Gay Oppression

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This "Funny or Die" video about Dave (brother of James) Franco effing himself is...what, mildly amusing? Less so? it's also a little "enough already" given the cavalcade of gay-themed roles and films that James has made over the last couple of years (playing Scott Smith in Milk, Allen Ginsberg in Howl and Hart Crane in The Broken Tower plus having directed that Sal Mineo movie).

The Franco brothers aren't exactly Olsen and Johnson or Laurel and Hardy, but they've made videos together and are known as having started in the same genetic dugout, and between the two of them there's been a little too much man-meat. For the next four or five years they really need to give homosexual congress a rest. Make it nine or ten years. It's jgetting too one-note....gay this, gay that, gay whatever.

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Posted by Jeffrey Wells on August 24, 2011 at 10:02 AM

comment #1

Mark says ...

Jeffrey, that picture is NSFW, and we're in work hours. I won't watch the video, but autosexuality is not the same as homosexuality, but you're right, neither are that funny anymore.

It's weird to rewatch semi-recent movies, like Scary Movie, and notice just how unfunny the gay humor has aged. The tipping was likely when Bruno fellated a ghost; we just never needed to see another gay joke again.

Posted by Mark at August 24, 2011 11:25 AM

comment #2

Edward says ...

Funny or Die is rarely funny.

Posted by Edward at August 24, 2011 11:36 AM

comment #3

Mr. F. says ...

"The Franco brothers aren't exactly Olsen and Johnson or Laurel and Hardy..."

...in case the above screen shot doesn't make that point 100% obvious...

Posted by Mr. F. at August 24, 2011 1:29 PM

comment #4

Mr. F. says ...

Just had a thought:

Hardy, to Laurel, if they were around to make Internet videos about F'ing each other:

"Well, this is another fine mess you've gotten into me!"

Posted by Mr. F. at August 24, 2011 1:31 PM

comment #5

DiscoNap says ...

As was once said about Edward Kennedy, no one gives a fucking fuck who Dave Franco is.

Posted by DiscoNap at August 24, 2011 2:06 PM

comment #6

Ray DeRousse says ...

I've noticed a subtle anti-gay vibe here from time to time, which is odd considering that you cover the world's gayest industry.

As far as their humor goes, the Franco brothers are flat-out hilarious in their "Acting with James Franco" skits on Funny or Die.

Posted by Ray DeRousse at August 24, 2011 2:31 PM

comment #7

Los Bostonian says ...

I don't think Jeff is being homophobic here, just mentioning that James Franco seems to be hitting the same beats and needs to be a movie star for a little while. Dave Franco needs to figure out his own path and stop walking in James' shadow.

Posted by Los Bostonian at August 24, 2011 2:40 PM

comment #8

Jeffrey Wells says ...

Thanks, Bostonian -- you're correct.

And DeRousse -- yes, the Franco brothers WERE indeed hilarious in their "Acting with James Franco" Funny or Die videos. What was that, two or three years ago?

Posted by Jeffrey Wells at August 24, 2011 3:01 PM

comment #9

Ray DeRousse says ...

No, Bostonian is not correct. I'm not going to sift through the archives to find examples, but there have been several articles in which Jeff has complained about excessive homosexuality in certain films. And look, I get it - heterosexual people don't have much desire to have homosexual behavior thrown in their faces. But I've seen it in several posts over the years. Sorry, it's there.

And yes, those videos are a few years old. So? It shows they are more than capable of being heterosexually funny, I guess.

Posted by Ray DeRousse at August 24, 2011 3:57 PM

comment #10

Noiresque says ...

Yeah, this totally seems like of James' "performance art" ideas that he was going to film for a McSweeney's/Wholphin DVD, but got bored with it, so threw his little brother a bone. (Um, yeah.) I'm actually glad James didn't film this, because Renaissance Man affectations and all, I still like him, and don't want him to yet again make my eyes roll out of my head.

For me, it's not the homosexuality that's as jarring, in terms of humour, but the "self-love"/loathing aspect. Which is one thing if you're an actual celebrity, who deals with the imagery of being iconic and with the vanity and self-love involved with their personae - say, in different ways, Woody Allen and Tom Cruise. Or if you're an artist whose work deals with those themes - in different ways and equally successfully, Thomas Mann and John Waters. Or hey, even if you're a comic who can make the joke work.

But Jame's Franco's E-List little brother? He's not famous, he's not interesting and he's not handsome or talented or photogenic in an extraordinary way. No one really fantasises about fucking him, so why would we care if he fucks himself? It doesn't work.

Posted by Noiresque at August 24, 2011 4:37 PM

comment #11

cyanic says ...

Dave is more attractive than James these days.

Posted by cyanic at August 24, 2011 5:05 PM

comment #12

Gabe@ThePlaylist says ...

I'm less amused and more distracted by the aping of the anal sex scene in "I Love You Philip Morris." If it's a reference, I don't get it. If it's unintentional, I dunno... maybe all gay sex looks the same to me.

Posted by Gabe@ThePlaylist at August 24, 2011 5:39 PM

comment #13

Ray DeRousse says ...

@ Noiresque - I think there are a lot of women and gay men who would politely disagree with you about the attractiveness of Dave Franco. All of their videos have huge comment counts about his "hotness" and whatnot.

Posted by Ray DeRousse at August 24, 2011 6:52 PM

comment #14

Kakihara says ...

Conan O' Brien did the same joke.

Posted by Kakihara at August 24, 2011 8:27 PM

comment #15

caoni says ...

For the next four or five years they really need to give homosexual donny blog congress a rest. Make it nine or ten years. It's jgetting too one-note....gay this, gay that, gay whatever.

Posted by caoni at August 25, 2011 1:33 AM

comment #16