Link to the n*de photos
In the Disney Channel's Twas the Night (2001), irresponsible Nick Wrigley (Bryan Cranston of Malcolm in the Middle), fleeing from gansters, takes refuge at his brother's house. While delivering presents, Santa gets clocked on the head, and the gangsters steal the time-dilation device that allows him to visit 1.3 billion households in a single night.
So Nick and his mischievous 14-year old nephew Danny (Josh Zuckerman) must deliver all of the presents and subdue the gangsters.
It differs from the standard "saving Christmas" plot in the real peril, and in Nick and Danny, who move from stereotyped uncle and nephew to classic 1930s Adventure Boy and adult companion.
It was enough to pay attention to this guy, born in 1985 in Stanford, California, and guesting on every conceivable tv series: Get Real, Once and Again, The West Wing, Judging Amy, and so on, Surely he had more gay-subtexts or maybe even gay roles in his future.
Nope. Next he starred in I was a Teenage Faust (2002), about a 15-year old boy (Josh) who sells his soul to the devil in order to win The Girl of His Dreams. Heterosexist tripe.
I didn't have the stomach to see Josh in anything else for a few years, but evidently he starred with Ben Affleck in Surviving Christmas (2004): a rich dude pays a family to pretend to be his at Christmastime, and develops real feelings for them, of course.
And Balthazar Getty in Feast (2005): Bar patrons fight monsters.
But the heterosexism continued, as Josh found his niche as a nebbish who can't get girls, but sometimes can.
He had a recurring role on Kyle XY (2008-09) , starring Matt Dallas as a teenage boy who appears out of nowhere with no memory and no belly button (n*de on RG Beefcake and Boyfriends). I think he's a clone or alien or something. Josh plays a nebbish with a crush on his adopted sister. Eventually he wins her.
The Desperate Housewives (2004-13) were desperate due to their 15-year history of lies, scandals, murder, and semi-nude scenes. Josh plays Eddie, a barista and aspiring comedian who kills the girls who reject him -- and they all do. They're usually mean about it, laughing at the ridiculousness of the nebbish thinking he was worthy of human contact, but still, it seems a bit much.
More after the break
More after the break
The s*x comedy S*x Drive (2008) is all shot through with homophobia and gay stereotypes. It's got Seth Green in it, so you know there's going to be trouble. Ian (Josh) goes on a road trip to Chattanooga to win the Girl of His Dreams, Ms. Tasty (her stage name). He borrows the car from his "fag" and "homo"-spouting brother Rex (James Marsden):
When Ian reaches Chattanooga, Rex appears and refuses to let him get with the girl. So he pretends to be gay, and Rex changes his mind: getting with a girl could cure him! In the end Ian marries The Girl, and Rex is revealed to be gay (but he doesn't get a boyfriend). There's also a subplot about the Amish.
At least he shows us his backside.
Josh goes on like that in the revamped teen soap 90210 (2011-12), and the movies I Am Victor (2012), and Acid Girls (2013). According to the imdb:
"Every man's dream becomes every man's nightmare when a recently-single 20-something picks up three cam girls in a bar and welcomes them into his home."
EVERY man's dream? How can they be so utterly certain that gay men do not exist? Have they asked every man on the planet if he is attracted to women? I know they didn't ask me.
EVERY man's dream? How can they be so utterly certain that gay men do not exist? Have they asked every man on the planet if he is attracted to women? I know they didn't ask me.
On his Instagram, Josh is very proud of Significant Mother (2015), although it only lasted for nine episodes. Nebbish Nate (Josh) discovers that his hunky, usually shirtless roommate Jimmy's (Nathaniel Buzolic) is dating his mother. The preview mostly shows Nate being disgusted by the sight of Jimmy's shirtless body, because, you know, they're both guys.
I posted two photos of Buzolic showing off his d*ck on RG Beefcake and Boyfriends, but don't get excited: the dude is straight and fundamentalist.
Most recently Josh starred in School Spirits (2023-25), featuring spirits of students (and one teacher) who died in the high school trying to finish their unfinished business so they can move on. The teacher Mr. Martin (Josh) runs an afterlife support group, and has a sinister secret that changes everything.
At least there's a gay character, Charlie (Nick Pugliese), the self-appointed bff of protagonist Maddie. His unfinished business: he wrote an angry letter to his boyfriend just before he died.
But starring in a tv series with a gay character doesn't make up for a career of "girls! girls! girls!" and "no gay men exist."
There's a gay singer named Josh Zuckerman, who performs at Pride events and has some albums. Don't mix them up. Or go ahead and mix them up.