NBCUniversal, We're Like Ross and Rachel - Just Not Gay

Members:

2008 Television 43% Report A Problem

Company

NBCUniversal

Brand

30 Rock

Industry

Media Outlets: Broadcasters-Publishers-Online-Games-Music

Media Outlet

Television

Country

United States

Region

North America

Agency

unknown

AdRespect Themes

GLBT Inclusion

GLBT Punch Line

User Comments

Juan Castillo

I feel kind of torn over this ad. 30 Rock, though it doesn't have any major gay characters, is one of the more progressive and intelligent comedy shows out there. Some of the jokes are gay-based, sure, but then nothing is off-limits for the humor; no one is spared, whether they're gay, straight, old, young, thin, fat, smart, dumb, black, white, liberal, conservative, etc., etc.

It's unfortunate that NBC is trying to lure viewers with this context-less gay punchline, since if you actually watch the show, you know what the character saying the line is actually like, know that it's in his personality to say such things, and that it's actually not a big deal.

Actually, 30 Rock aired an episode in which the main character, Liz, a straight female, was unwittingly set up on a date with a lesbian, and Liz subsequently wondered whether she could be bisexual. The show treated the subject in a very realistic, non-judging, non-stereotyping way. The lesbian character was never the butt of a joke because of her sexuality. In fact, Liz's coworkers encouraged her to enter into a relationship with her.

I think that incredibly gay-positive episode is a much bigger deal than this little ad.

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