Dead Tree Alert: Yep, She's Mainstream

I think Ellen DeGeneres has wide appeal because she doesn't use her sexuality as a crutch, it's not what makes her famous or likeable, it's just a fact of her life- it's not an issue because she makes it a non-issue.

By the way James, I am writing a project for a class and it is largely based on you/your articles (don't worry that's a positive thing)
can you tell me anything about your career/experience that would make you the perfect candidate to write a book about cultural/media studies?- other than the fact that you apparently watch alot of television...

thanks!

Dear Student,

What an ironically appropriate name! May I call you Stud for short? Or is that against your school's Code of Appropriate Conduct?

I'm not sure I can answer your question without sounding insufferably vain. But I think the thing that would make *anyone* a good candidate to write a book about cultural or media studies is a broad cultural/artistic background *outside* their knowledge of TV and media, as well as a good knowledge of history and current events. All of that is important to being able to put what's going on in the media into context, as opposed to sort of studying it hermetically on its own terms. I was an English major in college, and as ridiculous as it sounds, you're essentially using the same skills analyzing Donald Barthelme as Donald Trump.

Know what I mean? That is, when an audience watches a TV series, their watching is not just informed by what they've seen on other TV shoows, but by what they've read, what culture they've been exposed to, what they see in the news and so on. In any journalistic field, there's a danger of becoming too much of a specialist, so that you focus narrowly on the minutiae of your field without being able to interpret it in a broad context. This has become a problem in journalism especially as writers and reporters have become specialists in narrowly-defined beats.

Whew. You just asked that because you made a bet with somebody about how pompously I'd answer, right? I hope you won.

By the way, I agree with you about Ellen, but -- with the comparison with gay men -- I think she's been able to make her sexuality a nonissue in part because she's a woman and not a man, because our culture perceives male and female homosexuality differently. I'm not sure a gay man could put aside his sexuality in the same way and become the same kind of star as Ellen is. No?

There is definitely double standard for women in terms of sexuality. Lesbians can be out, and nobody really cares. I think that the problem also lies in the fact that society focuses more on male homosexuality. Media seem to focus more on gay men, lesbians take a backseat.

Hey James,
Thanks so much for the reply, you're helping my project out enormously, and no there was no bet but if there was I'm sure i'd be about $100 richer- and yes you can call me stud, if you wish, although I am a girl so I'm not sure the term "stud" still applies, does it?

As for your response about Ellen, you are right, I do think that lesbians can be out without it being a issue simply because if a gay man is even slightly effeminate or flamboyant, they are judged far more critically by viewers- somehow that makes them "more" gay- ridiculous, but true. Sexuality seems like a non-issue so long as it seems hidden or somehow less apparent hence Ellen.

Now if someone on the other hand can explain to me the enigma that is Joan Rivers (gay man in an arguably female body) I would be forever indebted to that person!

You're welcome, Stud. I used to be a copy editor at the MLA, so if you need help on proper citation form for your bibliography, be sure and give me a holler.