After a few discruntled reviews on one of my parodies for using the word "gay" i was just wondering if my fellow penguins find it offensive or if it rubs you up the wrong way if used in a parody or if it depends on the context of which it is used?

i am writing a parody of the Ting Tings  "That's not my Name" in which i use the word "gay" quite a lot  E.G. i have the line.........
"They call me gay!  Like Kevin Spacey!"

I don't want to continue with it if it's gonna cause offence or annoy people.
Would love some feedback!  :)

After a few discruntled reviews on one of my parodies for using the word "gay" i was just wondering if my fellow penguins find it offensive or if it rubs you up the wrong way if used in a parody or if it depends on the context of which it is used?

i am writing a parody of the Ting Tings  "That's not my Name" in which i use the word "gay" quite a lot  E.G. i have the line.........
"They call me gay!  Like Kevin Spacey!"

I don't want to continue with it if it's gonna cause offence or annoy people.
Would love some feedback!   :)




Below Average Dave is the person who seems to get offended by this the most

-I actually changed a line in my "Say It Ain't So" parody today to get rid of the word Gay and to not get hit by "The Gay Police" (We have the "Decade Police" the "Grammar Police" the "Spelling Police" why not the "Gay Police")

I personally think that the word gay is overused, yes, that I will admit, but to be offended by it when the term gay is to mean something "odd", or "strange" is going a bit over the top in my opinion.

The word gay actually started off to mean just that "odd", "showy", "gawdy" Here's something I took from Wikipedia: "The term gay was originally used, until well into the mid-20th century, primarily to refer to feelings of being "carefree," "happy," or "bright and showy"; it had also come to acquire some connotations of "immorality" as early as 1637"

The Flintstones had even used the word Gay in the lyrics to their song:
"When you're with the Flintstones,
have a yabba dabba doo time,
a dabba doo time,
we'll have a gay old time"

(That does not mean that they are going to have a time involving intercourse between two males/ females)

The term I honestly believe that "gay" can mean two things one being intercourse of the same sex, AND the other being about something odd or gawdy.

I would honestly like to see Dave's answer to this and why he thinks that the word "Gay" if taken in a negative context does not mean that the parody is being "Anti-Homosexual", but instead it's using the old term, the original term.

Unless the parody is actually saying something to be homophobic, I don't care how the term is used.

Use whatever word you want.  If your not attacking, name calling them, then they have a problem with whatever and it 's their problem.  They can stop looking at it if it bothers them that much. 

Below Average Dave is the person who seems to get offended by this the most

-I actually changed a line in my "Say It Ain't So" parody today to get rid of the word Gay and to not get hit by "The Gay Police" (We have the "Decade Police" the "Grammar Police" the "Spelling Police" why not the "Gay Police")

I personally think that the word gay is overused, yes, that I will admit, but to be offended by it when the term gay is to mean something "odd", or "strange" is going a bit over the top in my opinion.

The word gay actually started off to mean just that "odd", "showy", "gawdy" Here's something I took from Wikipedia: "The term gay was originally used, until well into the mid-20th century, primarily to refer to feelings of being "carefree," "happy," or "bright and showy"; it had also come to acquire some connotations of "immorality" as early as 1637"

The Flintstones had even used the word Gay in the lyrics to their song:
"When you're with the Flintstones,
have a yabba dabba doo time,
a dabba doo time,
we'll have a gay old time"

(That does not mean that they are going to have a time involving intercourse between two males/ females)

The term I honestly believe that "gay" can mean two things one being intercourse of the same sex, AND the other being about something odd or gawdy.

I would honestly like to see Dave's answer to this and why he thinks that the word "Gay" if taken in a negative context does not mean that the parody is being "Anti-Homosexual", but instead it's using the old term, the original term.

Unless the parody is actually saying something to be homophobic, I don't care how the term is used.


You are incorrect

It started off as a British word for Happy---odd was not it's original meaning.  (apply "Happy" in place of gay in that Flintstone song you quoted--great example of the original intent of that word--I do hope you don't think the Flintstones meant Odd--that'd make no sense!!!!)

I only have a problem with it when it's used in the wrong context, and over the top or not I view it as no different than racial references or other discriminatory words.

It has become common place for it to be used as odd, so much so that often people think it's what it has always meant. . .but like many terms negative applied to homosexual people, it is now often used non-chalantly as if it's no big deal, which I don't blame the people who do it--but at best it irks me because it sounds immature, and I'd be as offended if people used the "N" word non-chalantly, it's just not made a big deal by most people because most people don't understand the deep history of words like "gay", "fag" or "fruit"

Fag was a cigarette, gay was happy, fruit is. . .well fruit. . .when they started being applied to describe homosexual people, they were all intended to inflict harm on them.  Gay people in turn decided to start using the terms themselves as a kind of "take that" gesture, and eventually teens started using it in place of odd or different, which you can see where I'm going with that.

Tomario, I'm not going to tell anyone how to write their parodies, and the word 'gay' appears in several of my parodies, it's just never used in a way that is on the offesnive side. . .and I know your work well enough to know that you aren't homophobic any more than you are racist, however I am a person of a very sound open mind, and when I see things of that nature it just doesn't sit well with me because of the history of that word.  It's not the word itself, it's the manner it is used in.  I understand that it's becoming common place, but I will never support it just as I don't support the N word appearing almost systemactically in newer rap, I'd go into greater detail but I think what I've already said catches my opinion pretty well--things like that just don't sit well with me.

The particular line you are saying in your current parody project is not offensive at this point. . ."They Call me Gay" is fine.

Again Tomario, as Conqueror of Parodies can attest, that's just my opinion--and the opinion of some of the other parodists, I don't think any of us who dislike the misuse of that word have a problem with that word in general--just the misuse of it. . .Odd is a slang meaning of that word, and to use it in that sense is "Like OMG I'm sooooo going to the Gap and talking on my txt mssg machine, like totally" language, and I don't personally care for it.  And I won't hold my opinion of that parody (the one you are referring to) in future judgings, or my opinion of you in general (I regularly vote for Conqueror when his parodies are among my favorites)

I hope that answered more questions than it created, and using language is an individual thing--personal thing is that no parody (unless it's by Seasame Street) is going to meet everyone's desires, and every parody will offend someone (the nature of comedy it seems--many people can't take a joke) and everyone has certain irk, that's one of mine--I didn't know I wasn't the only one who felt that way about it until recently, but have a good night--I'm off my soap box for the night

Sincerely,
Dave

I don't read parodies so take this for what its worth...

I find using someone sexual preference for humor offensive. I think homosexuals and fat people are the last groups that it's still "acceptable" to make fun of and I don't really enjoy it.

but having said that- it really depends on the context. George Lopez can tell hispanic jokes, Dave Chappelle can tell black jokes, Mario Cantone can tell gay jokes.... I will laugh if the joke is funny...


But Kevin Spacey is not out of the closet so speculate about his sexuality is one thing to state it as 'fact' in an attempt at humor- I don't like it.

Again Tomario, as Conqueror of Parodies can attest, that's just my opinion--and the opinion of some of the other parodists, I don't think any of us who dislike the misuse of that word have a problem with that word in general--just the misuse of it. . .Odd is a slang meaning of that word, and to use it in that sense is "Like OMG I'm sooooo going to the Gap and talking on my txt mssg machine, like totally" language, and I don't personally care for it.  And I won't hold my opinion of that parody (the one you are referring to) in future judgings, or my opinion of you in general (I regularly vote for Conqueror when his parodies are among my favorites)

Why am I being mentioned? I'm not to seeing my name being referenced...anywhere, really. Any chance of an explanation?

Why am I being mentioned? I'm not to seeing my name being referenced...anywhere, really. Any chance of an explanation?


You used the word "gay" in a couple of your parodies so the Gay Police came knocking on your door.  ;)

I new gay use to mean happy a long time ago and these days It's become homosexual, but all the stuff it could mean according to Wicktionary just seems crazy to me.  Anyway a joke is a joke jokes like that can offend people.  If that's what you really enjoy doing,  don't let others stop you.

Thank you all for your feedback. It seems that in the 00s we have to be so PC that it can be a strain sometimes.
I've decided to ditch the parody and finish  my "Arwen" parody.

Snozzberries i thought Kevin Spacey "outted" himself when he was mugged in London while Hanging out at a notorious gay hang out! ::)

... the Gay Police came knocking on your door.  ;)


I'm trying to imagine what the Gay Police uniforms would look like  ;D

The word itself doesn't bother me.  Yes, gay once meant to be happy and light-hearted, but that's pretty much a dead meaning.  And over the past couple of years, gay has been used by many to mean lame, effeminate, or dumb (e.g. Katy Perry's record U'r So Gay)

I would say that too often, comedians are too quick to run to the gay jokes, thinking that the word in and of itself is funny, much like they often go blue thinking that cursing in and of itself is funny.  Hey, I like a good dick joke as mush as the next guy, but the important word is "good," not "dick."

If the subject matter of your parody is that people are calling you gay because of certain mannerisms even though you are not gay, that has humor potential.  I say don't worry so much about offending people.

Thank you all for your feedback. It seems that in the 00s we have to be so PC that it can be a strain sometimes.
I've decided to ditch the parody and finish  my "Arwen" parody.

Snozzberries i thought Kevin Spacey "outted" himself when he was mugged in London while Hanging out at a notorious gay hang out! ::)


straight people go to gay bars too... okay- usually straight women- but still- he could have been researching a role, keeping a friend company.....


;)

Well, TCOP I'm only referencing that I've made comments on a couple of your parodies where you used 'gay' in the same misuse Tomario did, and that I don't judge the rest of your parodies by those couple of parodies, that's all--in other words I don't think it's as serious as Matthias makes it out to be--but I don't find it funny.

Matthias--please--I'd hardly call myself Police of any kind, I don't suggest parodies to be removed or changed over my opinions

McKludge--Have you seen the video to Marilyn Manson's "The Dope Show", if not you should--the police in that video would be my guess ;)

Snoozberries--Very good explination

Well, TCOP I'm only referencing that I've made comments on a couple of your parodies where you used 'gay' in the same misuse Tomario did, and that I don't judge the rest of your parodies by those couple of parodies, that's all--in other words I don't think it's as serious as Matthias makes it out to be--but I don't find it funny.

Matthias--please--I'd hardly call myself Police of any kind, I don't suggest parodies to be removed or changed over my opinions

McKludge--Have you seen the video to Marilyn Manson's "The Dope Show", if not you should--the police in that video would be my guess ;)

Snoozberries--Very good explination



thx

Just 2 cents...I think gay people themselves might becme offended about the usage of the term out of context...but I am not gay myself so I should not speak for them....

I've only used "gay" and "fag" once, in the same parody, from the perspective of 12 year old fangeeks throwing weak insults.

If you can make a funny theme around gayness, go for it.

If you're looking to use gay as a synonym for bad, lame, or stupid, I'd probably avoid it.

signature banned as well