Back in 1972, it wasn't homophobia that caused a ruckus; it was revealing the existence of gay people.
But there's no evidence that Gautier was more homophobic than other heterosexuals in the 1970s; it was only three years after Stonewall, one year after the first gay character on tv, and "things were rotten."
Besides, he had a lot to offer to gay kids in the 1960s and 1970s.
Or as Hal Walters, best friend/confidant/object of rescue of reluctant superhero Stanley Beamish (Steven Strumphill) on Mr. Terrific, which lasted for only 17 episodes in the spring of 1967.
Dick Gautier had over 500 guest shots in sitcoms, dramas, and game shows, voiced dozens of cartoons, composed popular songs, acted on Broadway, drew caricatures and wrote a dozen books, including a murder mystery, No Laughing Matter. He can probably be forgiven for having the same prejudices of many people in his generation.
I always thought Hymie the Robot was gay.
ReplyDeleteHas he said anything about gay people lately?
ReplyDeleteTo be fair, a lot of gay people were still using the word "fag" to describe themselves and/or each other back in the day. I'm not making excuses or defending the use of the word, but just pointing out that it wasn't thought of in the same way that it is today.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was growing up in the 1970s and early 1980s, many Asian people still referred to themselves as "Oriental"; many little people still referred to themselves as "midgets"; Non-verbal deaf people were referred to as "dumb", etc.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not nostalgic to bring back the "f-word", but I'm just pointing out that acceptable social perceptions of words change over time, so how a word is perceived 40 years later isn't necessarily how the people using it intended at the time.
May he rest in peace
ReplyDeleteI think the word "fag" or "faggot" was always offensive. On the other hand, I see "queer" as simply a descriptive term. But I prefer to be called faggot any day rather than gay. Saw Dick Gautier on Charlie's Angels today, and Google brought me here. He was a looker, for sure. Looked like he would be hairy chested, but when he stripped down for hot tub, smooth as a woman or little boy. Can't have everything.
ReplyDelete"Faggot" as a perjorative term for gay men dates from the 1920s; earlier in Britain "fags" were younger boys forced to do the chores of older boys in British boarding schools, including carrying "faggots" of wood. There were stories about "reuniting with my old fag."
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