Debbie Schlussel: Brokeback Manners: Free Pass for Gay TV Correspondent's Offensive Behavior
Last week's "Golden Globe Awards" are history. But the behavior on the awards show's red carpet of "E!" Entertainment Network correspondent and openly gay fashion designer (is there any other kind?) Isaac Mizrahi, isn't.
Would a straight guy (or woman) get a free pass to engage in the same behavior? You be the judge. On the red carpet, Mizrahi asked and did the following to different actresses:
* "Is it bikini [waxed]? Your body hair? Was it done tonight?"
* "Are you wearing underwear?"
* "I touched Scarlett's boob! I touched Scarlett's boob!" (And he, in fact, groped the actress' breasts.)
* "Come on, you've got to have the speech somewhere" (while looking down her dress).
Yet, despite this behavior, his bosses at E! are defending him (when they'd fire and probably file a police complaint against a straight male who did this), saying they like a person who's full of surprises.
So do gays get a free pass to do or so the otherwise objectionable? Yes, they do. And they shouldn't. Truly tasteless.
Posted by Debbie on January 26, 2006 02:54 PM to Debbie Schlussel