It isn’t that I don’t appreciate Bill Maher on his HBO show taking time out from his distinguished panel discussing Iraq, Genocide, Global Warming, and the Meltdown of American Democracy, to worry about where we gays are going to cruise after the tragic Griffith Park fire. It’s just that Maher has exposed his smarmy homophobic side before, all in the service of getting a few snickers from the lower order of his audience.
I was told about Maher's Griffith Park fire gay cruising "worry".I stopped watching him way back when he coupled California Assemblywoman Sheila Keuhl and Ellen DeGeneres, leered into the camera and waited for the obedient Neanderthal section of his audience to snicker. Scavenger Bill understands that merely speaking the names of out Lesbians is dependably good for a giggle.
The Griffith Park fire was sad and frightening for many (families, children, singles, pets, hikers, artists, golfers, athletes). Apparently Maher doesn’t care where he bottom-feeds for a laugh: Griffith Park=Gay Cruising.
Has anyone actually observed Maher displaying a moment of kindness, compassion, empathy or vulnerability? Leno does. Letterman does. Larry David does. I don't flinch at their gay humor. Maher "sings" the same note over and over: smugness/fear/arrogance. Apparently that’s the right note to resonate with a certain large segment of popular culture, perhaps the segment that hasn’t experienced prejudice.
I created a Maher is Enlightening or Maher is Slimy Daily Kos Poll this weekend. Two to one, to my surprise, the weekend readers found Maher Enlightening. My follow-up poll question might have been, "Whom else do you find Enlightening?" Maybe I don’t want to know. Maybe my lowered expectations after this will bring me more peace and less worry.
Still, not yet willing to accept that Maher has so many viewers "fooled," I’m including the same poll again hoping that a better crowd of Kos readers might be back from their weekend homes. Or spas. Or rehabs.
Finally, Bill, regarding your "concern" about where gays will cruise after the tragic Griffith Park fire. Any Ideas?