Thoughts on Saturday Night Live sketch? | Page 2 | Golden Skate

Thoughts on Saturday Night Live sketch?

Icey

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 28, 2012
For some reason the NBC site keeps saying I need to install adobe flash player even though I already had it and have updated it twice now.

Isn't that irritating. I have the latest update as you probably do and they ( sites other than NBC) tell me I can't watch unless I install the missing ap.
 

meem

On the Ice
Joined
Nov 24, 2006
IMO just typical unfunny stuff from SNL. Now if this were done back in the days of Will Ferrell, Molly Shannon, Cheri Oteri, it would have been funny w/o the nasty stereotyping. Actually, one of the funniest skits on SNL made fun of synchronized swimming by featuring a men's team, back in the 80's (whenever I hear that music from Flashdance, I laugh).
 

noskates

Record Breaker
Joined
Jun 11, 2012
I don't really think anything is funny that perpetuates a negative stereotype. And it isn't a matter of people being able to laugh at themselves. It's almost a form of bullying.
 

kappa_1

On the Ice
Joined
Aug 2, 2003
I thought the concept was pretty great, but the execution was mediocre. I did not find it offensive, but I guess I can see how sensibilities are offended.

I didn't think the sketch was primarily perpetuating the "all male skaters are gay" stereotype, per say, but that it was mostly satirizing Putin's ridiculous anti-gay law, rhetoric, etc.

For whatever reason, there is a larger than representative number of gay men in skating, ballet, etc. at least in North America. It may be a stereotype, but it is based in truth. To deny this is or ignore it is, IMO, borderline homophobic. Why can't we just accept that?

I think the deeper, more troubling problem is institutionalized/cultural homophobia. I.e. If a guy does something perceived as "girly," then he is somehow less than a man and therefore a lesser human being. But that is deeply ingrained and very hard to change.

Maybe I'm just at a certain stage of my gay male identity, but I don't think that portraying skating as "gay" is a negative stereotype. I mean, there is nothing negative about being gay/"a girly guy." Thus, it is not a negative stereotype. So it is perceived as feminine. So what? If it weren't for the influence of great gays throughout the ages, the sport would not be the same.

I thought the portrayal of straight men as buffoonish, loutish, junk food eating woman-chasing creeps was more offensive.

Let's stop perpetuating the "gay = bad" equation.

Sorry, I ranted.
 

noskates

Record Breaker
Joined
Jun 11, 2012
Kappa - I don't disagree with you on many of your points. And I don't think anyone here (at least not me) meant to imply that "gay=bad!" But not all men in figure skating, dancing, theatre arts, etc. are gay! I wouldn't deny or ignore the fact that many men in those activities are gay but also some, quite frankly, are also buffoonish, loutish, junk food eating creeps like their straight counterparts. But why does a person's sexual preference have to even be mentioned? And how many people really caught that this skit was satirizing Putin's anti-gay law? I would be willing to bet some people thought it was just a gay skit!

When someone refers to Johnny Weir as a figure skater - okay then! But more often than not they say "Johnny Weir the gay figure skater" (or even worse!) They certainly don't say "Charlie White the STRAIGHT figure skater!" Why does there even have to be a differentiation? They're both male and they're both figure skaters. That's what I found tacky about this skit! The differentiation and the stereotyping. The fact that I also didn't find it funny was yet another thing.
 

kappa_1

On the Ice
Joined
Aug 2, 2003
When someone refers to Johnny Weir as a figure skater - okay then! But more often than not they say "Johnny Weir the gay figure skater" (or even worse!) They certainly don't say "Charlie White the STRAIGHT figure skater!" Why does there even have to be a differentiation? They're both male and they're both figure skaters. That's what I found tacky about this skit! The differentiation and the stereotyping. The fact that I also didn't find it funny was yet another thing.

Very true. I suppose one can write many books about this! And it cuts across non-straight-White-male identities in the US. Why I didn't find it offensive was that they took it to an absurd extreme. Even though, as many agree, the execution was so-so. I may have slightly chuckled at one or two points.
 

Kitt

Final Flight
Joined
Feb 1, 2007
Country
United-States
In the skit, they paired Tara with Scott. Not the case in reality. I wonder if Sandra Bezic and Johnny felt left out?
 

drivingmissdaisy

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 17, 2010
I think the point of the sketch was to poke fun at the ridiculousness of the Russian law, rather than making fun of gay and straight men.
 

noskates

Record Breaker
Joined
Jun 11, 2012
Don't lump all Americans together under the "American sterotype" umbrella because it simply is not true!
 

LiamForeman

William/Uilyam
Medalist
Joined
Nov 24, 2006
Not really. The sketch is created through a prism of American stereotypes.

And what's wrong with that? I didn't find it all that funny, but I did smirk several times. The ridiculousness of the 'hetero' male skater with the total seriousness of Tara's and Scott's determined commentary? Could have been worse.
 
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