in our current media landscape because we see it far less often.
piano playing
Fellas, is it gay to play an instrument?
I know that's not what you're saying I just thought it was a funny way to phrase it
I really appreciate this take. A lot of us are trapped in the closet for a variety of reasons and it takes years to finally be yourself comfortably. Once we are out, we can exist as just people…if our community lets us that is.
Offerman is becoming more and more a chad in my eyes and that love story was really really good and its coming from someone who really hates comedy and romance genre but gotta say it was really good.
Read his books, but only if you're a lefty. I showed my boomer parents and they hated it.
Which books ?
I've listened to Paddle Your Own Canoe on audiobook (he narrates). Dunno about the rest, but I'd agree based on that one. He makes it clear pretty quickly that Ron Swanson was just a character and his views are different and more nuanced.
The only similarities between Nick Offerman and Ron Swanson are his giggle and his faithfulness to his friends.
Wood working and a very erotically charged relationship with Megan Mulally too
I know he's liberal in real life, but the way he plays Ron in parks and rec is how I wish conservatives actually were in real life.
I don't know how anyone could watch that episode and see anything other than an absolutely heart wrenching tale of love and how beautiful and sad and even stupid it can be. You don't even have to be gay to identify with it, you just have to be human.
The most Offerman thing to say. 👍
I want Nick Offerman to be my dad. And I even love my real dad. (sorry dad)
So you're saying you want two dads? The gay agenda is confirmed, folks!
/s (if it wasn't obvious enough)
My dad's pretty awful. Can I have your dad so you can have Nick Offerman?
The episode was directed by the same guy who directed all of "It's a Sin", another incredible bit of telly.
I agree with the sentiment of the article, but the author can jump off a bridge for perpetuating the "SLAMS" bullshit.
It was a love story and it was touching. I had to look away during the intimate scenes as watching two guys making out gives me the heebie jeebies.
I'm sorry you're getting downvoted. You're allowed to like things and dislike things, as long as tolerance and respect are given for others' choices. It seems like you're doing that here.
Acceptance for something you like and enjoy is pretty easy and natural. It's a bit harder, and takes more thought and courage, to show respect and tolerance for things you don't like and don't enjoy, but you accept them anyway because it's the right thing to do and it's a part of being a human on this planet with billions of other humans. Grow up, lemmy.
Very well said, I agree.
OP was being honest without being derogatory. It sounds like perhaps they may have experienced some personal growth from watching the episode.
If OP hasn't been around gay people who openly express physical affection, they may have felt initially uncomfortable. But that's why representation is important.
That's why movies, TV, books, and visual arts are so important to us as a culture and as individuals; exposure to new ideas helps us grow and become better people.
Agreed. Well said.
As a good exercise for personal growth, you should ask yourself why seeing that gives you the heebie-jeebies.
Eh, I think it's pretty clear that some amount of homophobia is innate as much as homosexuality is. Some people just plain find it gross. As long as they respect everyone's right to have their own lifestyle, that's really what tolerance and getting along is all about. We can't except everyone to like everything, so we should be proud when they put up with harmless things they don't like.
I wouldn't say innate, that makes it sound like humans are born homophobes.
Unavoidable when you're raised in a homophobic society and something to improve.
Honestly, thanks for still watching it anyway. Don't know why you are getting downvoted. If it was a touching love story about morbidly obese people, I would get the same heebie jeebies.
You are part of the change that needs to happen in the world, we can't help what makes us feel queasy, but you both respecting their performance, the story AND your own sensibilities IS how we achieve progress.
Proud of you, no sarcasm.
I think the Last of Us demonstrates the difference between writing a story around the character vs the sort of crap in other shows where inclusivity is more like a box ticking exercise and a casting quota.
It was my favorite episode. It was a beautiful story.
God I love that man
Movies and TV Shows
A community for entertainment industry news and general discussion about movies and TV shows.
Rules:
- Be civil.
- Please do not link to pirated content.
- No spoilers in the title of submissions. And please use spoiler MarkDown in the body of discussions. This is a courtesy to other users.
- Comments solely criticizing headlines and/or journalism will be removed for being off-topic.