Stop Drinking the Haterade, Yo

Business in the gay media today is starting to look like some big Eros-drenched orgy.

First PlanetOut got gay-married to LPI (parent company of magazines such as The Advocate), and now The Advocate is bumping uglies with the Logo cable channel (which itself has many incestuous ties to its sister networks including MTV, VH1, CBS, and BET) with a new joint production.

The first episode of "The Advocate Newsmagazine" on Logo seems patterned after that other CBS staple, "60 Minutes."  (Please, no jokes about whether the Logo version should be redubbed "69 Minutes.")

Drawing heavily on the resources of MTV News, rather than the fledgling CBS News on Logo, the show had long-form and well-produced segments on "Don't Ask Don't Tell," Sheryl Swoopes, Robert Trachtenberg's book "When I Knew," and the subject of this edition of MalcoVision, "Homophobia and Hip Hop."

The segment took as its starting point Kanye West's famous August 2005 MTV interview in which he condemned homophobia.  (Of course, my goodwill toward Kanye lasted two weeks until his fatuous post-Katrina comments about George Bush.)

While the piece makes clear that there are some individuals who are trying to make positive change within hip-hop, they fighting a swift current.  Even Kanye West himself hasn't been in a hurry to stand by his gay-friendly remarks.

Instead, what we see in general terms is a culture of denial and indifference, and far too often, outright hostility to gays.

[Watch video – 13:19, WMV format, high bandwidth]

[Watch video – 13:19, WMV format, low bandwidth]

Comments

[Jack Malebranche]

Instead, what we see in general terms is a culture of denial and indifference, and far too often, outright hostility to gays.

If you think it's bad now, just wait until Helter Skelter comes down.

Another great reason why I moved far away from LA. Wouldn't want to be there when gas hits $5 a gallon. I guess that's when we'll see if the fact that the rich white Jewish women of Beverly Hills and the tony West Hollywood fags have been preaching peace and tolerance and diversity and affirmative action really matters to the poor, black male from Compton who's packing automatic weapons.

Almost a non-sequitur, but it's an entertaining thought...

[anonymous]

What was "fatuous" about what Kanye West said about George Bush? Are you talking about his complete statement, which was actually quite on target, or the ridiculous snippet that everyone seized on? I wish more rappers and people in entertainment would cease being so bubbleheaded and articulate a critique of the disastrous war. He sure in the hell has done a "heckuva job," like Brownie. And George Bush doesn't like "Black people." His policies in this regard speak volumes.

[Malcontent]

(Mal's internal monologue: How do I say this any other way other than coming off as a patronizing asshole? I guess plunge straight ahead and sound like a patronizing asshole.)

Anon, you do know what the word "fatuous" means, right? It means "simple" or "silly." What could be simpler or sillier than West's statement? Does Kanye West know George Bush's heart? Does he have George Bush on tape saying how much he hates black people, or using the N word, or anything remotely similar?

I don't know where you get this fantasy about my use of a "ridiculous snippet," because I saw the live telecast, and I posted the entirety of the Mike Myers/Kanye West segment, along with transcribing nearly every one of West's ridiculous, fatuous words.

I am not defending "Brownie" or FEMA's terrible response, but Kanye West was also guilty of feeding what we now know is a falsehood -- the myth that black Americans were disproportionally affected (killed) by Hurricane Katrina. By that logic, because whites were actually disproportionally affected, we could say George Bush HATES white Americans. And while that might be something the moonbats indeed believe, it does cut against Kanye West's crackpot theories.

I suppose George Bush's global $15 billion AIDS budget, his doubling of foreign aid (with a focus on Africa through AGOA and other instruments) and the words of notably lefties such as Bono and Bob Geldof saying that George Bush has done more for Africa than any other president are more signs of that malice that you are so sure lurks in the heart of the president?

If you have evidence to the contrary -- and I am not talking about trite and vapid commentary, but real evidence -- then feel free to share it.

[david]

Stop using fancy language to mask your racist bigotry. Everyone that reads your blog knows where exactly you stand on race issues. Your fatuous arguments against Kanye West's comments are not fooling anyone.

[Malcontent]

Well, then let me put it in terms you might even understand: Go to hell.

[Robbie]

Mal isn't racist.

Me on the other hand. I've been told the fact I've only ever dated white folk qualifies me for klan rally status.

But then I'd have to buy white pillowcases, and, well, screw that. Doesn't match the bedroom theme I've got goin for me.

[Queer Conservative]

Don't worry Robbie, I'm from Mississippi - I know where we can buy white sheets in bulk.

[Jamie]

They have Walmart in places other than Mississippi, you know. j/k

[Queer Conservative]

I was thinking KKK-Mart

[North Dallas Thirty]

Wal-Mart sheets? Pfffffffffftttttttt. Not NEARLY high enough thread count for those purposes.

[Jamie]

KKK-mart? Is Martha Stewart Klan approved?

I never, ever, ever in my life thought I would see or hear a discussion about the proper thread count of Klansman Attire.

We are sooo gay.

[Jack Malebranche]

Stop using fancy language to mask your racist bigotry.Everyone that reads your blog knows where exactly you stand on race issues.

That's just 'fatuous.'

I know some folks whose carefully considered observations about race would blow your hair back by comparison. But they don't care what you think, and I like them too much to send a herd of angry lefty homos their way.

Instead, chew on this blurb and the dangerous idea it presents...

[The Guy]

I believe the quote was: "GW doesn't CARE about black people." Not HATE.

[Linniec]

After reading the article and then watching the documentary, I found this all to be very interesting.

I guess as an older gay man, I might view things differently than those not in my age range (I'm 39). However it is plain to see that we in the gay community have got to start fighting back. 1) We need to start boycotting stores that carry the cd's of artists that we know to be homophobic. 2) We've got to boycott t he artists that we know to be homophobic. 3)Those networks that feature those artists we've got to let them know that we don't appreciate their showing these artist knowing what they stand for.

As was stated, the comments made by Kanye and Sean Paul won't change things overnight. However it's a start. What else is so interesting is that the same artists who speak so against gays, in most cases who do they go to inorder to get some head. The hip hop world is a trip, because for all of their bashing, who do you think buys their albums.

And as far as the comments made by Kanye as they refer to President Bush, I happen to agree, but then again most of today's republicans don't care about blacks and guess what, there are even some who do hate blacks.
LinnieC

[Malcontent]

I appreciate your comments and I think you make a lot of good points.

However, I worked in Republican politics and government positions for 10 years. You can say a lot of bad things about Republicans that happen to be true (and don't even get me started on the Democrats), but I have personally found not one shred of evidence to support what you and Kanye seem to believe is the prevailing GOP attitude toward black Americans.

There is the occasional ignorant statement by the occasional kook, but these happen on both sides of the aisle. (Robert Byrd or Cynthia McKinney, anyone?)

[Reality Check]

The problem with Republicans is that they try to run the country like a business. The problem with that is - YOU CAN'T FIRE THE POOR PEOPLE.

[Malcontent]

Wow. Thanks for the reality check.