[fairycosmos]

does it ever get better? has it gotten better? will it get better? when will it get better?

[fairycosmos]

[audible-smiles]

My memory of The Birdcage (1996) is always that it's more dated and more difficult to watch than it actually is. You hear "drag-themed comedy from the 90s based on a musical from the 80s based on a play from the 70s" and you brace yourself just a little, right? But the film has a strong gay perspective, so the fruity fag jokes mostly come off as warmly affectionate. There is a surprising amount of poignancy in Robin Williams' portrayal of Armand, grudgingly agreeing to his beloved son's request that he go back into the closet for an evening ("do me a favor and don't talk to me for a while"). The drag club's staff attempting to redecorate the apartment with stuff straight people might like (a taxidermy moose head, an enormous crucifix, and Playboy magazine) is extremely funny. Albert's histrionics are a point of tension because he does often come off as a stereotypically pathetic/comic figure, but towards the end of the movie he makes it very clear that he's aware of how people see him, and asserts that trying to copy a stoic masculinity he doesn't possess for the sake of social approval would be more pathetic. In the 1983 musical adaptation, they give "Albert" (Albin) the only good song in the whole show, "I Am What I Am", which Gloria Gaynor covered to the delight of gays everywhere. Apparently Nathan Lane wasn't (publicly) out yet in 1996, which is amazing because it means that at one point in this movie you're watching a gay man playing a straight man playing a gay man playing a straight man, in a movie about how it's important to be yourself, an absurdity that does seem to encapsulate the state of gay America in the 90s.

[silverhand]

I'm seeing a couple of posts circulating about the gay 90s and this movie. The above is a very good summary, and I think it's worth adding a few other points.

This movie got made because Robin Williams said yes to it (and it's important that Gene Hackman did as well). Williams in the 90s was a mega-star of a type that's not present in the current media environment (maybe Tom Cruise, but I personally think that's echo from his salad days). Even his flops made money on the back end in the video rental market, which also doesn't exist anymore (streaming is different). Hackman was on the other side of his A-list career but still Hollywood nobility if not full royalty.

Playing gay was considered career suicide in the 90s. There had been a number of actors who put lie to that belief stretching back decades, but this was Williams and Hackman (yes, being on screen next to a gay character was enough to get you blacklisted) saying "screw that" and doing it anyway.

Being gay and out was career suicide in the 90s.

Nathan Lane had a really nice gig going for himself. The Lion King put him into the Disney rep company with people like Williams, Bette Midler, and Whoopie Goldberg (check their IMBD list from the 90s--they were making bank at Disney).

Lane didn't come out until several years later (nice summary: https://deadline.com/2024/06/nathan-lane-robin-williams-advice-coming-out-birdcage-1235975010/).

I don't want to imply that this was a Sorkinized moment where everything changed because of one thing, but this was a very important movie that caused real movement in the needle on queer acceptance.

It also proved that there was a market for films with gay characters, which had the knock-on effect of gay filmmakers being able to find distributors of their gay-themed films. Which meant that more people than ever (queer and non-queer) got to see representation on-screen.

[orteil42]

given the current climate this pride especially i feel i must mention that i love my trans friends, i stand with trans people in the fight against transphobic legislation and those who would enforce it, and this blog is not a good place for you to be if you do not vibe with that

[spazzsoph]

happy pride month :]

[spitzonthefritz]

this is going around twitter rn but im also super curious: please tell me your top four comfort movies that you’re always down to watch bc my friend thinks mine are ridiculous and now we’ve realised everyone’s version of “comfort” is hilariously different

[thulium]

[mycroftrh]

Far worse, in my opinion, than the famous “he wouldn’t fucking say that” is “he WOULD fucking say that, as part of his facade, but you seem to think he would mean it genuinely”

[chantylay]

Se also "he DID say that and he was LYING, and somehow you didn't notice."

[orenju]

"John's favourite was Sam.", "No, John's favourite was Dean.", "John's favourite was actually Adam!"

John's favourite was actually the ghost of Mary Winchester that haunted his psyche to the point he neglected the shit out of all three of his children.

[pollsforadults]

You get transported into the universe of the last media you consumed. How are you doing?

This is better than my real life

I'm doing well

I'm doing fine

I'm not having a good time

I'm absolutely cooked

There is nothing different about this universe and my own

Voting ended onMay 29

[youre-only-gay-once]

sam and dean losing the colt to bela and then being shocked about it is so funny “I never thought the occult object thief would steal MY occult object” say the two hunters who left their occult object in the room alone with the occult object thief who’s stolen their occult objects before

[demsapples]

Ah, yes, continuing on with my presentation on the cycle of BOYZLIFE...

[tincar87]

Destiel is crazy cause it's obscene and nothing at all at the same time. They're having sex but with their eyes, they're naked but only because one of them took off one layer of clothing, they're touching each other's souls but actually one of them just put their hand on the other's shoulder.

[iinexhaustible]

yes dean winchester lives inside jensen ackles but that doesn’t mean the things jensen says abt dean aren’t still contaminated by a texan toxic man brain that was raised on thinking straws are gay to drink out of

[tatzelwurming]

listen i consider myself an empathic person but after a certain point i get sick of other people’s problems. my friend is always talking about how the jewel-eyed skull on their mantlepiece is tormenting them w its sinister beauty and im over it. like dude i don’t want to talk about this anymore. get rid of the fucking skull

[e-102]

you’ are biased against my skull

[tatzelwurming]

i’m not having this argument again man

[beardedmrbean]

this sounds like a party to me

[grand-theft-carbohydrates]

[macleod]

Good Vibrations Cabinet Glitch furniture by Ferruccio Laviani

[cantfightfatetoo]

The Racist Fandom Starter Pack

A canon interracial couple exists "I just don't see their chemistry" proceeds to fanon ship [insert white character] instead, claiming they have more of a connection.

"It's not their skin color, I just don't like them for some reason, btw, here are my top 5 [insert white actors] I think are better suited"

"Not everything is about race". They say, as they prop up every white character over any character of color.

"Please stop bring race drama into the fandom". Which translates to, I'm comfortable in my racism and don't appreciate any criticism, thanks!

White person, "Yeah, I wrote character of color as an animal, doesn't make me racist".

"I love character of color, here's a fic where they act like as [insert white characters] servant/therapist".

Character of color is such a bad friend for having opinions of their own/taking care of themselves instead of putting their friend [insert white character] first.

A character of color is morally ambiguous or a villain, gets redemption arc. "They're awful and haven't been condemned enough of their crimes". Stans [insert white characters] who did the exact same crimes or was a villain who's redemption arc is praised.

"Can't believe that character of color had the nerve not to die as a selfless sacrifice for [insert white character]".

"POC actress/actor is too ethnic and they'd ruin the character".

"I haven't seen racism in the fandom therefore it isn't there".

"Character of color is the main character of the show sure, but let's be honest, everyone came for [insert white character]

"Character of color is alright but I can only relate to [insert white character]".

Feel free to add more, that you've come across. Sadly, it all runs together after awhile of being in a lot of fandoms. Special shout out to all who helped me with these comments!

[creatingblackcharacters]

"making character Black is inaccurate/offensive! I'm not racist, it's just facts!"