Sensitive and well-written gay teen storylines are becoming almost omnipresent across much of the television landscape, from Glee’s popular Kurt (Chris Colfer) and Blaine (Darren Criss) to characters on 90210, Skins and United States of Tara. On television shows popular with Black audiences? Not so much, which is why a recent episode of TBS' Are We There Yet? deserves mention.
Seventeen-year-old footballer Cedric was introduced in The Boy Has Style, the sixth episode of the second season of the popular Ice Cube-executive produced sitcom, originally broadcast on January 18. Cedric (Maxx Brawer) is the athletic crush object of Lindsey, whose mother suspects he is gay because "he is so stylish." Nick (muscle-y former pro footballer Terry Crews) doesn't believe "a boy who is so tall and plays football" could be gay and sets out to prove that he isn't.
"I am gay," Cedric says after being confronted. "Do you have a problem with it?" Cedric says he only wanted a platonic relationship with Lindsey, but her father wants the truth to come out. "She should know the real you," Nick insists.
Atlanta-based Darian Aaron also liked the episode appreciated the honesty in Cedric's character. "There's no attempt to lie about who he is and his honesty is received with respect. The episode is a step in the right direction and one can only hope it will serve as a blueprint for other shows such as TV One's Love That Girl which relies heavily on stereotypical gay characters for laughs."
Cedric was played by 23-year-old Maxx Brawer, the son of Tony Award-winning actress Tonya Pinkins. It's an enjoyable episode, if for no other reason than it's simplicity and the non-plussed attitude shown by the parents and daughter. Watch it AFTER THE JUMP ...
BRAVO to ICE CUBE and the cast of ARE WE THERE YET!? This was smart and well done!!! Thank God we aren't 1000 years behind on everything!
Excellent portrayal from the actors, especially Maxx Brawer.
Posted by: TheRevKev | 02 February 2011 at 18:10
I really DO love that he never "hid" anything and his style reference to the house and her dress said I AM THIS PERSON and then they tried to make it something else but he was always REAL.
Posted by: TheRevKev | 02 February 2011 at 18:19
Nice!
Posted by: J | 02 February 2011 at 18:23
I am stunned! The last place I expected to see this would be on a black sitcom.
I will watch this... and not just cause that guy is hella cute. :)
Posted by: mechadude2001 | 02 February 2011 at 19:33
This was very cute episode. No DL. No homophobia. No stereotypical black gay male. Tyler Perry needs to watch this.
One bad thing though....That wig they put on Essence Atkins is horrible! They can do her better than that.
Posted by: The Truth | 02 February 2011 at 19:45
What is this? What is this?
Ice Cube leading the way?
I am shocked and appalled!
I'm co-signing The Truth's statement!
Former gangsta rapper producing a program that portrays gays in a positive light whereas the playwright whose base is good, church going, Christians who are taught to 'love thy neighbor' has mainly used gay stereotypes for laughs? What is the world coming to?
Black is white, up is down. I'm all confused.
But I tip my hat to Ice Cube and the producers of "Are We There Yet?" I'm going to start watching the show now.
Finally, to paraphase the "Pause" episode of The Boondocks, "I NOW RENOUNCE TYLER PERRY AND ALL HIS WORKS!!!"
Posted by: Distant Lover | 02 February 2011 at 19:59
I'm just glad I lived long enough to see the world begin to change. wow
Posted by: FREELEO | 02 February 2011 at 20:03
Ok.. Why must everything be an indictment of Tyler Perry? He didn't invent fear, shame, or homophobia. Damn. Just enjoy the advances that are being made in other areas.
One some may not know is that Ice Cube made some big donations way back in the day to help fight against AIDS and Hiv. He's more enlightened than perhaps many of us would have thought based on some of his rap music. When we know better, we do better. He should be proud.
Posted by: FREELEO | 02 February 2011 at 20:11
This was so simple, so sweet and so affirming. Thank you thank you Ice Cube! A black straight man who gets it right!
Meanwhile... Miss Lawrence, Miss Antoine Dodson and Miss Perry are waiting to turn this light skin boy OUT!
And Miss Patrik Polk says where is the DL storyline? And why isnt Cedric popping his gum and saying "churl"?
Posted by: AB | 02 February 2011 at 20:26
What Rev Kev said. I love the fact that he was just being himself.
Posted by: Anderson | 02 February 2011 at 21:42
LOL @ Distant Lover’s renouncement.
@ FREELEO: Yes, Tyler Perry didn’t invent fear, shame, or homophobia, but he had no need to perpetuate them, either.
Unless, of course, he has some insecurities of his own, that maybe Ice Cube doesn’t have.
Posted by: Jim | 02 February 2011 at 22:24
maybe this will partially offset those dreadful caricatures in "love that girl" on tv-one. gag.
Posted by: brohemian | 02 February 2011 at 22:29
nicely done. they didn't ignore stereotypes. they didn't exploit them. they poked a little fun at some old generalizations, but it was all done with love and an unprecedented level of sensitivity and intelligence.
as the saying goes, 'you can lead; you can follow; or you can get out the way.' and ice cube decided to lead. bravo.
Posted by: chris-leo | 03 February 2011 at 04:45
A job well done Ice Cube and crew. This was really deep for me. Love how they didn't go for the usual stereo types of black gay man (DL and over the top camp) and a black family dealing with the issue. Enlightened and classy.
Posted by: Tia Maria | 03 February 2011 at 04:55
Well Done! The show is not the type of show that I would watch - but I'm extremely impressed with how the topic was handled. Great job for the Ice Cube and his staff!!
Posted by: Patrick | 03 February 2011 at 08:33
Brohemian, WHY WHY WHY did you have to bring up LOVE THAT GIRL!??!!?!?
My God, my teeth itch when I see that show. It's so backwards and so horribly stereotypical in not just the gay portrayal, but the sister at the front desk and the young brother staying at the house! It's as bad as HOMEBOYS FROM OUTER SPACE!!!! What in the hounds of hell is that mess?!
Posted by: TheRevKev | 03 February 2011 at 09:00
Wow. This show actually became watchable during the second season. The first ep that I saw last year was cringe-inducing.
Good job, IC.
Posted by: Osiris | 03 February 2011 at 09:28
Rod, Brohemian & RevKey, thanks for contrasting how great this clip is compared to LOVE THAT GIRL. I could only stomach that show for a few minutes. I don't have a problem with the two gay characters being effeminate, what bothers me is the buffoonish nature in which they act…and always lusting after the straight guy. And what the hell are they...a couple, her co-workers, two silly queens who live across the hall? The gay characters are not written to have more than one dimension, only to provide one-liners for the straights.
Are We There Yet? was outstanding. Will GLAAD give this any props? Hmmmm.
Posted by: Otis | 03 February 2011 at 11:13
OTIS, we ALL need to give the show PROPS!!! I blasted it on Facebook and I'm about to tweet it! SPREAD THE LOVE!
Posted by: TheRevKev | 03 February 2011 at 11:56
Kudos to Cube for handling the topic without the usual "ghetto gay panic." Very refreshing and long overdo.
That being said, I still would not watch this sitcom. It is painfully unfunny and the acting is flat and wooden as if no one really wants to be there. Maybe not as bad as Love That Girl, but that's not really saying much. Terry Crews deserves much better than this.
Posted by: soulbrotha | 03 February 2011 at 12:02
Ditto soulbrotha.
Posted by: FREELEO | 03 February 2011 at 12:48
Great episode...love it
It was so funny
Posted by: Corve | 03 February 2011 at 14:18
I loved this! I haven't watched the show before, but I will start now.
Also, I wanted to ask a question regarding stereotypes?
What exactly IS the stereotype? Is it men who act very feminine? Help me understand? Why shouldn't they be portrayed if they are simply being themselves.
This is a REAL question! I'm trying to learn something. If you can't answer without insulting, then please DON'T!
Posted by: Isis | 03 February 2011 at 16:26
@Rev, I'm tweetin'!
@Isis, the stereotype of gay men I see most often in TV/movies are gay characters played for laughs. The ones on Reality shows are no better. The gays are usually seen as bitchy, vain, weak, lusting after straight men, but never allowed to be loving (as in being affectionate with his male partner the same way the straight characters are allowed to be).
The feminine part is tricky, because the stereotype is the flamboyant feminine hairdresser type. But femininity is not really the problem. I just saw a rerun of the movie THE SALON with Vivica Fox. She runs a salon and one of her stylists is a very feminine gay guy. He's loud, finger poppin', gum-smackin', and ready to read everybody in the shop. But after he is gay bashed, he tries to fight back. He tells his co-workers that he deserves respect and his civil rights. He was way over the top, but he also showed his serious side. So it's not that gay characters should not be feminine because we know that exist…like you said, they are just being themselves. The issue is to have gay roles written and acted where the character gets to show many parts of who they are and not just be the butt of jokes.
Posted by: Otis | 03 February 2011 at 17:17
@isis: thanks for genuinely asking the question. i appreciate how you have participated in this forum over the years.
otis hit all of the high points, so ditto what he said. the struggle that i have with the "characters" on "love that girl" is that they have no depth or real humanity - just played for laughs or derision, so that presumably straight people can laugh and say yuck. it's tired tired tired. so 1968.
thanks RevKev; and you're right about the receptionist and lazy brother being caricatures, too. chile, boo to all of them.
Posted by: brohemian | 03 February 2011 at 21:41