Critics bully ‘Glee’ for last night’s ‘gay-focused’ episode

By Brooke Johnson -

“You can’t punch the gay out of me any more than I can punch the ignoramus out of you”–
A sentiment that surely resonated with “Glee” fans familiar with the wrath of an anti- gay bully, but was Kurt (Chris Colfer)’s performance in the show’s first hands-on attempt at dealing with gay intolerance a bit too much?
For some, a gay-centric episode of a hit TV show abounding with gay pride messaging and “too much drama” is an anomaly. But many critics are bashing the episode for its “cop-out” techniques; Ryan McGee described it to NBC as  “a combination of wish fulfillment coupled with audience punishment.” The “Never Been Kissed” episode of “Glee” aired last night, November 10th, as a measure to address issues surrounding gay-bullying among our youth.
In one memorable scene, “jock” character, Dave Karofsky (Dave Adler) shoved Kurt into a locker in their high school hallway, and, fighting back, Kurt yelled and followed the bully into the locker room to confront him. A furious Kurt unleashed a series of  arguments with a very “We’re here, we’re queer, get used to it” undertone,  “Glee” creator Ryan Murphy told The New York Times. And instead of punching Kurt, as I think everyone (including the characters themselves) expected, Dave aggressively grabbed Kurt’s face and kissed him.

The unexpected twist landed “Glee” a slew of critiques along the lines of  “tasteless,” “overt” and “unnecessarily sexual,” according to PinpPapers.com and The New York Times.  Most consistently, complaints have dealt with the approach being “out of character” for the show, reports AfterElton.com. Many feel the portrayal of bullying and Dave’s coming out was “too simple”– failing to send a positive message to gay viewers (and an educational one to everyone else).

Mixed feelings about the episode leave some viewers wondering about the possibility of  Dave becoming a recurring character and how the show will go about dealing with its portrayal of gay characters in the future, according to AfterElton.com and PinkPapers.com.
Yes, the episode was a bit cheesy. Unrealistic? Maybe. But shouldn’t we be focusing on the more important part of this story–the fact that a major TV series chose to dedicate an entire episode to delivering a message of empowerment and courage to gay youth? In light of recent tragedies brought on by homophobic bullying, audiences should be more interested in themes and intentions of the media, instead of being so quick to criticize the techniques used to implement them.

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