High Points
Embarrassing Bodies with Jenny-Anne Bishop (Repeat).
But how Channel 4 can get then it SO wrong with the
Low points?
Paul Chowdhry on Stand-up for the week.
Don't forget to take a look at the Soap storylines here
Hollyoaks
viewtopic.php?f=48&t=434&p=18228#p18228
Coronation St
viewtopic.php?f=16&t=1441&start=10#p16796
---
Benidorm
29/04
ITV2
'The Oracle' (played by Johnny Vegas) wants to find a date online, and Lesley picks up on it.
Johnny of course is in the dark. This is the first time we see Tim Healey's Les/Lesly Transvestite character. This later ends up in them meeting and Johnny in shock at a restaurant. If they had left it there then it would have been 'OK' I supppose - bit of a laugh n all that. Sadly as Johnny Vegas left the show the void was filled by Tim Healey and it has never really recovered.
(Image: ITV)The show is targeted at some antiquated bygone 'northern humour' reminiscent of the working man's club in its day or something akin to 'Phoenix Nights', do these places actually exist? I suppose they must, and this is who this show is marketed for or at least snobs who watch it to look down their nose at it. But when they bring a transcharacter in, it just felt hollow, and lets face it, a bit embarrassing. It is 'the blacking up' of it - were this an actual transgender person - someone known for being trans (not many of them about cos Healey has their job!) then it may have worked. When I watch it, sorry all I can see is someone taking the p*ss. I think they call this 'exploitation'- or transExploitation.
As the dictionary definition shows
exploitation
noun
use or selfish utilization, especially for profit. To promote a person, movie, product, etc.
It ranks well on these accounts.
More: viewtopic.php?f=16&t=1339#.T8ika1L4Iq4
---
Russell Howard's Good News
03/05
BBC Three
'C*ck in a frock' gag
Last time I heard that on television was in 'Moving Wallpaper' (ITV1) that was so bad it launched Trans Media Watch!
It makes no odds how you use the term even if it is by proxy. Example using the n-word as a dogs name for a laugh is still offensive these days!
He just doesn't get it!
This same line is used later in the somewhat hyped and rather slow 'Hit & Miss' on Sky. A full review will be published in our blog when the series in finished - it makes for an interesting read!
---
Crash Canyon
04/05
Viva
Monkey in a bikini
"Its always the normal-looking ones!"
"I need a mutinous cross-dressing monkey like space needs a female astronaut!"
---
Comedy Lab: Totally Tom
E4
04/05
Crossdressing gags, drug taking and violence and all whilst 'dressed as women'.
---
Very Important People
04/05
Channel 4
Celebrity impressions show with Morgana Robinson and Terry Mynott. David Attenborough examines the fascinating behaviour of Russell Brand in Stand Up Planet. While Amy Childs tackles topical story in her own special way on Very Important News.
Well the female playing Russell Brand is good and again demonstrating that women can play men quite well so that's interesting - the rarity of this and how well she does them doe buy her some space here. But were this to become common it could swing into FTM issues. But not yet.
That said running out of steam a bit this time as they go over what we have already seen before.
I have seen these impressions last week - is that all they have?
And some just go on too long, the joke was over 5 mins ago.
Shame!
---
Alan Carr: Chatty Man
04/05
Channel 4
Alan Carr interviews Eddie Izzard, David Walliams and others.
Eddie and David were not on the same sofa - that's interesting as mentioned before Walliams has had a go at Eddie for not dressing in frocks anymore on television. And Eddie later defended that on another show - Walliams also happened to be on.
This time they were separate, Izzard is doing a comedy world tour even taking in Kathmandu (Nepal!). And then plans to run a load of Marathons in South Africa. Perhaps he is challenging Walliams in this way he does the swimming? - interesting stuff.
That said I find Walliams very different to Eddie, Eddie is trans we know that and he speaks about it in a sensitive and light-hearted way.
Walliams is quite the opposite, he exploits it and abuses it and those connected with it. His characters who are crossdressed are cruel depictions, lazy and hurtful. He leaves his frock at the stage door. I suspect behind this 'act' is a nice chap. Somewhere this camp personna took over and now its his stock in trade.
It does annoy me a little when he is describe as female or a 'lady' in introductions, as it plays into the comedy of crossdressing too much. Its all a 'BIG JOKE'. If Walliams started wearing dresses to the office and on Britain's got talent all the time I'd take it back - but he doesn't and that's the reality of who he is I think.
There has been a 'gap in the market' since Frankie Howard and Dick Emery died and he has seized it. Shut your eyes and it could be the same guys.
---
The Graham Norton Show
04/05
BBC One
Julie Walters jokes about not having a penis.
---
Family Guy
'The Thin White Line'
05/05
BBC Three
Brian Volunteers to be a police drug-sniffing dog, but ends up getting hooked on cocaine (as a result) and enters rehab. Peter goes along for a free holiday.
Quagmire is a pilot and he is sniffed too when going through the terminal, Brian's senses are so strong he even knows who he slept with on his stop-over flight.
Brian is sniffing passenger of Quagmires Jet (He is a commercial Pilot) for drugs as his new role as a police sniffer dog. All are clean. Quagmire questions his abilities, whereby Brian then remarks, "You slept with 2 Filipino women and a man!" Quagmire responds, "don't you mean 3 Filipino women?" Then the penny drops his response, Terror and panic and, "OH AHHHHHrggghhhh!"
----
Come Dine With Me
'Aberdeen'
05/05
Channel 4
Drag Act 'Cherry Bakewell' - overdoes it all - a bit embarrassing.
(Image: Channel 4)---
Britain's Got Talent
ITV1
06/05
David Walliams remarks that one of the artist's dress was nice and thank you to Simon for lending it to her.
Of course get's a big laugh, men in dresses usually does - THANKS DAVE!!! - wish he'd pack it in!
---
The Cleveland Show
06/05
E4/E4+1
Rallo is making mischief and swaps his grandparents medications over.
Grandfather 'Freight Train's' label sticker is put on grandmother's (Cookie) pill box and vice-versa.
She grows and instant moustache and he grows instant breasts.
Oh the hilarity - NOT!
Seriously this gag is so old. I think some people watching may believe this is possible too
---
Come Dine with Me
'Wallsall'
07/05
Channel 4
A Rocky Horror Picture Show fan obviously makes everyone crossdress.
Crossdressing in this series is either to mock as in 'you look like a tranny'... or it is the extremes of bad taste and just sleazy and tacky.
Crossdressing as of yet has not been treated with respect.
This issue has been raised with Channel 4 only recently.
---
Thinking Allowed
07/05
Radio 4
Transgender Body Modifications award winning books.
Interesting programme built around the recent award winning book on
'Recognising Transsexuals: Personal, Political and Medical Embodiment.'
Publisher Ashgate; 1 edition
ISBN-10 1409405656
ISBN: 978-1409405658
By Zowie Davy
It is priced at over £50 pounds! And this was a sore issue raised within the discussion.
It is basically interviews and a sort of 'trans 101', so I cannot see much point in it from an activist POV as we have probably interviewed and discussed these issues for years I alone have spoken with many thousands of people as have many others here in tzone.
What this will add to us I suspect if very little - It does feel a little exploitative at this price.
Award winning? I suspect this is based on the awards given to anyone that does anything for the transgender community, I cite the rather low budget movie 'Trans America' as a case in point.
Add a transsexual to the pot and you are onto a winner, something Television and drama is I feel on the edge of realising.
However this book is not aimed at us, it is aimed at academics wanting to learn a little more about the subject.
But even then 50 QUID! At that price even the cash-strapped local libraries are unlikely to stock it.
That left a bitter taste in my mouth I'm afraid. It means those that should be reading it will not be, and socio-academics with well funded university libraries may read it - but what use are they to us?
It is ironic that this work is about the 'common tran' but it is an exclusive product denied to all but the better off who sociologically make up the minority of the population - especially in this current fiscal climate.
And as for those people who made this happen, the interviewees and their precious stories, will they get anything?
I doubt it.
---
Embarrassing Bodies
07/05
Channel 4
Another airing of the episode where Jenny-Anne Bishop has her Female Feminisation Surgery and a breast augmentation.
In conversation with JA since this programme was made I asked what it would have cost - she said it was free to promote the surgeon in the show but would have been at least 25 grand!
Nice work if you can get it
---
Quantum Leap
'Liberation'
08/05
ITV4
Sam becomes Margaret Sanders, a housewife who decides to join her daughter in campaigning for women's rights. However, when Margaret burns her bra at a woman's liberation rally, she ends up in jail - jeopardising her marriage to her conservative husband.
---
Cardinal Burns
08/05
E4
Channel 4 desperately attempt to find something 'new' in the sketch show format.
Some of it is funny-ish. The street artist 'Banksy' being a suburban rather mundane father of two. But it struggled I think. But what let it down most is yet again crossdressing for gags. When will they ever learn?
This has been done almost identically to this in 'Totally Tom' (another ChAnnel 4 effort), with Armstrong and Miller to name but two.
It doesn't work. If anything it's taking the p*ss out of crossdressing, after all that's what it is all but in name.
If the men stuck to the men's stuff the women to the women's and hire a few transgender people (who are actually trans) to pick up the slack - everyone's a winner, it would then be new and fresh and you are giving someone trans a job - drag queens need not apply
Will a production company break the mold, please(!), this stuff was being churned out in the 1970s!!! Just ask Dick Emery and Stanley Baxter...
If you wanna know if you have got something original ask me - I could save you a fortune!
---
American Dad
'The Most Adequate Christmas Ever'
09/05
BBC Three
A looping repeat of the 'bad transvestite' gag
Search our archives for other showings.
---
Quantum Leap
'Dr Ruth'
09/05
ITV4
Sam is shocked to discover that he has taken over the body of sex therapist Dr Ruth Westheimer - in the middle of a radio phone-in. While Sam attempts to help a victim of sexual harassment, Al's emotional hang-ups become the focus of attention for Dr Ruth herself.
---
The Matt Lucas Awards
08/05
BBC One
The quote of the week must go to Matt Lucas
In this rather lack lustre attempt to find him a 'vehicle' with celebrity guests (Maureen Lipman, Julian Clary and Stand-up Alex Home) he remarks:
Maureen Lipman tells a Jewish gag, Matt replies, "We are Jewish so we can say ANYTHING!" "If you are watching and you are not Jewish you can say nothing!!!" Points to Julian and says, "We are gay so we can say anything, if you're watching and you are not gay you can say nothing!" "This is how comedy works!!!"
"Thats true(!)," they reply.
WELL - YOU ARE NOT TRANS MATT SO YOU CAN SAY NOTHING!!!!! Time to take that Little Britain off the air then?
Talk about double standards!
As an aside David Walliams - his partner (in crime) says on 'Britain's got Talent' on the 05/05, "that the way you judge comedy is did it make you laugh?" Depends if you are from any of the minorities they abused, trans? Incontenance charities were not laughing, their 'blacking up' caused problems, I think all they were qualified to do was Matt as the 'only Gay' - that worked cos he is gay.
Now we hear David relentlessly mocking Simon Cowell, by pointing at the stage at a girl in a nice dress then getting a laugh out of it suggesting Simon was wearing it...This was on BGT the 06/05.
He just will not stop - he is a f@cking nuisance. Ironically we never see him in a dress sat there or out and about in one shopping, as the saying goes, David "sh*t or get off the pot!" If you ain't trans then that's enough!
If you leave the frock at the stage door then leave the comments there with it!
---
Embarrassing Bodies
11/05
Channel 4
Another airing and look at Jenny-Anne Bishop's Breast augmentation and her FFS.
---
Quantum Leap
'Return of the Evil Leaper - Part 2'
11/05
ITV4
Body swap Cult sci-fi adventure. Sam and his nemesis find themselves in a womens prison.
---
Benidorm
ITV2
13/05
The Oracle is given the runaround by a blind date with a very big secret.
Of course this is the 'infamous' first appearance of Les/Lesley in the series who then went onto replace the outgoing Johnny Vegas. The amount of double-entendres during their meal mocking her transgender status was uncalled for, and the fact they chose Time Healey of all people was clearly to mock the whole subject.
They could have done this so much better, but chose the lazy way, that of laughing at a 'man in a dress'.
---
The Change
13/05
BBC Radio 4 Ex
Ken comforts Carol, who despairs over transvestite hubby George, Stars Lynda Bellingham and (usually hard man) Chris Ellinson.
Good show supported by WOBS (Women of the Beaumont Society).
---
Ladyboys (Repeat)
14/05
Sky Living
One of the rare times this term is used in context of Thailand and this programme addresses those who are trans and those who are attracted to them and why.
There is a trailer on the Sky Living website
http://skyliving.sky.com/top-shows/take ... t-ladyboys
---
Snog, Marry, Avoid?
16/05
BBC Three
In this episode we see the Makeover machine 'Pod' (well a woman with a microphone) say about one girl,
"Who are you?!"
"Rachel"
"Are you sure it's not Richard?"
"Pod computes with those eyebrows, eyelashes and ridiculous hair, you look like a transsexual!!!"
This is not the first time this show has come down on transgender people we have a few clips of them using the term 'tranny' to say how bad they look.
You can watch the clip here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=pl ... li2vnJsRis
---
South Park
'Mr Garrison's Fancy New Vagina'
16/05
Viva
Well this is the infamous episode where Mr Garrison visits the now Late Dr Stanley Biber in Trinidad Collorado. We mustn't forget that in the late 80s and 90s this was labeled the 'sex-change' capital of the world and his clinic was visited by 'The Word' in the early 90s - we have the archives
It was a real story back then and was well done and surprisingly PC for 'The Word' which at the time was very sensational.So onto the episode. Well as you would expect from South Park it is a very cliched episode. For a cartoon series that had Eric Cartman walking down the street dressed as Hitler looking for Jews, this is mild and in some places I hesitate to say it - funny. I think part of it was that Mr Garrison was Mrs Garrison for quite sometime - not just one episode - and this gave the character the opportunity to live as a woman and the challenges involved.
They ask and raise questions that I know the transgender community have asked themselves, S/he (he changed back later in the series) made some toe-curling comments, but it was more about changing your body to match what you feel inside so they changed one of the boys into a black basketball player and his father into a dolphin.
Bit barmy, daft and felt a number of 'oh dears' and rolling eyes when watching it again. It is worth watching but don't be surprised if you are shocked.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lsYll9Sh3nI
Would it be appropriate today, no. But Biber (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanley_Biber) has not been with us now since 2006.
Garrison does address a number of comments that abusers raise, form not being able to menstruate, to using the ladies toilets. Uncomfortable and in some places a sharp reminder of how absurd the world is with transpeople.
---
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
'Transitions'
19/05
Channel 5
http://www.channel5.com/shows/law-order ... ode-14-175
Featured issues around puberty blockers and transgender children.
---
Live at the Apollo
Shappy Khorsandi
19/05
BBC THREE
"I sometimes get wolf whistles! I never got that when I used to be a bloke!"
Big audience laugh.
---
Channel 4's Comedy Gala
20/05
Channel 4 (obviously)
Alan Carr opens the show dressed as Jessie J. And just goofs around in a wig and heels.
Shame really as otherwise it managed to avoid crossdressing humiliation and jokes.
Close but no cigar - maybe next year?
---
2 Broke Girls
'And the 90's Horse Party'
20/05
E4
"What spend 75 dollars to stand next to guy-girl and girl-guy there?!"
---
The Simpsons
'Tennis the Menace'
21/05
Channel 4
Homer - Which one are you Bart?
Bart - I'm Serena!
Homer - Ha ha ha you're a girl!
It may seem petty but all these little 'petties' add up!
---
and from the same camp as The Simpsons we have:
Futurama
'Raging Bender'
21/05
Pick TV
Bender the robot is popular as a wrestler, but as this dwindles, his manager decides the crowd must now hate him. To achieve this they make him wear a pink dress and blonde wig.
A rare slip for this show that has quite a good episode called 'Bend-her' later in the series. Far better than 'The Simpsons' that's for sure, and a shame it was axed. Many an idea generated here has found it's way into Doctor Who for example - the Titanic Spaceship episode being the most obvious!
---
Ladyboys
21/05
Sky Living
http://skyliving.sky.com/ladyboys-2/sne ... t-ladyboys
---
The Ricky Gervais Show
'Armed Forces '
23/05
German women could be men - series of gags.
---
Plusnet Cheerleaders Ad
23/05
All comercial channels
Gunna need a lot of 'therapy' (for crossdressing).
Reinforces crossdressing and mental illness.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sVR1E1EyF8Q
(Archived)
Non trans participants.
---
Hit & Miss Season 1: Episode 1 45 mins
22/05
Sky Atlantic HD 11:15PM
Controversial use of yet another cisgender woman in a transgender roles,
It is clear that some authenticity is immediately lost by someone 'tranning up' and pretending to be a transwoman.
This should be played by a transactor and they should be sourced for these roles. Candis Cayne in 'Dirty Sexy Money' set the benchmark but sadly this was a set back rather than building on her wonderful role in the ABC blockbuster from 2007/09.
Putting this aside and a full review will be made once the series finishes.
It was interesting that the film before this was 'Boys Don't Cry'
Moving to a new town, Hilary Swank hides a secret that could rip her life apart. Powerful true-life drama with strong language, drug use, violence and sexual violence. (1999)(114mins).This is based on a true story, and Swank won an Oscar for the role. But clearly something is amiss (if you'll pardon the pun) as that role was played by a female too. However, as the real person this was based on was an FTM, this is at least
closer to 'acceptability' than Hit and Miss who had to don a stick on penis and why we had to see it I have no idea - reminds me of the ending of Mrs In-betweeny (BBC 2008) where she flops out her plastic willy too - for no reason.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1070991/ in fact this was a little to similar to Mrs In-Betweeny to bring anything 'new' to the table. People in trouble and a trans woman to the rescue is exactly the same, albeit MI didn't need to shoot anyone.
It's rather far-fetched premise is that of a transgender woman who is a 'hit-man'. So a murderer?
Would a transgender woman have brought something more - well in this critic's mind there is no doubt. I didn't 'believe' her as the character, The publicity for the programme has been almost like a tabloid sensational headline...Such is their desperation to flog this angle for viewers to be titillated, rather than a person who happens to be trans she is a transperson SHE IS A TRANSPERSON!!! But she isn't!
Missed opportunity, and hopefully the last of these efforts to pass off non-trans as trans.
Again A big full and deep review of this show is coming once the series ends - you maybe surprised at some of my findings!
---
American Dad
Phantom of the Telethon
24/05
BBC Three
Intersex gag (used to be offensive - so a gag within a gag so to speak), and crossdressing gag.
---
Loose Women
25/05
ITV1
Jane Mcdonald
"I think if you are anybody in the world, man, woman or whatever?"
Got a big laugh.
---
Angry Boys
BBC THREE
25/05
Australian import with Chris Lilley. He plays a number of characters and a few are crossdressed. This time we have a crossdressed media executive who is also putting on a Asian accent. How the BBC can allow this programme on is beyond me - I would say this may struggle to be made in the UK, but the BBC also had a hand in (no pun intended) TING TONG (LADYBOY) with 'Little Britain' - so something is clearly amiss in Television Center and has been for quite some time.
Its not my place to be offended for Chinese or Japanese people - he employs a few in some weak way to justify it - a bit like when 'It Ain't Half Hot Mum' (also BBC did in the 80s with a white lead "browned-up"), so I will bite my lip as far as being offended on their behalf - just raising the issue! The show is not bad until he puts on a dress at the same time, then its just all downhill from there.
---
Doctor Who
'The Vampires of Venice'
25/05
BBC Three
Rory reads the psychic paper - "According to this I am your eunuch!"
Written by Toby Whitehouse under Steven Moffat's watch we can clearly see the lack of finesse compared to that of Russell T Davies when he brought in trans issues.
RTD was tongue-in-cheek and quite inclusive - this is just a gag laughing at Rory for being a eunuch. Well Eunuchs had quite an important role in history and they still do as a culture in India (many, lets face it were volunteers (the trans of their day).
http://www.transgenderzone.com/features ... dmiral.htm
This issue is a clumsy effort at portraying a eunuch as a weak and pathetic carry-on character to laugh at Rory and it doesn't work, and is unnecessary.
There is little doubt by the benchmarks of today and how tough the 'Hijra' have to be to survive. This is a stereoytype that need not have been used.
http://www.transgenderzone.com/features/timeline.htm
---
Britain Unzipped
26/05
BBC Three
Now this is a show that attempts to reveal what goes on behind Britain's closed doors. Its studio audience is very 'studenty' in it's demographic, so we kinda know what to expect - it's all a bit 'naughty'.
However when they ask about the percentages of a poll about how many have tried on their partners clothes they stated 18% - yeah right!
And he asks Greg one of the presenters if he has - and he says yes gets a big laugh. They should have left it there - but they always have to go that little bit too far!
We then see a supposed secret camera shot of his dressing room, and him dancing in hot pants and a breast toob. To the audience's amusement.
Again it is knowing where to draw the line. If this we a question about marrying into a different race, they would not end the question with one of them blacked up pretending to get married. Just think about it for one minute BBC!
This is almost a carbon copy of Russell Howard and earlier this month Alan Carr pretending to be Jessie J. Its just the laziest comedy there is - and has repercussionS with the transgender community's ability to be taken seriously - after all it's just a laugh init?!
---
Alan Carr: Chatty Man
25/05
Channel 4
"It has been revealed that the Queen has someone to wear in her shoes for her, not the lingerie and ball gowns - that's Prince Edwards job!"
Seriously? They have been on about Prince Edward like this for years because of his links with Theatre.
That said, its still a dig at a transgender person for a laugh. Forget the person it is aimed at. He is mocking someone for crossdressing.
Again the assumed 'gay license' to ridicule the transgender community is alive and well - when the two are totally unrelated. Unless a transgender person happens to be gay of course, but then that only allows him to mock the gay issue?
Doesn't it - Matt Lucas (above) seems to think so.
---
Red Dwarf III
'BODY SWAP'
25/05
Dave
Dave has to adopt the personna of a long dead female officer's mind stored in the holographic databanks to prevent the ship's self-destruct exploding.
---
Stand Up for the Week
25/05
Channel 4
What a shame - Paul Chowdhry (also on twitter twitter.com/#!/paulchowdhry) who i did really like as a comic has dumped on the transgender community. He maybe able to get away with it with the Asian community but we see the cracks the moment he ventures beyond it.
What makes this worse is this is a show made within the week so there is no excuse this time from Channel 4 and their now increasingly hollow promises to treat transgender people with dignity and the respect that was cited at their MOU signing over a year ago.
http://www.transmediawatch.org/Document ... anding.pdf
It is all a little embarrassing now - I said it when they signed it - that this really is a pipe dream, and Paul Chowdhry proved it this week in his stand-up routine.
Here is how it goes
"This week right a Thai contestant beat hundreds of women to the final of a UK beauty competition here is the contestant
- shows picture of attractive Thai girl"
"Nice init?!" [IT?!]
"She had real balls to enter that competition!"
[Laughter]
"Cos it's a GEEZER!"
[Laughter]
"That's not a bird!"
He then compares her to a female body builder in some half arsed attempt to justify it.
"See these birds together which one would you rather deal with?"
"You can see where people might c*ck-up!"
"I mean I wonder what caught out this woman in the pageant? Probably the voice that gave it away!"
"Does his usual mock Asian voice - pretends to be her - "I like to enter this competition, it is very nice to enter this competition! Sorry phone call is coming!"
Puts on very deep male voice
HELLO WHAT DO YOU WANT - I AM BUSY AT THE MOMENT!
Puts phone down - "Sorry about that (in soft voice again).
Apparantly according to the judges Thai men are better looking than British women!
[Audience Boos.]
"B*ll*cks!!!"
Gets another big laugh - [B*ll*cks are UK slang for testicles].
"I don't like Thai Ladyboys!"
What more is there to say than, misgendering, pronoun, just a mess and a shameful exhibition from this otherwise good comic - shocking!
(Clips Archived)
---
Futurama
'Raging Bender'
27/05
Pick TV/ Sky 3
Repeat of crossdressing as weakness as stated above.
---
The Simpsons
'Brother from the Same Planet'
27/05
Channel 4
Fed up with Homer. Bart hires someone from the Bigger Brother Programme, who does all the things Homer won't do with him. Homer decides to take revenge by signing up to be a 'bigger brother' himself and befriends a boy called Pepsi.
Things turn nasty when the four meet up.
Nothing serious just when Bart is waiting for his father one of the cars passing clearly has Homer as a woman.
---
Family Guy
'Screams of Silence'
27/05
BBC Three
Peter - "Who would you rather 'do'? Dame Judi Dench with 30 minutes of kissing first or Eddie Izzard in drag but he has a working vagina?"
Quagmire - "Would Eddie Izzard tell others about it?"
Peter - "Eddie Izzard is very discreet!"
Quagmire - "Then that's your answer!"
OK I guess its not for me to be offended on his behalf, that said, Eddie izzard is not 'in drag' he identifies as transvestite - so at least get that right. That is the same logic as saying women wearing women's clothes are in drag and kinky
---
Come Dine with Me (Repeat)
'Hertfordshire'
29/05
Channel 4
In this episode Asian dentist Amit cooks up an Indian-inspired menu.
When quizzed about his cooking he revealed he only ever cooks in secret and has never told his wife he can cook - who will taste his food tonight for the first time after the show's filming.
One of the competitors female competitors equated it to crossdressing thus:
"I don't understand why it's a big secret?" "And why he does it when she's out the house and stuff?" "It's like trying on women's clothes when she's left and stuff!"
The Voice-over Dave Lamb chips in - "Maybe he does that too!"
---
Hit & Miss Season 1: Episode 2 45 mins
29/05
Sky Atlantic HD 11:15PM
Mia becomes the victim when her new brood refuse to accept her and the landlord seeks revenge. (S1, ep 2)
Part 2 of this series - full series review coming soon.
---
Cardinal Burns
29/05
E4
Comedy sketch show with Seb Cardinal and Dustin Demri-Burns.
When they are playing men they work great and have some funny stuff - like the middle-aged 'Banksy'.
But any good E4 has achieved with other programming in a blink is lost, with this quite frankly lazy - seen it all before - crossdressing to 'sketch-prop' an idea. Its not a word in circulation - I just made it up. But what I mean is, you have an idea for a sketch, it is just not that funny, but the writers are determined to push it forwards, so put on a dress to make up the shortfall - it's been happening for years especially in most second rate cabaret drag acts - take away the frock and they are exposed as the frauds many are. But that never works with Simon Cowell - I wonder why that is? (being sarcastic).
This to me is the worse form of parody and quite abusive.
There is a difference I know between 'men pretending to be women' and transgender women - who are already women that are seen often as men by the public even if they bite their collective lips.
But an audience who would laugh at the sketch here are unlikely to understand that.
So it just ends up as 'a funny man in a dress' AGAIN. Something that haunts the transgender community like some manacle preventing it moving forwards. You make one positive step then some tit is prancing about mocking the trans community by proxy of comedy, even if it was unintentional, they clearly aint' mocking women, to do that they'd need three women. French and Saunders mocked women, so does 'Ab Fab'.
Other than this they seem to have a watchable programme - but such a shame that crossdressing is still the buff of humour.
I mean this has already been done recently by Chris Lilley (BBC) and 'Totally Tom' (E4) and I felt both were taking the mickey as well, Historically it has been done to death, from Dick Emery to Stanley Baxter, from 'The Two Ronnies' to It Ain't Half Hot Mum', it is dated and out of touch. We need more female comics anyway so why even entertain this in 2012?
Hire some more women (although one of the three in this sketch appears to be one
) Or even better some trans comics and then you are in the clear!
(Image: E4)Even mocking the Japanese is pushing it a bit racially?
(Image: E4)
(Image: E4)I just found the sketch uncomfortable to watch.
---
American Dad
'Phantom of the Telethon'
29/05
BBC Three
Intersex gag (used to offend another person) and crossdressing gags.
---
The Wright Stuff
30/05
Channel 5
Ava Vidal when ironically talking about discrimination, said because she is tall she is sometimes called a 'tranny'.
Ironically she never used the N-word nor a Jewish slight beginning with Y.. during this - only 'Tranny'.
Unfortunate, but that said if she says that is what people call her for being 5'11" and wearing high heels she enjoys then that's the truth and one of those rare times it was in context I guess. But its a bit of a shame she used it nonetheless
Matthew fortunately did not labour that point and swiftly moved on.
---
The Cleveland Show
'Mama Drama'
30/05
E4
Animated spin-off from Family Guy. It's Mother's Day in Stoolbend and Donna is feeling blue due to her estranged relationship with her own mother so Cleveland hires an actress to step in and play the part. However, things go awry when Donna's real mother shows up.
The Cleveland Show in the past has made light of transgender issues as has Family Guy.
But there seems to be something afoot, as I am pleased to say the US creators Fox/Fuzzy Door have for once got the balance just right, with humour and sensitivity.
I am amazed! And pleased this is the case.
For those who do not watch these cartoons, Donna Cleveland's other half, was brought up by her 'Auntie Momma', it was revealed in a previous series of this that she was transgender, and Cleveland's father had an affair that led to abusive terminology 'tranny' and projectile vomiting - that was not a good time. And it was a serious mark against Channel 4 who run E4.
Search for Auntie Momma on Youtube and you'll see that episode - or at least a clip of it - within their copyright perms.
This time Auntie Momma reappears in a flash back showing her caring for Donna, of course Auntie Momma is a 'card' and does break wind a lot, - that's fine, its a running gag (no pun intended) in other characters, well farting is funny
Clearly the 'Big Mommas House' film series has had a direct affect here. Very similar type of character, albeit trans not undercover cop.
Cleveland visits AM at a theatre where she is directing a play,
AM - "you look fat and a lil' manly? (for the role of Rosa Parks she is casting for).
Cleveland -"You should talk!"
AM - "Cleveland?!"
Cleveland - "Auntie Momma you haven't changed a bit!"[Looks down] "Have you?"
AM - "Now Cleveland, every girl has to have her secrets!"
AM - "Puts on the deepest voice I have ever heard - What do you want?!"
C - "I need you help to find Donna's Mom."
AM - "Oh am Sorry I can't help you wit that!"
C - "You must know where she is - she's your sister, she entrusted you - or a version of you to raise Donna as your daughter!"" Or your son? I don't know how these things work? In your community which I respect! But do not want to know anything more about."
AM - "I did try to find her but came up empty every time."
Cleveland then hires an actress from the play to pretend to be her mother who then dies - a death certificate is created with her mother's name but hen her real mother has financial problems as she is supposed to be deceased. So comes to find Cleveland.
To cut a long story short at the end Auntie Momma's sister, Donnas Mom is in the hospital with Cleveland, she explains that she got pregnant and left her with her brother Kevin in Virginia as she was in a black singing group (think 'Supremes' but low budget big in Germany etc like the 'Hoff'), She tells Kevin, you will be her uncle and her daddy maybe you could call yourself 'Uncle daddy?' - Kevin replies, "or something like that?!
Donna then says, wait a minute you said you gave me to your brother to raise! But I was raised by Auntie Momma!"
Donna's Mom - "who's Auntie Momma?!
Auntie Momma comes in - WHO'S Auntie Momma?!!! Farts, "I'M OUTRAGEOUS!!!"
Donna's Mom - OMG Kevin????!
The general 'tone' of the show was of a transperson stepping in to care for a child and done a great job raising her, Cleveland for the first time in Family Guy or any other spin-off show uses the term 'RESPECT!' as, "in I respect your community." Even if he doesn't really want to know anything about it
.And apart from Auntie Momma farting, it is a big step - believe me.
There is now another transgender character to add to Quagmires father who had GRS in Family Guy but there was a rather nasty undertone to that search 'Quagmires dad' in our site or click here for the full review viewtopic.php?f=16&t=388 .
Where as this was quit different, they have to laugh at something so rather than laugh at her trans'ness' they chose something that anyone could be laughed at for. I think the deep voice section was a bit 'iffy', but most viewers need to understand she is trans and I suppose this was the only way to deliver that quickly.
That said probably the cartoon episode to beat this year so far!
And a bit of a recovery for Channel 4/E4.
Very good! Considering their market of giggling drunk teens - mostly
.
Uncle Kevin (as she was) left holding the baby.
Farting is fun - She entertains a young Donna with her antics.
(Images Fox/Fuzzy Door)Cleveland knew her secret now says he respects her community!
---
Red Dwarf
'Balance of Power'
30/05
Dave
When questioning who the computer should have brought back as a hologram Lister says,
"Hermann Göring would have been more of a laugh than Rimmer, OK he was a drug-crazed transvestite, but at least we could have gone dancin'!"
In theory the gag is funny, but the way it has to be linked to, Hitler, being 'drug-crazed' is where it is let down.
They could so easily have said instead, "Captain Peterson would have been more of a laugh than Rimmer, admittedly he was a crossdresser but at least we could have gone dancin'.
Same gag but without the mental health and Nazi link.
It can be done but the script writers just don't think - this is quite an old series so its kinda a moot point.
But that said they have just finished filming a new series for DAVE so I'll be watching and let you know if they slip up!
---
Don't have nightmares - n see you next time
Ice Maiden
