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Big Gay Picture Show

Taking a look at the world of film through gay eyes - news, reviews, trailers, gay film, queer cinema and more

Taking a look at the world of film through gay eyes - news, reviews, trailers, gay film, queer cinema & more

Critics Hit Out At Disney Casting Straight Comedian Jack Whitehall As An ‘Effete’ Gay Man

August 15, 2018 By Tim Isaac Leave a Comment

As so often seems to happen with Hollywood, as it takes a step forward it also seems to be taking a step back. It’s been revealed that Disney is including its first openly gay major character in the upcoming, The Jungle Cruise, starring Dwayne Johnson.

However, there has been criticism of the fact that the person cast to pay the role is straight British comedian, Jack Whitehall. There was also dismay at reports in The Sun that the character will be, ‘hugely effete, very camp and very funny.’

Many on social media have taken umbrage at Whitehall playing the role, feeling that it should have gone to a gay actor. Many have drawn perhaps dubious comparisons to the recent anger at Scarlett Johansson briefly being cast as a transgender character, suggesting it’s a missed chance to true representation. It’s also been seen as another example of Hollywood ‘gayface’, which allows a movie to ‘play gay’ while ensuring the audience knows it’s not real, as it’s actually a straight person playing the role.

Others have been more annoyed at the news that the character will be effete and very camp, suggesting it’s once more, as Omar Sharif Jr, has put it, that is falls back on “tired stereotypes used as devices to make us laugh so we’re comfortable with otherness”. Although others have riled at this suggestion, feeling that it’s gay people ‘camp shaming’, it is perhaps more accurate that the worry is this will once more feed into Hollywood’s long history of using camp men as the punchline, and of laughing at them rather than with them.

It should also be noted that while Whtehall is straight, he is quite camp (something that he’s referenced numerous times in his stand-up), so he may not actually be playing a character too far from him own personality.

As so often with these moments of social media outrage, it’s people getting angry based on little information and before we’ve actually been able to see the movie (Jungle Cruise isn’t due in cinemas until October 2019). As things stand, Disney hasn’t even confirmed Whitehall’s character is gay, let alone that he will be immensely camp and/or used as a homophobic/misogynistic joke. As previous LGBT inclusion in Disney films, such as the ‘exclusively gay moment’ in last year’s Beauty And The Beast, turned out to be damp squibs, this may turn out to be a storm in a teacup.

CHECK OUT THESE RELATED ARCHIVES:
ACTORS: Jack Whitehall, Dwayne Johnson  

Jack Whitehall Gets Around – Live From Wembley Arena (DVD Review)

November 23, 2014 By Tim Isaac Leave a Comment

Starring: Jack Whitehall
Director: Brian Klein
Running Time: 95 mins
Certificate: 15
Release Date: November 24th 2014 (UK)

Jack Whitehall is a bit of a Marmite comedian, although you do get the impression that his detractors are more annoyed that he’s young, good-looking and funny than being bothered about the edge of smugness that some accuse him of. He’s certainly come a long way in a short time, with this DVD documenting his Wembley gig, which was part of a huge arena tour that attracted audiences in the 10s of thousands. And he’s still only 26.

As with many young comedians who become a big headline act, there is undoubtedly a sense that he’s still learning his trade and coming into his own. That’s particularly clear by his reliance on ‘mistakes’, which probably work well when you’re watching him live, but on DVD it’s clear that these are not mistakes at all, or at least perhaps they were at one point during the tour but have now been woven into the act and are now very deliberate. Comedians making deliberate mistakes is extremely common, but it shouldn’t look like that’s what they’re doing. [Read more…]

Jack Whitehall – Live (DVD)

November 18, 2012 By Tim Isaac Leave a Comment

Starring: Jack Whitehall
Director: Brian Klein
Running Time: 93 mins
Certificate: 15
Release Date: November 19th 2012

If I had to put a bet on which of today’s crop of young comedians will still be on our screens in a couple of decades time, I’d put my money on Jack Whitehall. I almost hate myself for saying that as he’s has that mix of being posh (and seemingly getting posher with every day) and overconfident that normally results in the reflex reaction, ‘tosser’. [Read more…]

Channel 4’s Comedy Gala 2012 (DVD)

November 12, 2012 By Tim Isaac Leave a Comment

Starring: Lee Evans, Sean Lock, Jack Whitehall, Michael McIntyre, Kevin Bridges
Director: Tom Poole
Running Time: 120 mins
Certificate: 15
Release Date: November 5th 2012

Every Christmas brings out a slew of stand-up comedy releases, but if you’ve got to a gift to give and aren’t sure which comedians someone likes, Channel 4’s Comedy Gala 2012 might be the release to go for. Plus it helps raise money for Great Ormond Street Hospital, and you can’t argue with that.

A huge selection of the top stand-ups in the UK descended on the O2 in London last May for an evening of comedy, and this is the result. The line-up includes Lee Evans, Michael McIntyre, Jonathan Ross, Micky Flanagan, Sean Lock, Kevin Bridges, Jo Brand, Jack Whitehall, Jack Dee, Jon Richardson, Seann Walsh, Lee Nelson, Josh Widdicombe, Paul Chowdhry, Andi Osho, Keith Lemon, Alan Carr and Reginald D.Hunter. Jessi J also shows up to sing and offers a video about why GOSH is a good cause – and she should know, as she spent time in the hospital as a child. [Read more…]

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