Saturday Night Live

[TxKimberly]

I get it - Saturday Night Live is a comedy. It's purpose is to make people laugh, not to be a socially responsible advocate for change. Still, this little spot sure does us no favors:

http://www.glaad.org/tellsnl

[Zenith]

jo_ann posted the GLADD link here...
http://www.crossdressers.com/forums/showthread.php?147875-Bill-Hader-in-pantyhose...transexual-SNL-skit...

[Chloe Renee]

Feel free to flame me.
I saw this on Helen Boyd's blog.. I'm torn, one one hand I understand it is meant to be a joke being a play off the yaz birth control ads. The other side of the coin is the stereotypical bearded man in a dress. I don't know if it is fair to compare this skit to preforming in black face.
The TG community has been a lot more public the last couple years, some good some bad. It is part of becoming mainstream society, there is going to be a painful period of transition. (not meant to be funny) The T of LGBT is 10-20 years behind the rest of the movement. Who else remembers when gays and lesbians were portrayed in a similar manner. Now years later, there are balanced roles both serious and comedic not to mention campy...

For me I am trying to not become a hyper-sensitive TG women, as it is easy to do. Life is too short to get offended about every little thing.

[gretchen2]

I think it SUCKS!!! SNL has never been funny in my book and I do have a sence of humor. So now when I go grocery shopping people will be thinking of that skit. NBC should have let SNL crash and burn years ago.
Thanks Kim

[Stephenie S]

So. I watched it. I thought it was kinda funny in a SNL kinda way. It's obviously in VERY bad taste. But when has SNL been in good taste?

I signed the petition to remove it, but I can't get too worked up over the skit. It was funny.

Stephie

PS. OK it wasn't that funny. I didn't laugh. But really, it was SOOO SNL.

[Lorileah]

SNL saw an easy target with a large number of people who won't fight back and they took the pot shot. Yes it is just like black face and the myriad or other stereotypes that they cannot use anymore so they go for TG's (after all as group we are clowns right????) and the handicapped (the Lennon sister rip off should have been dead before it was aired). Why do they do this? Because they are lazy and haven't written anything funny in 20 years and teenage kids have nothing else to do on Saturday night.

Oh wait, I have been informed that this type of skit is "satire" you know trying to show just how inane being prejudiced is. That really they were using it to show that the TG community are real people with hearts and souls who are good hard working people. That TS's in particular need something like this and that the medical community will watch the skit and say "that is a hellova good idea". As Roseanne Rosannadana said...Nevermind (for you who didn't get that it was satire)

[Stephenie S]

Yeah, I agree. There hasn't been anything funny on SNL for at LEAST 20 years.

S

[Sallee]

Ok I'll comment GET OVER IT It is comedy albeit may not great comedy but the skit did have a point at least in my mind. To me it said there is more to being woman than just having boob. I have know some in the community that boobs was really all they wanted because that is where the illusion or effort to change stopped. Please shave clean your self up try to look nice. And this goes for what ever gender you prefer.

[Sallee]

Chloe I have to agree with you It was satire get over it

[TxKimberly]

. . . GET OVER IT . . .

Oh yeah, I wasn't trying to make a call to arms or anything as I agree that there isn't much point to getting all upset about it. Still, I thought it rated sharing the link.
My family has always had the belief (I THINK from the Irish side) that the day you can't laugh at yourself, you might as well hang it all up.

[Dawna Ellen Bays]

My family has always had the belief (I THINK from the Irish side) that the day you can't laugh at yourself, you might as well hang it all up.

I guess I won't be "hanging it all up" anytime soon, then...:heehee:

[Sally24]

http://www.nbc.com/saturday-night-live/video/estro-maxx/1279560/

If you want to watch the skit, try this link. I'm not upset by it, but it wasn't't funny. Judging by the lack of live laughter, the audience agreed. The bouncing boobs and body jokes were the only thing that got laughs. SNL has been hit or miss, except for the first few seasons.

[Laura_Stephens]

Toyota sponsored the spot. Why no animosity towards them?

[VeronicaMoonlit]

Feel free to flame me.
I saw this on Helen Boyd's blog.. I'm torn, one one hand I understand it is meant to be a joke being a play off the yaz birth control ads. The other side of the coin is the stereotypical bearded man in a dress.
For me I am trying to not become a hyper-sensitive TG women, as it is easy to do. Life is too short to get offended about every little thing.

That's how I feel as well. One good thing about the skit is that the faux transfolk in it are portrayed pretty much the same as the women in the YAZ/Orth-Tricyclene/Seasonique/feminine hygiene ads. Ya got one in an office, one excercising, another being believably informative. And although some do have facial hair, they were dressed as "normal women"

Veronica

[Kaitlyn Michele]

I like the TSA character that screened one gal and showed up at the party with a bottle of wine...i thought that part was very funny..

this was a gentle skit...it was actually quite subtle in how it played off the Yaz ad's and frankly i bet there is somebody in there that knows or is a transitioning person...the guys were actually quite good at playing their parts as early transitioners.
it didnt seem to go over very well....

in 2009 i was on hormones...getting ready for "full time" and i let my beard grow in 8 week intervals to get "blast electrolysis" i was quite a site over the summer in my jean skirt, cami and beard....ahhh memories...
that being said, the beards were kind of overkill

the only way to really blast this skit is to take the position that all comedy at the expense of another is wrong..(a reasonable position that i disagree with)

[StaceyJane]

You mean that wasn't a real commercial?
I was going to ask my doctor about it at my next visit.

[Lorileah]

Chloe I have to agree with you It was satire get over it

sure take it like a man and suck it up after all, who cares if people are degraded, made fun of, bullied, beat up because they are different. Heck it is only satire after all Yeah get over it

There is a line between satire and poor taste and being rude to any person. Yeah get over it.

I can laugh at myself...ha hah hah. But hard to laugh at people who are struggling to get somewhere like all the TS's who have top put up with that low grade mean (satirical...) hurtful humor. Yeah that is why suicide rates are so low for the LGBT community. Get over it

You think it is funny and you are entitled to your opinion but it was low and rude and hurtful. It isn't the only SNL jab at people. The handicappoed get slammed by Kirstin Wiig and Rachel Dratch. Taking pot shots at groups is low and lazy humor. But then SNL panders to that level, always has always will.

[Traci Elizabeth]

I watched it and thought it was funny as hell! I laughed. It's good to laugh even at oneself.

[Jessinthesprings]

I watched it and thought it was funny as hell! I laughed. It's good to laugh even at oneself.

Right you are! We need to laught at ourselves more often!

Yes I know they playing on sterotypes, and I've met far to many people who fall into the "bearded lady" not even trying to pass type of transgendered person. Is it doing us any favors? No, but when has a SNL skit done anyone favors? It is a satire of our society, and usally boarders on tasteless. Was it funny? I smirked a bit, but I don't think there was any real laughing. I never liked SNL to begin with.

[Miranda09]

I viewed it and really didn't get all that upset with it. In fact, I thought it was rather unimaginative and has been done before. I'll laugh at myself if the humor is creative....this was just ..... YAWNNNNNNNNN.

[SamanthaS]

SNL hasn't been funny in years. Why even let them know someone is watching?

[Aprilrain]

For SNL that was actually funny.

[Rachel Morley]

IMHO, not funny at all .... I had an increasingly bad feeling in my stomach as I watched it. Ok, they are taking the worse example and exaggerating it to the max (beards and/or mustaches on transitioning TS women) to try to get to some humor (not!) .... but that doesn't take away from the fact that it will reinforce negative stereotypes of people in our community, many of whom (in reality) could walk right by them and they would never even know.

[linnea]

Yes, whoever needs to get over it should get over it. It's SNL, after all, and they like to hit all kinds of targets. I have been an SNL fan since the beginning, not so much in the last decade, but still I've thought that they have a good time and catch a lot of cultural foibles and flaws and stupidity. This particular piece cuts close and in a way that seems to be particularly demeaning. It's unfortunate, demeaning, bad for transgendered people. I think that we should say that we care; beyond that, there's really not much point in doing anything. let it go.

[Chloe Renee]

Lorileah, I can agree with one of your points. Yes SNL caters to low brow humor, even back in the "golden era" they chose to pick on minority groups in society. I haven't actually watched SNL since high school.

I also can say I would have completely missed this skit if it hadn't been posted on a sight trying to stir up the community. Will it? Probably, it certainly gotten a rise out of you and plenty of other people.
But, what are you, me or any other transperson going to do about it?
We could be outraged take offense and demand an apology. But really how does this really help the community at large?

Another option is we can use this to educate people, by using it to start a dialog. Many people have never met someone who is trans, and are ignorant what we go through.

"Where ignorance is our master, there is no possibility of real peace. "
Dalai Lama


Getting back to the skit. Before we get angry, lets ask what if a transperson made this skit and posted it as a joke within this community?
Would the reaction be different? If so how does this make you feel?
George Carlin said in one of his early routines that it is okay to hit your own gang.

If "one of us" making this changed how one feels about it then perhaps that person should lighten up. If someones feelings does not change than perhaps it is genuinely offensive. For me when I look through this filter I find the skit not that bad and from there move on with life.

That being said tere are some parts of the trans and CD community that find even the most benign statement, misunderstanding or off-color humor a terrible travesty and a borderline hate crime.

These type of people make me I feel like I'm in this comic
http://transgirldiaries.com/?p=1244
(The art, crudely drawn at times but often the meaning is clear.Warning some of the comics are fairly offensive)

[Christy_M]

I have always liked SNL because it has been a great source of mindless humor for over 30 years. I started watching it back when Dan Akroyd was calling Jane Curtain an ignorant $lut. The offensiveness hasn't changed. I did not find this funny except the tranny chaser who followed the woman home form the airport. I think it is in poor taste but that is what these guys make their money doing. There really aren't too many skits they do that are designed to be in good taste imo. If you give this the power over you to be offended, then you should react in whatever way you feel comfortable. I would think there is a line of people trying to be heard about something offensive SNL has done. They haven't even apologized to David Patterson or anyone else who may be offended by their satire of him.

[Dawna Ellen Bays]

They haven't even apologized to David Patterson or anyone else who may be offended by their satire of him.

Now THAT was a bit I REALLY enjoyed...especially his constant "digs" at what New Jersey looks like...and I'm FROM New Jersey..

I have a few SNLs on DVR that I'm getting around to watching. You want offensive? Look no further than the recent Robert DeNiro episode. What offends me is that it was SO unfunny, and I can't get that time back...

[Stephanie-L]

What I find interesting about this whole thing is that is very far from the first time SNL has taken shots at the TG/TS community. I remember during the early seasons (1 or 2 I think) a bit where Buck Henry and Larraine Newman were playing TS characters, who had been the donor and recipient of a "transplant", with Buck Henry playing MTF and Newman playing FTM. That was funnier than this, and I didn't find it very funny, even that many years ago.....Stephanie

[Stephanie Anne]

It was a comedy skit organized by a show well known for being insensitive to minority groups. It was done however without straight forward discrimination. certain elements were tactless (facial hair) but the over all satirical aspect of it was not overtly offensive.

I personally think too much is being emphasized on this. If we lambaste every public critique, comedy routine, and mainstream item that deals with trans issues, we are going to be labeled as a hands off community. Doing this is going to close us of to public opinion and keep us stagnant from mainstream acceptance.

This is why I would rather feel uncomfortable about an issue very important to me than make sure ever thing said, read, and heard is positive.

Not one character in this sketch was seen in a negative light. All aspects of their lives were normal. The topic of HRT was done accurately. The clothing was not comical or insulting.

Of course the punchline is transexuality but I do not believe it was done in a manner that was meant to degrade. Yes, I do hate the stigma Jerry Springer and Ace Ventura has left us. I do feel that any publicity is going to be bad for us for a while. However, if we become hyper critical of everything said about us, we lose.

Why are we not in arms about the over the top drag shows and videos online? They are actually far more damaging to our equality than this. I know the reason is because it was done by "them" and not in the community.

It is like making jokes about Black people. Oh it's fine when Dave Chappelle does it but OMG if a white comedian dared to crack a joke, RACIST!

[Fab Karen]

The T of LGBT is 10-20 years behind the rest of the movement. Who else remembers when gays and lesbians were portrayed in a similar manner. Now years later, there are balanced roles both serious and comedic not to mention campy...

And things changed because gay people spoke up against such portrayals. Lori mentioned teens watch SNL- do we want them thinking it's okay to mock & laugh at such people? Think on it the next time you're out & about.

[Stephanie Anne]

And things changed because gay people spoke up against such portrayals. Lori mentioned teens watch SNL- do we want them thinking it's okay to mock & laugh at such people? Think on it the next time you're out & about.

So not so. 10-20 years ago the gay and lesbian community was fiercely outspoken about any portrayal of homosexuality in anything but a normal positive light. What changed is a relaxation of near militant views and acceptance of the evidence that people respond to humor.

you know what happened? People got accustomed to homosexuality as a normal human behavior. Until we can stand on our own with being knocked down over events like this, we are going to continue to be typecast.

[Starling]

SNL has long been known for cheap and easy humor. And not very funny humor, either. The sketches get laughs, such as they are, by trading in outrageous stereotypes, and not by expressing any novel, or controversial, points of view. It's lowest-common-denominator comedy, regardless of how they boast about their lack of "political correctness." That is simply code for willingness to offend the usual suspects.

Which is to say, SNL is lazy and not very smart. The most brilliant satire challenges our received opinions and awakens us to new insights. The role of SNL, on the other hand, is to provide mental junk food.

It's a cosmic joke to be a stranger in your own body, and to be compelled to go against social taboos to be happy--and we've all had funny experiences on our path to self-discovery--but to really explore our predicament in a comedy sketch requires a creative artist who can identify with that all-too-human reality and explore it honestly.

I'll be damned if I can figure out what that sketch was trying to say about MTF transsexuals, beyond fat, bearded guys wearing dresses will always get a laugh.

So what else is new? The sketch in question was just sort of dumb, but certainly not vicious, and most of the people watching at home probably didn't remember it ten minutes after they saw it--even if they were paying attention in the first place.

Sure, it would be nice if SNL would occasionally make fun of stereotypes themselves, rather than the stereotyped, but that may be asking too much of a hacky TV show.

:) Lallie

[Charlena]

I did'nt care for the skit, of course I think the last time I really laughed at a SNL skit was about 30 years ago with a bag of w**d.

[JenniferZ2009]

My only thought when I first watched it was that they looked and acted like alot of tranny's Ive met over the years that give alot of us bad names.

[Fab Karen]

So not so. 10-20 years ago the gay and lesbian community was fiercely outspoken about any portrayal of homosexuality in anything but a normal positive light. What changed is a relaxation of near militant views and acceptance of the evidence that people respond to humor.

you know what happened? People got accustomed to homosexuality as a normal human behavior. Until we can stand on our own without being knocked down over events like this, we are going to continue to be typecast.
They are asking for equal rights in things such as marriage- some call that "militant." They did not stop speaking out, they just chose the most important things to speak out about. What actually happened was more & more of them were open, & society got to see them as everyday people, not some moronic stereotype. That way lies acceptance.

[Avana]

finally got around to seeing this:

i didn't personally find it that offensive. i mean it definitely reinforces transphobia, but at the same time, at least it's out there.

there were aspects of the video that were funny and even somewhat supportive of trans-women, like the fact that the TSA security guard sees her essentially nude through the X-Ray machine, but shows up at the trans-woman get-together with wine either way.

i, for one, take it in in stride.

[Angel.Marie76]

Not to necessarily off-shoot this thread, but this follows suit it seems:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1J1TDKptQs
Craig Ferguson Trans "Character" Sketch, aired on Feb. 4th, 2011.

And MetroWeekly's Poliglot section writing several detailed reviews on the topic:
http://metroweekly.com/poliglot/2011/02/why-is-the-craig-ferguson-sket.html

And this is Diego Sanchez's thoughts on the clip and other similar issues:
http://www.lgbtpov.com/2011/02/diego-sanchez-transgender-insult-on-cbs/

I gave my $.02 elsewhere..

[Stephanie Anne]

And yet not one person is up in arms over the super bowl ad yesterday that had a crossdresser as a punchline. I would think more people would be upset over misrepresentation of all trans people as guys playing dress up than a parody of woman's drug ads using transgendered minstrels in "black face".

[Starling]

I liked the spot because it showed a person's gradual evolution from a macho man to a woman, or at least to a man comfortable with expressing as a woman, when exposed to a variety of mind-opening experiences. I don't think it was at all a case of "crossdresser as punchline," because we saw the subject grow more and more feminine, until the inevitable occurred. At the end her presentation was dignified and tasteful, and she was not portrayed as a weirdo or a pervert.

:) Lallie

[Kaitlyn Michele]

I thought the super bowl ad was like a best case scenario...it was about a person fulfilling dreams and they chose a crossdresser to illustrate it..

it was sensitive and showed a macho guy doing what he wanted...

there was not a hint of phobia to it..

the guys at group on also did an ad about tibet that was controversial btw..

[Melody Moore]

I watched it and I laughed in the beginning, however by the time I got to the end of it, I realised that sick humour like this only encourages society to make a mockery of us and be a lot more disrespectful towards members of our community. While personally I am a very strong & capable person who can take care of myself, I know there are many other trans-girls who are not so strong and I feel they will become the real targets & victims of this type of satire. So I believe that we should denounce this type of discrimination so it doesn't foster greater problems for our community.

[Aprilrain]

What actually happened was more & more of them were open, & society got to see them as everyday people, not some moronic stereotype. That way lies acceptance.

Even after mainstream acceptance people find moronic stereotypes funny, Will & Grace?

That's why I think it's best to take it as a compliment. Of course the facial hair and boobs were over the top but that is the point of a parody.

Back in the 90s I remember watching an interview with the band Nirvana (it's amazing I remember anything from the 90s) and the interviewer ask them how they felt about Weird Al doing one of their songs and their response was something like 'you know your famous when Weird Al parodies one of your songs!'

[Starling]

I find it fascinating that some of us loved the SNL sketch and hated the LivingSocial spot, or vice-versa! How can we possibly expect the mainstream media to pussyfoot around us when we can't even agree amongst ourselves on what is funny and what's offensive?

:eek: Lallie

[Stephanie Anne]

I find it fascinating that some of us loved the SNL sketch and hated the LivingSocial spot, or vice-versa! How can we possibly expect the mainstream media to pussyfoot around us when we can't even agree amongst ourselves on what is funny and what's offensive?

:eek: Lallie

Ah but you see that is just it. SNL was a lampoon on the process of transition. LivingSocial, the entire joke was crossdressing and how out of the ordinary (abnormal) it is as seen by the everyman (see my remark and image below). SNL just used hypercritical aspects to satire while the other as used the idea and had the end with a black man showing shock at the thought of a guy in a dress. I guess subliminal discrimination is harder to spot than obvious use for effect.

I find the last 10 seconds of that ad to be far more damaging because it preys on subconscious feelings of disgust most of us keep under the surface.

This is what we as a community should be working hard to counter, not some joke that is so obvious it will not register. We also need to let people understand we are not all manly men who like to wear tiaras and heels sometimes. We are men, women, and androgyne just like anyone else.

I present the offending section here:

151353

[Starling]

Well, Stephanie Anne, first let me say I have immense respect for you, because you're living the life I wish I could--and (who knows?) might still. But in the guy at the bar I don't see "disgust." I see, "Damn, is that a dude?"

Everything that ever happened to us affects how we perceive things. To me that's not a story of a jock who's really a macho fetishist, but of an average guy who has been freed to express his feminine side, and finds it effing marvelous. We don't know if he's CD or TS, but he's definitely living his bliss.

Love out to you, Stephanie Anne. I hope it doesn't oppress you to be an inspiration to someone who's old enough to be your momma.

:) Lallie

[Avana]

I definitely did not see the LivingSocial ad as offensive to transwomen exclusively.

It was definitely sexist, though.

To have an ad like that displayed on mainstream television for a huge macho sporting event is pretty remarkable progress IMO. They aren't using the protagonist as a punchline, but even as a spokesperson, and it's obviously meant to communicate vast amounts of freedom and happiness as opposed to disgust. Why would a company ever want to associate disgust with its clientele?

The look the guy gives is more like "Damn girl!". In the context of this commercial, which shows a transition process as a series of characteristically sexist gateways (shave, get in touch with femme side vis a vis yoga, wax body, develop taste for feminine clothing) the final gateway as it were is then to present one's classically female self to the gaze of men, which is presumed to consummate one as a 'real' woman.

So again, if anything I think the commercial is just hopelessly sexist, but actually I think is quite remarkable in how frank it is about how anyone you know may be a transgender person, and how their product gives you the freedom to be what you want to be.

[shayleetv]

Judging from the comments about SNL I'm glad that I stopped watching years ago. One thing about the reason for not watching is there is much more worth while things to do with my time. I'll grant you this: there is something redeeming in everything even if it a great example for crap. Every once and a while I have turned it on just to confirm I haven't missed anything.

[Melinda G]

SNL hasn't been funny in years. I still watch it now and then, and spend an hour and a half waiting for it to get funny. They are pretty much reduced to toilet humor these days. But I have to admit that David Patterson skit was hilarious.

Craig Ferguson is genuinely funny, all the time. I'm sure is a crossdresser, because he frequently makes references and remarks about it. Several times he has pulled up his pant legs to show his shaved legs. Then he jokes about it.